Change of art

Liesbeth Coppens is in her second year in Shanghai sharing her expertise in contemporary Chinese art. Not only does the 1.8 m tall blonde Belgian literally stand out from the crowd, she is also the only foreigner among 39 locals working at Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art.

Oh, where have all the rugged expats gone?

A new wave of expats are surfing in on your break, says Ernie Diaz, editor of www.chinaexpat.com. In his post, titled Flooded by the Third Wave, Diaz describes a richer, more motivated "third wave of expats", who pose a threat to their predecessors in Beijing. Identifying himself as part of "the second wave", Diaz says he, "can't throw a rock in this city anymore without hitting two or three earnest white collar Westerners with defined career paths, paying Tokyo rents."

Life is sweet in this playground of beer and chocolate

Despite accommodating both the headquarters of NATO and the European Union, Belgium does not get much attention on the world scene. Often, its larger and louder neighbors Germany and France tend to steal the spotlight.

Life Travel

Chills and thrills

When Jack Frost comes to Harbin in winter he doesn't just nip at your nose; he chomps on all exposed flesh. But plunging mercury makes for soaring spirits in the capital of Heilongjiang province, and the spirit of the season is now taking shape at the world's largest snow and ice sculpting festival.

It's tiger feeding time, with a twist

While most wintertime holidaymakers rush south to balmy beaches, Harbin provides the polar opposite type of vacation destination.

Spring City where beauty and culture satisfy the senses

I was not born in Kunming, Yunnan province, and I cannot speak the dialect even though I spent 15 years in the "City of Spring". But in my dreams, I always return to the place that I remember so fondly.

Life Health

How to dodge the drill

Teeth should be cleaned at least twice a day.

Stress leads to daily grind

BERLIN: The alarm clock rings and you slowly lift your body from the bed. Your eyes are not fully open yet and there's a pain in your jaw that is so rigid you can feel the pressure right up to your temples.

Only fools rush brushing, say dentists

BERLIN: Cleaning teeth is usually a hurried affair. Most people grab a brush, squeeze a blob of toothpaste on the bristles and scour away for a few minutes.

Seeking out help to shake the blues

BERLIN: Everyone is familiar with bad moods, love sickness and feeling low when going through a tough time in life.