Blogger Recognition Award

Okay, so let me start off with a huge apology! I hang my head in shame, since it has literally been MONTHS since I received this awesome Blogger Recognition Award from my dear fellow blogger at Crazy Chinese Family – when you get a minute go check out his crazy stories and his cute family (including the awesome Nathan, future superstar)!

Okay, so let’s move on the RULES (yes, that German part of me just can’t resist a good set of rules).

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the rules of the Blogger Recognition Award:

Rule 1: Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.

Rule 2: Provide a link to the award creator.

Rule 3: Attach the award to your post.

Rule 4: Nominate fifteen other bloggers, excluding yourself and the person who nominated you.

Rule 5: Write a brief story of how you started your blog.

Rule 6: A piece or two of advice to new bloggers.

Rule 7: Comment on the blogs you have named here to let them know you have nominated them.

My nominees:

As I write up this list, I see a bit of a trend emerging…can you spot it?

1. Speaking of China (grandmistress of AMWF blogging)
2. My Hong Kong Husband (hilarious stories of Momzilla and one of my first regular reads)
3. Diaries of a Yangxifu (the always reflective and insightful – plus beautiful – Sarah)
4. Lost Panda (run by an incredibly talented artist and Kung-fu Queen who lives in one of the most rural areas of China – I tip my hat)
5. The Inner Mongolian (life of the hugely fascinating Susanna, a Scottish sister in crime who moved to India only to end up with a husband from IM – a trend I am spotting)
6. China Elevator Stories (by the marvelous Ruth, who as it turns out graduated from the same Uni and the same subject as I did – infinitesimally small chance considering our crazy major)
7. West Dates East (another sister in arms and frequent commenter who makes me feel read and validated <3)
8. Cooking with a Wallflower (some serious mouthwatering going on here)
9. Oh God, My Wife is German (he’s the balls, and his German wife is hilarious)
10. Xi’ananigans (another AMWF located in one of my fave Chinese cities)
11. The Love Blender (very insightful blog that goes deep into cross-cultural dating issues)
12. Susan Blumberg Kason (author of Good Chinese Wife – a must read for AMWFs)
13. Ember Swift (talented singer, who also happens to be a queer feminist married to a Chinese guy)
14. Jess Meider (another amazing singer with a Chinese husband, who gives insight into TCM)
15. China IQ (China expert who tells it as it is)

 

How I started my blog:

Within a couple of days of deciding to get married to my Chinese boyfriend of almost three years, a number of China-crazy things happened; the type of things that make a person think “I should be writing this down”. And that’s what I did.

Advice:

For many years I felt I should have a blog because a) I am a journalist and that’s just something we do and b) that’s just something we do. But although my move to China might have been reason enough, I didn’t start until the above mentioned flood of craziness. And I have (more or less) not stopped since. My advice: you’ll know when it’s time for your blog. Don’t force it just because writing a blog’s just something people do. Wait until you are bursting with stories.

Hope you enjoy my slightly AMWF-heavy reading list!

Thanks to all of you for being an inspiration.