Lona Manning's blog

Housing Bubble

6/19/2017

China's economy heading for a spill?

[First published July 9, 2015] Hi folks, long time no see, as my students enjoy saying. And no wonder, the Chinese (Mandarin) language doesn't use articles like "a'," "an" and "the", or verb tenses, so "long time no see" is a more literal translation of what a Chinese person might actually say, as opposed to, "It's been a long time since the last time we saw each other."

I have all kinds of resolutions for blog posts in the summer months -- pictures! trenchant commentary! unsolicited opinions! jokes! reflections on teaching! insider scoops! but for now, please excuse me while I finish the last of the oral exams, mark the last tests, enter the last scores in the spreadsheet, and pack up another semester...

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Is is really wrong to flip a fish? -- a crash course in Asian etiquette

6/19/2017

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[First published June 27, 2015] Are you packing your suitcase to come to work in China? Have you got the OMG-I'm-moving-to-a-foreign-country jitters? You'll find a lot of "do's" and "don'ts" about Chinese etiquette floating around the web but reading them all might make you feel even more nervous! For light-hearted and useful advice, I really recommend the "Local Laowai" series on YouTube .

I recently spent a week at a countryside resort and the manager commented to me that I was the most polite foreigner he'd ever met, because I was aware of other people and didn't just care about myself. So I must be doing something right. Here are my observations....

Let's take as your starting point that you want to show your Asian colleagues and friends and the random people that you meet that you are intelligent, polite, and culturally aware but not to the point of slavishness and over-exaggeration. You want to fit in, not look ridiculous.

So.... yeah, tip one, don't bow too deeply. Don't bow at the same time you're shaking hands, that looks awkward. No-one is expecting you to bow at all, actually. You're a Westerner.
When we're bicycling through a Chinese village and we pass an elderly villager sitting in the sun, I do give them a smile and a head bob, to show respect. I hope they understand that I want to show respect for their grey hairs and for the fact that I'm cycling through their village. Or maybe I look like a dope. I hope not. Also when I'm called upon to speak in front of a group, I start with a little bow, because that is what all the other speakers do. It seems to be well received. Otherwise, I don't go around bowing at everybody...

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Coming to China, what to pack?

6/19/2017

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[First published July 30, 2015] So you've landed a teaching position in China and you're packing your suitcase. What should you bring? What is readily available? This topic is widely discussed in expat forums but here's my two cents:

If you're going to be working in Beijing, Shanghai or other first-tier city, you can track down any western item or any Western or international food that you crave. My advice applies to those of you travelling to a second- or third- tier city, such as Zibo, where I live. Having said that, I have only lived in and visited four provinces so I can't speak authoritatively about every province in China. Conditions and availability may vary:

It is not the case, as some older online info says, that you need to bring a year's supply of your own anti-antiperspirant, razors, toothpaste and toiletries. There's a staggering array of makeup, toiletries and moisturizers to choose from. Check out any department store or mall or try the chain store "Watson's." You can find familiar brands as well as experiment with domestic brands, such as jasmine flower flavor toothpaste. (One exception, discussed below, home hair dye kits.)

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What kind of music is popular in China?

6/19/2017

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2021 update: I've read that the government censors have gotten rid of the "American Idol" type tv shows.

[First published June 22, 2015] My students, when asked "What do you like to do in your spare time?" pretty much always answer, "listen to music." They like bland Euro-pop mostly, and insipid Chinese pop music. The radio stations here play just about every genre of music, including pop, rap, hip hop, Whitney Houston-style ballads and even Country &Western.

Flip on Chinese television and you'll likely see a singing contest, the Chinese version of "The Voice" and "American Idol." I'd say these types of shows are incredibly popular, but maybe it's just because the heavily censored Chinese networks have to fill up the airwaves with something.

There are also lots of big blowzy variety shows of a sort that haven't been produced in America for at least 30 years...

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Housing Bubble

Is is really wrong to flip a fish? -- a crash course in Asian etiquette

Coming to China, what to pack?

What kind of music is popular in China?

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Housing Bubble

Is is really wrong to flip a fish? -- a crash course in Asian etiquette

Coming to China, what to pack?

What kind of music is popular in China?﻿

About the author:

Categories

Archives

What kind of music is popular in China?