tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65158842011-12-13T22:58:26.041-05:00Diary of an Immigrant in New York ::Some of the experiences are not my own, they're from what I've heard and seen, so this story is as unique and true as any story you read on the web::emigrenoreply@blogger.comBlogger841100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-62188307790416631392011-04-05T22:14:00.001-04:002011-04-05T22:14:06.534-04:00

Had my first consecutive interpreting gig last week: went to a workers' comp medical exam with a Chinese man, helped him fill out forms and communicate with the doctor. Good practice... It wasn't so much difficult but figuring out my role and how to handle myself. Hope I get paid soon. Speaking of money, an agency ignored my invoice for a small project, after a reminder got no replies either, I

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-45633645077092343132011-03-25T23:10:00.001-04:002011-03-25T23:16:40.350-04:00

I'll have to update more often, gotta write whenever there's an urge to write, otherwise any meaning in the minutiae of life slips away, and bam! It's a year later. BF and I made it legal last year, but did the ceremony just now. It's a ritual I'm glad to be done with. Maybe I can use the drama generated for some funny stuff later, now, I need to let it settle a while. It's so different being a

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-34504199037657214232010-07-16T12:18:00.001-04:002010-07-16T12:18:57.551-04:00

A week in Orlando in July taught me three things:1. Dri-fit, or any moisture-wicking fabric, is a must. I'm seriously considering upgrading my entire wardrobe to clothes with this miracle fabric.2. A misting fan is a god-send. 3. Roadside watermelon is the best. $3 for a ginormous 10 lb-plus melon is too good a deal. I hope our watermelon seller sold off everything in his truck and is now

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-23947934609885065072010-05-26T16:35:00.001-04:002010-05-26T16:35:12.513-04:00

I want to report momentous changes, after all, it's the first daypost-work. The word resignation has a finality to it, like we'regiving up something, yet "re" and "sign" make me think of signing upfor something else. I've not contacted US translation agencies yet,their work might be more English to Chinese, whereas I want theopposite kind of assignments. There are many outfits in China who

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-67973487358976335622010-02-08T12:07:00.001-05:002010-02-08T12:07:13.482-05:00

We celebrated the birthday at a BBQ buffet, there were meats of every kind, all on skewers and served on request. It was the first time we went there after bf's deployment, everything seemed pretty much the same. I have been eating so light lately, was actually craving meat. On Saturday we drove around looking for a place that showed Edge of Darkness, theatres were pretty empty and showtimes

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-76489286791101056812010-01-22T16:51:00.001-05:002010-01-22T16:51:25.093-05:00

A shifty-looking old man shuffled his way onto the train. He hesitated at the empty seat next to me, then a pause later, he blissfully moved on, and sat next to a well-dressed young man instead. He instantly tried to make conversation with the office-bound man, I thought to myself Good thing it's him and not me who's the captive audience! Lo and behold, the young man actually responded, the two

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-76235237871981581962009-06-05T14:46:00.001-04:002009-06-05T14:48:10.287-04:00

Estrogens, Good and BadI'm not sure if every June's full of changes, this one has been quite eventful so far. Moved to a new floor, where I'm surrounded by super-stylish women. Not quite Devil Wears Prada, but very close, there's the usual alliances and rivalries... Nothing I can't handle, even if the new attention feels a bit unnerving. If this had a metaphor, I just went from the drafty and

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-14685561242660682152009-04-20T10:50:00.001-04:002009-04-20T10:50:13.805-04:00

A beautiful sunday came and went, it was a blissful respite from thenever-ending frigid temperature, so tantalizing in its briefness.Didn't get to talk to bf online, figured internet wasn't cooperatingagain. Saw Pei Pei and caught up with her, we talked over each otherin our rushed life updates. She told me her sister-in-law hadmiscarried her third child, I was so sad to hear it, though I've

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-59199660019570896282009-04-10T23:49:00.001-04:002009-04-10T23:49:52.538-04:00

The week started off really well, I was happy over some personal goodnews and my mom's safe return from Kenya. BF's still here too and Iwanted to treasure every day we had before he has to return to a warzone on Mon. Now, I'm feeling frazzled from an increasingly demandingjob, mom's come down with shingles and am all restless about sayinggoodbyes this weekend. His parents' continued bigotry

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-31471863108996408682009-03-14T14:07:00.001-04:002009-03-14T14:07:34.474-04:00

I live in an apt my parents bought years ago, even though they're notalways here, they still stay here often -- it's their place after all.I'm pretty dependent on my parents, not for money as I pay the billsbut the idea of having them around and getting advice from them andmaybe the feeling of not having to answer to things. People my agehave all moved on to new phases in life, moving in with

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-49606735559754385332009-01-24T22:51:00.001-05:002009-01-24T22:51:44.522-05:00

The new year falls on a monday this year, making a working stiff likeme wish I was back in China, where the celebration is everywhere andpeople have at least two weeks off. Here, you've got to make aneffort. Thank goodness my friends in the neighborhood are really intohosting parties and day trips. Pei Pei, M, Genny, Genny's mom, Yuanand I all headed to LI to do some discount shopping. Century 21

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-19254700196348747052009-01-07T10:47:00.001-05:002009-01-07T10:47:55.924-05:00

I'm glad the holidays are over, there was just too much pressure to buy/do/be something and somewhere all the time. The Chinese New Year's not until 1/26, so we have a chance to catch up before the overeating commences once more. I hope everyone can get Chinese New Year off as a holiday, wouldn't that be great? Christmas break was mostly family-driven, Mom's departure on 1/1 made me a little sad

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-48866317390210639732008-12-18T23:43:00.002-05:002008-12-18T23:45:27.983-05:00

Nephews visiting the States for a while and stayed here for a bit...Miss the boys after having them around for two days, it was so cutelistening to them playing games and talking in the next room. Wish Iwent out to eat w/ them on Monday but work has been insane so I justcame home and crashed. They already finished half a bottle of syrup,one box of waffles and all the chocolate milk! Need to stock

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-61185266114997653022008-11-27T15:42:00.001-05:002008-11-27T15:42:16.562-05:00

1. The Mumbai attacks make it obvious that whoever the "terrorists"are, we give them more power by labeling them as such. They may havebeen thugs with guns before 9/11 but lumped together with Al Qaeda,they take on a more omnipresent persona, from New York to Bali,security is nowhere to be found. Why is it that hatred seems to unitepeople more uniformly than love does?2. Free from work yesterday,

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-53991642409754131272008-11-19T10:11:00.001-05:002008-11-19T10:56:53.209-05:00

Back to BasicsAt first, I wanted this to be a fiction blog and so a lot of the first-person stories posted in the beginning about my arrival in America and the people I met is not my own experience. I'm an immigrant from China, however, and I have been here for more than 18 years. When writing about my real life felt too revealing, using fiction seemed fun. The narrative begun then has since

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-86809081823568599922008-09-10T11:58:00.001-04:002008-09-10T11:58:03.249-04:00

M, who recently went back to Taiwan to teach again, after living inAmerica for five years because she married a guy who lived here, senta note asking us to try to look in on her husband and step-son fromtime to time. She worries that he will sink into a deeper funk due tounemployment. He had a great job but quit to start his own business,which didn't work out too well, so the family of three was

emigrenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-83825943953247010302008-08-18T15:31:00.001-04:002008-08-18T15:31:36.630-04:00

Liu Xiang, the hurdler who was expected to win a gold medal today,withdrew from the 110-meter hurdling preliminaries due to injury. Talkin the Chinese blogsphere ranges from doubting why he "really"withdrew to sympathy. I refuse to believe he withdrew because of someselfish reason, he's a natural competitor and wants to win even morethan all of the 13 billion fans combined do! Hope he recovers

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-40644428151370902632008-05-12T11:16:00.001-04:002008-05-12T11:16:22.786-04:00

Feel unsettled this morning: China is having such a rough year, first the monster snowstorm, then Tibet, followed by the train collisions, and now a huge earthquake? May the heavens spare China more heartache in the coming months.

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-11613501534337671632008-04-02T18:35:00.004-04:002008-04-02T18:44:34.525-04:00

Spring brings lots of changes, several major thoroughfares in my neighborhood have been fenced up and marked for demolition, what will replace the dive bars and convenience stores? Chinese papers have said everything from hotels to luxury high rises. The non-stop construction and urgent sense of prosperity remind me of a developing city in China, where the sight of construction sites are as

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-38074396126243605752007-12-18T14:02:00.000-05:002007-12-18T14:07:11.197-05:00

Choosing a ReligionSo many Chinese here end up going to church, not because they've had a religious epiphany in America, but because church groups are such great communities. For people with kids especially, having babysitter rings and play groups makes a huge difference. I can't join a church just for the good potlucks though, that feels sacriligious. Should I join a Buddhist center instead?

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-20938173204983232442007-11-10T11:35:00.000-05:002007-11-10T11:49:36.875-05:00

Just read this complaint about the horrific travel industry in Hainan. It saddens me that Chinese are never more fierce than when robbing each other of money. My sister was telling me, seeing as how I haven't been back for a few years, that I won't believe what goes on nowadays: the moral decline, the extreme focus on money, that there is a sense of everything being "rotten to the core." Even

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-17386094716989040722007-04-01T22:20:00.000-04:002007-04-01T22:22:00.122-04:00

The IPOD GenerationThe young generation of Europe is being called the IPOD generation by their press.Why IPOD you ask? Well, it's like this:I: insecureP: pressuredO: overtaxedD: debt-riddenI think we're pretty close to it too in America. I'm insecure at times and struggle with my goals (or lack there of) and feel pressured to achieve and acquire... As far as overtaxed goes, yep, that's true too.

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-43790530163471253652007-03-10T14:09:00.000-05:002007-03-10T14:10:02.688-05:00

Giving it AwayCame home really tired last night, was still too wired to sleep for some reason. Got sucked into a public television airing of Dr. Wayne Dyer's lecture. He has a way of making profound things really simple and intuitive. His analogy of "life is but a parenthesis in eternity" and all we could do is to give our life away was brilliant. His philosophy goes against the whole buy more,

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-51484673371451562522007-03-06T15:00:00.001-05:002007-03-06T15:03:58.172-05:00

My Near Celebrity Sighting If you read Gawker Stalker, you'd think New York was run by celebrities, you could practically see one inline at the Kwik Meal stand at every corner.Never have I had such luck though.Today, I was at a GNC during lunchtime, grabbing some Flavor & Fiber Bars. There was a big crowd of people there, mostly men, clutching FHMs and looking high-strung...turns out they were

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-52504613326681919822007-02-05T11:31:00.001-05:002007-02-05T11:31:24.710-05:00

China's version of "Friends," this one is only broadcast online, yayfor the Web!Would they turn all the friends into lovers like the American version I wonder?http://tv.mofile.com/user/soulpartners/Hope the connection is not too choppy for you.

emigrenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1168478320268572872007-01-10T20:03:00.000-05:002007-01-10T20:18:40.290-05:00

A Good Deed?I just spent nine bucks on a headscarf and was walking home in the freezing cold, wishing I had remembered to wear gloves. Then I saw a person lying in the doorway of a bustling Chinese restaurant, apparently asleep, even in this frigid weather, he was curled up, head bent toward the doorway, as if seeking warmth. I felt the usual twinge of "Damn, that's sad" but kept walking.The more

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1166307819395304972006-12-16T17:11:00.000-05:002006-12-16T17:25:02.756-05:00

Gold Pigs I got an annual newsletter from a family friend, she says:The lunar New Year is a Year of the Pig. It is believed to be a year of gold pig (rather than wood, water, fire, earth pigs.) So many couples plan to have their babies born in this lucky year. It's estimated that 100 ,000 babies will be born in Beijing! (We didn't know this until we read reports in the newspapers. My

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1163100069063905702006-11-09T14:21:00.000-05:002006-11-09T14:24:16.663-05:00

I started on the Pill, Yasmin, to be exact, a couple days ago, and haven't felt normal since.A wave of irritation assaulted me the morning after I took the first pill at midnight. I attributed it to everyday crankiness, then I started feeling dizzy. And not the kind of dizzyness I could ignore either, I almost had to stop working on the computer since it was hard to focus on anything.Then my

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1162086568552781372006-10-28T21:42:00.000-04:002006-10-28T21:50:10.730-04:00

Beggers and LiarsI was waiting for the bus one day when a woman sidled up to me and asked, "Do you speak English?" I answered yes without thinking and she immediately launched into a speech about her being a single mother and needing food for her kids. Somehow, I didn't believe her and stood there awkwardly while she continued persuading me. After sensing my lack of compassion, she moved on to

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1159130269196599462006-09-24T16:23:00.000-04:002006-09-24T16:39:12.536-04:00

Eye Lids and AgingI've been secretly happy that I was born with the coveted double eyelids, thereby bigger-looking eyes. When other people buy these scary adhesive kits purporting to induce "Bigger eyes instantly! Without surgery!" from Asian pharmacies to create the effect on their own, I'd feel a sense of superiority from not needing to resort to such a measure. Until now.In recent photos, I

emigrenoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1158441804543359182006-09-16T17:15:00.000-04:002006-09-16T17:23:25.213-04:00

SK-II is EvilI once used this ultra-pricey toner from SK-II and was so impressed at how it made my skin so supple and seemingly whiter. If not for its prohibitive price tag (more than $50), I would have kept on using it. Fast forward two years...I saw on Chinese news today how all SK-II products were to be taken off the market in China. They were full of toxic ingredients. Anecdotal stories I

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1157223484383834692006-09-02T14:55:00.000-04:002006-09-02T14:58:04.426-04:00

1-800-PurgatoryI called the bank for some information and was led thru this merry maze of options and more options and no help, in desperation, I pressed O and finally got a human to take my call. Reading magazines does pay off, I remembered reading about this shortcut this eons ago and who knew it's actually a good tip.

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1156011615959681922006-08-19T14:10:00.000-04:002006-08-19T14:20:17.100-04:00

SalesMaybe it's the immigrant in me, or maybe it's my innate cheapness, but I can't stop myself from checking out all the sales recently. Thanks to a non-professional job, I've been abusing my lunch breaks with tons of excursions into discount clothing stores and some not-so-discount ones. My biggest transgression was at Zara's, where I bought a blouse at full-price. Standing in line, I spyed a

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1154560651054630102006-08-02T19:14:00.000-04:002006-08-02T19:17:31.066-04:00

My First Ever Concert in AmericaI'm really really happy that i went to see The Dixie Chicks last night, never been to MSG so the whole thing was new to me. Their opening act was Bob Schneider's band. He's not bad, but then there was 45 of nothing but recorded music before the Chicks went on stage. The whole place became electrified, everyone was cheering them, they played two fast songs and then

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1150943600094094352006-06-21T22:28:00.000-04:002006-06-21T22:33:20.106-04:00

EpiphanyMom said something to me the other day that made me realize what life is all about.Life is not about pleasing oneself, rather, it's about not disappointing people who love you. This is so different from what self-help books and magazines tell you -- living for one's own fulfillment, etc., but I feel so strongly about it. It's almost as if I'm now relieved of all the self-absorbed musings

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1148756128992187792006-05-27T14:33:00.000-04:002006-05-27T14:56:16.156-04:00

WorkMemorial Day doesn't seem like a holiday to me, I suppose for Americans it's all about BBQs and the start of summer, but isn't it really like celebrating the death of veterans? Mao Mao gave me monday off, but his office really has nothing but an imaginary workload anyhow. Most of the time I feel like he has an office registered in the US so he can prove he has a venture of some sort,to

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1147397622130463232006-05-11T21:10:00.000-04:002006-05-11T21:33:42.146-04:00

How I Get Free FoodI've become an user. Lately I have deliberately befriended a guy who works as a manager in a Chinese restaurant near where I live. The first time I ate there by myself, he started talking to me and was not too annoying. The way he talks is still real and doesn't sound Americanized like immigrants who have been here a while. He's got hair in this buzz-cut style that only

emigrenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1147024238829305732006-05-07T13:42:00.000-04:002006-05-07T14:22:40.836-04:00

The immigration protests have come and gone; the senate is deciding on this issue in less than two weeks. I'm surprised by how detached I feel...Is it because I've been here a while and feel more assimilated? Or have I absorbed some of the self-absorbedness of typical New Yorkers?I'm more concerned with some stuff I'm doing for Mao Mao at work. There are these receipts I have to file as business

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1131597188261180842005-11-09T23:23:00.000-05:002005-11-09T23:33:08.270-05:00

Did I do something momentous during this four months that I didn't blog? No, sadly. I have not changed though. Whew.Thanksgiving is coming up, I feel like I should celebrate in my own awkward and ill-fitting way, as I get time off, but turkey is not anything I want to eat, bird flu or not. Pumpkin pies are better, but overly sweet. Maybe I'll do one of those bus tours with a gaggle of visiting

emigrenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1121024805898315102005-07-10T15:45:00.000-04:002005-07-10T15:46:45.903-04:00

My mom called me about her reunion with one branch of our relatives. One of my cousins, who probably is younger than me, is already married and allegedly has a very successful husband -- because he travels abroad a lot. I don't know who put forth the idea that traveling all over the place equals social status. But I suspect community colleges are to blame, they love to design posters where the

emigrenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1119725401570601132005-06-25T14:30:00.000-04:002005-06-25T14:50:01.640-04:00

There has been a lot of press on the emergence of China as a potential enemy for the US or at least an force to be reckoned with. I wish China was that powerful, what right-wing American senators (who scream about China becoming a threat) don't realize is that China has had such amazing growth these past few years because the Chinese government has made expansion the ultimate goal. As long as

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1113761049322411532005-04-17T13:55:00.000-04:002005-04-17T14:04:09.323-04:00

It's hard to have integrity sometimes. I tried valiantly to boycott Japanese-made products and just realized my glasses are made in Japan, and a lot of snacks I enjoy are made there too. I could try getting contacts and stop stuffing my face.Chinese get very emotional and worked up over the Japanese government's denial of their military's actions in WWII once in a while, but then the outrage

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1108842096161338422005-02-19T14:20:00.000-05:002005-02-19T14:41:36.163-05:00

I had a few days free over the New Year. When I'm not engrossed in daily survival, I have time to brood and reflect, which is not always a good thing when you're limited in your choices. Mao Mao, when he's not chatting away with his friends at work, dreaming up one lofty scheme after another, actually makes some keen observations about life here vs. life in China. Here, it's easy to acquire a

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1105317430306889822005-01-09T19:25:00.000-05:002005-01-09T19:39:20.186-05:00

Before the Rooster Crows My latest work project is to get tickets for Mao Mao to shows with HK popstars at various casinos for the Chinese New Year (Feb 9th). God bless American marketing geniuses, who knew most major Atlantic City casinos have their own promotion divisions catering to immigrant Chinese's cultural tastes? Money is color-blind. The lineup is quite impressive, entertainers who I

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1104475094429934352004-12-31T01:26:00.000-05:002004-12-31T01:38:14.430-05:00

There were very few Chinese tourists caught up in the tragic tsunami, though many Chinese tour groups were there. Turned out the Chinese' aversion to sun-bathing and money-saving habits saved their lives. The Chinese travelers stayed at cheaper hotels, away from the beaches, and didn't spend their morning by the sea snorkeling and sunning. The travel agencies catering to Chinese like to offer

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1104106775621171062004-12-26T19:17:00.000-05:002004-12-26T19:19:35.623-05:00

A Zen Story I had a bit of time today so I browsed a few fortune-telling web sites, I like to do this at the end of each year for omens of the new year. It's almost always a mixed message, either it's good career luck mixed with health problems, or good marriage prospects mixed with bad money luck. The fortune-teller of one site had a story that made me think even if everything does not turn

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1103167373666343292004-12-15T22:05:00.000-05:002004-12-15T22:22:53.666-05:00

Why Totalitarianism Doesn't Work The last thing I wanted at the end of the day, after trudging through crowds of high-strung American shoppers with their obnoxious kids near Penn Station, is to be told the 7 train doesn't go to my stop, Main St., today. After the train huffed and puffed to 103rd st, all passengers were dumped onto the platform. Would MTA (NY's mass transit) do this if we had

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1102739786749192032004-12-10T23:26:00.000-05:002004-12-10T23:36:26.750-05:00

The Chinese and The Jews This holiday will be odd and lonely. Christmas does not conjure up warm feelings for me, nor does it bring any sense of nostalgia. But misplaced Chinese are not the only ones feeling left out of the festivities here, Jewish people don't celebrate Christmas either. These two long-suffering groups have a lot in common. Namely both's love of... Food -- I like gelfite fish,

emigrenoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1102134029911222092004-12-03T22:55:00.000-05:002004-12-03T23:20:29.913-05:00

Back to the City I've gotten some of the white-collar angst back since I began working for Mao Mao at his "company." I got my wish, working in an office, with business-y clothes, with daytime hours. It's technically in the Penn Plaza areas, but it's one of those fake good addresses. The building has a smelly, urine-stained lobby. The lone security guard looks to be perpetually bored and jumps

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1099630105198549132004-11-04T23:33:00.000-05:002004-11-04T23:48:25.196-05:00

Move a Tree to Kill it, Move a Man to... ...make him live. This is the Chinese version of "Who Moved My Cheese?" Taking on something new, going someplace you've never been before, that's what revives a soul... I'm certainly doing something new, namely shopping for a jade bed with Kitty. I never knew luxury furniture houses like these were available until today. I suppose where there are bored

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1096153464661582102004-09-25T18:57:00.000-04:002004-09-25T19:15:43.163-04:00

No More Coffee Stains Because I'm trying to cut down expenses, I started drinking tea again. No wonder coffee is so popular here, it's an insidious drug that reels you in and never lets go. I am experiencing migraines like I've never had before. But tea is good, as Dr. Zhou keeps telling me. It's anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-everything. I could just feel the free radicals

emigrenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1095019840004127402004-09-12T16:08:00.000-04:002004-09-12T16:10:40.003-04:00

American Bedding Conundrums Can anyone explain to me why American bedding is so confusing? Why would anyone need so much material for sleep? There is the fitted sheet, the coversheet, the comforter, the sham, and somtimes, the mattress pad. Not to mention the half a dozen pillows one is supposed to cover the bed with. The sizing is also downright misleading, a single bed needs Twin size, but a

emigrenoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1094428423036542042004-09-05T19:29:00.000-04:002004-09-05T19:53:43.036-04:00

It's almost Oct 1st again, time for the Chinese national holiday. I heard the Chinese immigrant associations here are competing for the right to host the parade. The mainland forces want the bigger marquee, and the Taiwanese faction wants their own. If there is one thing Chinese love to do, it's infighting. Granted, the Taiwanese have something to hate about, the mainland women taking away their

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1092627690278156252004-08-15T23:35:00.000-04:002004-08-15T23:41:30.276-04:00

Watching the Olympics reminded me of how Americans always look so... American. There was a story on American athletes and tourists being coached on how to be less conspicuous in Athens, by not waving the American flags too much and such, so as to avoid becoming targets. But Americans' arrogance and swagger are so inborn and undeniable, no matter what they do. When the American delegation marched

emigrenoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1090804770575414992004-07-25T21:14:00.000-04:002004-07-25T21:19:30.576-04:00

"When an Old House Catches Fire..."   Kitty changed her name. Her Chinese name, that is. According to a fortune consultant she has been seeing, the total number of lines in her name is a unlucky one, responsible for her string of bad luck. A new number would bring about more fortunate events. Not only that, but she removed all mirrors from her house since mirrors represent water and her name

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1088989706903629832004-07-04T20:49:00.000-04:002004-07-04T21:08:26.903-04:00

Independence Day The street fair in my neighborhood today is very similar to temple festivals I used to go to as a kid. The crowds are thinner and the food is not as ingenious, but it still brought back some hazy memories. As much as I wanted to try some grilled lamb on sticks from one vendor, fear of diseases kept me away. I am still amazed at how cavalier Americans are when it comes to food

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1088220022422728332004-06-25T23:00:00.000-04:002004-06-25T23:20:22.423-04:00

Preferred Servants Every ethnic group has its own group of "helpers," "servants," "domestic workers," etc., that they consider okay to employ. Somehow, having someone else to take care of the laundry, the cooking, the child-rearing...is not the sign of laziness but rather necessity. The urban mainland Chinese utilizes migrant workers from Anhui and Henan provinces, a group of women

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1087529395424830832004-06-17T23:14:00.000-04:002004-06-17T23:29:55.423-04:00

People in Manhattan seem a lot glossier than people in Queens. They seem very driven and look like they're always on their way somewhere. Even the trains are nicer. I really loved the indicator panel on the 6 trains. The upcoming station on the map lights up as the train reaches it. If there was a map like that for my life, it would be like this: Arrival in USA --> Green Card --> House -->

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1086549085522666942004-06-06T14:23:00.000-04:002004-06-06T15:11:25.523-04:00

I attended Delia's wedding today. It was held at a gigantic, soccer stadium-style Chinese restaurant in Queens. Downstairs was a cacophony of noise -- families of at least 12 were seated around large round tables, ill-behaving ABC kids were madly gesturing at dim sum cart waitresses while their mothers were checking out other mothers' freshly-done hair-colorings. (Sometimes the Chinese birth

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1085267885529032852004-05-22T18:58:00.000-04:002004-05-22T19:18:05.530-04:00

The Many Uses of Tofu Cooking for Kitty is turning out to be a chore. She is either having menopause-related hot flashes or some imagined illnesses. All of which can be cured by soy beans apparently. She thinks nothing of dropping by and leaving a note for me to bring medicinal food to her house. Usually it's generated from some health tip article she saw. Today it's a newspaper clipping from

emigrenoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1083996312655657942004-05-08T02:05:00.000-04:002004-05-08T02:09:41.733-04:00

We don't change. Thank you. This is a sign posted at a supermarket here. Providing coins for customers must be such a bother that they needed an announcement like this. I wish I could make a tee shirt that says the same thing. I wish I could be a constant in this world of passing fancies and moody trends. I don't change. Thank you.

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1083202864791739382004-04-28T21:41:00.000-04:002004-04-28T21:45:20.780-04:00

Holidays, it would be so nice... If I were in China now, I would be enjoying a nice week-long holiday, thanks to May 1st, International Workers' Day. Most companies, certainly the government agencies, would give their staff the days off. Here in a capitalist country, people don't enjoy this break. Speaking of Communist holidays, there is also the International Children's Day on June 1st that

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1082433394065088282004-04-19T23:56:00.000-04:002004-04-20T00:00:37.606-04:00

In my opinion, one of the best things in America is its abundance of cheap magazines, and they're even cheaper when you subscribe. In China, most people buy magazines off the newsstands since each issue is an expense, not like the few dollars each sells for here. Even subcriptions don't offer much discount. Better yet, in America, not every magazine cover is graced with the image of a pretty

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1081544986889019342004-04-09T17:09:00.000-04:002004-04-09T17:13:36.966-04:00

I woke up to loud thumping on the floor above me. It was 3am, and Dan Ming has apparently returned from his trip, or was that last week's schedule? The only way I can tell whether he's home or not is by the stack of takeout containers he leaves in the trash. I've learned to gather the tops of garbage bags as soon as I see any ripe trash, such as Styrofoam boxes with leftover dumplings inside --

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1081137924961482902004-04-05T00:05:00.000-04:002004-04-05T00:11:44.686-04:00

"When the cabbage flowers turn yellow, crazies abound." Have you noticed more crazy people on the street lately? According to Dr. Zhou, that's because every year in March and April, the warmer weather exacerbates mental illnesses, as in, latent schizeophrenics become full-blown ones. There is even a proverb for it, "when the cabbage flowers turn yellow, crazies abound." Cabbage flowers

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1080364545374757912004-03-27T00:15:00.000-05:002004-03-27T00:21:13.560-05:00

99-Cent Store Injustice I'm used to shopping at high-end stores in Beijing, with my salary, it's almost a given. Here, I'm relegated to bargain-hunting at the 99-cent store. There is a really popular one on one of the main thoroughfares. It's a mystery to me why it is so crowded all the time; it offers the same mass-produced stuff that you feel compelled to own because each is less than a

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1079756834005700932004-03-19T23:27:00.000-05:002004-03-19T23:30:35.466-05:00

The Taiwanese president got shot today, unfortunately, he didn't die. I frankly tune out most news about Taiwanese politics, but I ended up absorbing a lot of the happenings just by sitting across from newspaper-reading Chinese passengers on the 7 train. My theory is he hired someone to do it to him, so as to appear sympathetic to the voters -- it seems so incredible he would be only moderately

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1079587599815504332004-03-18T00:26:00.000-05:002004-03-18T00:29:58.496-05:00

Fun with Euphemisms I kept having these tension headaches recently, as an employee benefit, Dr. Zhou mixed up some herbal remedy for me. With these regimens, it takes a week to show any effect, as the goal of the medicine is to make the body heal itself, rather than the attack-and -destroy mechanism of most Western medicine. But as I'm onto my fourth day of treatment with no effects, I had to

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1079216777283728962004-03-13T17:26:00.000-05:002004-03-13T17:54:45.246-05:00

American clothes are much more streamlined and simple in design than the ones I'm used to buying in Beijing. I couldn't find one blouse that's embellished with ribbons, beads, or intricate weaving that you see everywhere in Chinese shops. Is it because American women do not aim to be young & cute? Here, the magazines and tv shows still idolize youthful celebrities, they just act very mature for

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1078978967606949642004-03-10T23:22:00.000-05:002004-03-10T23:25:56.780-05:00

Of Beans and Money Kitty's house is in a gated community in Queens (I thought only Hollywood had these cloistered spaces) -- it's what some New Yorkers call a "nice" neighborhood. I dropped off a pressure cooker-made pot of mung beans and tofu skin stew. Tofu skins look like dried-up yellow pieces of driftwood in the packaging, after you soak them in water for a hour or two, they become moist

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1078810837423686382004-03-09T00:40:00.000-05:002004-03-09T00:44:28.810-05:00

House of Tofu Living in a house is nice -- you can make frozen tofu easily. I woke up, trotted to the kitchen, opened the door, and viola, the bowl of tofu I set out last night has already frozen to a ready-to-be cooked state. I didn't use boxed tofu, instead, I picked up some loose brine-soaked tofu which are sold by weight at Asian grocers (why am I using this US Census-invented term?

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1078615916885982592004-03-06T18:31:00.000-05:002004-03-06T18:37:54.373-05:00

A Slippery Slope When the phone rang, I was going to ignore it -- must be a telemarketer. American companies are insidious with their demographic research, even the telemarketers callng this neighborhood speak Chinese. At first I found it difficult to hang up on someone who spoke Chinese (deeply-ingrained Confucious upbringing), but now, I can just slam down the phone with no remorse. "Wei?" I

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1078415963233029912004-03-04T22:58:00.000-05:002004-03-04T11:02:22.856-05:00

Fantasy Fix I signed up with a video store, they have this deal where you can rent more than 100 tapes for less than $50 per month. Of course, this is overly-long Chinese melodrama series we're talking about here. An average series runs about 25 episodes at least, so that's $25. But I do need to hear some authentic Chinese being spoken. It's sad Americans only see Chinese movies with

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1078201021492998162004-03-02T20:43:00.000-05:002004-03-02T17:08:38.780-05:00

I had to go and pick up more herbs from Dr. Zhou's house today. Didn't snoop around and came straight back to the clinic. She has taken to talking to me when we wait for a scheduled appointment. Her moon fluctuates, like today, after a call she got from her daughter, who married an American guy and moved to Florida. "You think there is such a thing as 'Tao Hua Yuan'?" Dr. Zhou asked, while

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1078200994417724942004-03-01T23:16:00.000-05:002004-03-01T23:19:31.216-05:00

The people I had to deal with today: At the store: Irate woman who insists on using the whitening lotion kit though she already looks like her face is dipped in cornstarch. I'm on commission so I refrain from saying the obvious. At the clinic: Woman who comes in for weight-loss treatment, she got started on the standard 30-min-a-week session for six weeks. Chinese acupuncture doesn't aim to

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1078096926720058112004-02-29T18:22:00.000-05:002004-02-29T18:25:01.796-05:00

The makeup store job is not enough to supplement my lavish lifestyle (daily roasted chestnuts, for one), I better work somewhere else too. On the bulletin board at a Chinese supermarket here, I saw an ad that doesn't seem too seedy, though it says "no experience required." If it's in anyway massage-related, I'll just have to run fast. The acupuncture clinic is situated ground-level on a small

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-107801406035308902004-02-28T19:21:00.000-05:002004-02-28T19:23:54.123-05:00

On the 7 The No.7 subway train is a moving lifeline that cuts through Queens, spewing out immigrants and their heavily-weighted dreams and obligations along the way. You can predict who is getting off at which stop depending on their looks. Here are my observations: Times Square to Grand Central -- Mostly white Manhattan-dwellers Hunters Point -- Affuluent-looking whites from Westchester

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1077951710299852172004-02-28T02:01:00.000-05:002004-02-28T02:04:43.343-05:00

The moon is rounder abroad I didn't get a good night's sleep, Dan Min had some company over yesterday. All night long, footsteps rang above my head. I would talk to him but he's never in the house when I'm awake. During lunch break, I decided to go talk to my new friend, Sheena, at a nail salon closeby. The set-up in her salon includes a rented private area, for massage therapy sessions. I saw

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1077859130762259192004-02-27T00:18:00.000-05:002004-02-27T00:25:18.043-05:00

I've been going across the street from the store every day to get lunch at a take-out place, not a bad deal, $3.95 for a lunch special of three entrees and a soup, with rice. I usually skip lunches in Beijing, not because of dieting -- all the client lunches and dinners are hard on the digestive system -- after the third Mongolian hot pot of the week, not eating seems like a relief. Now that I'm

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1077748860628670652004-02-25T17:41:00.000-05:002004-02-25T17:46:18.576-05:00

I wrote this years ago, for a creative writing class, hope it makes sense still. The Barefoot Doctor They called her the "barefoot doctor." She often didn't have time to put her shoes on before the middle-of-the-night knock on the door -- another villager's baby to be born, another feverish child to soothe. Rumors had it she was from the city. When village gossipers ask her whether she had a

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1077687438726421142004-02-25T00:37:00.000-05:002004-02-25T00:41:06.653-05:00

What Never Sells in China... Self-tanner. I had so many women come in today, asking for the Shiseido UVWhite kit, because pale is considered more attractive, for women especially. A dark complexion is seen as closer to the peasants' skin tone and undesirable. Yet I see ads here touting tinted this and self-tanner that -- Americans see tanned skin as equivalent to good health and having had a

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1077596440964168782004-02-23T23:20:00.000-05:002004-02-23T23:23:28.110-05:00

America is Mine, Mine, Mine I always thought every American each had their own private physician, accountant, meat butcher, etc. That's how I heard it spoken in the movies, "My chiropractor said I should stop playing golf..." What does the doctor do the rest of the time his/her patient doesn't need him/her? Now I know, it's just a way of saying that's MY doctor -- is it just expressing something

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1077482103838168752004-02-22T15:35:00.000-05:002004-02-22T15:44:05.200-05:00

My New Neighborhood & New Job There is something familar about my new neighborhood. Not quite China, a little bit American, but really, it's a pragmatic hybrid of the two. The streets downtown are unevenly-paved and littered. Ambiguous odors, some pleasant, others less so, waft in and out from various shop doorways. Stores are crammed together, with signs overlapping each other. Some are

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6515884.post-1077420273888419872004-02-21T22:24:00.000-05:002004-02-21T22:45:00.700-05:00

The Promised Land I should have turned right back around after the clerk at the customs window called me "China Doll." This is New York? The glossy snapshots I had in my mind, gleaned from American movies, are so different from what this is turning out to be. Queens looks like a slightly worn version of a pre-development Chinese city in the 80s. The airport is dingy and looks worn, the air in

emigrenoreply@blogger.com0