It was always going to be a display of grand proportions! Beijing had been practicing for months in the lead up to V-Day Celebrations -- the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII and victory over Japan. China's government had declared September 3rd a one-off public holiday. (In true China style, Friday and Saturday were also given as holidays, with a make-up day for the nation on Sunday!) A grand military parade was to be held on Thursday - the first of such magnitude in a decade. 12,000 troops….rolling tanks, marching soldiers and aerial displays, the majestic order of the day. A monumental showcase of China's military strength. And believe you me, it didn't disappoint. I was in two minds about whether this was the best time to visit Beijing for the very first time? We were told much of the city would be in lockdown for three days. Our hotel was right in the heart of this event….a stone's throw from the famous Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. I was feeling a bit miffed I wouldn't be able to stand on these sacred spots, but the journo in me was also a tiny bit excited to witness such a moment in China's history. In the 10 day lead up to the celebrations, a lot of things were banned in China. On the naughty list - drones and any activities involving lightweight helicopters, gliders, hot-air balloons and aerostats. VPN's (much to my horror) were cracked down on, making internet connection increasingly difficult… Beginning August 20, Beijing restricted the use of private vehicles on the city’s roads to every other day, based on even and odd numbered license plates. And of course, companies in major polluting industries were suspended. The airing of too many entertainment shows on local television was also discouraged, in favour of dramatic war-time heroics. A bid to rally the troops, so to speak and instill national pride. On the parade day itself, six of China's CCTV channels were showing continuous footage of the parade. Beijing’s two airports were shut for the parade. The skies an unusually brilliant shade of bright powder blue!! (A pollution-free Beijing is, it seems, possible if you know the right people!) There were also 2.8 million flower pots….“featuring themes of peace and victory.” Technically, the Chinese call it “The 70th anniversary of Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese War and the World Anti-Fascist War Victory Commemoration Day” There's no denying, since living on Chinese soil, I've noticed there's a definite air of tension surrounding the Japan-China relationship. (Lets not forget the shooting range half way up the mountain here in Xi’an.) Not to mention word on the street. China's history books paint a story of a nation that has failed to acknowledge and apologize for wartime atrocities. Even today much of the younger generations strongly believe there is a need for Japan to face up to its past. Dr Su Hao from the China Foreign Affairs University said: “To the public, the parade is an important event that needs to be commemorated. So to them, I think that through the parade, it also shows pride in the nation and it rallies the people. So from this point of view, they understand and support the event.” Other media described today as a deliberate message from President Xi Jinping that China is strong and has overcome past difficulties. President Xi Jinping declared, he's presenting the People’s Liberation Army as a force for peace and regional stability. Diplomatic ties between the two historic foes Japan and China have again been strained since late 2012 following a territorial dispute over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. The spat led to large-scale anti-Japan protests across China and the boycott of Japanese goods. I’m told if you were a local seen in a Japanese car…all hell would break loose. Consequently, sales of Japanese cars slumped by around 50 per cent. Ironically though, with a few days off, many Chinese are heading up to Japan to go shopping! So perhaps still waters don't run too deep, on the street at least. In a speech to US Congress last month, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed "deep repentance" over Japan's role in World War II but stopped short of issuing his own apology. This is the first such parade to be reviewed by China's current President Xi Jinping…and it's said, he was resolutely determined to execute it well. Many world leaders were invited to the spectacle…and many accepted the invitation, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, leaders from South Korea, Pakistan, Myanmar and Vietnam and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. A number of Western leaders were conspicuous in their absence. Thousands of troops from other countries were brought in - including soldiers from Mexico and Fiji..to march with China's PLC. Beijing created four “military parade villages” – including one with a replica of Tiannanmen Gate — on the outskirts of the city, where the troops and military vehicles were deployed for parade rehearsals. Remarkable to watch. An interesting time to be in Beijing. An extravaganza! This is China. … [Read more...]
Why Every Expat Needs a VPN in their Life: How to Choose One
“How do you access things like Facebook and your blog in China?” It’s one of the more common questions I get asked since moving here. And I might add, it’s a very good question! Sometimes I wonder myself! Well, it’s all thanks to a little help from a friend, called VPN. Now for someone 'technically challenged' like myself, admittedly in the past I’ve (purposely) stayed in the dark about things that happen in cyberspace. Let’s just say, it may as well be a parallel universe and never the twain shall meet! But coming to China where there is a great deal more control on what you can easily access, has forced me to open my eyes and focus on learning about those little things that can make my daily life a lot less chaotic in a foreign country. (As if it wasn’t bad enough having limited access to chocolate in China, not to mention those gazillion other things you can’t get here; having no internet or access to the things online that make your world go round can send you, quite literally, around the twist.) In fact, in all honesty, it is a wonder this laptop I’m using is still in tact, for there have been many moments of utter frustration where I’ve almost hurled it over my balcony. (Yes! That explains why the U key is missing!) If you’re not really up with the ‘censorship’ situation in China, let me give you a brief backgrounder. China's internet control system is considered more extensive and more advanced than in any other country in the world. Government authorities not only block website content but are also known to monitor the internet access of individuals. (I’m told there is actually a department within the local police bureau here, to specifically monitor internet use.) It is taken VERY seriously. Amnesty International claims that China "has the largest recorded number of imprisoned journalists and cyber-dissidents in the world." You may wonder why? Basically, the Communist Party of China wants to protect the nation’s values and political ideals from any outside influence. There are many other reasons and they go far deeper than this simplified sentence, but for obvious reasons, I will let you delve a little deeper of your own accord. For people like me, just your average expat in China, things I’ve previously taken for granted like using search engine Google (almost every waking moment) is blocked; although China has its own local search engine, Baidu, it’s in Chinese and when translated into English is not exactly ‘easy reading,’ and search results aren't always fruitful. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are also blocked. In their place is social media platform ‘We Chat’ which is, for all intents and purposes, a great combination of Facebook, Twitter and What’s App combined. While it’s good for keeping in touch with new friends I meet in China and for keeping me up to date on the latest events in this sprawling nation; if I want to connect to the majority of my friends and family on Facebook or access my blog that helps me make a living…..along with Twitter and Instagram for that matter -- I need to call in the assistance of my good friend, the VPN. (Who I am VERY grateful for!) So what’s a VPN? VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. Essentially, it’s a way to take your public network, private. What you view online is private to you, even when you are using a public network like your internet provider or a Wi-Fi connection. In layman’s terms, every device on the internet has an IP address, which is a unique address, kind of like your home address. Just as your address gives away the country you’re in, so does your IP address. A VPN in effect allows the user to ‘trick’ websites on your whereabouts - connecting you through a server the VPN provider has set up in a specific area. From there, the IP address is made private and the person can view the internet with no restrictions or filtering in place. For example, if my VPN is switched on (which is just a click of the icon on my computer or phone) it will list a number of countries I can choose from, with a top few that give the best results for my area. Whether it be Los Angeles, Hong Kong or Australia, my address is re-routed to these countries allowing me to access whatever I normally could if I were in these places. However, it’s worth noting, as the Great Firewall of China becomes increasingly sophisticated, many VPN’s are being blocked or becoming harder to use. A couple of months ago one of the most popular paid for VPN’s - Astrill - was blocked on all Apple iPhones for at least a month in China, just like that! VPN’s aren’t just used by expats in remote locations though. Thousands of global companies use them for security - to protect valuable information on their site. It’s also a great way to bolster your own security in this high-tech era, to ensure no one is snooping on your activity, especially if you’re online in a café or somewhere like an airport. Many people use them for shopping online, on sites normally restricted to particular countries or watching programs/movies that can’t be accessed in their part of the world, like Netflix’s broad host of programs in America that may not be available in the UK or Australia. And let's be honest, what expat can live without Netflix!! (Mind you, Netflix is cracking down on people using other means to access country's programs they're not in, so it's harder to watch with a VPN. I currently need two connected at once!) Maybe you just want to watch something live as it happens like the Olympics instead of waiting for the network in your country to broadcast it? Are VPNs legal? To the best of my knowledge, using a VPN is perfectly legal so long as you’re not using to for illegal activity that causes harm to others. So, how exactly do you choose a VPN? There are now over 100 VPN services available, so it’s quite difficult to find the one that suits you. And let me just say, not all VPNs are created equal. For me it was largely a case of word of mouth and reaching out to foreigners living in China and those friends who’re technical experts! I also looked at the online site, BestVPNServicemag.com – they’ve done a lot of the leg work and even have a Top Ten VPN comparison list which was extremely useful for a non tech-head like myself. And another list from PCMag.Com Here are my top tips when choosing a VPN. #Price varies, so be sure to do your homework. Some are free but not as reliable. Work out how much you're going to rely on a VPN. Is it negotiable or a necessity? Signing up for a year is usually cheaper than month by month. #Check the compatibility with your computer and mobile system; i.e some work better with iOS, others with Android. #Check how many operating systems you can use the VPN on. Some only allow you to use it on your laptop while others allow you five different networks: say on your house computer, two lap tops and two mobile phones. #If you’re an expat try to sign up before you arrive at your destination, just in case you can’t access their website. (This is particularly relevant to China.) #Check the powers that be aren’t cracking down on specific VPN’s before you sign up and realise they’re blocked in your country. #Make sure the servers have a variety of locations to choose from, especially if you’re planning to shop on specific sites or want to watch something from a certain country. #Just because you have a VPN there’s no guarantee your access will suddenly be super fast and reliable. It’s a remarkable tool but it’s not foolproof. If internet is patchy, chances are your VPN will be too. So, there you have it….. my new best friend in China…. The VPN. I prefer to call it a VPS - Virtual Protector of (my) Sanity. And breathe…… Psst, For the record, I'm currently using three VPNs - depending on who gives me the goods when I need them! Astrill, Express VPN and Hide My Ass. … [Read more...]
Fashionably Faux Pas: Where are the Asian faces?
For me, it was a headline that was hard to ignore. "A young Korean woman goes to extreme lengths to transform herself into Australian super model, Miranda Kerr!" We're not just talking about a simple change of hair colour here, or even purchasing some baby blue coloured contacts (which for the record, she did). No! This was much more that that. It was going under the knife! A nose job and eye surgery. Now, it's clearly no secret, there are plenty of people who indulge (over-indulge if you like) in cosmetic surgery all the time to 'look' a certain way. Mostly, it's in the hope you'll look like a younger, new improved version of YOU, not so much a different version. And of course just quietly, who wouldn't like to look like the ever-stunning, jaw-droppingly gorgeous super model from DownUnder - Miranda Kerr! When it comes to good genes, there's no doubt she's got the x-factor - but for most of us poor cousins, we're faced with the reality that, (sigh) looking like Miranda Kerr is about as achievable as having Channing Tatum for to dinner! So, we get on with attempting to straighten our unruly locks, rub in that collagen firming cream with a little extra gusto and pull up the Spanx! But this story was about a young Asian girl changing her looks to resemble someone of a completely different nationality, an Australian with a very different genetic make up. It's not the first time I've noticed the word de-orientalise bandied about in the news of late. Men and women in Asia are undergoing surgery at a rapid rate to make their eyes bigger and noses more pointy to take on a more 'westernised' look. In South Korea it's being called the 'K-Pop plastic surgery obsession.' To keep up with their rich and famous idols, young people are getting V-line surgery (which involves (shriek) breaking and shaving the jawline) which is often (gasp) a gap year gift - from parents! Even Miss South Korea (2012) has confessed to going under the knife. In China, spending on cosmetic surgery is now coming in fourth behind houses, cars and travel and it seems the most popular surgery asia-wide is the double eyelid procedure to make eyes appear larger. As a westerner in awe of the Asian beauty I see paraded before me on a daily basis here in the Kong and beyond, it's a little perplexing. But I get it, you always want what you can't have. It's certainly nothing new and in every culture, there are those who go to great lengths to achieve a certain look (that often defies what nature intended). And just for the record, I am sure that a lot of ethnic Asians choose to go under the knife for a lot of reasons other than trying to look more westernized. Nonetheless, Asian countries have long histories of utilizing white skin as a key criteria for beauty. In Korea, flawless, freckle-free white skin has been preferred since the first dynasty, while in China, milk-white skin has long been held up as a symbol of beauty. Don't get me started on the plethora of whitening creams lining many a cosmetic shop in Hong Kong! So much so, this sun-loving Gweilo can't find a tanning cream within a 100 kilometre radius! (FYI, if you're new to the blog, 'Gweilo' is a slang term (I like to think of it as affectionate) for foreigners in Hong Kong. It means ghost!) ;) First world problems aside. What really worries me though, and mainly for those more impressionable, younger members of society, is the obvious over-exposure to western faces on advertising billboards, namely for fashion labels and cosmetic brands. You see, my local shopping centre is overflowing with 'Gweilo' faces peering out from exquisite boutique fronts with their sultry smiles, piercing blue eyes and wavy blonde locks, shop after shop, after shop! With a heavy colonial influence, Hong Kong is no doubt a melting pot of cultures, but the predominant look on the street is Asian. Where we live is not exactly considered 'local' but on most days, the number of blondes pacing the mall with a mini blonde in tow is limited. More often than not, it's just me myself and I… the lone Gweilo traipsing the mall clutching a Mint Mocha and an H & M bag (and the occasional small person)! And even I - the 'brown-eyed'-blonde feel a little cheated looking at these glossy images of blue-eyed beauties on display so prominently before me! Is this the standard we are all aspiring to? I'm aware this superabundance of westernised advertising may well be the location of 'Elements Shopping Mall.' A potential hub for mainland Chinese crossing the border, its retail nirvanas target the extremely wealthy who crave the big brand-names and the way of life they represent. 'Central' though, Hong Kong's heartland, I'm afraid to say is not that much different. Nicole Kidman (as much as I love a fellow aussie girl in town) looms down at me with a knowing look, showcasing her flashy Omega watch; Gap, who is credited with being on the more culturally diverse side is still missing an asian face on this supposedly multicultural billboard. And when she is on show, she's sporting blonde (platinum blonde) hair, as is the Shanghai Tang Asian model. Don't get me wrong - there are Asian faces to be seen in this city. The MTR is plastered with pictures of locals doing their thing, but for the most part it's for 'things' that don't involve beauty or fashion. Ironically, a lot of the ads are for cosmetic surgery! And as a Hong Kong cosmetic doctor pointed out to me, in the more local areas of Hong Kong, it's still not Chinese images that are being featured but rather those East Asian faces of South Korea and Japan. So, I've often wondered how women of Asian appearance feel about this over representation of caucasian faces beaming out at them from every open space available to savvy marketers. Is it culturally insensitive? Or is it something they're just used to/have come to expect/or for that matter, want to see? How would I feel if the roles were reversed? I'm not sure I would care so much, but I suspect it may subconsciously encourage me to look towards a different ideal of beauty. I know just living here amongst the many Asian faces, I often find myself coveting their (generally) thick and shiny straight hair, full-lips, wrinkle-free faces and slim physiques. And I'm sure I'm not alone. I put the question to Hong Kong locals and interestingly got a mixed response…. many had never thought about it, others had but weren't bothered by what they see as typically western brands, naturally advertising with western models. Would a Chinese brand use a white face, they asked? Probably not. But to me, the difference is these aren't small, western brands, they are major 'global' brands. And truth be known, their goods are probably made in Chinese factories. The world's largest cosmetics company is L'Oreal and China is it's 3rd largest market. The company even has a Research and Innovation Centre in Shanghai with manufacturing centres in Suzhou and Yichang, where it produces most of its mass and professional brands. Isn't there a duty of care to showcase every type of nationality and perhaps cater a little more to a country's people that advertisers are pitching to? To quote 90's runway model Veronica Webb “When you see someone that looks like you, it makes women feel beautiful, and it makes women feel they belong.” The irony of it is - most of the western models gracing the front of fashion houses in Hong Kong wouldn't even fit into the clothes these shops have in stock. From my own personal experience, cosmetic counters are often guilty of not selling the right colours for a Gweilo girl's skin (despite the shop front being emblazoned with America's all time California girl). With most Asian countries boasting their own national movie stars and pop stars to revere (Katy Perry who?) you have to question why campaigners aren't cashing in on Asia's famous faces. Do they know something we don't? While, I've been told Asian stars probably wouldn't consider modeling as the face of a product, I would also hazard a guess that there's a 'method in their madness' approach by marketing gurus of the big fashion labels and cosmetic houses. They aren't just ignorantly placing western brands with western faces across the far East for fun, with a "we can't be bothered shooting ads for individual countries!" attitude. It's a sure bet there is some hardcore planning and politics by some heavy duty masterminds behind these strategies. An article in Women's ENews had this to say a few years ago about the subject. "I think it's a conscious effort that they are featuring Caucasian models," Royce Yuen, chair of both the Ogilvy Group in Hong Kong and of Hong Kong's Association of Accredited Advertising Agencies, said. Caucasian models, he said, are used to sell everything from real estate to cheap clothing. The advertisers are not doing it because they "might as well" use the same ad in Hong Kong as elsewhere, Yuen said. They do it because "it gives people the impression that they're more international and premium brands." While mainland China is not known for embracing western ideals, it's widely acknowledged that western countries produce and consume higher quality consumer products and as China becomes a more affluent nation, it's tastes for luxury western products are in hot demand. You can read more about the Chinese consumer's penchant for big name brands here in my earlier post Design of the Times. With over half a billion women in China and Asian women today living in the fastest growing consumer market in the world -- more cashed up than ever before -- clearly today's ad campaigns are working! They're popular and sell the products in question…. But does that make it OK to use women and men - who's face and body type is generally not attainable (for sheer genetic and race reasons) to advertise to the masses? Some argue western media has effectively set a new standard of beauty in Asia. Does it discourage people to appreciate beauty in its many forms? Or is the equation much more simple than that? As a Price and Murray study in 2009 pointed it out "it's anticipated that female Asian consumers would be less potentially intimidated by attractive western models as they draw less direct comparisons due to the models being less similar, therefore resulting in more positive attitudes and purchase intentions." Today Asian faces are definitely being utilised more and more by luxury brands - I'm just struggling to see much evidence of it here! As one Fashion Designer put it, "In order to sell to Asians, you have to put your merchandise on white models." Fashion Faux Pas? Or should this concerned Gweilo just mind her own business and as they say, 'Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.' Perhaps this quote by Francis Bacon sums it up? The best part of beauty is that which no picture can express. What do you think? … [Read more...]
Chinese Tourists Behaving Badly
Why the world's biggest globetrotters are getting a bad rap! If you've been living under a rock lately, you may be forgiven for failing to notice there's a new breed of jet-setter in town. This unfamiliar travelling species hails from China - the not so unfamiliar territory that can lay claim to host of the world's largest population (so large in fact, I'm struggling to read the ten digit figure in front of me). Let's just keep it simple and say this giant of the East is home to "well over" a billion people and counting. Given that little fact, you won't be surprised to hear, the Chinese in all their colossal glory have seized the crown as the biggest travellers on the planet! What is quite remarkable though - is - at this point in time only five per cent of the mammoth population actually holds a passport! Suffice to say, nearly one in ten travellers today, are Chinese. And that, right there, is posing quite a problem for much of the rest of the world. As China's inhabitants explore the globe at a frantic pace (Chanel handbags slung over their inquisitive shoulders), they're just as quickly cementing their reputation as being rude, loud and extremely uncouth! Media outlets increasingly bear headlines protesting the brash, crass and recalcitrant Chinese tourist for vocally and often vulgarly making their mark on the planet! Several decades ago, the Americans were haunted by similar taunts. Called the "Ugly Americans," as their passports garnered more stamps, their reputation for being obnoxious and offensive was firmly imprinted on the map. But now it seems the Chinese have unwittingly highjacked the title from their US competitors. Just last month the city of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand was up in arms after being inundated by scores of Chinese visitors displaying behavior that locals have labelled disturbing and rude. Countless tourists took over Chiang Mai University, sneaking into classes and causing chaos in a bid to follow in the footsteps of the 2012 movie "Lost in Thailand" which was filmed on the campus and the highest grossing movie ever released in China. The tourists were blamed for spitting, littering and flouting traffic laws in the normally peaceful Thai city. But, what the Chinese visitors lack in sophistication, they certainly make up for in dollars. In 2013, Chinese tourists spent $129-billion; and with the number of Chinese tourists set to DOUBLE by 2020, make no mistake everybody's scrambling for a piece of the action. China is currently Australia's fastest growing and most valuable inbound market. To cater for this new wave of tourists - flights are being increased around the world and direct routes to China's top cities added into the system. Visa restrictions are being lifted - (according to the Economist, in 2013, Chinese citizens could visit just 44 other countries without prearranged visas, while Taiwanese could visit over 130, Americans and British over 170). Retailers are busy making sure they are set-up to accept China's currency and main credit card, Union Pay; and luxury hotels are employing Mandarin speaking staff and making it standard practice to offer 'congee' for breakfast, instant noodles, slippers and a kettle for making tea in rooms. A friend of mine sensing the urgency for translation services for travellers both inbound and outbound from China, has created a service 'Understood, Be Understood' providing a 24/7 hotline for tourists in need of an interpreter. These newly minted millionaires are throwing off years of isolation from the rest of the world and desperately craving a slice of the West! Cashed up and eager to see the world, they like it no less than luxurious! It's all about the big brand names, designer labels, VIP events and authentic experiences. There's even a name for them - 'Tuhao' - these cashed-up travellers are known to have a taste for anything expensive or gaudy. If you want to read more about the Chinese love affair with brands click on my post Design of the Times here. The popular perception is that Chinese often travel in large tour groups and are renowned for being pushy, jumping queues and ignoring rules. On flights, they jump up before the plane has even landed and seatbelt signs are off. They don't wait to be seated in restaurants and frequently like to sleep in hotel lobbies…. and when they're not sleeping, they're conspicuous with their raucous talking at earsplitting levels. Berated for letting their children urinate and defecate in public swimming pools; they often toss their cigarettes butts on the floor, spit in public and slurp their food…and in general manners that are deemed socially acceptable in the West, elude them. The unruly behaviour isn't lost on the Chinese government, who whilst encouraging travel with 70 new airports to be built next year, has also put out a "guide book" for nationals travelling overseas. It advises locals on things like not forgetting to flush the toilet after use, don't leave footprints on the toilet seat or pick their noses and sneeze in public! So who are these new tourists and why are they behaving badly? A sociology professor at Beijing University, Xia Xueluan says, China still hasn't caught up with its own development - taking place at breakneck speed. Rising from a third world country to extreme prosperity at such an accelerated pace means "a lot of its people behave in ways that seem ridiculous to others," he says. In a bid to move the country from one based on rural exports to one in demand for its products, urbanization is occurring at a steady rate with the government's sweeping plan to move 250 million rural residents into newly constructed towns and cities over the next dozen years. In the late 1970s, fewer than 18% of its citizens lived in cities; today - for millions it's a new world in the city, with new money at their fingertips. A weekend trip to the third tier city of Wuhan in central China last year was a classic example. With a burgeoning population of ten million, the city was under a cloud of construction, but despite the emerging skyscrapers and glossy designer stores, it was clearly evident this was a city where many of its inhabitants were out of place. For more on this have a look at the post I wrote, 'Do All Roads Lead to China' here. For the most part, the average person in China has never had any experience with the western world. A Communist country living in seclusion from the rest of the globe means - in the past - Chinese nationals haven't been exposed to English movies or watched American TV programs…. and until recently China wasn't on the map as a popular tourist destination. A foreign face was for all intents and purposes a rare and exotic occurrence. Even now, mainland Chinese travelling south to Hong Kong (just over the border) often appear shocked and intrigued by my blonde hair or Ava's blue eyes and pale skin. They scurry over frantically trying to take photos, touching and grab at us, without given any thought to asking permission or invading our personal space. The middle aged or older tourists in particular - by and large deprived of education during China's politically tumultuous times - are more prone to this extraordinary behaviour. Many are simply unfamiliar with the countries they are visiting -- their basic knowledge of its culture, outdated. Younger generations of Chinese are savvier - independent and affluent - but even with the revolution of the online world, social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are still banned in China and many western websites outlawed, meaning exposure remains somewhat limited. There's also a general consensus by the western world that the rule of law in China is at best as hazy as the air in China itself. The excuse bandied about is 'they can't know any better' -- but some are growing weary of this ongoing defense for rebellious conduct away from home turf. In Hong Kong, 41 million Mainland Chinese visited last year and residents are reaching the end of their tether. The animosity between the two has been simmering for some time and the friendship is about to reach boiling point. (For background info on the China/Hong Kong relationship click here.) Just recently, a Chinese visitor (apparently unable to find a toilet) let her child urinate (into a nappy) on a busy, public street in Mong Kok and has been vilified in the media ever since, doing nothing to stem the growing tide of anger. Sensing it's the last straw, the city's Commerce Secretary has urged Hong Kongers to help educate mainlanders in good manners rather than pointing accusatory fingers at them. But is ignorance a justifiable excuse for a continual poor code of conduct abroad? Is it time Chinese travellers started pulling their finger out and earning respect on the world stage? Or, do we need to cut this culture of people who've really only been travelling since 1997 some slack? Is it too much to expect the same standard of etiquette the world over....in a world where things are anything but universal? Would you know how to behave in their country? Do you know it's rude to blow your nose at the table or stick your chopsticks in your rice in China? Either way, it's time to reach some middle ground. With the world as their playground, the Chinese globetrotter is here to stay… … [Read more...]
Is Online Shopping the New Black?
We're among friends right? Depending on how well you know me, you may or may not know, that I'm partial to a good shopping spree. (Runs in the family!) In fact it doesn't even have to be a 'spree' so to speak. I'm pretty chuffed when I come away with a solitary carry bag bearing my latest purchase or two. I get that giddy, smug, "I have bargain, hear me roar" excitability; an extra spring in my step (which definitely helps with the stroller pushing and the sanity - the site of that branded shopping bag swinging merrily off the hooks, while your toddler squawks about one more trip to the playground). The shopping buzz! With one in four women classified 'shopaholics' I know what some of you might be thinking - this girl's got a small addiction to all things shiny and new - get her to a therapist's chair! … [Read more...]