Category: Blog
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Some thoughts on learning Mandarin Chinese
While going through some old posts I came across the post I wrote almost two years ago in which I declared my intent to improve my Mandarin Chinese. That post, published on December 9th, 2018, stated that I would try to achieve the level of HSK 4 or 5 within a year and was inspired…
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A change in food scene
For the all hubbub over the trade war between China and the United States, I can’t help but see more foreign companies making their way into China. In particular, the food scene has changed quite a bit in the short six years that I’ve been in this country and in Beijing. Tims (AKA Tim Hortons),…
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Seeing Beijing: Today Art Museum
Is there anything near you that people have talked about or that you have meant to go see but, since it’s so close, you just never get around to doing it? Well, for me, that’s the Today Art Museum in Shuangjing District in Beijing. The Today Art Museum was founded was Zhang Baoquan as a…
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All is quiet on China’s National Day
Seventy one years “New China” has been in existence, since Mao ZeDong raised the red flag with five golden stars that would represent the nation. This flag-raising now takes place every sunrise and sunset regardless of the weather. On the 1st, 11th, and 21st of every month, a band accompanies the soldiers in raising the…
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Three weeks of vacation
As normally happens around this time of year for me, my contract is up for renewal which means I have to use my vacation days before the contract expires in November. Unlike other jobs, my unused vacation days don’t carry forward. So, starting from September 27 until some time in the middle of October, I’m…