Global village
What's in a name
Do you know your Chinese name? Many expats have interesting ideas. There is an American guy floating around Beijiing who calls himself Danger.
Now that's attitude, but it may limit his social circle and cause a few awkward moments after introductions.
Imagine meeting a new partner's parents and in bad Chinese shout: "I am Danger." For more traditional names check out the following website.
Type in your English name and it offers a translation:
www.chinaontv.com/index.php/find_your_chinese_name
The wonder of Wendi
An interesting story about Wendi Deng, one of Beijing's most powerful women and wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch, features as the cover story in the latest edition of Beijing New Century Weekly. Deng is a director of Murdoch's MySpace operation in China and the couple reportedly owns a multi-million dollar courtyard home on Houhai Lake in Beijing.
The article, written by Eric Ellis who works as Fortune magazine's South East Asia correspondent, was commissioned by an Australian newspaper, however was later abruptly pulled. So China expats who can read Chinese can be the first in the world to read more about the mysterious life of Wendi Deng.
Salute to Uncle Sam
US expats toasted their homeland on Saturday with hotdogs, homemade apple pie and spectacular fireworks displays.
Amcham Shanghai - Asia's largest chamber of commerce - also hosted a family-friendly event at the city's 5-star hotel, Le Meridien, on Saturday. Music, games and entertainment were organized around the theme, California Dreamin'.
Amcham's Beijing chapter organized a celebration for the capital's expats, also on Saturday, called Red, White and BBQ.
Independence Day is the official holiday commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
At that time, the US consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England's King George III.
The first Independence Day celebration took place the following year. By the early 1800s, traditions of parades, picnics, and fireworks were in place.
AND ANOTHER THING...
Ice cream headaches
As China's temperatures soar, I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.
But why does ice cream or ice popsicles sometimes cause headaches?
Answer: The constriction of blood vessels in the roof and rear of the mouth causes pain receptors to overload and refer the pain to your head.
A remedy is to rub your tongue on the roof of your mouth to warm it up.
(China Daily 07/06/2007 page19)
