Book Review: Kosher Chinese by Michael Levy

Mike Levy was a language-arts teacher from Philadelphia suffering from a crisis of faith post-9/11. Wanting to use his talents toward a Big Global Purpose, he found himself in the Peace Corps in 2005 assigned to rural Guizhou Province teaching English at the university in Guiyang, getting paid the same subsistence wage and living in similar apartments as the local professors, and figuring out everything on his own with no outside support, for a two-year tour.

The 29 chapters go by quickly in a conversational and often funny tone, similar to a Bill Bryson or Sarah Vowell travelogue. Outside of a few weeks' training in Chengdu, Mike doesn't get to travel outside Guizhou, but that gives us readers the chance to really settle in and view an area that will never see a Hollywood film crew or breathless Travel Channel documentary.

As Mike gets to know his fellow teachers, his students, and other local kids, we get to hear the personal stories and decisions from real-life people with real-life ambitions, problems, and responsibilities. Should a professor put substantial money into buying an apartment, and can she find a mate when she makes more than most men? Will a talented and dedicated masters-student from Guiyang, knowing she has no career future in her home province, be able to find a future in the costal cities? What will the fates be of twin sisters, bright and hopeful and thirsty to learn, but born as ethnic minorities and living with their grandmother because their parents have migrated to the coast to find work?

Guanxi and party politics, ethnic contrasts and Chinese stereotypes of Westerners are all shown matter-of-fact, but the people are never shown as villains, just everyday folks doing what they've been taught or repeating something they've heard. It's a refreshing contrast to sensationalized mass-media China reports that never take time to have an authentic conversation with citizens, or who never leave Shanghai / Beijing / Hong Kong.

For those of us with children from China, this book strikes a powerful nerve as we can easily see our daughters and sons in the situations Mike relates. Would my daughter have faced a childhood of having to collect plastic bottles for the recycling money, or working in a back-alley kitchen, sleeping on a cot because home is too far to walk and she couldn't afford bus fare?

My little girl has an unbounded future. Reading this book reminded me of how much of an honor it is to be her father, and how much I owe it to the kids left behind to make sure she has the ability to pursue any dream.

Kosher Chinese is a 2011 release, available in softcover at a retail of US$15. Well worth a read for adoptive parents, for travelers heading inland, and anyone wanting a better understanding of everyday life in modern China.

Yum, yum, Dim Sum!

We just didn't have the time to take in a real Guangzhou dim sum brunch when we were there to adopt our daughter. However, in our travels since then we've experienced a Saturday brunch in Chicago's Chinatown, and done the weekday dim sum at a great place in Hong Kong. We've also sampled the dim sum dishes at restaurants in other places in North America, too.

We have posted an article recently to share dim sum background and tips.

The single best piece of advice is to go with as many people as you can! The more your group can order, the more each person can try. Don't worry about ordering too much, as each dish is literally just a few bites. It's more fun in a big group, and you can be more fearless about taking items you don't recognize.

Take as long as you like - the food just keeps coming. Wow, I'm getting hungry just writing about it...

Dim Sum: http://www.weninchina.com/Food/Dim_Sum.html

It's a dirty job...

Whether a short 1-city excursion or several weeks of bouncing around the country, when traveling with kids it's not practical to pack a different outfit for each day. We've just posted a new article to walk you through the options you'll have in taking care of your clothes - hotel services, hand-washing, and off-site services. There's also a handy checklist to get the best results from washing items by hand in Chinese hotel rooms.

New Article - "Laundry"
Related Articles - "Packing Checklist", "Coming Home", and "Dealing with Heat & Humidity"

Squat Toilets Scare Us?

Perhaps one of the reasons why Western families don't often consider taking a trip to Asia is the fear of the squat toilet. Is it that you might fall on a dirty floor with your pants down? Is it the lack of privacy? Is it confusion about which way to face? Is it worrying about piddling on your legs?

Well, those are actually very good reasons.

However, nearly any place a traveling family is likely to visit or stay in China will have "Western" toilets available. Of course, like any trip to a Western country or state, that's no guarantee of a happy experience.

We have a new article posted to help calm your fears about toilets, explain the "sitty vs. squatty" debate, show you how to use a squat toilet, just in case, and give you the words to say and characters to look for.

Spot the American!

Click on the photo to enlarge. Yes, the Little Mermaid is *really* that little...

Whether it's your first time outside the country or your 20th trip through Tokyo, whether you're on vacation or making a business presentation, dressing appropriately for international travel seems to be a particular challenge for us Americans.


I took this photo a couple weeks ago in Copenhagen at the Little Mermaid statue. The cruise ships were in town with tourists from all over, and there were also package tour groups in the city that day from Korea and Hong Kong.


Not that everyone was dressed as fashionably as the Scandinavians in this photo, but I think you can tell which person was the American.


And if you can see the difference, so can a pickpocket, or a beggar, or someone with an axe to grind, or a security officer who wants to impress his superiors. The point isn't to look Asian when you're in Asia - although wearing clothing that works with the climate is important - the point is to NOT look like a negative stereotype.


If you're traveling to adopt a child - or on a sales call - or just there to sightsee - remember that the quality of your experience overseas often depends on how others see you. You could be treated like a country bumpkin, or you could be treated with respect. You don't need to look like a fashion model; you do need to wear clothes that fit you well. Try your outfits on before you go, and look at yourself in the mirror.


Saggy pants and shirts that don't cover your belly? Clothes that are too big? Baseball caps? Leave them at home. 


Some entries on weninchina.com that may help include -

• Dealing with Heat and Humidity
• Physical Preparation for the Trip
• Packing Checklist

Hong Kong Stopover Guide - now published!

My wife, daughter, and I spent Thanksgiving week 2010 in wonderful Hong Kong, and we would happily go back in a heartbeat. The people are so genuinely nice, the food is so scrumptiously good, and there are so many fun things to do. And even having spent a week there, we could easily come up with another week's worth of activities!

We've posted an overview of the city to familiarize you with its neighborhoods, what things cost, how to get around, and access to the airport. And you can link to the videos we've recently published from there, too!

Video - Hong Kong Victoria Harbour

Day or night the narrow strait separating mainland Kowloon from Hong Kong Island is abuzz with activity that kids of all ages will find fascinating. There are many family-friendly museums on the waterfront, and shopping malls and hundreds of food vendors are in easy walking distance. The Star Ferry is the traditional way to cross the harbor and only takes a couple minutes. At 8:00 every night, the city puts on a massive light, music, and laser show, using most of the skyscrapers on both sides of the harbor. Tourists and locals line up along the water for the spectacle, and everyone leaves with smiles.

This is our third Hong Kong video, and I think we may have good footage from our trip there last November for one or two more. Visit our YouTube channel to see them all!