China Journals Cn199b.jpg of the Liebermann Family

Welcome to the Liebermann family's online journal entries about our life in China. We are Tim, Anne, Taalan, and Tariqa. We lived in Xiangtan, a small city in Hunan in south-central China from 1999 to 2002. Tim and Anne taught English at a small college. Tariqa and Taalan attended a local primary school.

We have tried to document our interesting and humorous moments during the three and a half years that we lived in China. We didn't come to China to be critical, rather to help break down the barriers of isolation and prejudice. We offer journal entries as snapshots of a rapidly changing country, as a study of the interaction of eastern and western cultures and perspectives, possibly as episodes in the life of a slightly batty Western family, and occasionally, we hope, as sheer entertainment. Some entries are by Anne, some by Tim, and for some we both bear the blame.

Click here to go to:   1999   2000   2001   2002


1999 Journals Journal entries for 1999
We moved to China from America in August, 1999. We had little preparation and uncertain expectations, so we simply tried to be friendly and helpful.
Click here for    Aug. 28, Chap. 1:   China or bust
Click here for    Sept. 25, Chap. 2:   A month later
Click here for    Sept. 30, Chap. 3:   Children, chickens, and celebrations
Click here for    Oct. 9, Chap. 3b:   Glimpses of China
Click here for    Oct. 16, Chap. 4:   Rice Harvest Time
Click here for    Oct. 25, Chap. 5:   Sports day delights
Click here for    Nov. 6, Chap. 6:   Something messy in the kitchen
Click here for    Nov. 20, Chap. 7:   Attempting to learn Chinese
Click here for    Dec. 9, Chap. 8:   Picnics and birthdays
Click here for    Dec. 27, Chap. 9:   Birthdays and holidays


2000 Journals Journal entries for 2000
We blithely set off by train during Chinese spring festival (new year), suffered through the care of clothiers, dentists, and doctors, and continued to struggle with the Chinese language. We traveled north during the summer and visited the hills of Guilin in autumn.
Click here for    Jan. 17, Chap. 10:   You know it's cold when...
Click here for    Feb. 22, Chap. 11:   A trip to the South
Click here for    Feb. 23, Chap. 11b:   A trip to the South (contd.)
Click here for    Feb. 24, Chap. 11c:   A trip to the South (concl.)
Click here for    Mar. 23, Chap. 12:   Spring has sprung
Click here for    Apr. 19, Chap. 13:   You want what size?!
Click here for    Apr. 29, Chap. 14:   Hold still, this won't hurt a bit
Click here for    June 7, Chap. 15:   Big fish in a small pond
Click here for    June 25, Chap. 16:   Local traditional Chinese art
Click here for    July 3, Chap. 17:   More on the Chinese language
Click here for    Aug. 22, Chap. 18:   Summer vacation (?)
Click here for    Aug. 23, Chap. 18b:   Summer vacation (?) (contd.)
Click here for    Oct. 6, Chap. 19:   Chinese ingenuity
Click here for    Nov. 1, Chap. 20:   Taoist traditions
Click here for    Nov. 14, Chap. 21:   Meet me in Guilin


2001 Journals Journal entries for 2001
We learned more about medicine, as practiced in China, and made a trip back to the USA. During the summer, we visited three students in the countryside of Hunan.
Click here for    Mar. 5, Chap. 22:   What Thous hast ordained for me
Click here for    Mar. 16, Chap. 22b:   Just another hole in the head
Click here for    Mar. 17, Chap. 22c:   America, getting there and away
Click here for    Apr. 17, Chap. 23:   A day in the life
Click here for    Apr. 18, Chap. 23b:   Another day, another life
Click here for    July 26, Chap. 24:   Busy sidewalks
Click here for    Aug. 23, Chap. 24b:   Glimpses of Xiangtan at midnight
Click here for    July 30, Chap. 25:   Friends, families, and feasts
Click here for    July 31, Chap. 25b:   A few days in the countryside
Click here for    Oct. 7, Chap. 26:   A few more days in the countryside
Click here for    Oct. 12, Chap. 27:   Who we are, why we are in China
Click here for    Oct. 24, Chap. 28:   Fairy Lake (partial)


2002 Journals Journal entries for 2002
We took another trip to the USA and continued to experience life in a small city in China. Tim returned to the USA in July to find work. Anne and the children returned on New Year's Eve. We now live in Ft. Myers, Florida, but some day we want to return to live in China again.
Click here for    Mar. 10, Chap. 29:   Miscellany
Click here for    Mar. 11, Chap. 30:   Spring festival in the USA
Click here for    June 14, Chap. 31:   One Chinese is strong, three are weak
Click here for    June 25, Chap. 32:   Construction tales and related ramblings
Click here for    June 28, Chap. 33:   Betelnuts and other diversions
Click here for    July 11, Chap. 34:   On the train to Shanghai
Click here for    Aug. 7, Chap. 35:   Emails from Anne
Click here for    Aug. 30, Chap. 36:   Traveling tales
Click here for    Sept. 9, Chap. 35b:   Emails from Anne (contd.)
Click here for    Sept. 21, Chap. 37:   To operate or not
Click here for    Sept. 23, Chap. 38:   A few unexpected moments
Click here for    Nov. 7, Chap. 39:   Further emails from Anne
Click here for    Dec. 10, Chap. 39b:   Further emails from Anne (contd.)
Click here for    Dec. 24, Chap. 40:   A wild birthday party
Click here for    Dec. 31, Chap. 41:   Our final days

This concludes our China journals.
We encourage anyone with an open mind and open heart to journey there.
Love the land, love its people.

Click here to go up to:   Top of this page   1999   2000   2001   2002
Click here to return to:   Home page for Living in China

Notes about this web page
Viewers are free to copy or distribute the contents of this page for personal use. Commercial use without written permission is prohibited.
For more information, contact Tim Liebermann at tlieber@yahoo.com