My earliest memories of May Day include maypoles and bouquets of flowers left anonymously on neighbors' front doors.It wasn't until I was in my 20s that I really learned about the other May Day. As in International Workers' Day, which has some roots in Chicago, of all … [Read more...]

When I traveled to China in my teens and twenties, I inevitably committed cultural faux pas.For instance, when I spent the summer of 1995 in China, I kept in touch with friends and family by writing letters. I had been using e-mail in Hong Kong for about a year at that point, … [Read more...]

I love book signings. So when my friend Tracey told me about a book signing last Sunday with author Chris Lin, who writes bilingual Chinese-English children's books, I was game.The Mandy and Pandy board book series is colorful, educational, and fun. And each book includes a … [Read more...]