The sirens wailed ever louder as I continued walking my parents' dog, Nick, through the public walkway behind their new home in Arizona. As we rounded the final corner around a group of mailboxes, we both stopped dead in our tracks. Surely, my eyes betrayed me. Although only moments ago a picture of suburban tranquility, my parents' street had been turned into a scene straight out of a Schwarzenegger film. Five enormous fire trucks blocked off the street. Three ambulances were parked haphazardly on the golf course, the sidewalk and in the middle of the street. Firefighters walked purposely to and fro, like burly ants hell-bent on completing an important mission. A lone fireman stood braced against the howling wind, aiming a powerful water hose at the opening of a hole in the ground. What was ... read more

It happened when I picked my brother up from the airport tonight. I arrived a little early and decided to use the ladies' room. After I closed the door to the stall, I got the fright of my life. The toilet flushed suddenly, and without warning. I shrieked, dumping the contents of my purse all over the floor when I instinctively threw my hands in the air to cover my head. Apparently, I am still readjusting to those little American luxuries. In many ways, my life in China was simpler. I didn't own any furniture apart from my digital piano. I bought just enough fresh produce and other food items to make the three meals of the day or, more often than not, headed down the street to the local hole-in-the-wall. The toilets in China are ... read more

The day we've been waiting for has finally arrived. Election Day, November 4, 2008. I felt so excited the night before that I had trouble sleeping. Like a small child the night before Christmas, I tossed and turned, eagerly checking the bedside clock to count down the hours until I could arise and meet the day. And now....it's here. * HOUR ONE I'm currently sitting court-side, watching the proceedings at my assigned polling station in Wisconsin. I've already voted for my candidate of choice and now have settled down to watch, and wait. For what, I'm not certain. After the scandalous outcome of the 2000 Presidential Election, I think many of my fellow Americans also worry that a similar situation could arise today, on the most historic election in American history. I've been identified by name-tag ... read more

Beijing has been invaded. It began at the start of the traditional tourist season at the end of May. A couple of hopelessly lost Koreans here, a few scattered Westerners speaking Mandarin with horribly mangled tones there, and a smattering of hopelessly lost elderly Japanese. As the summer arrived and the weather heated up, along with Beijing's interminable humidity, the trickle became a stream, which turned into an all-out flood. Foreigners are descending upon Beijing in droves, reminiscent of a locust swarm. These lecherous parasites have infiltrated the poshest hotels, are hesitantly venturing down Beijing's most upscale shopping avenues and, to make matters even worse, I have been lumped into that horrible, generalized category of "foreigner". Now, ask me how I really feel. Truth be told, it's not all bad. Beijing tourism industry profit margins have ... read more

The official countdown has begun, both for me and for China. For China, the Olympics will open in Beijing in 44 days; for me, I will be leaving China and moving back to the United States in 35 days. The Olympics will open here in Beijing via a spectacular ceremony on a very auspicious date, August 8, 2008, or 8/8/8 at 8:08 PM. Eight is a very lucky number in Chinese culture. Chinese is a monosyllabic language, utilizing four separate tones to indicate differences in meaning between words with the same pronunciation. The word for "eight" in Chinese is "ba", which sounds similar to another Chinese word meaning wealth or prosper. Placing 88 side by side also resembles the Chinese characters for double happiness, which are often used at wedding ceremonies. While eight is lucky, four ... read more

What I thought was a simple Beijing rumbling has turned into the most devastating natural disaster China has experienced in recent decades. I was sitting at my desk, willing myself to crack open my books and begin studying, when I experienced a sudden onslaught of vertigo. I looked up at the ceiling and noticed my hanging lights noticeably swinging back and forth. When I stood up to get a better look at the lights, I stumbled. I could see the other high rises swaying ever so slightly through the window of my 19th floor apartment. I'd never experienced an earthquake before, and so decided the best solution was to yank my door open and stand in the doorway. The sensation stopped after what felt like twenty minutes, but couldn't have been more than two. I convinced ... read more