Renting in China Part 1 Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 16, 2008
Unless you’ve come to China to 定居(settle down), you’re likely going to be spending money to 租房(rent a house). Here are some helpful tips to know when you go with a realtor who’s trying to move a property. If you’re living by yourself, you’ll likely live in an 一居室(single) apartment. If you’re a fancier type…
Macau – Lemonade out of Lemons Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 13, 2008
Whilst in Hong Kong, I went with a friend of mine to 澳门 (Macau). We went to the Sands and Venetian casinos. They had 二十一点(blackjack), 百家乐(baccarat), roulette, and others. I stuck to 二十一点 while my friend played the 老虎机（slots）. I changed 500 港币 (hong kong dollars) into 筹码(chips) and hit the table. The lowest bet…
Visa Fun! Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 9, 2008
Greetings readers! I have just come back from 香港(Hong Kong) because of an issue with my 签证(visa). A multi-entry visa will let you 多次入境, but only for 60 days at a time. I went to the 出入境管理局(border entry-exit administration) at Andingmen, where I found that they could not effectively 延(extend) my visa because I didn’t…
When Gift-Giving Goes Awry Posted by Transparent Language on Oct 7, 2008
The NBA is pretty popular in China, and for good reason. Fans can watch Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, the sport itself requires very little equipment, and a lot of people can play at the same time- all strong suits. Moreover, I’ve heard a couple people say that they listen to NBA announcers to make their English more colloquial. Suffice…
Overcoming the Language Barrier: Chinese Hip Hop Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 25, 2008
In the 1990s, two cultures crossed paths as they travelled to opposite ends of the earth. In 1993, specifically, nine rappers from New York would release their first album, launching their careers as one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed hip hop groups of all time. The Wu Tang Clan (named after the…
Olympic Lockdown Posted by ryan on Jul 22, 2008
Olympic Lockdown July 20th marked the start of Beijing in Olympic Lockdown Mode. For approximately the next two months, the city will turn blue in the face while attempting to hold in its proverbial gut while showcasing itself to the world as a sleek, modern, clean, and efficient capital city ready to assume its place…
The Gypsy Road Posted by ryan on Jul 17, 2008
Following an extended hiatus exploring the geopolitics and security status of China’s energy sector at the end of the Chinese academic year, your gallant correspondent has returned once again to fire away at the idiosyncrasies of life in Beijing and Greater China as a whole. Today, a commentary on the gypsy trail of Chengfu Lu…