As of yesterday, I think I can say that I am officially moved into my new apartment – my home for the next 10 months until the end of my Fulbright grant here. The semi-permanence is thrilling and also moderately troubling. I am already noticing downsides to the place, but I’m trying to quiet the …
Chinese culture has many traditions that are based on the lunar (and sometimes the solar) calendar and although they have now adopted the international standard of the Gregorian calendar*, these old traditions still surface in everyday life. Example 1: the fall moon festival (中秋節) was this Sunday. To be honest, even after celebrating it, I …
I find that the most interesting aspects of being immersed in a foreign culture is that it really is countless miniscule things that act synergistically to make the society different. Some things are impossible to miss (shop keepers yelling “歡迎光臨” at you if you even approach their store), others are more subtle (eating or drinking …
How is it that I am already getting behind on updates and I have been here just over a week? But on second thought, there is some sense in that: a lot of things have been happening are for the first or only time, and thus merit some reflection. I think things will settle down …