Looking for Laowai

This is the last episode of the first season of Looking for Laowai! This week we talk about the transient nature of friendships as an expat in China, how people deal with this, and how they approach new relationships. Hannah and Toni are joined by friend and producer Averill, whose departure from Shanghai coincides with the end of this season. We’re sad to see you go, Averill, but we wish you the best of luck with the future!

This week, we're looking at escaping the expat bubble. We hear the stories of people who have tried hard to integrate and make Chinese friends, the challenges they've faced, and the rewards they've worked hard to achieve.

We’re back after an extended (and flu-y break)! This is part one of a two-part episode on the laowai bubble, or the expat bubble and escaping this bubble. We’ll be looking at the language barrier, something called homophily, differences in socializing, and whether we should break out of the bubble.

This week, we’re talking about body image in China, and how Chinese beauty standards affect locals and foreigners alike. We focus on female bodies and hear multiple women’s experiences navigating what their bodies look like and how their bodies are perceived and talked about. We explore how the Chinese approach of being direct about body talk impacts people in different ways.

We sat down with expats in China who had just got off the plane, those who had been living in China for a few years, and those who have been here for over a decade, and asked them about their experiences and how they have changed over time.

A little appetizer for the feast about to come! Have a listen to our teaser:

What does it mean to be a "laowai", or foreigner, in China? We’re working on a new podcast that explores the different experiences of being foreign in a globalized world.

Join us in this bi-weekly podcast, which will be released every other Tuesday.

We've already touched upon multiple experiences being a foreigner in China, but what about when you look Chinese but aren't really Chinese? Hannah and Toni are joined by Ali and Christine, all Chinese heritage expats, as they discuss how they and others like them navigate fluid identities and spaces.

For credits and further reading, check out our website:

https://lookingforlaowai.com/2017/11/14/4-chinese-face-in-a-chinese-place/

Let's face it, the dating scene in Shanghai is a pretty loaded subject. With so many aspects of dating to explore, we're narrowing in on a specific but widely seen phenomenon. How often do you see a foreign man with a Chinese woman versus a Chinese man with a foreign woman? We explore how gender roles and cultural expectations impact dating choices.

For credits and further reading, check out our website:

https://lookingforlaowai.com/2017/10/30/3-we-found-love-in-a-hopeless-place/

What kind of privileges exist and who gets to use them? This episode looks at how foreigners benefit from living in China, and how they navigate their privileges.

For credits and further reading, check out our website:

https://lookingforlaowai.com/2017/10/16/2-perks-of-being-a-laowai/

What is a "laowai"? What does it mean to be foreign in China? Hannah and Toni uncover all the nuances and stories surrounding the term, as shared with us by expats and locals in Shanghai.

For credits and further reading, check out our website:

https://lookingforlaowai.com/2017/10/16/1-what-the-heck-is-a-laowai/