Hong Kong Regional Travel: Bus or Boat?
A jet boat ferry waiting to take passengers to Macau. Photo © James Diggans, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Given the distances involved, long-distance bus connections are infrequent from Hong Kong, and unless you want to lose the feeling in your ass and possibly the will to live, bus trav
Chinese Dining Customs
Steamed buns and other foods photographed in Shanghai. Photo © Albert Carrasco Casado, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
The best way to look more like a local is to learn how to act like one at a restaurant. When you are seated, your table will be given just one menu for the entire group. If
The Quick & Easy Guide to Hong Kong Festivals
Hong Kong celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo © kawing/123rf.
Hong Kong’s straight-laced, buttoned-down business reputation suggests a city that’s idea of a party is champagne, cheeseboards, and a soothing Chris de Burgh cover band. Don’t be fooled. Beneath their suits, Hong Kongers have a p
Chun Jie: Spring Festival in Beijing
Spring Festival (Chun Jie) brings thousands of people to parks for fun, food, and a sense of tradition. Photo © Shannon Aitken.
China prides itself on its cultural holidays. It’s often hard to keep track of them all—the tomb sweeping festival in early April, which remembers the dead, and the drago
China's Colleges & Universities
The central green of Qinghua (or Tsinghua) University in Beijing. Photo © Jon Parry, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
China’s higher education system includes universities, which function similar to Western universities, and technical colleges that provide vocational training in skills such
What is the Social Climate in Hong Kong?
Life in Hong Kong is often a constant climb up the career ladder. Photo © Boy Sitti/123rf.
Thrown together in a little over 200 years, Hong Kong society reflects the tenacious characteristics of the immigrants who settled the city. Ambition, success, and hard work are the keystones of life he
Hard Seat or Soft Seat? Chinese Train Tickets Demystified
On a Chinese train, “hard seat” class, at 7:13 am. Photo © Harald Groven, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.Most major cities have a ticket window at the train station specifically for English speakers, and ticket offices will be scattered across the city but with little or no Engl
The Importance of Sports and Games in China
Naxi village children playing basketball. Photo © The Tenth Dragon, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
In the United States we have the right to free speech and assembly; in China they have the right to sports. The government of the PRC takes sports so seriously that they’ve written it into th
Child Safety in China
A rollercoaster in Shanghai’s People’s Park. Photo © Pablo Markin, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
If you’re off to China with kids in tow, there are a few safety concerns you should be aware of. To start with, many of the most basic safety restraints that we would never li
Identity and the Foreign Population in Hong Kong
Hong Kong at night. Photo © Nathan O’Nions, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Just as Hong Kong’s status as a Special Administrative Region is a hybrid of Chinese and British engineering, the question of identity in Hong Kong is a complex one, and defining who is a Hong Konger and
Dining Etiquette in Hong Kong
Yum Cha (tea tasting) dishes. Photo © Yi Chen, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Much of Hong Kong life seems to revolve around the dining table and communal eating is essential to everything from family life to concluding business deals. Evening meals and business lunches are often done
Expats Abroad: Emerging Opportunities
Fishing at Jade Belt Bridge, Summer Palace, Beijing. Photo © Dimitry B., licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Across demographics, financial factors are usually key components in a decision to move overseas, and changes to the global economy have resulted in fluctuations to immigration patterns
Expats Abroad: From Beach Bums to Bankers
Brazil is home to a diverse community of foreign residents. Photo © Daniel Guimarães, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
On the other side of the globe, Brazil has also seen a significant diversification of its expatriate community. Michael Sommers, a freelance writer and author of Moon Living
The Expat Social Scene in Beijing
Bikes gathering dust in Beijing. Photo © timquijano, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Expats come to Beijing for a variety of reasons. Most of the foreign diplomatic corps is plopped down here, as well as journalists that cover the country’s economic and political news. Beijing’s large
The Lay of the Land in the Beijing Municipality
Near Lake Houhai in Beijing. Photo © Lyle Vincent, licensed Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivatives.
Prime Living Locations in BeijingThe Beijing Municipality is slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey. It is hilly in the north and flat in the core city and south. The Forbidden City
Social Customs in China: Gift-Giving
A hong bao envelope. Photo © Jimmie, licensed Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike.
While some social customs in China will confound you, others may delight you, like the tradition of gift-giving. We were always particularly fond of the custom of giving away wedding chocolates; our kids a
Doing business & staying in touch while in China
China: Doing business & staying in touch
China Weather, Climate and Geography
China Weather, climate and geography
China History, Language and Culture
China History, Language and Culture
China Travel Guide and Travel Information
China Travel Guide
