rubymary, Author at The Ruby Ronin

That Time I Got Fleas in Shanghai

August 27, 2015 rubymary Comments 30 comments

Life was good. I had just scored my dream job of being an interpreter at a prestigious advertising agency, and I was finally making money after my horrible student experience at Shanghai International Studies University. I was on top of the world.

The first thing I did with my paycheck was put down a deposit and pay three months rent for my “new” apartment in Shanghai. After living in the dorms for six months, I was elated. I could finally have a place to call my own and move back to city center Shanghai. read more

America is Not The Greatest Country on Earth

August 24, 2015 rubymary Comments 24 comments

I remember in grade school we had to stand up, put our right hand on our heart, salute the flag and say the pledge of allegiance every single day. We looked up to the flag hanging near the chalkboard as our nation’s anthem echoed from the school’s loudspeaker and chanted the mantra of our great nation.

At school we were not only taught to be proud at the fact we were American, but grateful. While no one ever distinctly said it to my face, I was educated that America was the best country in the world. read more

Hiroshima City: 70 Years After The Bombing

August 9, 2015 rubymary Comments 12 comments

When I lived in Japan, the most fascinating stories I heard were from none other than the grannies and grandpas. They held no reservations and talked openly and freely about their memories, their thoughts, and their opinions. And since I was an American, they often told me stories about World War II. They weren’t negative or hateful stories, but merely tales told from the depths of their memories. Memories from a time long past. A Japan that no longer existed.

“I remember listening to the radio with my family, about possible air raids from America and instructions for going to the shelters,” one of my adopted grandmothers said as she set up dinner for us, a feast of Japanese oden, tempura, miso soup and fish. “I was so scared!” read more

Attending a Japanese Wedding

August 2, 2015 rubymary Comments 24 comments

So, it’s final. In September I’ll be a bridesmaid in a good friend’s wedding in Brussels. My plans for attending the wedding have been in the works for months, but finally I’ve booked all of the plane tickets and hotels, which makes it official.

After almost a year of not traveling, I’m finally going to Europe!

Yet, as I started thinking about wedding preparations I found myself at a loss…

Are French/Belgian weddings the same as American ones? What is considered a ‘good’ wedding gift? How do they work? Is it ceremony and then reception, or is there some sort of legal service in between? read more

The Perfect Weekend in San Diego

July 20, 2015 rubymary Comments 9 comments

As most of you know, I don’t really like Los Angeles. It’s congested, crime infested, inconvenient and expensive. It still boggles my mind why anyone would actually want to live here, but I guess we all have our personal reasons (like myself).

Sadly, I started to become disenchanted not only with L.A., but with all of California. My business trip to San Francisco was met with high hotel prices and countless encounters with aggressive (and dangerous) homeless people. Going to Orange County was a venture rife with traffic and expensive parking. read more

Why Chinese Men Make Great Boyfriends

July 12, 2015 rubymary Comments 16 comments

After discovering the tactics for landing dates in Asia, I had romances all across Asia and my dating life was… well, let’s say diverse.

And from my (very small) pool of dating research at this time, I found that the most satisfactory, fun, and long-lasting dates were with none other than Chinese men.

Now, after many hits and misses in the dating scene, I finally found my perfect match: Richard (and surprise! he’s Chinese!).

Here are some reasons why my boyfriend is simply amazing; and coincidentally, why Chinese men make really darn good boyfriends. read more

5 Ways Travel Has Changed My Personality

July 8, 2015 rubymary Comments 17 comments

Changin' through Travel — Changin’ through Travel

I know. I disappeared for a month.

I wish I could say that I did something cool, like randomly bought a one way ticket to Iceland and partied in Reykjavik for 30 days straight–but alas, my life is not that exciting. The last month was mostly sucked up by a web design class that taught me little, but did force me to build a website (I actually constructed a website for the boyfriend that should be up soon). I also spruced up The Ruby Ronin a bit in hopes that it will inspire and motivate me to write on a regular basis. read more

The Ethnicity Question

May 29, 2015 rubymary Comments 20 comments

After years of being uninsured in the U.S. (and a few more years of having third-world equivalent healthcare in China), I finally received fully covered health benefits through my new job. In fear of medical bills and non-preventative coverage, I went years without a standard check-up. When I got my shiny new insurance card, I booked the first appointment I could to get tested for–well, everything. After all, I was fully covered.

“It looks like your application is incomplete, Ms. Mary O’Connor,” the secretary smiled sweetly. “You’ll need to answer a couple of quick questions before you can see the doctor.” read more

Should I Learn Chinese or Japanese?

May 17, 2015 rubymary Comments 127 comments

“Should I learn Japanese or Chinese?”

As a Japanese/Chinese interpreter and translator, it’s a question I get asked a lot.

Those that are crazy or masochistic enough to venture into the realm of Asian languages often stop and pause when it comes to choosing from the two giants of the East Asian languages: Japanese and Mandarin.

Choosing a language is important. Gaining fluency will take you hours, months, and perhaps years of your life. It’s not something to take lightly and, if used for future work purposes, is definitely worth consideration. read more

Happiness, Ambition and the Renaissance Fair

May 12, 2015 rubymary Comments 11 comments

I know. It’s been a while. And the site was down for a bit.

I have switched to a new server and am still working out the kinks. If you found that some of the comments you left recently were deleted, please forgive me–some of the newer comments did not make the leap over to the new server. Expect at least another week until things are back to normal.

Unfortunately, I can’t blame the lack of updates on the server alone. To be brutally honest, I have been struggling emotionally–so much so, I find it difficult to write. I am still suffering from severe reverse culture shock, even after one year. I tried to summarize my feelings and anxieties in a post to conclude my one year anniversary here in the United States, but none of the drafts seemed to convey just what I was feeling. Plus, I was paranoid about sounding like a whiny, Asia-homesick weenie. read more

The Ruby Ronin

Connecting China, Japan, and the World

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Author: rubymary