Smoking the Beijing air

Cigarettes are big business in China, which is the world’s largest producer and consumer of tobacco. There are more than 300 million smokers in China. Over 60% of men over 45 smoke, and about 55% of men in general.

So I joined a scooter gang…

For months the other youth leaders have talked about how I need to get a scooter so we could be a scooter gang. A week ago, on a beautiful day, we all had a meeting closer to town and rode together – it was the inaugural ride of the Shunyi Pandas!

More conversations with Xiao Chen

Xiao Chen thinks it’s great how much I’ve travelled, that I speak Chinese and enjoy Chinese food. What truly stunned him was my explanation that in western food potato is considered a staple (starch) food more than a vegetable.

Saying “no” in Chinese

Mandarin Chinese has no true equivalents for the English words “yes” and “no”. Although at first it seems complicated (“why can’t they just say yes and no?!”) once you understand it, Mandarin allows for a wide range of subtle responses.

My Liebster Award

I was recently offered a Liebster Award, and it is an honour to be recognised. I am still surprised every time someone I don’t know personally interacts with my stories. It is wonderful to find that my writing can interest or entertain others.

Cambodian Interlude

August is rainy season in Cambodia. There was rain most days, some thunderstorms and flooding. I love it here. It is, the perfect blend of familiar and foreign. I speak survival Khmer – enough to get around, not enough to converse.

A pleasant homecoming

In Perth with my sister I took a ferry to Fremantle – complete with dolphins, watched State of Origin, went shopping, visited a Beijing friend at a cidery in the hills, and saw a play. It was a great time, with clear air and cider. Then I went home.

Beautiful Broome

Broome is a town of about 15,000 people on the northwest coast of Australia, in the Kimberley region. I enjoyed both expaneses of blue – sky and sea – plus Cable Beach, Gantheaume Point Beach, Courthouse markets, and stargazing.

4 countries in 30 hours…

I made the mistake of going to a shopping centre by myself. I was overwhelmed by everything! Strangers speaking English to me, English all around me, new products, familiar stuff repackaged, self-service checkouts – and SO many choices.

Cambodia – Whatever!

A fun thing about my trips to Cambodia is relationships with the TCKs there. A highlight of the trip was when two students made comments about “saying goodbye to Tanya is easy – I know she’ll be back”. In TCK world, that’s a big deal.

Conversations in the car with Xiao Chen

I enjoy chatting with Xiao Chen while he drives me home. We have real back and forth, and both learn from each other. He asks questions and is happy to answer mine, and he follows up my comments with questions and genuine interest.

The best of times AND the worst of times

My church expects to lose 30% of the total congregation every year. Last year the youth group lost 50% of our regulars. Cleaning out phone contacts I removed 39 people without deleting recent graduates – from a phone only 9 months old.