I had a message recently from the liaison teacher at the university where I work. Given that the semester had finished already, it was a little strange (although last year she messaged me when I was at the airport, ready to depart on my winter travels, to ask if I could cover for another teacher …
Tag: food
Saying hello
I eat most of my meals in the cafeteria on the university campus where I live (and when I teach, at the other campus). Sometimes, I recognise the food and can say what I want in Chinese; when I don’t, I just point and say 这个 zhège (this one). I often take some Tupperware with …
Giving Advice – Don’t entertain!
This is the last week before a nine-day holiday. I have no plans to travel – everyone does, it seems, and the transport network will be busy (Beijing is supposed to also heave under the swell of tourists, quite the opposite during winter holidays, when many Beijingers go to their home province to visit family …
Snacks and singing booths
Things have achieved a modicum of normality here. I have topped up my cafeteria card (and used it), and I have had a mini-reunion with some teachers from last year. When I went to Qianmen last week, the student I was with suggested I try some traditional Beijing snacks, so he bought several different ones …
Qianmen 前门
Yesterday, it rained. And kept on raining. It was raining when I woke up, and rained all day until after I went to bed. It cooled things down, at least, and although it was rain, it wasn’t particularly cold, as I found out when I went to get some fruit in the morning, and got …
Team bonding, but not everyone is happy
Last year, the foreign teachers did a Come Dine With Me-style competition. I'm not a very good cook, and I was put with someone else who is not a very good cook. Needless to say, we didn't win. This year, somewhat reluctantly, I agreed to do it again. A group meal is a good team …
Review of the Year 2: The good and the bad
Looking back over the past year a few things stick out as being both very good and bad. Starting with the negatives, the air is certainly one of the worst things about Beijing. It is often smoggy, though the air is getting better. Still, it is never nice to have to 'mask up' when you …
