Ai ya! China: The Ups and Downs of Living in the People's Republic

In a dramatic career change, Sonja leaves her old life behind and accepts a position teaching English in China. Coming to grips with a new job and a new life in modern China isn't easy. 'Ai ya!'. Sonja is thrilled when she learns these two little words in her Chinese class. A local term, 'Ai ya' is used to express feelings of displeasure, frustration, and exasperation. Adapting to her new life in China, Sonja inevitably finds herself surrounded by 'Ai ya' moments of every kind.Join her as she tackles illiteracy, overcomes her fear of public speaking, flees overzealous, camera-wielding locals, and desperately tries to understand the Chinese culture. In her search for oriental epicurean delights, Sonja encounters more than she bargained for as she tries to learn the not so subtle art of bone spitting and discovers the truth about cats and dogs.In between teaching English classes she endeavours to squeeze in travel to far-flung destinations and experience as much of China as possible. Along her colourful journey she endures China's worst winter in fifty years, shares the tragedy of the devastating Sichuan earthquake, and ultimately discovers that it's the little things in life that really matter.