 |
How to... survive a Chinese relationship
Feature / Features
Written by : Lena Gidwani
Jun 5, 2008
Tags :
|
| Foreigners! Expats! Gwailos! Lend me your ears! There is a
certain full-blown ritual sweeping the nation and you happen
to be right in the middle of it. It's called "Foreigners Undergoing
Cultural Crisis" or FUCC for short. Just take a good look around
and you'll find more and more of your beer-guzzling, pub-crawling
brothers-from-other-mothers and sisters-from-other-misters joined at
the hip with their Chinese significant others.
Granted, this may be only a casual observation, but one cannot
deny the ever-growing explosion of East-meets-West lovers. However,
putting love, TLC, and dim sum aside, what happens when you're
faced with an unexpected cultural conflict?
Being in a cross-cultural relationship inevitably adds facets of
mysterious complexity which can be thrilling, but often frustrating
and confusing. You can piss and moan until the cows come home
about not being able to "cope with one another's nuances", but
rather than whini ... ... |
| [read more] |
 |
How to …have good table manners
Lifestyle / Local Customs
Written by : Lena Gidwani
Mar 11, 2008
Tags :
seating
chopstick
|
| All it really takes is some courtesy and common sense
Just as Chinese food seems to taste better when eaten with chopsticks, a whole meal can be more enjoyable if one knows a little of the ancient traditions and beliefs that place the meal in a 5,000-year-old culinary heritage. So here is a short guide to Chinese dining etiquette...
Seating
First of all, don't sit! Wait for your host to seat you. The guest of honor will usually be seated facing the door or furthest away from the door. The younges will be closest to the door.
Serving
After being seated, wash your cutlery in the bowl of tea. Also wash the lip of the bowl. Before eating, the host may offer you words of greeting. Guests should not start to eat until the host says, "enjoy yourself!", otherwise it suggests disrespect.
Pecking Order
The practice of presenting the best or finest foods first to the senior members of the family has been observed for countless generations. With a fis ... ... |
| [read more] |
 |
New Year Lingo!
Feature / Cover Story
Written by : Shane Qin, Kelly Wang, Sammi Zhou, Balvinder Kataora
Feb 4, 2008
Tags :
New Year
happy
|
| Get into the spirit with these key phrases.
Basic New Year Greetings
I wish you...
Zhu Ni...(Mandarin)
Juk Nei...(Cantonese)
祝你。。。
Happy New Year!
Xin Nian Hao! (Mandarin)
Sun Nin Ho! (Cantonese)
新年好!
Happy New Year!
Xin Nian Kuai Le (Mandarin)
Sun Nin Fai Lok (Cantonese)
新年快乐!
Hail the Year of the Rat!
People born in the Year of the Rat are often noted for their boundless charisma and, ahem, enthusiasm for the opposite sex. Their passion and sense of self drives their ambitions, making them highly successful individuals. Rats often enjoy respect and admiration from the Chinese.
They are renowned for their liveliness, thirst for life and constant need for "stimulation". When coupled with intellect, Rats are virtually all high achievers.
What type of person is a Rat?
THE METAL RAT (1900/1960)
The strongest, most visionary of all Rats, metals always take charge and have impeccab ... ... |
| [read more] |
 |
Let's make Jiao Zi
Food+Drink (Guangzhou) / Editor's Choice
Written by : Ethan Zhou
Jan 29, 2008
Tags :
|
| At last, how to make perfect dumplings at home ...
Around Spring Festival, the Chinese always love to eat dumplings, and they have been doing so for the past thousand years. Not only are they simple and delicious, but they are also believed to bring good luck and happiness.
For the northern Chinese, dumplings are usually considered a staple food. However, around Lunar New Year's Eve (Feb 6) almost every family across South China (and elsewhere) will surely be making dumplings together.
So why not do the same? And how? Just follow this "simple" recipe and enjoy a little home happiness for yourself . . .
Directions:
1. Cut the pork and leeks into small pieces and mix together with the condiments into a big bowl with chopsticks stir it evening.
2. Shell out one dumpling wrapper on the palm,then place a large teaspoon of filling in the center of the wrapper.
3. Moisten the edges of the dumpling with a few drops of water.
... ... |
| [read more] |
 |
Top Secrets(08-01)
Lifestyle / Top Secrets
Written by :
Jan 28, 2008
Tags :
|
| Things about you nobody knows back home . . .
VITAL STATS
Name: Adam Warner
Where I'm from: Australia
Where I live: Panyu, Guangzhou
What I do: Business and Development Training Manager for JETT Training
How long I've been in China: About 4 years, off and on.
what is your favorite bar or restaurant?
1920's restaurant because the food and location are simply great.
Describe your ideal Saturday evening in Guangzhou?
Easy. Meeting up with friends at The Paddy fields then heading out to some mad club to check out the nightlife.
How do you relax on Sunday?
I sleep all day! Then I tell myself that I will never, ever go out drinking again.
What do you love most about China?
The different kinds of food - you never have to cook! Also, no two days are ever the same. I also love the shopping.
What do you dislike about China?
When you cross the street, you have to look 360 degrees because traffic lights don't mean a damn ... ... |
| [read more] |
|
|
