That’s right, an actual, legitmate website (that is not my own or someone I’m related to) is going to start publishing some of my writing. Right now, I’ll be writing online articles every other week for Shanghai Family magazine. As you might have guessed, it is geared toward expat families living in Shanghai. I’m hoping maybe I can get something published in the print magazine because if having your work published online legitimizes your work, getting it in an actual magazine classifies you as a writer. (Maybe.)
Anyway, you can read it here. And share with all your friends who are neither expats nor live in China. They’ll love it.
And, if you think you might know someone who has an extra 10 minutes in their day (Ha!) and would like spend it reading this blog, feel free to share!
Now that the awkward self-promotion is out of the way…in other news, things I learned this week:
1. While I pride myself on being non-judgemental, open-minded, accepting of all — I think I might be a horrible country-cist (one who judges someone based solely on where they are from). I met a woman at the playground this week who was from a country where you kind of forget people actually live. I found myself giving her dead-end answers and not coming off as very friendly because I guess I was thinking, “what could she and I possibly have in common? We will never be friends.” But then, I realized she had the same look I’m sure I wore at the playground almost 2 years earlier. The I’m-trying-not-to-look-desperate-but-I-am-new-and-really-need-friend look. So I softened, and shamed myself for judging the poor women based on how she looked and where she was from. She has been here for 2 weeks, lives in our complex, has only been speaking English for 10 months (though you’d never know) and was totally and completely normal. There is absolutely no reason why we couldn’t be friends.
Maybe I shouldn’t be admitting this publicly but it reminded me: 1. how quick we can be to judge based on outward appearance and how much we can miss out on for doing so. 2. I like living somewhere where you run into people from all corners of the globe and 3. If people are judging me based on outward appearance, it’s a wonder I have any friends at all.
2. I learned that when you try to make light of your kids’ illnesses, the universe has a funny way of showing its appreciation of your wit and just lets the germs linger.
3. The China Post office is full of smiles and every bit as charming as you might expect. I’m still feeling the warm and fuzzies from my experience there.
I’ll let you know how funny the universe finds that when I find out if my postcard made it’s way to its intended destination.
Kathleen Siddell 
Congratulations!
LikeLike