Dao of Wanderlust

While the Asialearn group was in Beijing, we had a Chinese culture guide who helped teach us more about Chinese culture, and joined us for the expeditions. His hometown is just outside of Chengdu, in the small city of Guanghan - made famous for the Sanxingdui Museum and archaeological dig. He invited us to take a day trip to see his hometown.( Read more... )

Our whole group of Asialearn students was practically bursting with excitement on our flight from Beijing to Chengdu. We were all exhilarated about finally arriving in Sichuan. Onlookers probably wondered why we all had such crazy grins on our faces, but we couldn't help it. We were picked up from the airport and taken to our new home - the foreigner dormitory at Sichuan University.( Read more... )

At the start of each AsiaLearn study abroad semester, there is an in-country orientation called the Bridging Cultures Program. For the Sichuan University exchange semester, the Bridging Cultures Program is held in Beijing. On Friday I took a very comfortable and convenient high-speed train from Qingdao to Beijing to meet up with the other AsiaLearn students that would be studying at Sichuan University with me. I had a few spare hours in Beijing before everyone else arrived, so I wandered down to Wang Fu Jing street, which was still very decorated for the Chinese New Year with human-sized tiger figures lining the streets (photo). ( Read more... )

Qingdao is well-known for activities related to the ocean - lots of beaches, seafood, marinas, water sports, etc. But not all of those are things you'll be wanting to do in February, when the weather is a little above freezing on good days. However, there are two great aquariums to visit, so I had some ocean fun without the frostbite. ( Read more... )

Even though the Spring Festival isn't over yet, most Chinese people say good-bye to their families and travel back to their job about a week after the Chinese New Year. My friend returned to her job in Guangzhou, and I decided to go to Qingdao. Since so many Chinese people travel at this time of year, I soon discovered that the soonest available train ticket to Qingdao wasn't until February 25th - nearly a week after I wanted to depart from Heze. So I hopped on a bus instead, the only other way out of town, and headed for the coast. ( Read more... )

While the freezing temperatures of Heze never really changed during my visit, I tried not to let that (or the cold I came down with) prevent me from seeing a bit of the area while I was there. After all, the only travelers that tend to make it to Heze are people who know someone there, so it was a unique opportunity. The locals gaped at my foreign face even more than usual. Most of them asked if I was from Russia, and a few even asked if I was from Xinjiang (a province in northwest China that has some fair-skinned peoples). In a way it was kind of a nice change of pace to be taken as a member of a Chinese minority, rather than as a foreigner. Although, that still didn't stop my friend from saying, "don't let the cab driver see you until after he gives us a price, because then it will be cheaper." ( Read more... )

I'm a Tiger, so I've wanted to celebrate the Year of the Tiger in China for years. It is thrilling to travel around and see so many cute tiger decorations wherever I go. In honor of the Year of the Tiger, I created an amalgam of some of the best tigers I've seen during the past few weeks. (I actually have collected over 200 tiger pictures so far during this trip, so there is no way that I can share them all.)

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Let's Hear it for Tigers!

For those of you who don't know Chinese, the character in the center means "tiger" and was artistically written to look like a tiger as well. Very beautiful.

The fireworks started days ago, but everyone has just been warming up for the New Year's celebration. I spent the Chinese New Year's Eve with my friend in a small village outside Heze. She warned me in advance to buy anything I needed in town in advance, because the whole city was going to shut down for the next few days.( Read more... )

Even though I've often visited bakeries while in China, I had never seen where the bread was baked. The sister-in-law of the friend I'm visiting is a baker, and she shared with me what life as a baker in rural China is like.( Read more... )

I was invited to spend the Chinese New Year in the hometown of a friend of mine in Heze, Shandong Province. I had never been to Shandong Province before, but I'd heard good things about it, and I was happy with the opportunity to experience a traditional Chinese New Year with my friend. While it is farther north than a Floridian usually likes to be caught dead in during this time of year, I decided to brave the cold and go anyway.( Read more... )

Guangzhou has a regional traditional food that they eat during the Chinese New Year, which is used for decorations as well (photo). Of course, there were more cute tigers everywhere was well (photo).( Read more... )

While in Guangzhou, I explored some of the mythological history of the area - mainly the tale of the Five Daoist Immortals. ( Read more... )

I took the train from Hong Kong across the border to Guangzhou (one and a half hours), which was fast, clean, and convenient. Much less hassle than crossing the border by bus. I came to Guangzhou to see a Chinese friend of mine who is currently working as an English teacher here. ( Read more... )

This is not my first trip to China. Through past study in China and a research grant, I have managed to see quite a few different parts of China. Here is a map that shows where I've been, and where I will be going. ( Read more... )

Going to movies in other countries can be a fun cultural experience, and it can be an opportunity to see a movie that isn't available in your home country. While I was in Hong Kong, I went to a local theatre to see the new movie Confucius, which hasn't been released yet outside China/Hong Kong. ( Read more... )

Even though I usually don't like huge cities, Hong Kong is an exception. Hong Kong may be one of the world's major cities, but it is also a place where it is very easy to get out of the city to the outlying islands, or to the New Territories. There are indeed places where it is completely quiet, and there are no other humans for as far as the eye can see. But within the city there is an incredible amount of diversity, anything you could possibly want to buy or eat, and lots of cultural avenues and museums.( Read more... )

One of the things that an Asian Studies specialist like myself particularly enjoys in Hawai'i is the Asian presence here. Over half of the population of Honolulu is Asian, and many of the tourists are also Asian, particularly Japanese. It's great fun for a linguist who enjoys not knowing what languages she is going to encounter as she walks down the street, or what chance encounters will provide an opportunity to practice speaking a foreign languages.( Read more... )

Every winter, Humpback Whales come south to give birth, and many of them come to Hawai'i. Since it is whale watching season, and I'd never seen Humpback Whales before, I went out on a boat in hopes of seeing some. ( Read more... )

Many people know that the hit show Lost was filmed in Hawai'i, but fewer people know that those in Hawai'i get a special free premier of the first episode of the Final Season on Waikiki. In addition, the entire cast of the show came to the event. ( Read more... )

Even though the Chinese New Year isn't until February 14th this year, the festivities have already started in Honolulu's Chinatown! The Year of the Tiger is being welcomed in with lots of bustling activity and fireworks. Since I am a Tiger, I am basking in all of the cute and regal tiger memorabilia everywhere I turn.( Read more... )

The week before I flew to Asia, I visited the Polynesian Culture Center in Laie, Hawai'i for the first time. It's someplace I've wanted to go every since my mom told me about it when I was little because I have always had a fascination with other cultures. I wasn't disappointed.( Read more... )

While I've been to China before, this will be my first time going to the Sichuan Province. This is a very unique and fascinating region of China.( Read more... )

By popular demand from friends, I have decided to write this travelogue of my upcoming trip to Sichuan University. It is something that I should (*knock on wood*) be able to still access without difficulty throughout my time in China.( Read more... )