Looking for Laowai

This is the last episode of the first season of Looking for Laowai! This week we talk about the transient nature of friendships as an expat in China, how people deal with this, and how they approach new relationships. Hannah and Toni are joined by friend and producer Averill, whose departure from Shanghai coincides with the end of this season. We’re sad to see you go, Averill, but we wish you the best of luck with the future!   This episode is dedicated to all our friends, new and old, here and back home. Thank you so much for all you have shared with us. Thanks also to every one of our wonderful interviewees for your time and for your golden nuggets of stories. And lastly, thank you to all our faithful listeners for your continued support and positive feedback. Looking for Laowai would not exist without you all!   Episode producer: Hannah Tessler Music credits: Setuniman, “childhood 1P63”; Lemoncreme, "Guitar Music”; Hakren, “Jazzy Ambient Piano (Mansion)”; ShadyDave, “feelings of twilight loop”; eardeer, “slumberfoam” Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix”   These works, licensed under the Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0), were changed from their original form and used in this podcast.   Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0). Get in touch and send us your stories by email, or leave us a review on iTunes, and stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter and following our Facebook page. We love to hear from you!   Links:   If you are experiencing difficulties or would like to talk to someone about life changes here in China, contact www.lifeline-shanghai.com for support and assistance.   Lifeline Shanghai serves the English speaking community and their helpline offers an emotional support service that respects everyone’s right to be heard, understood, and cared for.

This week, we're looking at escaping the expat bubble. We hear the stories of people who have tried hard to integrate and make Chinese friends, the challenges they've faced, and the rewards they've worked hard to achieve. Episode producer: Alison Fung Music credits: Lemoncreme, “Floating Synth Melody at 130 BPM C major loop music”;  dvideoguy, “Folk Guitar Music Track”; Strangereight, “Ambient Acoustic”; Keffystay, “Guitar Strumming/Picking with Reverb” and "Plucked Guitar Chorus", Bandcamp link Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix” These works, licensed under the Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0), were changed from their original form and used in this podcast. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0). Links: LivAway Cultural Exchange LivAwayers are a batch of warm-hearted local Chinese and Expats with an international background. We organize intercultural exchange events on a weekly basis. By working on a specific task shoulder to shoulder, we would like to build real friendships and connections between expats and locals. This week, Toni also joins Jed and Marshall on the Millennial Nostalgia Berries Podcast to discuss Mulan and other Disney films. Millennial Nostalgia Berries Podcast is another Shanghai-based podcast, created, produced, and hosted by expats. It is a podcast about American popular culture from the 80s, 90s and early 00s. Check it out here.

We’re back after an extended (and flu-y break)! This is part one of a two-part episode on the laowai bubble, or the expat bubble and escaping this bubble. We’ll be looking at the language barrier, something called homophily, differences in socializing, and whether we should break out of the bubble. Episode producer: Toni Friedman Music credits: orangefreesounds, “Music Loop electronic 115 bpm”; hagfilms, “Comedy Theme”; newagesoup, “112bpm_Catchy Reverb Synth Loop”; 4barrelcarb, “Nylon string Guitar with steel string bass”; abett, “Brit Pop Guitar (110 Bpm) in D (Version 2)” Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix”

Have you heard of the A4 challenge? What are female bodies supposed to look like in China, and what happens when you don’t fit that cultural ideal? This week, we’re talking about body image in China, and how Chinese beauty standards affect locals and foreigners alike. We focus on female bodies and hear multiple women’s experiences navigating what their bodies look like and how their bodies are perceived and talked about. We explore how the Chinese approach of being direct about body talk impacts people in different ways. Episode producer: Hannah Tessler Music credits: FoolBoyMedia, "Sky Loop"; Setuniman, "piano loop 0Y83", "Nostalgia"; Corsica_S, "sigj" Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix” Links: For more information about Ladyfest Shanghai, follow their WeChat account (Ladyfest_Shanghai) or check out their Facebook page. Read more about feminist writer and activist, Lindy West. To find out more about ELG and the therapy and services they provide, check out their website, or follow them on WeChat by searching ELG.

We sat down with expats in China who had just got off the plane, those who had been living in China for a few years, and those who have been here for over a decade, and asked them about their experiences and how they have changed over time. Episode producer: Averill Flynn Obee Music credits: druidbloke, "Medium tempo breakbeat with reverb (120 BPM)"; BoTM_Beats, "drum loop 2.mp3"; FoolBoyMedia, "New York Jazz Loop"; Setuniman, "Everyday 1D16" Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix” If you are experiencing difficulties or would like to talk to someone about life changes here in China contact www.lifeline-shanghai.com for support and assistance. Lifeline Shanghai serves the English speaking community and their helpline offers an emotional support service that respects everyone's right to be heard, understood, and cared for.

A little appetizer for the feast about to come! Have a listen to our teaser: What does it mean to be a "laowai", or foreigner, in China? We’re working on a new podcast that explores the different experiences of being foreign in a globalized world. Join us in this bi-weekly podcast, which will be released every other Tuesday.

We’ve already touched upon multiple experiences being a foreigner in China, but what about when you look Chinese but aren’t really Chinese? We’re exploring what it means to be foreign and of Chinese descent. This week’s episode is a personally very meaningful one to us — most of us at Looking for Laowai are Chinese heritage expats. In this episode, Hannah and Toni are joined by Ali, producer, and Christine, correspondent and translator, as they discuss how they and other Chinese heritage expats navigate fluid identities and spaces. We touch upon the term huayi (someone of ethnic Chinese origin, born and/or raised outside of China) in relation to laowai (foreigner), the Chinese bloodline, and what “normative privilege” means. Episode producer: Ali Fung Music credits: Bohan Phoenix, “Foreign 外国人,”; Setuniman, “Curious,” “Droll”; Lemoncreme, “Groove Music” Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix” Special thanks to Bohan Phoenix, for letting us use his track, “Foreign 外国人,” and to all of our interviewees for sharing their stories and thoughts with us. Check out the full survey results here. Further reading: Ang, Ien. “Can One Say No to Chineseness? Pushing the Limits of the Diasporic Paradigm.” Boundary 2 25, no. 3 (1998): 223–42. http://www.jstor.org/stable/303595. Chun, Allen. “F*ck Chineseness: On the Ambiguities of Ethnicity as Culture as Identity.” Boundary 2 23, no. 2 (1996): 111–38. http://www.jstor.org/stable/303809. The Economist, November 9, 2016. “The Upper Han.” https://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21710264-worlds-rising-superpower-has-particular-vision-ethnicity-and-nationhood-has. Wang, Gungwu. “Greater China and the Chinese Overseas.” The China Quarterly, no. 136 (1993): 926–48. http://www.jstor.org/stable/655597. Wu, David Yen-ho. “The Construction of Chinese and Non-Chinese Identities.” Daedalus 120, no. 2 (1991): 159–79. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20025378.

Let’s face it, the dating scene in Shanghai is a pretty loaded subject. With so many aspects of dating to explore, we’re narrowing in on a specific but widely seen phenomenon. How often do you see a foreign man with a Chinese woman versus a Chinese man with a foreign woman? We explore the dynamics between foreigners and locals, focusing on how gender roles and cultural expectations impact dating choices. Episode producer: Hannah Tessler Music credits: freesound.org users: setuniman, hoerspielwerkstatt Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix” Special thanks to all of our interviewees and to Christine for translation help. Further reading: Farrer, James. “From ‘Passports’ to ‘Joint Ventures’: Intermarriage between Chinese Nationals and Western Expatriates Residing in Shanghai.” Asian Studies Review 32, no. 1 (2008): 7-29. Huang, David Henry. 1988. “M Butterfly.” Higgins, Louise, Mo Zheng, Yali Liu and Chen Hui Sun. 2002. “Attitudes to Marriage and Sexual Behaviors: A Study of Gender and Culture Differences in China and United Kingdom.” Sex Roles 46, no. 3/4 (2002): 75-89. Rudder, Christian. “Race and Attraction, 2009-2014.” The Okcupid Blog, September 9, 2014.https://theblog.okcupid.com/race-and-attraction-2009-2014-107dcbb4f060.  Uchida, Aki. “The Orientalism of Asian women in America.” Women’s Studies International Forum 21, no. 2 (1998): 153-278.

What kind of privileges exist and who gets to use them? This episode looks at how foreigners benefit from living in China, and how they navigate their privileges. Thank you to all our interviewees, and a special thanks to Christine, Mike W and Prianka for lending their voices. Episode producer: Averill Flynn Obee Music credits: freesound.org users: setuniman, hoerspielwerkstatt Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix” Get in touch and send us your stories by email, or leave us a review on iTunes, and stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter and following our Facebook page. We love to hear from you! Further reading: Jiang, Jie. “China grows more popular for foreigners, finds report.” http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/913109.shtml. Global Times, March 20, 2015. Koshoibekova, Nargiz. “Who are China’s Typical Expats?” http://www.theworldofchinese.com/2014/11/who-are-chinas-typical-expats/. The World of Chinese, November 13, 2014. Qian, Zhou and Steven Elsinga. ““Nali Lai de?” – An Overview of Expat Demographics in China.” http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2015/01/08/nali-lai-de-overview-expats-china.html. China Briefing, January 8, 2015. Redford, Dan. “Expats in China Turn to Entrepreneurship.” https://www.chinausfocus.com/political-social-development/expats-in-china-turn-to-entrepreneurship. China US Focus, April 2, 2015. Schreurs, Margaux. “Survey: Expats Prefer Shanghai Over Beijing.” http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2015/03/09/expats-prefer-shanghai-over-beijing. The Beijinger, March 9, 2015. Zhao, Xinying. “For expats, Shanghai tops list for desirability again.” http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2015-03/09/content_19753120.htm. China Daily US, March 9, 2015.

Here it is, the inaugural episode of Looking for Laowai! Through interviews with a diverse range of people, your hosts Hannah and Toni ask: what is a “laowai”? We hear different opinions on the use of the term “laowai” from expatriates from Europe and the US, Chinese locals like Zhang Ximing, a street vendor at People’s Square, Professor Feng from Guangzhou University of Foreign Studies, and more. Brought to you by the Looking for Laowai team — Hannah, Toni, Ali and Averill — we hope you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we enjoyed making it! Special thanks to Kathy, Christine, Mike M, and all our wonderful interviewees, who took the time to tell us their stories and share their thoughts. Episode producer: Toni Friedman Music credits: Sergio, freesound.org users: corsica-s, setuniman, kodack Theme song: 4barrelcarb, “Ambient Strings and Synth Mix” Get in touch and send us your stories by email, or leave us a review on iTunes, and stay up to date by subscribing to our newsletter and following our Facebook page. We love to hear from you! Links: Fat Shady, August, 2017. “瓜老外” (“Stupid Foreigners”). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIzSHvpMupw. Further reading: de Mente, Boye. The Chinese Have a Word for It: The Complete Guide to Chinese Thought and Culture. New York: McGraw Hill Professional, 2000. Farrer, James. “Chapter 1, Foreigner Street: Urban Citizenship in Multicultural Shanghai,” in Multicultural Challenges and Redefining Identity in East Asia, ed. Nam-Kook Kim (London and New York: Routledge, 2014), 17-44. Fechter, Anne and Katie Walsh. The New Expatriates: Postcolonial Approaches to Mobile Professionals. Oxford and New York: Routledge, 2012. Lee, Keekok. Warp and Weft, Chinese Language and Culture. New York: Eloquent Books, 2008. Mair, Victor. “Laowai: the old furriner.” http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=11626. Language Log, April 9, 2014.

Get ready for the first season of Looking for Laowai! Meet the team, Toni, Hannah, Ali, and Averill, and have a listen to just a few tidbits from the podcast. From foreigners who grew up in China, to students trying to escape the laowai bubble... to an elderly Chinese man who really does not want his daughter to date a foreigner, we're sharing the stories you've shared with us, and a whole lot more. Listen to the trailer here.