I was standing outside a basketball gym the other day when I struck up a conversation with a Chinese friend. Usually we talk about pretty mundane and casual things but that day we actually dove into the colorful world of Chinese economics, and it shocked me. I was shocked not so much that I was talking economics with a Chinese man (although that is odd), but that both of us – a 25 year-old from Texas and a 37 year-old from a remote part of China – shared …

So it hasn’t snowed in our part of China for about 1 1/2 months and in fact the weather is warming to the point that most of the snow is beginning to melt. Sounds like a perfect time to go skiing, right? Well believe it or not, it was perfect! Granted it was more skiing on ice than snow but it was still tons of fun.
Now I know what some of you might be thinking right now – don’t you live in a desert? How can …

Well, a late Happy Valentines Day to most of you. I hope it was a special time for you! If by chance you’re reading this and you work at a flower shop I send my deepest sympathies and hope your recovery is quick an smooth – I’ve been there, my friend. Nothing drives away romantic feelings faster than cutting up your hand on rose thorns while dealing with men who not only waited till the last minute to buy flowers but actually have the gall to feel …

Happy Chinese New Year to all of you back in America! We just wrapped up our second tour of the two great cities of China – Beijing and Xi’an – only this time we played the part of the “tour guide”. We’re sure the various adventures and a few horror stories have made their rounds in Dallas by now, but for those of you who weren’t aware, the Summers family decided to use their precious vacation days to take a daring trip into the unknown of China. …