This past summer my roommate and I made the switch from over-priced cable (in this case it was RCN) to Over-the-Air (OTA) television and Apple TV. Our major concerns were related to a potential lack of programming, specifically live sports and show-specific channels like AMC. You might be thinking: How did you survive without a DVR service and ESPN!?! Well, we figured we’d try out this simpler way of entertaining ourselves in the evening hours by cutting the cord and trusting our ingenuity. And you know what…? We realized that this experiment was totally worth it.

In fact,  by limiting ourselves to Apple TV and OTA (which comes with HD channels too) we were able to test the boundaries of lower cost TV programming options. Our monthly bill dropped from $130 to $45. Split between the two of us, we each pay $22.50 per month (and I personally spring for HBO Now which is an additional $15 per month, but worth it! How many times have you selected the bigger/better package simply because you get HBO in it?)

As for sports, we no longer get ESPN but we do get most major NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL games that come over-the-air. Appointment TV has increased because we don’t have a DVR but that doesn’t bother me much. My Dad actually suggested we go old skool and tape games on VHS! (Awesome idea Dad!)

Another thing we realized was that the less you spend on TV entertainment, the more freedom you have to ignore the TV. Clearly, some basic principles of economics are at play here. When you spend $150 or $200 per month you’ll want to get your money’s worth. That makes the boob-tube a much more interesting activity than going out for drinks, seeing a performance, or reading a book.

One more concern – how do you chat with your co-workers about the latest episode of “Modern family” or “Big Bang Theory”? Actually, major syndicated shows tend to find a place on OTA channels. CBS Boston’s “My TV38” comes in crystal clear over-the-air. And my girlfriend and I can watch Jeopardy together every night, unless the Pats are playing (NFL games interrupt Jeopardy on Thursdays).

Yes – we do lose some programming and a lot of (lame) channels. We have to watch The Walking Dead late into the season on Netflix, which my girlfriend subscribes to. We miss the latest episodes of “Tiny house, Big living” or something like that. But, we’re OK with that since we didn’t love everything about cable TV either.

We don’t miss the endless commercials on cable TV. Nor do we miss the annoying menus that mix paid-for and free on-demand content. (Everything you really want to see is at least $5 to rent on these cable systems.) And we no longer pay rental fees to a cable company for a couple of boxes that would be a fraction of the price if you just bought them out right. (A $5 rental fee on a $40 device costs you $60 per year, and you probably keep renting it for 2 or 3 years, right? Big waste… See what Consumer Reports says about the average settop box rental fees – $230 per year?!)

All in all, our experience with cutting the cord was not without its fair share of challenges. There are some creature comforts that we forego, but overall, the experience has been net positive and a lot cheaper. (More money to spend on going out! Woohoo!)

My cousin Jake and I have always talked about backpacking and cycling parts of Japan and that’s exactly what we’ve done. Today I start a series of posts about this trip through Japan from the foot of Mt. Aso, Japan’s largest active volcano. (I’ll get to how badass this place is soon). We’ve taken wrong turns (and very right turns!) across this majestic land, but the one thing that has remained consistent is the friendliness and generosity of the Japanese people. They are without a doubt the masters of hospitality.

In the following posts I’ll take you on a journey across this mysterious and majestic archipelago – where the sun rises first every morning and the stars sparkle brightly every night. We started in Tokyo where the neon lights, funky costumes, and glorious Edo past is still visible. Then we’ll walk among the artifacts of previous realms in Kyoto and dance with deer in Japan’s ancient capital of Nara. After that, we’ll visit Japan’s oldest surviving castle in Himeji where the “white heron” was finished being renovated only 2 weeks before we got there! We’ll sip on fine whiskies at the Yamazaki distillery before taking the bullet train (Shinkansen) to Hiroshima. We’ll step upon ground once too radiated by an atomic bomb for anyone to visit and see the horror of those times through the Peace museum. Not far from there we voyage to Miyajima to visit the most frequently photographed landmark – the great floating Torri. And that’s just the first half of our trip!

Please subscribe to Asianliving.me and see Japan through the eyes of two American explorers in Asia.

The Interview gets 5 stars from me. Here are some bits I’ll never forget and neither should you:

• Hilarious! By far the funniest take on US-North Korean, geopolitical affairs I’ve ever seen.
• Unkorean – So much Hollywood /slash/ American culture, with a speckling of Korean bits.
• James Franco – Looks like my cousin! “They hate us cuz they ain’t us!”
• Suuk – When did Eun Jae start her acting career?! (@MiahCouhie, @KimEunJae)
• Manja manja! – That’s what people want, “Give us some shit!” So, true, people want the shit…
• 50 KM west of DanDong – “Did you just say China? And did you just say Dong?” Awesome hat tip to China’s DongBei region with a Jay Chow (周杰伦) soundtrack.
• Sleeper car – Such an awesome sleeper car shot with a mixed group of Chinese. The smoke-wherever-you-want thing is spot on!

• Honeypot – What’s the translation for getting Honey-potted (and honey-dicked)?
• Same, same – “Inside we same-same… but different!” Brings me back to Thailand (@JakeBurgess)
• Supermarket – “This looks like the Wholefoods in my neighborhood.” Ahhh, so accurate…
• Dragon Dog – “It’s like a big, orange, stripey dog!” So awesome that they filmed in a tiger patch.
• Hairy like a bear! – “And your nipples are so pink!” Oh, the fascination with white guy truly exists out there…
• Kim! – Great casting of Kim Jong Eun. Lovable yet crazy. “Yes, I have a butthole, and it’s working overtime.” (@RandallPark)
• Potato yields – Such a classic way to draw attention away from major political faux pas of the past.
• Slow mo ending – Kim’s head blowing up in slow mo with the boom-boom track. Not a terrible ending for a comedy.

Readers of AL.ME know that I recently repatriated from a long visit to China (8 years or so:). And coming back to your home country after being away for so long is a lot like getting over an ex. You were with that boyfriend or girlfriend for 5+ years, but now that it’s over you are dreading the recovery period… In my case, I’m getting over a country and a way of living. What is that unscientific equation? I think it’s…getting over him/her = total time together / 2. (So I’ve got another 4 years to go!)

But fresh off that separation anxiety you realize how much different your life becomes. Your eatin’, sleepin’, socializin’, shoppin’ are all very different but you just have to get used to it. This is the vaguely familiar, new normal for Repats. Now that you’re back you realize how food is more expensive but less healthy (unless you get the salad at a restaurant); everyday shopping is more expensive and there’s very little negotiating; socializing is a whole bunch of going Dutch events in which nobody owes anyone else anything; and health care feels like a scam every time you use it.

Now, to be fair, these frustrations are not as horrible as they first seem. Yes, American food is probably the result of immigrants neglecting their traditional food culture over generations, but there are still authentic restaurants I could go to. With a little strategic planning and flexible standards, shopping doesn’t have to be an exercise in getting screwed so often. Going out with friends, family, and coworkers could be a lot more enjoyable if I just concentrated on the now rather than the future. And going to a clinic or hospital… well, I don’t think I can rewire my brain to think that it’s acceptable the way it is…

What I’ve found is that my “problems” here not really problems – they’re first world problems. They are annoyances that, when combined with a lack of awareness, blow up into much bigger issues if I let them. And a big part of repatriating is finding a way to get through these sometimes difficult situations. Life still goes on. The sun still rises in the morning.

Chinese Twitter threads that I’ve seen discussing foreigners living in their country for extended periods ask: “Why do they [Westerners] stay here when they could live a developed country?” And the answer often looks like this: They are bored of Heaven and need a break from it!

Haha. Well, I wouldn’t call America heaven, but in the greater scheme of things life here is much better than it is for people in the developing world. And although I miss the good food, the warm friendships, the great markets, and the non-bankrupting health care options available there, I know coming back to the US was a great decision.

Author’s Note: I’m 100% supportive of strong family bonds and filial piety. The rest of this article is not intended as a slam against traditional expectations within a family, but it is intended to get Westerners thinking about “guanxi” differently.(Chinese readers and friends, please comment on this below.) 

When I have a chat with friends, family, or even strangers about The Chinese Way of doing things, the conversation never fails to include the word “relationships.” But using guanxi to get things done is not all it may seem on the surface. It’s not just about friends helping friends… and when you’ve truly used guanxi to get something done you will likely feel different about that friendship afterward.

If anything, “leverage” would be an even better choice of words. Relationships in China, and perhaps greater Asia, hinge on what you should and shouldn’t do as a member of a family. So, as a son or daughter you do what you’re told, which includes taking in a relative, for years if needed. It might be about marrying the child of your parents’ best friend or business partner. And if you want to keep on good terms with your uncle, you should help him get that land deal for his factory; after all, when his factory is finished he’ll appoint your son as general manager.

The same works for non-family members, although the long-term implications are not the same. If I do you a solid, I can certainly expect one back. Doing each other favors happens all over the world but the guanxi thing goes one step further. Lets say I need a mentor for my Phd program. Now, of course, professors have busy schedules and in China they are not assigned to be mentors. So “pigs and tea” begin to enter the equation.

When you make your request to the prospective mentor, or anyone you’re trying to work closely with to achieve your goal, you need to find an excuse to give them something. Perhaps you notice that she drinks tea everyday, so then you buy $500 of fine tea and bring it to your meeting. Others might prefer a roast duck or pig dinner. This is also called 去吃饭 or simply, Going Out to Eat. My favorite euphemism of all!

If you are trying to decide what gift to give a prospective mentor, you can ask “Will he go out for dinner?” And your contact or insider might say “no, he doesn’t go out for dinner.” After a while, these kinds of discussions can get very confusing, so, you and your guanxi partner need to be on the same page from the very beginning.

All of this indirect communication can get mentally taxing if you aren’t up for it. Perhaps it’s one of the reasons I left China. But if you are up for playing the guanxi game, it’s important to be extremely honest with yourself about what limits you are willing to go to; otherwise, you just might end up selling your soul for your goal rather than earning it.

Consider adding some of these to your bucket list and I’m sure you’ll never regret the effort to cover them all!

Android Users Bucket List app	iOS Users iWish app

NOTE: Celebrating some of these festivals usually requires physically being in the country. If travelling that far is impossible, see if you can get to your local Chinatown or East Asian neighborhood on the date of the festival.

 CHINA

Chinese New Year (Spring Festival 春节, Seollal in Korea, ) is celebrated across the world by Chinese diaspora. In 2014 it will be celebrated on January 31 and the final day occurring on February 15- see the Lantern Festival below. This is the most exciting festival I’ve ever experienced. It feels like American 4th of July but more dangerous! Get a more detailed overview on this amazing festival here.

Lantern Festival (Yuan Xiao Festival 元宵节) happens on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year. It’s the last day to enjoy the chaos of constant fireworks in little villages around the Chinese mainland. To participate on this day you’ll first need to buy a large paper lantern with a candle, and write your wishes and dreams on it. Then you’ll open up the lantern and light the candle… Finally, let the wind carry it to heaven!

Tomb-Sweeping Day (Qing Ming Festival 清明节) will fall on April 5 in 2014 and is celebrated in order to remember and honor loved ones who have passed. It’s a solemn event that mostly takes place in cemeteries. Now, certainly this festival has a morbid tone, so why would I suggest participating in it? This is mainly because of the importance that filial piety (being a good son/daughter) plays in many Asian cultures. Without an appreciation of the people who came before us, how could we expect to be remembered when we are gone?

Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhong Qiu Festival 中秋节, Chuseok in Korea, ) is the Autumn harvest in the Chinese lunar calendar and will occur on September 8 in 2014. It’s a celebration of the moon at its fullest and in China it is celebrated by giving others moon cakes in decorative boxes.Observing the moon on that night is a wonderful experience if you are in East Asia mainly because ALL people will go out to parks or public areas for a picnic. It’s interesting to see people lay out blankets and eat snacks while playing games under the light of a full moon. It’s also a time to cast lanterns with wishes into the sky.

Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie 端午节) is celebrated around summer solstice (June 12, 2014) and is well-known across Asia because of the exciting dragon boat races held in many cities. Historically this day memorializes Qu Yuan, a minister who lived over two thousand years ago and drowned in a river. Preparing and eating zong zi is part of the tradition and, according to legend, represents the rice packets that were thrown into the river to distract the hungry fish surrounding his body… Enjoy!

KOREA

Seollal (설날) is the Lunar New Year holiday in Korea and is celebrated on the same day as other countries that traditionally use the Chinese Lunar calendar. It’s held on January 31 in 2014 and February 18 in 2015. It’s typically a 3-day family holiday in which many people return to their parents’s house for a meal and wish their elders a blessed new year by performing a deep traditional bow. Normally, the kids get an envelop of money for this, similar to Chinese culture.

Some women  will dress up in traditional Korean clothing called hanbok. The important dish to try during the Korean new year celebration is Tteokguk (soup with sliced rice cakes) and you can wash it all down with a rice wine called Soju (or even Baekseju) By the way, check out It Girl’s blog of Korean festivals too.

The Lotus Lantern Festival (Yeon Deung Hoe) is held in mid-May and is one of Korea’s oldest traditional festivals. It’s held to celebrate Buddha’s coming into this world, so basically its Buddha’s birthday celebration! Throughout the festival more than 100,000 lanterns are lit up and line the streets of Seoul. The lanterns are carefully constructed with Hanji, traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark. Parades are an important part of this celebration which lasts 3 days. (May 6 in 2014)

JAPAN

Japanese New Year  (お正月, oshōgatsu) is celebrated on the same night as western New Years Eve, December 31st. Unlike many Americans who get together with family on Christmas, Japanese normally to ring in the new year at home. And a Japanese new year celebration wouldn’t be complete without special dishes called “osechi-ryōri”(see the photo gallery). These colorful and attractive dishes, each one symbolizing a different wish for the new year. Rocket News 24 has a great article depicting various osechi options. One very peaceful activity that foreign guests can enjoy is a temple visit after midnight or on January 1st. If the weather cooperates you can see people dressed in traditional clothing like a kimono (for women).

Bean-Throwing Festival (節分, Setsubun) is celebrated on the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan. It’s usually celebrated on February 3 as part of their Spring Festival. (春祭, haru matsuri) The activity is performed by the male head of the household or the man in the family who was born on the corresponding year of the Chinese zodiac. And what they do is throw beans out of the house or at family member wearing an Oni mask as a way to cast away demons and keep luck in. Native Foods’ blog has a great overview of the festival and more about the customs related to this Spring event.

Doll’s Day or Girls’ Day (雛祭り, Hina-matsuri) is held every March 3rd and coincides with the blossoming of peach and cherry trees across Japan. Hina-matsuri is a special day when families pray that their daughters grow up happy and healthy. This is celebrated by offering rice crackers and other foods to two dolls which look like the Emperor and Empress of the imperial court during the Heian period (794-1192). A display is setup much like how Christians display a manger scene for Christmas. But one superstition suggests that if the dolls and scenary are not put away immediately when the special day is over, the family will also slow to marry off their daughter later on.

Try combining this celebration with a visit to a Cherry blossom park (Hanami = flowering viewing) later in March or April. Cherry blossoms, or Sakura, are a Springtime experience not to be missed. It’s a must-see for anyone creating a bucket list! Cherry blossoms can be found in many countries around the world, but the feeling you get from visiting them in Northeast Asia is unparalleled.

After American 15-year-olds scored 36th overall on the global Reading, Math, and Science test, will parents continue to send their students to study in America? Test-obsessed parts of the globe may look at the 2012 results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and determine that our K-12 education does not compare to theirs. Or parents might not care and just send their kids to America anyway. (We’ve still got the highest ranked universities in the world…)

I’ve commented before on the results of the PISA test in 2009 and while it may seem that American kids are not great test-takers, there are A LOT more comparisons that need to be drawn in order to determine whether a student is “successful” or not. Participation in group activities, presentation making, and creative thinking are very difficult to grade objectively; but unfortunately, the easiest way to compare A LOT of students is to quantify their answers in test format. From these results our leaders and decision makers have to make judgment calls about what to do next. Our results were poor, but how do we improve?

Before we start the heated debate over who is to blame and what needs to change, we should definitely take a closer look at both obvious and less obvious winners. Certainly Shanghai, Singapore, and Hong Kong have their own advantages which we can learn from, arguably- like their longer school days, test-focused instruction, and reduced physical education. These are obvious tactics which we probably could begrudgingly employ but they may not be the only solutions.

In Amanda Ripley’s book, The Smartest Kids in the World and how they got that way, she makes some interesting highlights about the types of countries that have succeeded at PISA. It’s not only about having “the smartest kids” but also a certain kind of teaching excellence. For instance, Finland is a great example of teaching excellence because of their reposturing of the teaching profession in their society. In the 1960s they shut down teacher training schools and reopened them as part of the top (ivy league) schools in that country. By doing so, teaching quality became stronger, and perhaps more importantly, students noticed… A ripple effect ensued through out the system which has resulted in Finland leading much of the rest of Europe in test scores.

In America, she says, we educate 2x the amount of teachers our education system needs. But when you set standards (not just a list of certifications needed for entry into the profession) but actually put teachers on the same pedestal as doctors or lawyers, the obvious value added to the education system can be seen (in scores), not just heard (from politicians).

“Getting into education colleges in Finland is like getting into MIT in the United States.” She mentioned on Fareed Zakaria’s program last week. “Teachers could then be paid more, given even more freedom, and given the respect they deserve.” I would love to see this happen, too.

Our kids are amazing and they are smart! In their minds, the pressure is on to perform on a stage that some teachers might not be preparing them for. And although the solution sounds like “teaching to the test” or getting prescribed standards that anyone could teach, our teachers really should feel the same pressure these kids feel. We should reverse the idea of “those who can do, those who can’t teach” to “the best who CAN teach.” Only then will we achieve better results in our own way and through our own approaches.

Thanksgiving is a special time when family reunite for great food and awesome desserts. But it wouldn’t be a normal family gathering without some passionate political rhetoric. And after the turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, cheddar broccoli, maple carrots, and biscuits, who wouldn’t grab at the opportunity to burn some calories by cursing your ideological foes vis-à-vis your loved ones?

Then gram gram chimes in: “No politics on Thanksgiving!” But she already knows… It’s too late to stop it, gram gram.
This crazy train has left the terminal!

But dear reader, AL.ME is not a place for hard-line party politics and I don’t intend to explain why ‘merica has become a communist, totalitarian state run by a Muslim… (no, I’ll save the “truth” for my other blog.) But honestly, listen closely, I have some shocking news to share with you…

Not everyone debates politics during their Autumn harvest holiday!

In one East Asian culture, your author has witnessed the complete opposite. During holidays the Chinese barely utter a word on politics, let alone give a family member the pulpit for 10 minutes. And it’s not because they lack freedom of speech or anything. (In fact, they can say just about anything they want – they just can’t gather.) What they do have is doubt- a healthy doubt, I think.

They don’t assume that auntie is a “bleeding heart liberal” who only gets her news from Rachel Maddow, or that uncle is a “staunch conservative” who has memorized Hannity’s lines verbatim. Their common people just think, “I’m not a politician” or “How would I know what’s best for the country?” or “Don’t we have enough problems to think about in our daily lives?” And voilà, conflict averted – peace restored.

Over there, politicians listen to economists, scientists, and engineers more so than what is trending on Main St. Ideally, if corruption were better managed, the government wouldn’t have to listen to the heavily subjective views of any non-economists, non-scientists, or non-engineers. The “they took are jaabs!” reactionary crowd-thinkers wouldn’t impede on their longer term national goals for things like educational investments, health care, or defense spending.

Admitting you are not a scientist is tough- whether climate change is really happening, whether the national debt is a ticking time bomb, or whether solar power will be the future of our national energy grid. But we should doubt non-scientists when it comes to many issues like these. Remember to silence that noisy idiot inside and realize that pundits are usually selling you fear, their books, or both- because they certainly aren’t reporting their research…

~

I used to think holiday-time political debates with friends and family were healthy. Expressing your own views is at the heart of what it means to be American. But I’ll never forget the day I began to heavily doubt our media-centered culture and despise it for misleading listeners/viewers just so they could sell some advertising. They call themselves “news” programs but they are purely entertainment. What is your media channel of choice feeding you these days?

Now, have a happy holiday season and listen to your gram gram…
“No politics on Thanksgiving or Hanukkah or Christmas!”

For years I’ve been attempting to explain (and cook) the differences between real Chinese food and American Chinese food. At first, it surprised American friends to discover that the Chinese have never heard of dishes like Crab Rangoon, General Tso’s Chicken, Egg Rolls, Egg Foo Young, and Chop Suey. All were created in America for American taste buds.

Crab Rangoon was actually an American creation that has been served in San Francisco since the 1950s.

Egg Foo Young was an adaptation on a real Chinese dish and made its American debut in the 1930s.

General Tso’s Chicken [pronounced ‘TSAO’] was coined after a famous Chinese general but the people of his modern-day hometown in Xiangyin, Hunan province have never tried it before! (See Jennifer’s talk below)

Egg Rolls in China are actually just egg-based wafers that are enjoyed as a dessert.
Spring rolls are a little bit similar to the 春卷 you might find around Asia, in my opinion.

Chop Suey literally translates as “leftovers” and is simply a mix of various unfinished dishes. It’s origins are debated, although I’m sure every culture has their method of dealing with uneaten portions.
(How would you describe ‘leftovers’ in your home?)

Fortune Cookies are to this day still a Japanese creation which American Chinese restaurants started serving when we put Japanese Americans in internment camps in 1942.

The classic Chinese Takeout Box has never seen the light of day in China and probably never will. It’s 100% American!
(Disposable chopsticks are used all over Asia though.)

~

Jennifer 8. Lee gave a hilarious talk at TED in 2008 and gets into more detail not only about American Chinese food but French, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, and Korean versions of Chinese food. All have their own unique twist but are still called Chinese!

Enjoy! 请慢用！

Expats are coming and going all the time in China, but I’ve noticed an unusual number of articles in the past 2 years which refer to a “exodus” of expats leaving the country. This is certainly hyperbolic but still noteworthy. There are numerous reasons for people to choose to leave, including sour business deals, bureaucracy, and cultural disconnect; however, the most common quality-of-life concern has got to be the air.

The health concerns of those living and visiting China can be seen in the numbers- one example being the reduction in tourism Beijing has experienced in just the past year (Quarters 1 to 3 between 2012 and 2013). The Beijing Youth Daily reported in October that local travel agents have seen a 50% decline year-on-year in the number of tourists visiting the city, although official numbers are closer to 15%.* And with the cold, dry air of winter just getting started in northern China, you can be sure that tackling air pollution will probably be their #1 priority.

Although not as bad as the Harbin smog last month, Shanghai recently shutdown schools and cancelled flights due to “unprecedented air pollution” reported by Forbes online. Guangzhou, a metropolis of over 12 million residents (2010 census), also has prepared contingency measures for when PM2.5 measures over 300.

In 2008, the Asia Society produced a series of videos which provide a brief overview of the pollution issues in China along with some engaging content.

Did I leave China because of air pollution? Not exactly. Just like anyone else, there are a bunch of reasons that come together to cause you to make a big move. And although I lived in one of the cleanest coastal cities in China there were other concerns like food quality and noise pollution.

There are many livable places in China and I recommend all expats in China (especially with family) to consider the many aspects of life there. If you have left China (or choosing to stay) share your stories with us below. Thanks!