Posted on: Reading Faces and Shanghai Architecture

Hi Amber, wow, that was fast ! It is so good to have you guys - and girls ;) - just looking things up and 'figuring things out' does not do the trick ... I would have guessed one does not say 高, and also I would have tried sth. with 面颊 (mian4jia2)....谢谢 !

Posted on: Reading Faces and Shanghai Architecture

How do you say 'high cheek bones' in Chinese ? I can not figure out the 'high' part of it...pearltowerpete, out of curiosity, may I ask if you have been to Xiamen too, and if yes, how  did you like it there ?

Posted on: Street Food Buffet

@eyux, potstickers are one af my favourites, you should try them ! I think 饺子are often translated as dumplings , because that is the Western food they can be best compared to. 锅贴 have that yummy 'potsticking' crust at the bottom and the upper part is steamed....mmmhhhh. Those lucky North Americans can get them deep frozen at supermarkets, at least I remember getting them like that in San Francisco...there, people are even so lucky to be able to eat at  Dim Sum restaurants....life... so unfair...Oh, and eyux, I will never forget the character 锅 again ;)

Posted on: Prescription Drugs and Overseas Chinese

Sebire, I like the bit about the 'inner weirdo';) I generally like this discussion,  how I can relate to many of the things written here. It's nice that people share their  personal experiences like that, also good to have some people point out historical/political aspects. I listened to the lessons on Overseas Chinese and Chinese Identity today, they are great ! Jenny's and John's dialogue on 'going back to China' is so witty:)

Posted on: Prescription Drugs and Overseas Chinese

Cool, Dear Amber, two of my favourite topics in one show: medicine (no, not drugs;) and cultural identitiy ! I  HAD to ask and comment;)

Just the other day I was talking with a friend of mine who is living in Taibei and she told me that at the pharmacies she is always given a choice of whether she wants to buy the Japanese brand, German brand, and so on...Amber mentioned 'brands' in the show, but also that a lot of people would rather bring their own medicine from their home country with them...While I soo envy you people  for the opportunity of going to the Traditonal Chinese Medicine Doctors and some of the best medications we keep at home are herbal Chinese medicine pills and powders, I was wondering if the prescription drugs bought on the mainland were mainly produced in China ? I must say I am one of these people who would rather buy medication produced in  Western Countries for reasons mentioned in the show....

On the other topic: Cultural Identity is a topic with so so many facets !!! My family lives all over the place (my mum is ethnically Chinese, my dad is German) and I think one should be carefull with generalisations. Of course, when I started to learn Chinese in Germany and met a few girls with similar backgrounds we were surprised to find out how many cultural aspects united us, e.g. how in some ways our mums were so alike;) We are all to a certain degree 'brainwashed' by the culture we grew up in, that is why some people ruin their skin by too much tanning, others ruin it with agressive whitening products. On the other hand, everybody is different, I don't think one can say American Born Chinese generally know 'that much' about Chinese culture....

I identify with people somehow living in more than one world, whatever ethnical mix or heritage they might be from. Being confronted with cultural misconceptions is hard at times, some things that I hear in that direction make me really sad or angry, but some stories are also outrageously funny !!!

Posted on: Hungry Traveler: Sichuan

Jenny,

more food pictures, please;) The Hungry Traveler always gets me planning lunch...over my first cup of coffee:)))