HONG KONG, China -- Boston seems so far away -- another world -- a city transformed by an act of sheer evil. This morning in Hong Kong I opened my iPod, logged onto Facebook and learned about the tragedy at the Boston Marathon.

Friends from afar, scattered around various...

Shenzhen is sexy and semi-appealing. I never thought I'd say this.

Fifteen years ago I crossed the border and instantly wanted to turn around. The border crossing experience was similar to walking into Tijuana. Once is enough. The crowds bore the uncanny resemblance and appeal of a mosh pit....

I did something crazy this past week. During Chinese New Year's -- the biggest holiday of the year and at a time when most people avoid Mainland Chinese like the plague (think about all of those migrant workers and Mainlanders who are returning home) -- I bought a train ticket...

HONG KONG-- Happy New Year. The protesters are back again, fresh off the heels of New Year's Eve countdown the night before. Fresh from the fireworks in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor to ring in the new year. On New Year's Day they packed Causeway Bay, one of the...

Transparency is seemingly non-existent in the media universe in China -- but maybe, just maybe, that is changing. Alas with the advent of those slick Samsung smartphones, citizen journalism is slowly but surely surfing across the border. Alas the media in China and freedom of information remains a hot topic...

There is a video tucked away on YouTube where Michelle Obama addresses students at Howard University about the importance of studying abroad as part of the "100,000 Strong Initiative." The initiative supports American students who want to study abroad in China and is backed by both...

For a week, Washington D.C. was home. I led a handful of college students here to observe the U.S. presidential elections and cover the event as cub reporters. For the first few days we camped out in a hotel blocks from the White House and braved Hurricane Sandy.

Most...

China bashing has become the preferred sport in this presidential election. Both President Obama and Governor Romney have done a good job throwing punches at the obvious boogeyman: China.

Within the last several months the China complaints have been on the uptick. China doesn't play fair. China is a...

Hong Kong's English level is on the decline. Most people in Hong Kong know this, and treat it as yet another post-97 reality. Even worse, some educators and young people regard it with a shrug, as they question the importance of English. Disclaimer here: the young people I am referring...

October 1-- It is National Day in Hong Kong. Yay. My friends in Hong Kong and I are reaping the benefit of this Mainland Chinese holiday, which marks the founding day of the People's Republic of China. There's the long weekend (read vacation and R&R). There are the fireworks spectacular...

The protestors are back again, thankfully. In recent days the college kids have surfaced -- attired in black headbands and T-shirts that read "Freedom." they are pitching tents alongside concerned parents, and boycotting classes outside of the Hong Kong Government headquarters. Their presence is both a relief and a concern...

Like many Americans living abroad, I'm keeping close tabs on the U.S. presidential elections. I'm a voracious reader of election-related news. I've replayed the speeches from both parties, and marveled at the glitz and euphoria from the conventions. The Obamas are gifted speakers and they're a good-looking couple (I'm impressed...

I'm back in Hong Kong and it's as if I never left. Little has changed. Two months might as well have been two days or two minutes. On the surface everything is the same. There's the sticky humidity, a signature of the Hong Kong summer. There are the mosh pits...

I am back in the U.S. again for the summer and feeling Chinese. First there was the marathon flight from Hong Kong en-route Shanghai to New York. It had been nearly two years since I'd seen Shanghai and I was fortunate enough to get a glimpse once again at the...