I’ve lived in China over a year now and I don’t know any Cantonese or Mandarin. Surprisingly it’s been difficult to find a private tutor for Mandarin. Cantonese is the main language spoken where I live (Macau and Hong Kong), but variations of Mandarin are spoken throughout China. I had an interpreter tell me the best way to learn is to start with Mandarin and then go into Cantonese. Mandarin has four tones and Cantonese has nine.
Continue reading “My First Private Lesson in Mandarin Chinese”
The Videocon IIFA 2009 awards will be televised from the Venetian Macau June 11-13, 2009. This award for the Indian film industry is popularly called the “Bollywood Awards”. Artists from Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA show will perform during the ceremony. I am told these awards are televised to 300-500 million people worldwide.
Yes, this is a pretty big deal. I don’t know when the ceremonies are aired in the USA but I’ll add info to this post if I find out before the airing. We’ll have extra shows of Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA for attendees of the event – and you can bet that the artists are working VERY hard right now to prepare for this presentation, in addition to their regular show schedule.
And did you know Cirque Du Soleil’s 25th Anniversary is the middle of June 2009? Things are jumping at the Venetian Macau in June!
Continue reading ““Bollywood Awards” at Venetian Macau June 11-13 2009″
A friend and I have picked the Philippines as our next vacation destination. We’ve decided on the Palawan island chain and with a one day layover in Manila. We were going to Boracai, but decided to go South to Palawan for hopefully a less touristy experience. Boracai is supposed to be a great party area, but Palawan is said to be more pristine and the most beautiful landscape.
47 Year old Susan Boyle wows the judges with her performance in the auditions for Britains Got Talent, singing I dreamed a dream from Les Miserables.
Embedding for most of the videos has been disabled, probably because of the high traffic, but you can watch a video clip of her on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luRmM1J1sfg
It’s moments like this that make a life in the arts so rich…
Mmmmm…….another blog post about nothing that I am an expert on. Just an observation from my limited personal experience. This post is about my perspective of religion and Buddhism in Asia and the lay population. (“Lay people” are ordinary people like you and me. Members of congregations and everyday people. They are not church leaders, monks or ministers.)
Gondoliers of the Venetian in Macau (SAR) China, March 2009. You can take a ride with them and be serenaded on the second floor of the Venetian by the retail shops.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRHVC_xlXDQ
This song about one side lover and cannot tell him that she love him but her heart speak different. Thai music video – parn ( pak yang jai yang ).
Having lived in China for a year now, it has been interesting to see how many Asian flavored “slurs” pop up in the American language. Sayings and attitudes that made sense before seem a little more foreign now. Because the American homeland IS slowly becoming the foreign place to me now. It’s the curse of the Expat.
Continue reading “Expats in Asia and The Price of Tea in China”
Thought someone might find this interesting. This is the #1 conversation in Asia right now between residents and Americans:
Chinese: Where you from?
American: From America.
Chinese: *smile* America very good. You like Obama?
American: Yes, very much.
Chinese: *Big Smile* I also like Obama.
Now we’re best friends… I’ve had this same conversation in Macau, Vietnam and Thailand. Everyone is happy.
Dear China,
Please stop lighting all those firecrackers. I realize it’s Gung Hey Fat Choy of the Ox, but I really need to sleep. And I mean c’mon, firecrackers? Doesn’t that get old? You’ll shoot yer eye out kid…
Boom – Boom – Boom. Ok, we get it…