As China’s expatriate population grows, many foreign women looking for love are saying this is the wrong place to meet Mr Right.

Many single expat women quickly find that most foreign dreamboats have already sailed, and their chemistry with local men rarely stirs the right mix for a love potion.

“The dating scene in Beijing is sad,” said 27-year-old Kate Minnikin, of Brisbane, Australia. “I know a lot of expat women who are single, but I don’t know one foreign man who’s single.”

Minnikin, a research and development specialist for a human resource development company who has lived in China for two years, said the reason there aren’t many available foreign men is simple: “There are a lot of Chinese women; they’re available, and they have a lot to offer.”

The dating problem of China’s forlorn foreign females has become a hot topic on online forums for expatriate such as http://www.thatsbj.com and http://asiaxpat.com. Threads with titles such as “Why foreign women will NEVER have a dating scene” and “How can a woman find a man?” are becoming increasingly popular.

“I have lived in Asia for about four years now and know how tall blondes are treated by a lot of the men here,” said MTGirl, who posted on a “Frustrated woman” thread on thatsbj.com’s Love and Dating forum. “Although that has not turned me into a man-hater, I find the situation frustrating.”

Offline, MTGirl is Juanita Hartman, 33, who came to Beijing from Ellensburg, Washington, as a research fellow studying Chinese history at Peking University.

She says that even though foreign men in Beijing are available, she has seen that they are likelier to seek local women.

“It really doesn’t bother me that they overlook expat women,” Hartman said. “What bothers me are the looks of disdain I get when I’m out and about.

“Men look away when eye contact is made,” she said. “I’m not drop-dead gorgeous, but I’m not butt-ugly, either.

“Living in China for about four years has given me great insight to who I am and what I want. Part of that self-discovery has been that I haven’t had a steady boyfriend and had to struggle through comparing myself to these beautiful, petite Chinese girls.

“I am 176 centimetres tall and often felt like a bull in a china shop - no pun intended. I have come to terms with the way I look and the way I am built. I am more confident because of this experience.”

For China’s lonely “laowai” ladies, it seems the problem is a matter of not only the quantity of men, but also the quality.

Many foreign women complain that the fabric of the men who are attracted to the expatriate lifestyle is too often different from that of good dating material.

“Beijing seems to attract only certain types of guys: English-teacher types straight out of college who just want to have fun, ladder-climbing executive types and a bunch of weirdoes,” said Emily Patterson, 23, of Cleveland, Ohio, who works as a reporter for a Chinese magazine in Beijing. “You don’t want a college guy. Maybe the executive type is already married, busy or boring. And of course, you don’t want to date a weirdo.

“At home, maybe you meet a hundred nice, normal, single, socially, capable guys, and you have feelings for one or two. Here you meet five normal guys, and there’s such a small chance that one of them is the one you want.”

Hartman agrees: “I think the main problem in Beijing is that most of the men here I wouldn’t touch back home, so why would I here?”

Like many expatriate women in China, Hartman believes that while “a few” laowai guys in China are worthwhile men, capable of establishing solid relationships, many come here to get a badly needed ego boost.

“The majority of men come here because they have issues back home … or they just can’t get a woman back home for a number of reasons,” she said. “They come here because they become a big fish in a little pond; they become very important and sought after.”

For these reasons, these women see the pool of single, dateable foreign men more as a small puddle. And they don’t consider dating locals a viable option.

“Women need to communicate more, so for women who don’t speak Chinese, we don’t have as many options as men,” said Minnikin.

There are cultural barriers, as well.

“Most Chinese guys are really shy,” Patterson said. “They work really long hours and don’t come out to bars and parties, which is where you usually meet people.”

Josh Bernstein, 21, of Phoenix, Arizona, has organized an informal singles group and has seen first-hand the difficulties faced by Western women interested in Chinese men.

The singles party he hosted a week ago attracted more than 20 Chinese women, four Western women, 10 foreign men and two Chinese men.

He said that while the foreign men ignored the Western girls, the Chinese men struck up conversation with them. But in the end, it was only talk.

“These foreign girls, even though they talk to the guys who they are interested in and think are interested in them, the Chinese guys seem to be too shy or too worried about saving face to make a move,” Bernstein said. “They’re afraid of making a mistake because of cultural differences. A lot of Chinese guys don’t know about foreign girls and don’t know how to approach them.”

Hartman, for one, said she has given up on the dating scene, and believes it’s for the best.

“I came to the conclusion that whatever happens will happen” she said. “I could find the love of my life here and have a great story to tell, but I could also return home alone.

“Either way, I am still learning about myself, and isn’t living abroad all about the learning experience?” (via ~)

Our life is a journey and we don’t know where the next day will take us. There seem to be no boundaries in today’s world. Now, flying or driving thousands of miles for business and for pleasure seems like taking a local bus. There is nothing unusual in working in New York, flying every weekend to Boston to see the family, going on vacation to Australia, traveling for business to Portugal, and attending the best friend’s wedding in Costa Rica… And the best part about it is that we always have a choice. We are not bound to live in the same area all our life unless we want to. If we leave and at some point realize it’s not working, it’s nice to know that we can always go back to a place where we belong and it does not have to be our birthplace. It can be a city where someone is waiting for us, a place where we have an exciting job, or a small town that makes us feel good for no reason.

Traveling is the salt of life, a way to see new people, to be exposed to new cultures and a different lifestyle; a source of new emotions and an escape from everyday routine. Traveling is about wisdom, better understanding of ourselves and others, and gaining valuable life experience.

We are all different and our travel style is a reflection of our personality. Some prefer comfortable cruise ships and five star hotels, while others take cycling or yachting tours around the world. Some holidaymakers are looking for company, fun, and entertainment in a bright and noisy Las Vegas and others are dreaming of a silent retreat somewhere in a perfectly serene oceanfront location.

Travel market is constantly developing and has numerous options to cater to any taste or budget.

If you are into sports and adventure and you think your everyday life needs to be spiced up with excitement, go on one of the cycling or hiking tours. You can use the services of numerous tour operators who offer customized packages to book a cycling tour to a faraway destination or, if you on a budget, have a local tour organized by yourself. Cycling tours in Europe will become an unforgettable adventure. Get absorbed by warm lavish light-bathed towns and landscapes of French Provence. Inhale the scent of wild thyme; take pictures of lavender juxtaposed with an ocean of lovely sunflowers undulating with the tender caress of the breeze. Even if you have never painted before, take a brush and try to capture vast barren rock outcroppings of the most astonishing shades of pink and terra-cotta of Côte d’Azur. Enjoy incredible rocky valleys, blue glacial lakes, secluded mountain villages, and a latticework of scenery snaking roads of Corsica. Admire the soaring mountains, high alpine meadows, deep blue lakes reflecting the snow-covered peaks in Switzerland. You will get home suntanned, in great shape, and bursting with thrilling memories making everyone around jealous.

Those who love comfort and luxury may like to a leisure style Fiji vacation. Each Fiji island has its own distinct identity. Around every bend in Fiji’s abundant rainforests you’ll discover cascading waterfalls and beautiful swimming holes adorned with verdant jungle vegetation and sweet-smelling flowers. In Fiji you can truly live your fantasies- snorkel in the aquamarine waters teaming with a myriad of tropical fish of every possible color, exotic coral formations beyond your wildest imagination, or just enjoy an invigorating stroll along the serene sandy beaches in absolute privacy. Fiji is a paradise. It’s a dream come true and a first-rate destination for honeymooners.

If you are looking for a combination of luxury and adventure, pick a trip to the Carnival in Venice. Travel back in time to the magic of centuries past and take part in this impressive show in the company of actors, acrobats, mimes, musicians, and dancers. Attend Venezia Romantica at the Danieli Hotel-an extravagant costume ball with stunning dinner, music, and dancing. Indulge in the libations of the Carnival and then treat your ears and heart to the Baroque Venetian Music Concert at San Vidal Church. That’s just the delicious topping on the splendid multi-layered cake. You’re in Italy, so every second is filled with romance and passion. The spectacular art, the luxurious architecture, the historic wonders and your presence at an unforgettable performance at Teatro La Fenice-it’s all on your glorious “to do” list.

Those above are just a few samples of endless travel options and the world is yours to discover. However, you can be adventurous even staying in your area. Did you ever look at your hometown as a tourist? Are there any places you have always wanted to see and never did? Are there any activities you have always wanted to try and have been afraid of? It is not much of an investment to buy a bicycle, rollerblades, or skis and it will pay off with hours of fun in the open air. Do something new every day, take risks and life will sparkles with different colours. Dancing, painting or just meditating - it is up to you what you decide to do. Expand your horizons and your life will become brighter and richer…

Verizon Wireless isn’t kidding around with this new Dare phone from LG: it’ll hit Verizon’s online shop tomorrow (the 26th) for $200 with a $50 rebate, and then land in retail on July 3rd. We’ve had little time to get accustomed to its touchscreen mug, unlike Sprint’s long run-up to the Instinct, but Verizon and LG have certainly done their homework. There’s a whole lot to chew on here, so we’re going to drop it on you bullet point style:

Hardware:

• Dimensions: 103.9 x 55.6 x 13.8 mm (that’s 0.54-inches thick for us yanks)
• 3-inch, 240 x 400 touchscreen LCD with “Vibe-Touch” tactile feedback
• Rev A EV-DO
• 3.2 megapixel camera with LED flash, autofocus and exposure control
• 120 fps slow-motion movie record mode
• 3.5mm headphone jack
• microSD up to 8GB
• Proximity sensor for switching off the LCD when against your face
• Light sensor to adjust LCD brightness automatically
• Accelerometer
• 3D graphics acceleration, supports app transitions and rotations

Software:

• “Full HTML” browser (barely) with page overview and zoom functions
• V Cast store and VZ Navigator
• Cover Flow-alike music app
• 51 possible apps, 11 app “drag & drop” shortcut menu
• Shortcuts draggable to home screen
• Graphical favorites menu, drag icons to pertinent task like message, call or edit
• Contact list includes search ribbon and filtering
• Text input via QWERTY, predictive keypad or handwriting recognition
• Drawing pad includes colors, pen widths, eraser for scribbling and picture “editing”
• Background music listening
• Video editing, picture editing, panoramic stitching

Phew, these guys really packed it in. Stand by for our hands-on impressions.

[via Engadget]

Actress Rosario Dawson has hooked up with the Environmental Media Association and ABSOLUT Vodka to design an eco-friendly reusable bag. The limited first run of these bags will be distributed free of charge in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Austin and San Francisco.

Now Paris has come out on her official blog to fight the rumors and defend her honor!! Here’s what she had to say:

“I wanted to let you know that I’ve been getting messages and reading stories about an incident that supposedly happened with me and a pet store: I was catching up on news last week only to read a story about me walking by some puppies for sale, and demanding that I be given a Yorkie puppy to be an accessory for a photo shoot. These stories have gotten out of control and I want to clear some things up-

I wasn’t looking for a new pet, I wasn’t even at a photo shoot that day, (I was down the street at Benji’s DCMA clothing store) and I actually have a Yorkie puppy. I love animals and the cruel things people say are not acceptable. Puppies are not accessories or toys and I love my own pets dearly–I treat them as if they were my children. Of course I support pet adoption from shelters, and I made sure that my BFF show involved a local one to spread the word about how these animals need loving owners. So it is sad that someone felt the need to invent a story about me throwing a fit for a dog that would “go with my outfit.”

I have no idea where people come up with these stories and they are spreading to so many news outlets that I just have to speak my mind and clear things up, especially with my fans. I love you all and appreciate your messages, as always.”

Mossy don’t like it, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put finger to screen and give Samsung’s new Instinct a test of your own. Particularly if you’re a fan of Sprint either by choice or by contract. Available now and right on schedule for $129.99 (with 2 year contract and $100 mail-in rebate), not the original $200 bounced around initially. With Sprint trying hard to position the Instinct as an iPhone killer, we guess they really didn’t have a choice but to undercut it in price.

[via Engadget]