About Me
Hello and welcome to The Ruby Ronin!
ようこそ、ルビー浪人へ！
欢迎来红宝石色流浪的博客！
My name is Mary. I’m half-Vietnamese, half-Irish and born and bred in the United States of America! Thanks for visiting the Ruby Ronin, where I blog about my crazy dating life in Asia, learning stupidly difficult language such as Chinese and Japanese, and just talk about my travels throughout Asia and other parts of the world.
It all started with me being a crazy anime/manga/game nerd, which eventually led down the dark, dark path of Japanese language study. I studied Japanese in college for three years and, after graduation, moved to Niigata prefecture (aka middle of nowhere) to teach English for the JET Program. Although it was lonely living in the Japanese countryside, it built character. My two years in Niigata were a treasure.
Somehow I got the crazy notion to study Mandarin and decided to learn Chinese at Tsinghua University for six months. Despite the corruption, the pollution, the tainted food and the unsafe conditions of China–I loved it. I fell hard for Beijing. I fell in love with China. I was so crazy about China I stayed for an extra four years and moved to Shanghai, where I worked a bunch doing interpreting/translating in Japanese & Chinese, advertising work, government work and business consulting.
I am now stateside and damn, I miss Asia a lot, but I’m also very excited to rediscover my homeland. I realized my home state of Utah is probably the most beautiful place in the country, I’ve developed a love/hate relationship with Los Angeles and southern California, and, when I can, I try to escape to places like Europe, Bali, Thailand and Vietnam.
I mainly focus on expat life in China/Japan, traveling in Asia, learning Chinese and Japanese and life as an expat who is struggling to get used to ‘home.’
Happy Reading!
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me!
therubyronin@outlook.com
Mary,
Your hair looks so good short!
x
Thank you dear! I’m sure yours is still long as usual 😉
Really enjoyed your blog. Great commentary on life in China.
Thank you!! I enjoy your blog as well, I have only looked at the newer entries but your trips to Crete look sooo amazing!
What an amazing story of your life. I followed the link from Tofugu, by the way.
Thank you for stopping by! I’m surprised you managed to find me on Tofugu through all those comments!
Can’t wait to comb through some of your personal works. Your blog is quite unique and the design is exquisite…!
Hey Mary, I can’t believe I just came across your blog. Believe it or not, you and I met in Shanghai a few years ago. It was at a trivia night at “The Camel”. My name is Sean. We talked about our mutual “Irish-ness” and you told me the story of how your parents met. Let’s chat sometime! Hope you’re doing well.
Holy crap Sean!!!! What a small world!!! How did you find my blog!?!?
Yes, I remember you! We had a good night that time at The Camel, those trivia nights were a lot of fun. Are you still in Shanghai? I hope you’re doing well, too! Contact me any time! 😀
Mary, where have you wandered off to?
I’m heeeere! It’s been a rough month, but I’m set on blogging again, and consistently! Thanks for checking up on me, I’m really touched! Hope you’re doing well!
I always love your posts. But I get it. I didn’t feel like writing for awhile and I didn’t want to force it. Hope everything is going better for you this month!
I love how when I dig blogs, I come across such well written bios! And then, I look at mine and I’m crying.
You must have so many stories to tell! Travelling to both China and Japan! Learning the languages! Living in different cultures! Coping with all those differences. And I bet, a bunch of culture shocks! Gotta read some posts now. 😀
This is one of the most interesting sites I have seen. Thanks for writing it.
Hey there! I nominated you for a Blogger Recognition Award! Find out more here http://www.twoamericansinchina.com/2016/01/blogger-recognition-award.html
Wow Thank you so much Amanda! I’m honored! I’ll get on this for sure….
Hi Mary,
Your blog is so well written I introduced the post “How the Japanese celebrate New Year” on my Facebook page. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Oh Thank you so much Yuko! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
You’re beautiful. I see that you completed the Tsinghua program which is something that I wanted to do, right after I graduate NYU with my bio bachelors.
Thanks for the compliment!
Getting to Tsinghua will be no problem for you. You’re going to have the time of your life there. Let me know if you need any help with anything.
Did you find it manageable to do an internship or part time job while still doing the Tsinghua program?
I think it would be totally manageable, but it may cut into your Chinese study time. I had friends who tutored English on the side for extra cash and others who got an internship while studying to build up their resume. Totally doable!
If you come to NYC, would you like to go on a date? I’m Chinese American and I’m looking for a Chinese tutor who can also speak English too.
I’m very flattered James, but unfortunately I’m taken by another Chinese man. Good luck on the tutor/girlfriend hunt!
I’m a language nerd too! So I look forward to reading your blog! 🙂
Hello I found your blog site and I just was accepted to the Jet program and was placed in Niigata Prefecture. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about your experience? I am really worried about being in a rural area. Let me know thank you!
Of course! What questions do you have? Feel free to ask on here or email me at therubyronin@outlook.com
First off: Where did you get placed in Niigata? If I may ask 😉
I am not sure where yet just got Niigata Prefecture. I am just scared about being in a very rural place because I cannot speak any Japanese. Makes me slightly nervous. I requested a city so this seems like the opposite.
Hope you get to see more of Asia.
You will like Vancouver BC…it’s Canada’s Pacific coast city….with a very noticeable East Asian-Canadian influence and demographic. and yes, we get the best and most cherry blossoms (against mountains). Most of Canada doesn’t get the abundance of cherry blossoms.
I love Vancouver BC,.. I wish I could move there! Hopefully soon. I loved biking the seawall and lounging on the beaches and exploring the city with great food. It was a truly fantastic city.
Your boyfriend would love Vancouver too.