Having lived away from home for more than four years, I confess that sometimes the thought of going back home is more tempting than really being home. There are always time when you feel that you are either not fitting in the rhythm of your city or that you have no one to go out with because all of the good friends you had made in the past few years are scattered all over the world. (...)

Superstitions and taboos exist across cultures. It does not matter whether you are in Germany or in Asia, there are always things you should not do or numbers you should not use, to avoid bad luck. (...)

Although I have lived in Germany for two years now, I still have problems when it comes to the different cultural manner or etiquette. And if I have to think of a situation where most etiquette is required, it would be in a dinner party, in both German and Chinese cultures. (...)

You must think I am joking with the subject. Of course, my opinion is biased as I have been speaking Chinese all my life. But compared to learning German, to a certain extent, this is quite true that Chinese is not as difficult as it seems. (...)

Usually at this time of the year, I would be dragging my 35-kilogram-suitcase and going back to the other side of the world to enjoy home-made food, air-conditioning and leisure time with friends and family. (...)

Being an outsider in Germany with only a basic knowledge of German is tough. In fact, being a newcomer to this country involves a lot of exploring and oh-my-god-I-am-lost experiences. I was about to start my internship at the Osterholzer-Anzeiger Redaktion on the first working day of June. (...)