Cue fist pumps all 'round! Once Upon An Expat has been released! If you are curious to know what it's like to live as an expat anywhere from Africa to Asia, the Middle East and beyond.....or you are or have ever been one of those people living away from home, this book is for you! From stories of falconing in Qatar, a never-ending bus ride through Sub-Saharan Africa to being put through your paces in a Brazilian gym, Once Upon An Expat spans the globe. Not to mention my story, "Feels Like Home" inspired by that Qantas ad. If you're an Aussie you'll know the one I mean..... it's all about what happens when your expat posting becomes your 'new normal' (what do you mean it's perfectly ok to relieve one's self in full view of er....the world?!)....oh and my story may involve Tim Tams. :lol: Catch a glimpse into the good and the not-so-good parts of being an expat. Living away from your 'home' country brings trials and tribulations you could never have expected, but it also creates amazing memories, magical moments in time and remarkable and unexpected friendships, that last a lifetime. Once Upon An Expat will take you on a fascinating journey through the eyes of many courageous (and yes, quite possibly crazy) expat women. ;) If you're heading into that long summer break, let this be your holiday indulgence! If winter's coming your way and you plan on curling up with a good book.... look no further. ;) So many belly-laughing, heart wrenching, terrifying and downright crazy adventures to captivate you. Today is the day you can get your copy on Amazon. All author royalties will be donated to Books Abroad, helping promote literacy and education in developing countries. Click here to order. Happy reading! Cheers, Nicole … [Read more...]
Laowai in Xi’an—Expat Life in Second Tier China…. with ‘Limitless Laowai’ – Part 2
"You've heard me say it before, but I'll say it again...because it's a phenomenal fact....there are over 600 cities in China and only four are considered first tier cities!" I caught up with Ally Mona from 'Limitless Laowai' for part two of our interview series on life in China. Ally is without doubt, the queen of podcasting in China and helps thousands of expats coming to China to settle in successfully. With over 100 interviews up her sleeve so far, there's something for every expat or China enthusiast! Oh and just for the record...the definition of Laowai:老外 literally means "old outsider" (I know!) but is really an informal or slang term for "foreigner!" With most of Ally's interviews emerging from "Laowai" in the first tier, Ally was keen to find out what's going down in the second and third tiers. This is where I come in! ;-) Rich in history, Xi’an is of course well known as a world tourist attraction -- but what is it like to live here? What does it feel like to be the first (and perhaps only) foreigner people around have ever seen? What about the medical system? And how can you find community? Those are just some of the things we talked about. Tune in to hear all about life in the second tier here at Limitless Laowai. If you missed part one, it was on that old chestnut, reinvention! You know, when you uproot and move to a new city and feel like you have to completely start from scratch because you've lost your identity? How do you do it? That's here: Psst...They're both around thirty minutes...so don't be put off by the ad break in the middle. Happy listening! … [Read more...]
My Journey: Expatriation to Reinvention… with ‘Limitless Laowai’ – Part 1
"Like it or not, our identity is often inextricably linked to what we do as our profession; as someone who previously worked outside the home, I know what it's like for supporting expat spouses to find themselves struggling when that bit of their lives is suddenly stripped away. That loss of identity, mixed with culture shock and adjustment challenges, can throw supporting spouses completely off kilter...and let's face it, it takes awhile to come up for air and breathe." Recently, I was lucky enough to be interviewed by the amazing founder of Limitless Laowai, Ally Mona, for one of her brilliant podcasts and we had a ball! Ally's a veteran expat, having lived in China for over a decade and her site and regular podcasts are renowned for helping the thousands of new expats coming into China to settle in and find success! We did a two-part interview...the first on 'reinvention'.... yes that old chestnut! You know when you are the spouse who hasn't moved for the job...and all that goes with that new hat you're suddenly wearing? Yes, that! If you're about to make the move to a new country, it might be just what you need to hear. And if you've done anything like it before I'm sure you'll nod along with me in some parts. You can pop over to Limitless Laowai to check it out and have a listen here. There are lots of great interviews, on all sorts of subjects, so you might find one that takes your fancy. It's around 30 minutes, so if you're short on time, you can cut straight to the podcast here.... (Don't be put off by the pause in the middle and the other 'voices' - that's just an advert!) Part 2 is about living in a second tier city in China and how different it is to 1st tier China. Trust me! It is. ;-) Stay tuned for that one too! Cheers, Nicole … [Read more...]
Pandas in Chengdu? Don’t Mind if I Do!
Giant Pandas. What’s not to love? They’re furry, cute and cuddly….well at least they look cuddly, from a distance. The ultimate human teddy bear! A species that has survived for eight million years and with fewer than 2000 left in the world and most of those in China, it stands to good reason they’re the nation’s beloved national treasure. The Sichuan province is where the majority are lounging about, just chewin’ on bamboo. It’s predicted just over a thousand live in the wild and the China Conservation and Research Centre in Chengdu is home to around 80 of the provinces most famous residents. I’ll be honest as much as I love a good panda, thinking about them doesn’t send me into a state of pandamonium! (See what I did there!) But…. given Chengdu is kind of on our door step; a hop, skip and a jump south west (or a one hour flight) it makes sense to tick the panda box. I was also keen to see Chengdu. Another colossal Chinese city of 14 million! They call it the 'Country of Heaven' or Tiān fǔ zhi guó often translated as 'The Land of Abundance'. It’s also been earmarked as the nation’s 4th most liveable city. Not bad out of 656 cities. It was a three day weekend in China, a national holiday — which in all reality is never a good time to take a vacation with a billion other friendly Chinese faces at your side. But ignoring all previous shoulder to shoulder encounters with mammoth holiday crowds, we booked our flight to the Panda capital for a fast Friday night flight out. It was all going as smoothly as one could hope for a Friday night dash to the airport. We arrived with plenty of time, lined up for check in…. had a giggle at the lady in front of us who didn’t appear to know if she was Arthur or Martha, running from one check in counter to the other, bags at both. But it turns out the joke was on us! We smugly handed over our passports and saw that “look” which we hopefully assumed was just a case of Small Person’s name being spelt wrong again so her passport didn’t match the booking. We gave each other the side ways (crap this better be ok) glance… but it was worse. So much worse. Our flight was actually Saturday night. And breathe. The Friday night flight was already packed to the rafters, so our next option was to wait on standby for a slightly later flight in the hope someone or three decided to ditch the pandas ‘no-showed’ and we could take their seats. In anticipation we headed to the airport’s Pizza Hut for dinner. Yep the big cheese is supremely popular in the East and the only real option outside of oodles of noodles. So - pouring beer and pizza into our bellies, we prayed to the airline gods. But it wasn’t to be…. all flights to Chengdu that night and the next morning were completely full! Nada. We ended up hightailing it home around 10pm with a cabbie driving at breakneck speed….until there was a lone car, stopped dead in its tracks in the middle of the highway. We swerved erratically, narrowly missing him….and breathe. The next day we jumped back in the car for the 45 minute drive back to the airport for an afternoon flight. (All the while muttering under my breath, “those bloody pandas better be worth it!”) As if to remedy the past 24 hours, the Aeroplane Gods had put us in First Class. The first sign of this was the 70's retro first class lounge, in which one could hide in one of these egg-shaped, red velvet cocoons... and snack on tasty little nuts. Now, having never had the privilege of travelling first class, it was almost as if the joke was on me (again). I’m acutely aware, this will probably be the first and LAST time I ever fly first class… so did I mention the flight was an hour? Yes! ONE single, solitary hour. One single hour to partake in those oh so heavenly lie flat beds and that free-flowing champagne (which never came!) (It is China right!) More nuts and apple juice all round. But I did lie flat under the big yellow duvet cover for the entire flight, right down to the wire. I reckon the flight attended had to literally rip that cover from me as we approached the runway. Ruined for life. "Those bloody pandas better be good,” I muttered again as we touched down (in what I later discovered was the world’s 30th busiest airport)! #TrivialFact So our first impressions of Chengdu - a city with some seriously strapping skyscrapers. Which when compared with Xi’an’s rather low lying landscape always has me a little giddy with excitement. After all, this city has seemingly earned itself the title of China’s most successful economy! More than 260 'Fortune 500' companies have established branches in Chengdu with US$8.8 billion plunged into the city in foreign investment. This, of course all adding an extra dash of international flavour and a mass of expats. I could almost trick myself into thinking I was in Hong Kong with this super chic, rooftop pool bar! (Let's not mention the fact that Chengdu has one of the lowest annual sunshine totals nationally, with less sunshine annually than much of Northern Europe!) Of course the Chengdu saying goes, "Sunny days are rare, but teahouses are abundant!” Step outside though and there’s no mistaking, this is China! For all it’s modern contemporary spots, hip eateries, high end shopping centres and shimmering high rises, in equal measure you'll spy the hallmarks of quintessential China. Ramshackle alleyways, Tuk Tuks and bicycles with mandatory sky-high loads on the back, locals gathered in side streets fervently playing mahjong and sipping tea; traffic jams that resemble the jumbled power lines that drape themselves across the city. Wandering through the city’s popular Narrow and Wide Alleyway, the ancient setting a little too man-made for my liking - it was the evidently popular ‘ear cleaning’ that caught me by surprise. A little investigating tells me it’s a popular Chengdu hobby. Long metal skewers are used to bang on the sticks inside your ear - cleaning vibrating and massaging - all in the name of promoting blood circulation! Mention Chengdu to any local friends in Xi’an and forget about the pandas (or the ear cleaning,) for them it’s all about the food! Sichuan is of course famous for it’s chillies and peppercorns — never more prominent than in one of China’s favourite dishes Hot Pot. The whole idea is for it to be so hot it literally numbs your tongue! Sugar and spice and all things nice? Only for the bravest. But what about those bloody pandas? Up at the crack of dawn (I muttered those by now familiar words)! We’d been told to get their nice and early to avoid the holiday crowds and have a chance to watch the pandas at play. With our expat friends in tow, we jumped aboard the happy bus, driving about an hour out of town to see these creatures in all their glory. The Chengdu Field Research Centre for Giant Pandas was definitely an impressive spot. Covering 165 acres, this wasn’t a rundown poor version of a zoo (as can be found in many parts of China) but a relatively clean, green, healthy environment for both the pandas and the tourist! We wandered along the pathways flanked with lush greenery and there they were, enclosed but openly on display lolling about in the sun….. Or just smothering themselves in bamboo as they tried to shovel in as much as possible….Trivial fact: Giant Pandas eat around 40 kilos of fresh bamboo a day! And they spend over 40 percent of the day, sprawled out like this, sleeping. (Sounds good to me!) Specifically dedicated to breeding pandas, it’s divided into the giant panda breeding zone, baby giant panda care zone and the research centre. These were the babies having some rough and tumble play time. Their average life expectancy in the wild is 15-20 years and in captivity, 30 years. Known as ‘Xiong mao’ in Chinese… there’s no doubt they are a global phenomenon… they’ve even made it into the famous movie ‘Kung Fu Panda 2’ which incorporates many elements of Chengdu! Those bloody pandas….they were definitely worth the effort. This is China. … [Read more...]
Shaun the Sheep, Poisonous Plants and Butter Lettuce Bouquets. This is China.
The Wheels on the Bus to Xi'an's Agricultural Fun(ny) Farm It began much like a lot of my outings in China. On a bus…. on route to, absolutely 'no idea' where! There were about 20 of us, a jovial mix of Australians, Americans, English, Singaporean, Malaysian and Chinese. It was 9am Saturday morning and we were in China on the happy bus to the funny farm! (Who wouldn’t be laughing!) Some of us had been in Xi’an longer than others, so the ‘unusual’ sights looking out the window, weren’t as hair raising; some were long-stay guests at the hotel, who come for a month, then (said without a hint of jealousy) escape. Some were friends visiting — the eye boggle more prominent than ever as we drove through ramshackle villages. Lunchtime? In my mind we were going to a farm to “pick veggies”….which as much as I’m not really a farm kind of girl, I was intrigued. Xi’an is after all, the cradle of farming civilisation. (True Fact: There’s evidence of farming around these parts as many as 7000 years ago!) And with our apples the size of bowling balls, not to mention the reddest of red, juiciest strawberries and baseball-sized onions, it’s hard not to think of China and agriculture without thinking about those scandals involving exploding watermelons, melamine tainted milk and detergent-soaked pork. This trip was all part of an outing the Westin Hotel had lovingly prepared for valued guests to see Xi’an in all her glory. And let’s face it, I know they’ll always be packed with action and amusement! (You may remember the cultural day out?!) This day was clearly going to be no different. After a 20 minute ride or so, we found ourselves mid country-side, rather arid looking pieces of land splayed out either side of us…..and then amongst it every so often, a rare patch of growth…spring vegetation. We came to a halt and let out a cheer, but alas this wasn’t our stop; our bus was just pulling over to the side of the road to ask for directions. We were a little lost. The gate had mysteriously moved, as it so often does in China. Ten minutes later we arrive….at the Fendong Modern Urban Agricultural Demonstration Park. It’s a showpiece ripe for the tourist’s picking. Leading into the grand theme park, lavish lawns, streams gently trickling, arched stone bridges, magic pathways and sheep. Plenty of sheep in all manner of poses, all looking suspiciously like that well known British character, Shaun the Sheep! Unsure of his relevance apart from the obvious, the kids loved him. On the way in, a few cartoon cut-outs, for good measure, where you can pose for a (sheepish) Disney shot…or not. Then before us, four giant greenhouses…. The first one packed with rows of lush, oh so green vegetables growing in all their fresh hydroponic, organic glory! (Which I’m pretty confident is a rarity around these parts.) We’re each handed a red basket. Our mission: to pluck the veggies we hope to cook and eat later. Many of them look familiar: tomatoes, lettuce in all sizes and shapes, radish, chives… but there are others we don't know. Many are medicinal herbs, of which I'm eager to know more about! Should I be secretly stowing them in my handbag? We’re told the butter lettuce makes great bouquets for Valentine’s Day. And it’s no joke. Their exclusivity means they’re expensive but not as expensive as a dozen red roses and of course they last longer….until she gets hungry. Once we've got our stash, it's handed over to the chefs (the real ones), while we continue our glass house tour. Stalls are ever so conveniently set up on the short walk between each green house, selling everything from strawberry juice to trinkets, lavender potions and strange tasting nuts. I waver and cave, purchasing a bottle of blueberry juice. The other greenhouses are like overgrown jungles….very exotic we're proudly told! Mostly they appeared to be of the tropical variety which I dare not tell her, can typically be found in many a back yard Down Under. Up here though, in north west China, a stone’s throw from the desert, they’re clearly an anomaly. Paraded before us, among other flora and fauna, banana trees, flowering hibiscus, a Frangipani, and a group of cacti…I try my best to look impressed. (Unlike the little boy who takes it upon himself to relieve himself in the midst of all these cherished nursery plants)! For the locals this is akin to a tropical oasis in the middle of a dust coated plain …it’s regularly booked for wedding shoots; loved up couples happy to pose in a hot house amongst the geraniums for the perfect shot. Lettuce bouquets optional. Just don’t get too close to the poisonous flowers….we're repeatedly told they are highly toxic, but that doesn't stop one local getting extremely up close and personal with the pollen. Once the tour's over, we're herded out back for a Masterchef cook off! Several cooking stations set up for each team to mimic the chef's dish using our own handpicked produce! With Ava, my girlfriend from Down Under and I on the hotelier's team….he was going to have to work for his supper. Masterchefs we're not! Thankfully others were! It was a stark reminder that while many of us take fresh, safe produce and lush green gardens for granted…here….it's still a luxury that's by no means afforded to all. It seems like a strange contradiction though, when I read that China ranks first in the world for farm output and feeds 22 per cent of the world's population with seven percent of the planet’s arable land but is also the biggest importer of agricultural products, unable to feed its own burgeoning population. A little over a decade ago China had 700-million farmers, today there are around 200-million. Farm land is still owned and controlled by the state and leased to farmers, so they can't sell it. With little reward for their efforts, and China’s rapid urbanisation plan, farmers are moving in their droves to the cities. China plans to move 250 million rural residents into newly constructed towns and cities over the next decade! (And that's a story for another day.) Farming in China is still very labour intensive with heavy reliance on fertiliser and pesticides to maintain high food production; as a developing country, keeping standards acceptable on a global level is challenging. (Errr hello fake eggs and rotten meat scandals.) Following a string of these food safety scandals, China’s people are now demanding better standards — but the reality is, while China has advanced agricultural research centres and laboratories for research, getting that data and educating the the millions of small, rural farmers on the ground is extremely difficult. The majority of farmers don’t know how to produce organically, let alone what it stands for. The Fengdong Agricultural Centre website boasts it’s recruited more than 2,000 local farmers to work for them, who mainly grow corn and wheat. No matter how hard they struggle, the best gross profit they can make is around 1,500 RMB a year (US$230). According to Fengdong, one farmer can earn at least 1,800 RMB per month with them plus extra income to rent out their land. One of the local farmer's is reported to have said: “I've only seen such a modern plant factory on TV and I feel thrilled to personally work here and get exposed to the latest agricultural technology!” A telling quote. They say their goal is to transform traditional farmers into modern agricultural labourers. So perhaps this agricultural theme park is on the money. One small step in the fight against scandals like those exploding watermelons? Butter lettuce bouquets all round? Don't even think about it. ;) This is China. … [Read more...]
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