Chinese Visas Posted by sasha on Feb 24, 2013
If you want to visit China, chances are you’ll need a visa (签证 – qiān zhèng) to do so. With so many different types of visas, a bunch of rules and regulations, and a handful of exemptions, it can be a difficult and frustrating process. In an effort to simplify things for you, here’s a…
Beginner Chinese – Self-Introduction Posted by sasha on Feb 21, 2013
When learning a new language, one of the first things you need to learn how to do is introduce yourself. It’s also a good idea to learn how to ask questions to others so you can get to know them. Today I’ll provide a basic guide for how to do so. Name Q: What’s your…
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival Posted by sasha on Feb 17, 2013
In the nearly four years that I’ve been living in China, there’s only one place that I’ve visited on three separate occasions – Harbin (哈尔滨 – hā ěr bīn), the capital city of northeast China’s Heilongjiang province (黑龙江省 – hēi lóng jiāng shěng). Originally financed by the Russian Empire at the end of the 19th…
Spring Festival (春节) Posted by sasha on Feb 10, 2013
Tomorrow is the official start of the Spring Festival, China’s longest and most important holiday. As China follows the lunar calendar, the Spring Festival is also known as Chinese New Year. The madness of the chun yun travel rush is still going on, but most people should already be home by now. Today, on New…
The Spring Festival (Video) Posted by sasha on Feb 9, 2013
The Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is China’s longest and most important holiday. This festival has a history going back thousands of years, and there are tons of interesting customs and traditions associated with it. Learn more about the Spring Festival while learning a lot of useful Chinese vocabulary with this video…
Zharu Valley Eco-Tourism Hike (Day Three) Posted by sasha on Feb 3, 2013
For the 3rd and final day of the hike, we headed downhill and visited a local Tibetan village. Inside, we were welcomed with multiple cups of butter tea and plates full of home-cooked food. After a bike ride and a stop at the local temple, we took part in a roast lamb party. With singing…
Chinese Basketball (CBA) Posted by sasha on Jan 28, 2013
After Yao Ming (姚明 – yáo míng) joined the NBA, basketball took China by storm. Ping pong tables everywhere were left deserted as millions of Chinese youth instead began opting to lace up their Nikes and hit the basketball court (篮球场 – lán qiú chǎng). These days, basketball is everywhere you look here. The courts are…