From being a TV newsreader in Sydney to a hotelier's wife in the heart of China - this is a true story of reinvention, love and finding your place in the world.Nicole Webb and her husband, James, are always up for an adventure, so when James is offered a job in the ancient city of Xi'an in north-west China, they jump at the chance. Nicole, James and three-year-old Ava fly into a world they know nothing about - a place where they know no one.Touching down, culture shock hits Nicole head on. It feels as if all eyes are on her and Ava, the only blondes in the jam-packed arrivals hall, two foreigners so far from home.With honesty and humour, Nicole takes us on a journey of daily life in the Middle Kingdom at a time when the whole world is looking towards China. We follow her search for friendship and acceptance where she discovers, no matter what your culture or background, we're connected the world over by the common thread of humanity. CHINA BLONDE gives us a very personal insight, told with a journalist's eye view, into the lives of those who embraced Nicole with open arms. Her experiences along the way will resonate with anyone who's ever built a life in a new home - be it across the city or across the world.

When China opened its borders to travelers and its economy to international trade, businesses all over the world took note. With well over one billion people, it represented a huge potential marketplace for goods and services. Huge as it is, however, China is not a monolithic culture. Though deeply rooted in native traditions, its contemporary marketplace is eclectic, combining Chinese regional styles with elements borrowed from foreign cultures. Most of all, it is evolving at a remarkable pace. To succeed in that dynamic emerging market, smart businesses need to understand its driving influences—especially its urban youth. Authors Lianne Yu, Cynthia Chan, and Christopher Ireland bring their collective experience and perspective to this thoughtful, beautifully illustrated analysis of the world’s fastest-growing market. Focusing on four fundamental aspects of the consumer Chinese lifestyle—food, style, home life, and mobility—they show how Chinese culture is speedily developing into a radically new form. Anyone who is interested in expanding his or her business in China should not miss this analysis.

The author, who is in his twenties and fluent in Chinese, intimately examines the future of China through the lens of the Jiu Ling Hou—the generation born after 1990—exploring through personal encounters how his Chinese peers feel about everything from money and marriage to their government and the West