Wandering Secrets

I had never imagined that in only one year in China I would be lucky enough to be invited at Chinese wedding, but here we are! Their relation to marriage is very different from ours. From what my students (invaluable source of information they are) tell me, the boyfriend-girlfriend thing is not popular in schools. […]

After months of telling the same story in all my emails, I can finally show you my greatest source of pleasure in Xi’An: meet the popcorns. Made from rice, as pretty much everything here, they taste like  “Smaks” (the cereals) or anyway, any cereal bar you’ve eaten with puffed rice. A little bit sweet, a […]

Lately I’ve met new people, new foreigners. Coming to China because they have learnt Chinese in their countries, coming to China and seeing it as the land for spiritual retreat, living with the monks, learning tai qi, gong fu or qi kung. Healthy diet, tasty meals, you know the music. And then there’s China. MGTs, […]

Topic of the day: You are mad scientists and you’ve jut released your newest invention. The journalists give an interview, and you show and explain what your invention is. Colorful paper, colour pencils, paint… they had the choice! What happens in the head of my 8 year-old Chinese kids? Those who spent a year abroad: […]

10 A.M: A summer day in XI’an. To get up in the morning, sweep the thin layer of dust off the floor, off the bed sheets. Looking through the window. Smiling at the blue sky before I open the window and see that the sky is not blue, blue is the window glass. Take a […]

This post was long due. Something for the brave people that come to China by themselves without speaking the language. Something for the solo travelers that are looking to see more than the Terracotta army and the pagoda around Xi’an. I say solo, because when we are two we are invincible, fearless, intrepid. Laughing when neither […]

What you’ve heard or seen about  Chinese driving is neither a myth nor a cliche. I think I could have a blog that would only speak about Chinese driving and it wouldn’t still be enough. When I first got here I was surprised at their strange way of moving: slowly, calmly, never looking straight and […]

How did we end up there? I don’t really know. But this giant Buddha is sure worth it, as is the town near it. At only a 100km away from Xi’An, 大佛寺, Shaanxi’s biggest Buddha, is right on the road of silk. You would think it is a touristic and famous site but that would […]