All posts by jamaicaninchina

"Once upon a time, there was a Jamaican civil engineer living in New York City who hated his job. He followed his passion, started a sideline business publishing his own books, quit his job, escaped the rat race, ran off to a tropical island in the Pacific, and started a tourism business so he could give tours of the island to pretty girls every day! He now lives a nomadpreneur's dream life, while helping others do the same!" This is his story: Read more at : https://www.jamaicanonsaipan.com/

2011

Recipes from the Coffeepot Cookbook!

January 23, 2011 jamaicaninchina 2 Comments

Addendum March 5, 2011: Great news! There’s actually now a Real Coffeepot Cookbook, inspired by the blog post below!

Okay, there’s something you need to know about me for when we hang out together for the Jamaican in Russia adventure: I take my diet very seriously. At the same time, I’m not ruled by my gut, at least not the same way other folks are.

So, when I say that I don’t eat meat, I don’t mean just for today. I mean yesterday, today, tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that. I’m not suddenly going to forget and take the piece of pork you’re offering me because YOU forgot that I don’t eat meat. (I had a hard time explaining that on a date in Xishuangbanna.) I’ve been vegan since 1992, so I mean never. It also means I don’t eat fish, because last time I checked, fish aren’t vegetables.

When I say I’m fasting, I just don’t mean “just for right now,” and then proceed to take the rice you’re offering because it’s after 5pm. When I fast, it means I’m not eating.

And when I say I don’t eat MSG, or meat flavoring cubes or white sugar or table salt, that’s just what I mean.

So, today as I slowly resume eating from my fast, I felt like I wanted something warm rather than the fruits I’ve been eating for the past 2 days.

However, for reasons I’ve just stated, I won’t eat in a non-vegan restaurant, because I can’t be 100% sure that even though I request no MSG, no salt, no meat oil, no eggs, etc. I can’t be sure that the chef will honor those requests to my satisfaction.

So, even though there’s no kitchen in my hotel room I will still cook today, because I have…..wait for it….wait for it……The Coffee Pot Cookbook!

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, The Coffee Pot Cookbook by Walt F.J. Goodridge, healthy meals you can make with just a coffee pot and a little creativity! I had the idea for this back in Kunming, but didn’t get around to blogging about it, so now it’s time.

Today’s dish is Walt’s Nomad Veggie Soup and noodles from Chapter 7 of the cookbook.

EQUIPMENT:
Electric Hotel Coffee pot (provided in most hotels)
Soup bowl (borrowed from the hotel front desk)
Knife
Spoon
Empty water bottle

bok choy not shown

INGREDIENTS (purchased from local supermarket; grab some extra plastic bags while there)
4L bottled water
Rice noodles (optional)
Bok Choy
tofu
scallion
Garlic
Ginger
Sea salt (ordered from iherb before leaving Xishuangbanna)

DIRECTIONS:
Before beginning the process below, If you’ve only got one bowl, you can pour hot water over dried rice noodles, let soften, remove from bowl, place in hotel teacup, and enjoy as a side dish or include in soup.

Wash bok choy, tofu and scallion with your bottled water. If no basin or pot is available, cut the top off a smaller empty 1.5L water bottle (shown) you’ve been saving in your room for just this sort of thing, insert vegetables, pour in water, cover with palm of hand and shake vigorously.

Finely dice garlic, ginger and scallion. If no cutting board is available, spread a piece of plastic (the extras you got from the produce section of the supermarket) across the wooden desk of your hotel room. Dice gently, then discard the sheet when done.

Dice tofu into cubes

Chop bokchoy

Place diced ingredients, tofu and bokchoy into soup bowl.

Boil water in coffee pot.

Pour boiling water over ingredients in bowl. Cover with plastic sheet or plate if you have one. Let simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add sea salt to taste.

Voila!

Enjoy!

(Total preparation time: about 10 minutes
EXPENDITURE (RMB):
tofu: 1.50
garlic: 1.20
scallion: 1.70
bokchoy: 1.00
ginger: 0.60
water: 10.0
noodles: 4.70
Total cost: 20.70RMB = 3.18US

Next time, we’ll make brown rice in a coffee pot. This could get messy.

Addendum March 5, 2011: Great news! There’s actually now a Real Coffeepot Cookbook, inspired by the blog post!

2011

From Harlem to Hainan!

January 21, 2011 jamaicaninchina

What do the free Summer concerts in New York City for 2011 have to do with me in China???

So, here I sit on a beach on a tropical island off the coast of The People’s Republic of China. Meanwhile, 8,361 miles (13,455k) away on another island in the United States of America, people are looking forward to what they’ll do for their 2011 summer in New York. I know this because one of my websites, www.FreeSummerConcerts.com has started to receive a marked increase in visits starting a few days ago.

Back in the summer of 2005, shortly before I left Harlem, New York, for Saipan, I started the site to provide a compilation of all the free music events throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The site was an instant success (“free” always works online), and as you can see from the tracker snapshot below, the interest and sign-ups begin as early as January each year even though the site won’t actually resume until the first day of Summer, June 21, 2011.

So, every summer, from wherever I happen to be (last year I was on Saipan), I research and compile the free music events throughout the city, and (1)post them to the website, (2) email them twice weekly to a mailing list of tens of thousands. The site generates money if/when visitors click on the Google ads on the site.

I promote the site thusly:

Never miss a free concert
in NYC’s parks, piers, plazas and pathways!

Every summer, New York’s parks, piers, plazas and pathways host some of best musical entertainment in the world! From Rock, Reggae, Jazz, European Classical, R&B, Electronic, Hip Hop, Country, Salsa, Folk and more– it’s all absolutely free! Wouldn’t it be convenient to know what’s going on and when so you don’t miss out? Let FreeSummerConcerts.com notify you by email of practically every morning-time, lunch hour, after work and weekend concert well in advance to make your plans!

400+ free events each year!

A Partial List of Events We Cover:

Here’s what happened over the past 20 days

Here is what happened over the past 20 weeks.

And what happened over the past 20 months.

I find these tracker details fascinating. I have no idea what happened on January 14 to have visits jump from a daily average of about 5 or 6, to suddenly 32. But, once the tipping point occurs, it continues and grows.

Just another secret lesson in “Nomadpreneuring 101!” From The Jamaican on the island of Hainan, China, to you wherever you are!

shhhh….Secret behind the Secret: This particular post also serves as a promotional tool. Once the search engines record this post, it will show up in people’s google alerts, and also higher in the google listings for searches.

You can check out the ever-changing stats of my site yourself by visiting the site, scrolling all the way down and clicking on this little icon:

2011

Breaking my fast

January 20, 2011 jamaicaninchina 2 Comments

I’m breaking my fast today! Yay! I’ve been on a water-only fast for the past 6 days. I started about 2 days before leaving Xishuangbanna, and have been on it for the past 4 days in Sanya, Hainan. So, if I look skinnier than usual in any of the Hainan photos, now you know why. So, this morning, I will have a watermelon, then rambutan, papaya and other fruit throughout the day to break the fast. In my initial travels around Sanya, I’ve found a protein bar and some wheat-free cookies and I’m anxious to taste them!

Found a good way to pass the time while I fast

Meanwhile, I’m currently staying at a youth hostel near the airport. In between jaunts on the beach, I’ve been on a quest for an apartment with a kitchn here in Sanya. I have found a 80RMB/night hotel a short ways away (no internet). The challenge is that Chinese new year is coming up on February 7, and all the hotels and landlords raise their prices to take advantage of the rush to celebrate new year on Hainan. I was paying 40RMB/night($6US) ( for my third floor hotel room in Xishuangbanna with internet access. Here, the cheapest hostel charges 120RMB/night ($18US). Some of the quotes I’m getting for a one-month apartment rental start at 6,000RMB/month ($909US). I REFUSE to pay $900 for an apartment! That’s a New York price!!!

The secret, for those of you planning a similar trip, is to go out and find the smaller hotels that are NOT listed on the internet. (you can only do that once you get here, of course, or if you have a friend on the island)

Now THAT’S a small hotel

2011

Dollar-a-day Nomad

January 20, 2011 jamaicaninchina

For those of you who think it’s expensive to do what I do, here’s a little info:

As I do my travels to various cities in China, I’m able to establish a routine, norms and requirements for my happiness and comfort. Depending upon how “furnished” my accommodations are, I may need to purchase a few items at each destination. At my first villa in Xishuangbanna I didn’t have to purchase much. However, the second place I stayed was an empty hotel room which the owner equipped with a single-burner stove, a small gas-tank to allow me to cook, so I had to buy everything else except toilet tissue.

Here’s what I ended up buying, and which now constitutes my standard shopping list for new nomad destinations.

Item	RMB	USD
sponges	1.20	0.17
bleach	13.00	1.91
mop	29.00	4.26
plastic wash basin	22.00	3.23
hooks	8.97	1.32
manual water pump	15.00	2.22
dustpan/broom	9.00	1.32
dish washing liquid	9.00	1.32
hangers(12)	5.90	0.87
stove adjustor	2.90	0.42
small pot (rice)	9.95	1.46
bulbs (3@0.97each)	2.91	0.42
cutting board	9.95	1.46
3 floor mats	15.00	2.20

Total cost in US $23.31!

See? It’s not that expensive at all–particularly if you’re on a US-based/derived income. Of course it helps if you’re low maintenance minimalist, willing to shop where the local people shop, but the fact is, your dollar can go much further in many destinations overseas.

Notes:

– I get a mop and broom as I prefer to clean my own room (have you seen the mops and dirty bucket water in most hotels?)

– the “stove adjustor” is that metal ring that sets atop the stove burner for accommodating smaller pots

– the “hooks” are a paste-on 5-hook thingy on which I can place utensils (spoon, strainer, etc.) that I use for cooking

all the purchases in my Xishuangbanna mansion

I’ll compare the above prices to those on Hainan in a future post (rumor has it things are much more expensive here)
So, my point is, when you think to yourself that traveling around the world is something you could never do, remember the dollar-a-day nomad and Jamaican in China!

2011

顾瑞奇 = My new Chinese name!

January 19, 2011 jamaicaninchina

I have a new Chinese name! From back on Saipan, my Chinese friends would ask me if I had a Chinese name. I’d gotten a few suggestions from everyone from girlfriends to waitresses, but none quite seemed to work. Whenever I would take an unofficial survey of a name with other Chinese friends, the responses would be lukewarm, and the names just didn’t seem to fit sound-wise or meaning-wise.

So, recently I asked my friend, Jian, to help me set up a renren account (the Chinese version of Facebook; social networking site) since the site is in Chinese, and I cannot yet read Chinese characters. In doing so, he chose a name for my profile. He chose 顾瑞奇; “Goo-ree-chi”; sounds a bit like goodridge).

You can call me 顾瑞奇!

When he told me about it, something clicked! So, I asked my friend, Gao Ying, in Beijing what she thought. She replied: “Yes，in Chinese characters ” 瑞’ means lucky and good , “奇” means special and rare. This Chinese name sounds good.”

I like it, too. Like I said, it sounds a little like Goodridge. Plus, it has the “guru” sound in it, and, as Gao Ying mentioned, the meaning is one I can definitely get used to!

If you go to https://translate.google.com, you can hear how it is pronounced.(copy and past 顾瑞奇 into the box and select Chinese to English, then click “Listen”)

I also have a kaixin account and a Chinese blog account. If you’re a member of either of the social networking sites (renren, kaixin, please do add me to your friends list!)

Here’s my Chinese social network connection information to help fulfill my destiny to conquer China:

RENREN: https://www.renren.com/profile.do?id=351725782

KAIXIN: https://www.kaixin001.com/home/?uid=98428953

SINA.COM BLOG: https://blog.sina.com.cn/jamaican

And here’s what the renren page looks like.

2011

Hello, Hainan!

January 19, 2011 jamaicaninchina

Every since hearing about the island of Hainan from back on Saipan, I’ve been curious to check it out. It’s an island similar to Saipan in many ways! Well, I’m finally here! I’m in Sanya, the southern part of Hainan! I’ll post at length once I get settled. However, here are a few early images of my first hour on Hainan!

2011

Above the Clouds of China…..I think I like flying

January 19, 2011 jamaicaninchina

Well, let me clarify. I like the experience of being above the clouds for a few hours. I do my best brainstorming at those times, as I did on the flight from Kunming to Hainan.

I get a different perspective of life, and of all the daily efforts and activities and how they fit into a grander scheme when I’m above the clouds. Not surprisingly, when I want to visualize my books and writing reaching and affecting greater numbers of people, being above it all (and being able to peer down upon my market) helps me think of specific strategies and things to add to my task list.

2011

See you later, Xishuangbanna!

January 19, 2011 jamaicaninchina

Yep, you guessed it! I’m on the road again! I’m heading to Hainan, a little island off the southern coast of China! I’ll add more this post soon. I’m in a rush to get up to date!

2011

What is JIC all about? (Caveat #3)

January 14, 2011 jamaicaninchina 2 Comments

CAVEAT #3: I SKEW THE RESULTS

It may actually be impossible for me to ever really get a pure, untainted impression of what life in China is like. Why? Well, to borrow a concept from the Dictionary of Scientific Experiment Phrases Applicable to Jamaicans in China: “I skew the results.”

I found this example of the use of the phrase on the web:

“If you add too much of a redox indicator you end up changing the equilibrium of the main reactants and skew the results..”

*A redox indicator (also called an oxidation-reduction indicator) is a substance that undergoes a definite color change at a specific electrode potential.(how appropriate, eee?)

I get a very skewed perception of people’s behavior as I walk the streets of China. Very few people are acting normally once they see me. I hate to belabor the point (if you’ve been following the journey from the beginning), which I’ve covered at length here (download the free ebook), but in certain quarters, my very presence changes the natural equilibrium of the main reactants, and skews the results.

Entire groups of people, families, tourists and little children stop what they’re doing, stare, point, turn around as I pass, point some more, quip amongst themselves, giggle, (some will turn and follow me for a while), when I walk by. Strangers ask to take their photo with me. People (men and women, uninvited, at least the men) reach out to touch me as I walk by.

Like a redox indicator, there’s just too much of a visual difference when contrasted with the everyday norm. It’s a bit of challenge for me to disappear into the crowd. I’m working on it, though.

Now, this is different from the familiar Observer Effect.

Observer Effect: The difference that is made to an activity or a person by it being observed. People may well not behave in their usual manner whilst aware of being watched or when being interviewed while carrying out an activity.

No, this is no ordinary observer effect, this is an observer effect on steroids (or MSG), where those being observed become themselves fascinated observers of the observer! So, I’m taking photos of them taking photos of me taking photos of them!

Of the people I meet, I get a uniquely friendly, foreigner-curious sampling of people and those who aren’t nervous about testing out their English-speaking abilities.

Many people have told me, “You’re my first foreign friend!” One woman saw me and her first words to me were, “Can I be your friend?”

Being the first foreign friend puts me in a unique position. For example, I’m learning things that tourists never learn, and that only transplants will ever know about life, living, learning, working, dating, marrying and more in China. I’m hearing things that people might not say among familiar Chinese ears. For example, did you know that most single girls are–um, well, why don’t I just save that for another post…..or the book!

On the other hand, as a first foreign friend, I’m sure there are many things I am NOT being told. As a foreigner, I’m sure there is some degree of “put your best foot forward for the visitor” going on.

So, with that said, knowing my prime directive and the questions I ask, my stance on non-judgement, and the fact that I’m skewing the sample, I’ll (finally) attempt to answer some of YOUR questions about being Jamaican in China (and Laos).

2011

Breaking News! Chinese mothers are superior!

January 12, 2011 jamaicaninchina

If you haven’t heard all the hoopla, (I didn’t, as I’m a little out of touch with what’s happening in the US), there was a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled “Why Chinese Mothers are Superior” that’s causing quite a stir. You can check it out here: CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE.

Guess what? The article’s author, Amy Chua, mentions JAMAICANS very early in the piece….(aren’t you MORE curious now?)

2011

What is JIC All About? (Caveat #2)

January 12, 2011 jamaicaninchina

CAVEAT #2: THE NON-JUDGMENTAL PERCEIVER

So, the second thing to know about my answers to your questions about life in China is that I’m very careful about how I interpret what I see, and how I phrase what I say about life in China. My Meyers-Briggs personality type is INTP (Introvert, Intuiter, Thinker, Perceiver) In contrast to its opposite type, which would be an ESFJ (Extrovert, Senser, Feeler, Judger; Look it up!!) I tend to perceive and observe without judging–at least, I make the effort. I live by the belief that there is no good or bad except believing makes it so.

For instance, it’s tempting to see smokers and smoking and think “bad,” or to see certain behavior and want to attach judgement-laden words to them. If you and I were talking about life in China, you might often hear me use the phrase “what we might refer to as [fill in the blank]” For instance, I might say something like “I’ve noticed that in the subways in Beijing, there’s a lot of what we might refer to as pushy behavior.” I do this to separate the words I use to describe the behavior (i.e. “pushy”), from any judgement you might believe I am making about the behavior itself.

I’ve had interesting conversations with people who are visiting China, but who are unable to step outside of their predominant paradigm. Everything from vehicular traffic, personal habits, communication styles, dating expectations, to gender roles provides a never-ending, fun exercise in how to observe without judgement, how to see things as others who are not raised within a western paradigm might see them. The more you know about how people think, how the system works, the more that certain behavior makes sense given the new paradigm. Of course, I’m not saying anything remarkably profound here, but you’ll have a difficult time really understanding certain aspects of life in China if you are not aware of to what degree your own observations and expectations are flavored by a foreign (non-Chinese) paradigm.

Of course, I have my own pet peeves. Inhaling second-hand cigarette smoke is one of them. As much as I realize that the choice to smoke and the percentage of smokers in a country are functions of many things including politics, economy, health education, cultural norms, gender roles, etc., the distress I feel when I am forced to inhale it does not lessen with that realization.

However, I’m here in China with my own agenda and on my own dime and time. I’m not working a job, so I have the freedom to pick up and leave if the smoking or the (cold) weather becomes unbearable.

So, anyway, my point is simply that I strive to be non-judgmental in my observations of life in China.

Went to a wedding reception the other day.

This man is handing out cigarettes.

You can never have too many. (A spare, in case one goes out, I imagine) :-)

And, before entering the hotel for the reception, you can get candy and….cigarettes.

2011

What is JIC all about? (Caveat 1)

January 11, 2011 jamaicaninchina

JIC=Jamaican in China!

Yes, I’m still in Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China! As the voting phase of the Jamaica Blog Awards draws to a close, I slowly return to regular posts. The purpose of “What’s Jamaican in China All About?” is intended to answer the many questions I receive about life in China.

However, before I answer, consider the following disclaimers as you attempt to understand my blog and the eventual answers.

CAVEAT #1: COULD I LIVE HERE?

Let him beware that the underlying question that permeates all my travels is “could I live here?” Given the natural things that are important to me (warm weather, sunshine, clean air, access to organic fruits and vegetables), the societal things (friendly people), as well as the household amenities (a kitchen and internet access), I make an overall assessment and arrive at a yep or nope.

If it passes the “Yep Test” and the majority of my wants and wishes are to my liking, I unpack, hang out for a while, and explore.

That’s one of the reasons I stay in a place for a few months. It takes time for the pall of the visitor paradigm to wear off and for the real rhyme, reason and rhythm of the region to take hold. And, as I’ve said before (and which some are tired of hearing), I’m not a tourist. A hotel is an unnatural setting. If I can get a real apartment, that makes it even better. That way, I can observe the comings and goings of regular folk. Watch how business is done, how quickly products and services are delivered, learn what the REAL price of things are, gender roles and dating rituals, something beyond the quick, superficial view of things you get through temporary eyes and with your boarding pass still in hand.