Seven years ago Jarek and I were just married and living in Xi’an China as exchange students. One evening as we sat studying in our cramped, dusty apartment, we heard a knock at our door. We opened it to see a bright-eyed Chinese girl with beautiful high cheekbones and a contagious smile. “Hello! My name…
Tag: Guangzhou
38 Hours: A chronicle of our grueling journey home
Home. What would you give to keep it? Your comfort? Your peace of mind? Your DNA? We chose to give all three of those things in order to get back to our home in China. We did all we could think of to prepare mentally and physically for the trip back home, yet at some…
Can I have my nose back?
I was laughing out loud as I left the music studio, wondering if I would even get one decent picture out of the “photo shoot” I had just experienced. I looked at my reflection in my phone. The red apple lipstick that I tried to hide was still as bold as ever, my eyebrows were…
For the Love of Food
It has been a few weeks since I’ve posted and I apologize. Between a sick baby and a three year old, there hasn’t been much time to write. But I want to introduce one person who has saved me this month: our lovely cook, Xiao Li. Xiao Li comes twice a week, but she has…
Home: My toilet, the robots, and that blasted water show
Have you ever moved somewhere new, gone on vacation, and returned only to find your home feels more “home-like” than ever? Something magical happens when you go home. All of the sudden, the things that were once so unfamiliar, and perhaps even strange, become beautiful reminders that things are back to normal. Of course, for…
Dragon Boating
There is a holiday in China called Dragon Boat Festival. Particularly in South China, it is celebrated (how else?) with Dragon Boat Races. It’s exciting and impressive to watch, and even more fun to do… or so I thought.