Archive for 'Uncategorized'
Subway Vocab (地铁生词） Posted by Stephen on Aug 23, 2011
Even on the Shanghai Subway, it’s a struggle just to get on (上车) and off (下车) a train before a wall of people or those sliding doors say: 不可以！ As you can see from the video, riding the subway is often chaotic and hectic. It’s not the kind of place you want to be running…
Chinese Currency Revaluation (货币升值) Posted by Stephen on Aug 22, 2011
After much anticipation and coupled with foreign and domestic pressure (not to mention the US Debt ceiling fiasco), China is finally poised to begin allowing a “gradual” appreciation of its currency against the U.S. dollar. Currency revaluation or 货币升值 (huòbìshēngzhí), has been a key issue for China and the rest of the world, as China…
Panda-monium: NBA Stars Invade China Posted by Stephen on Aug 17, 2011
NBA fever is sweeping the mainland (again). It’s Panda-monium! Due in large part to the potential 2011-2012 NBA lockout in the United States, many superstar basketball players are considering playing ball overseas. While stars like Kobe and Derron Williams want to play in Euro Leagues across the Atlantic, others have their eyes set across the…
Everything but the Table: Fast Food (快餐） Posted by Stephen on Aug 10, 2011
To say that city-life in China is busy would be a huge understatement. Nothing ever seems to close, cars never seem to leave the streets and crowds only thin out when inclimate weather rears its ugly head. Cities are crowded concrete jungles filled brimming with people. Yet the hustle-bustle of Chinese metropolises stands as a testament to the vast…
Beijing Day Trips – Volume 1 – Shang Fang Shan (上方山) Posted by sasha on Aug 3, 2011
When you live in the concrete jungle (AKA Beijing), it’s absolutely necessary to get out once in a while for a good day trip (一日游 – yī rì yóu). Luckily, for us Beijingers (北京人 – běi jīng rén), the options for easy, fun trips out of the city are abundant. As an avid hiker/adventurer, I…
The Qingdao Beer Festival (青岛啤酒节) Posted by sasha on Jul 30, 2011
About a month into my first stint in China (中国 – zhōng guó), I suffered from a case of itchy feet. While I had moved here to work, my job was only meant to be a means to an end – to fund my adventures. My first few weeks in 北京 had been a roller…
Rare Earths (稀土金属) Posted by Stephen on Jul 28, 2011
There’s been a lot of focus on China and rare earth in the press lately, so I thought I’d take time with a quick post to explain the value of rare earths and why they matter so much in contemporary politics, trade and economics. Rare earths or 稀土金属 (xī tǔ yuán sù)are a collection of…