A catchphrase, while it can be oversimplifying, and even insulting, is a handy way to interpret the seemingly nonsensical sights and occurrences while living abroad. I would be very curious to know how visitors to America summarize our bizarre ways, but I’m not in a position to surmise. In Spain we...

One of the joys of learning a language is discovering words or phrases that have no direct translation. You can spot these multi-faceted gems because they take a bit of extra care to explain. Each connotation chips away at the word in an attempt to lay bare the essence, but the essence can only be...

Rock vs. Cheese

I used to ask my Shanghainese students what their favorite music was. I used to find out the names of their favorite Chinese artists and buy their CDs. I used to integrate lyrics and music history into my lessons. I used to have a music club.

I used to be so wide-eyed.

My...