CHINA

Country Overview:

"A land of contrasts, where ancient traditions meet rapid modernization, and delectable cuisine coexists with complex political realities."

My seven-year journey in China, from May 2013 to August 2020, was a whirlwind of experiences. I taught English, pursued my Master's in Politics & Foreign Policy at the prestigious Tsinghua University, and immersed myself in the media landscape at China Today and Xinhua News Agency. Beijing was my home base, but my travels painted a vibrant tapestry of China's diverse landscapes and cultures: the bustling metropolis of Shanghai, the historic city of Xi'an, the tropical paradise of Sanya, the unique blend of East and West in Macau and Hong Kong, and countless other destinations in between. From savoring the exquisite flavors of regional cuisines to navigating the intricacies of daily life under a distinct political system, China left an indelible mark on me.


Degen Hill Degen Hill

Trivia Night in Sanya

IMG_0841.jpeg

Every Wednesday is Trivia night in Sanya, and every week it’s held at a new bar. This week it was supposed to be held at an outside bar with a massive projector for the trivia PPT, $1 beers, and I’m hosting - ideal. However, five minutes before we were supposed to start, a massive thunderstorm hit, and we ran through the streets on the beach, trying to find somewhere else to go. With 10 of us huddled inside a small restaurant, we noticed a mini-mart across the street and decided to make a break for it. Soaked, but now inside the mini-mart, we buy beers, towels, and my buddy Dayle buys a completely new outfit. After 10 minutes of waiting, someone suggests we just play the trivia in the mini-mart.

We ask the shop owner, who agrees, but I think he’s just happy that we’re in there buying stuff, gives us chairs and boxes to sit on, and we set up. Invited some other random people sheltering from the rain, and they were in. Divided up the teams, handed out the scoresheets with cardboard to make writing easier, turned on some music, and had one of the best trivia’s I’ve ever been to.

It really was a “this is China” experience, but it was a memorable way to do my last trivia night in Sanya

Read More
Degen Hill Degen Hill

Rainy Days In Sanya

Not a whole lot going on lately. Just applied for a 1 month visa and Sanya received a typhoon warning a few days ago and it’s been dumping rain since. Besides that, daily schedule is gym, lunch, writing, reading, part-time jobs online, cardio at night, and then a movie. Not super exciting but hey, that’s life amid the pandemic.

Read More
Degen Hill Degen Hill

Here’s where I’m at

I’ve been in Sanya since May 18. Borders for SE Asia didn’t open in June, won’t open in July, and several have stated they won’t open until August 31. My current two-month visa extension expires August 10, and this week, I’ll apply for a one-month “humanitarian” visa, which will give me time to get everything ready before I leave the first week of September (assuming they give me the visa).

It’s been an interesting 2+ months in Sanya so far. Still hard to believe it’s in China after having lived in Beijing for so long. But then you see all the Chinese people, Chinese flags, and general “Chinese behavior,” and then you’re like “Yep, still in China.”

 I’m grateful for my time spent here. Tanning at the beach, going to the gym, meeting super cool people living here, starting my 2nd novel, and doing part-time jobs online. However, I’m ready to go. I’m ready to close the China chapter of my life and start something new. Exactly what, at this point, I’m not sure, but I think leaving the country will help me figure out what I want in life. For now, the part-time jobs have been able to sustain my cost of living, and I haven’t had to dip into my savings. People say I’m lucky that I can work online, but I sought out those opportunities well ahead of my departure to ensure I’d have an income when I left China. It’s not luck; it’s preparation and foresight.

Here a fun fact: Sanya (三亚) is the southernmost city on Hainan Island. The city serves as the training site of the Chinese national beach volleyball team.

Read More
Degen Hill Degen Hill

Happy Belated 4th of July

Pictures of white suit (and girl in wedding dress) are from a photoshoot I did with a friend who needed “model” pictures for his new company. More to come. Hopefully this will be my last 4th of July in a communist country.

Read More
Degen Hill Degen Hill

Banana Man // Sanya

My friends who live in Sanya both work for a photography company and they needed to test out their new gear. So I suggested I buy a banana costume and we go to a street market to take pics and film a music video — which is exactly what we did. My friend is working on editing the video, so that will be posted when it’s finished. Chinese people laughed when seeing me in costume and little kids kept shouting “BANANA!”

Read More
Degen Hill Degen Hill

Pools And Beaches

Leaving Beijing was the best choice I made this year. I flew to Sanya, Hainan Province to hangout until my visa expires, but also found out that I get an automatic 2 month extension because of the virus. So if need be, I can stay here through the summer. I’m hoping to leave here and fly to another SE Asian country, but it all depends on when/if they open or resume visa services. Hanging out with no plans is nice but I do miss the feeling of having a schedule or something to work on or work towards. My life, like many people’s these days, is up in the air with no real idea of where it will go. COVID-19 has uprooted what resemblance of plans I had after I finished my contract at Xinhua and now I’m trying to make new ones.

At this point, the most I can do is wait until June 1 and see if countries relax their lockdown policies. If not, I’ll continue to stay in Sanya, get some sun, and go to the gym. Not bad for the time being but I’m looking forward to having “the next step” in place.

Read More