Introduction

I have just ended my first year with my life in and out of China, married to Yali, my wife. I will be backtracking at times in order to fill in the time since we first met, and all of the trips I have taken here. I would like this to not only be an account of my experiences here, but also a source of connections to news and information about China and Asia. Since I live here, I try to stay current with Chinese news as well as news at home and the rest of the world.
Right now I am living in Zhanjiang, a city of about 7 million people, in Guangdong Province, on the South China Sea. It sits at the base of a peninsula, a little over halfway between Hong Kong and Viet Nam. The climate is mild in the winter, and bloody hot in the summer.
Zhanjiang is considered a small city by Chinese standards. Here are places like Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou that have upwards of 20 million people, thus the small town label. The people are friendly and the air quality is good by Chinese standards, due to the lack of major industry and coal fired power plants, The ocean breeze usually dissipates the exhaust, and whatever other crap the locals try to put into the atmosphere. We live a block from the bay, which is home to the South China naval fleet, boat people, and fisher folk. There is a lovely palm lined park which runs along the shore for a mile and a half or so.