What’s in and what’s out in 2014
Posted: December 30, 2013 Filed under: Discovering China, Top Ten, U.S. politics | Tags: Barack Obama, Beijing, Beijing pollution, Beijing subway, Biking in Beijing, China, Chinese cuisine, New York Times, Obamacare, People's Daily, Ping pong, Pollution, Rush Limbaugh, Scrapple, Texas on the Potomac, Tiananmen, Tsinghua University, Xi'an 2 Comments
Moonrise over the ancient city wall, Xi’an.
Just a few things have changed in my life this year.
New job. New city. New country. New life.
Teaching journalism in China. It’s almost as much of a challenge as practicing journalism in America.
Here are some of the things that are “in” in my new life at Tsinghua University — and some of the old, familiar things I’ve left behind.
OUT: Texas on the Potomac
IN: Yankee on Tiananmen Square
OUT: Hikes on the National Mall
IN: Hikes on the Great Wall
OUT: Bike helmets
IN: Anti-pollution masks
OUT: Turn signals
IN: Chaos on the road
OUT: The second most congested commute in America
IN: The second most congested commute in the world
OUT: Considering something three days old as new
IN: Considering something three centuries old as new
OUT: Finnish saunas
IN: Chinese massages
OUT: American Chinese food
IN: Real Chinese food
OUT: DC Metro
IN: A subway system with trains every two minutes, polite employees and escalators that actually work
OUT: Dysfunctional democracy
IN: Democracy?
OUT: Taking your shoes off at airports
IN: VPNs to access Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and WordPress
OUT: Rush Limbaugh’s rants against Barack Obama
IN: Chinese media rants against Japanese Prime Minister Abe
OUT: The New York Times
IN: People’s Daily
OUT: The Abraham Lincoln statue at the Lincoln Memorial
IN: The terracotta warriors of Xi’an
OUT: Delicious Chesapeake crab cakes
IN: Delicious Chinese dumplings
OUT: Lobster rolls from food trucks
IN: Stinky tofu from street vendors
OUT: Scrapple
IN: Chicken feet, fish lips and duck brains
OUT: The Washington Redskins
IN: Mao’s little red book
OUT: Obscenely expensive Internet service
IN: Unreliable Internet, spotty WiFi and the Great Firewall of China
OUT: Obamacare
IN: Truly socialized medicine
OUT: Soccer moms
IN: Ping pong dads
OUT: 24/7 deadlines
IN: Monthlong breaks between semesters (We call them “district work periods”)
OUT: Suits and ties
IN: Casual Friday every day
The dress code is a lot more casual — even for a China Radio International appearance.
Rick Dunham Blog 
Happy western New Year, Rick. Judging by Facebook chatter last night, you’re still somehow following the Iggles—proof that you can take the boy outta Philly—even waaaay outta Philly—but you can’t take Philly …………
This Rick in China thing has become my favorite reality show.