When we knew we’d be moving to Kunming, I was already thinking what many friends would soon ask me. “So, will it still be Small Town Laowai?” Yes, it will, and it is. Here’s why. 1. Years of small town experience… Continue Reading →
I’m still getting used to living across the street from a mall. It’s weird to be walking distance away from a Burger King, a Uniqlo, and a Tesla dealership, to name a few modern Chinese shopping must-haves. I guess the… Continue Reading →
I thought I had thought of everything for my daughter’s multi-national birthday party. We invited some friends from Western countries, and we invited some Chinese friends from her preschool class. I knew I’d need to accommodate both groups’ standard arrival… Continue Reading →
I don’t know about you, but I am ever-so-grateful for my encouragers. They are the ones who cheer me on over email, Facebook, Skype calls, and more. They’re the ones who bless us with care packages, and ask how we’re… Continue Reading →
The bathroom light bulb burned out, and Eric went to go buy a new one. Simple, right? In theory, yes. But, the first shop didn’t have that particular kind of bulb. The next day he went a little further to… Continue Reading →
I’m in the middle of packing up our apartment. Again. In our nearly 17 years of marriage, this will be our 11th move. Or maybe it’s our 14th? No, wait. 18th? Or maybe even 21st? I’ve lost track. I’ve been… Continue Reading →
I want to drink red wine. I see it all over my newsfeed. A glass of it in the hands of laughing friends, relaxing together. Being sipped as swanky folks prep their grass-fed, wild-caught, do-I-even-need-to-say-organic dinner. It gets paired with… Continue Reading →
Fall has arrived. At least, I hope this is really it. Autumn usually gets here by stops and starts, tricking all of us into excitedly digging out jackets and blankets by sending a few cool mornings, and then – bam!… Continue Reading →
I wish there was just one big button to press. “Activate China Mode!” And it would be done. I would instantly fit in perfectly here. My brain would switch to Mandarin, my digestive system would immediately be used to handling… Continue Reading →
Once a week, on Sunday nights, I make dessert. Unless we’ve just gotten a care package that includes brownie mix, making dessert means baking from scratch. And I mean super-duper, Laura Ingalls Wilder-style scratch. Yesterday, I was thinking: it’s… Continue Reading →
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