TeaSpring.com

This past year after I got back from Yunnan I wanted to order some good tea to send to a Chinese American friend. I ended up ordering the tea from an online tea company who ships their teas directly from China. Well, I ordered the tea for my friend, and also some for our family too, called Cherry Ball or Rising Sun. This turned out to be the coolest tea I’ve ever had. The taste was very subtle and delicious, but the really awesome part was what happened in the tea cup. After I poured the boiling water on the tea the ball of tea leaves began to “bloom”, slowing opening up to look like a beautiful green and red flower. Needless to say I’ve saved the rest of the tea for the soon coming Chinese New Year!

So, for all you tea lovers out there, I can recommend the Cherry Ball tea, but check out all the other cool teas they have too. I’m itching to check out others that bloom as well.

Artistic Chinese Creations Website Link

I like this site because you can find things there that are differrent than a lot of the products you will find on many of the other Chinese products sites. I especially like the peasant artwork and other works of art.

Maopost.com Website Link

Okay, let me first state that I am not pro-communism, nor do I agree with using propoganda. However, I do appreciate some of the art that came out of the tumultuous time period in China called the “Cultural Revolution” (look into it, too much to explain here). That said, this website is just too cool! You can have your portrait painted into a replica Cultural Revolution poster. I am so tempted–but can’t find just the right poster that I’d like to have done. Anyway, check it out.

Pimsleur Mandarin Website Link

This language system focuses on speaking the language and helped a GREAT DEAL when I went to China to teach English Teachers for two weeks. As we had no guides for a good deal of the time I was forced to use my Mandarin and let me tell you, it came in VERY handy whenever I was able to use it. The thing I like about this system is that it not only teaches you what to say and how to say it, but it helps you understand what the person you are talking to may say back to you and how to understand that! Invaluable! I was able to help our group out often and I’ve only gone through the first 7 lessons! Well worth the money.

Adoption.com Website

This site is a great site for all things adoption. There is a ton of information and resources.

Homa and Sekey Books Website

This site is great because it has a lot of books you don’t normally find in other places. They specialize in books about Asia so there are many books about China. If you’re like me though, you like to see what books other sites have and then see if they’re available on Amazon as a used book. I’ve gotten so many this way because the prices are just too good to pass up.

This site is a frequent one for us since there are so many products there great for Chinese adoptive families. We especially love the Chinese Barbie dolls, which are very hard to find elsewhere. They have a wide range of products from books to fresh Moon cakes for Moon Festival.