Lao Ren Cha (Jenna)
@channamasala.bsky.social
Pro-Taiwan blogger lacking any and all Chinese characteristics http://laorencha.blogspot.com (for now), սփյուռքահայ but my Armenian sucks. I speak 華語 and English but prefer Taigí and հայերեն. If you support President Rapist that's an insta-block
I really wanted to say that Gibo has BJWE -- Big Joseph Wu Energy. But I can't, because Wu would never have been able to give a straight-up murder reply like this when it comes to the South China Sea. laorencha.substack.com/p/gibo-sets-...
Gibo Sets the Standard
That is, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. is the hero we need when it comes to standing up to China. I only wish Taiwan could match that energy but for complicated reasons, it can’t.
laorencha.substack.com
I tried to keep this fairly short because, aside from some interesting gender politics, the main answer here is literally a big fat "DUH" laorencha.substack.com/p/gee-golly-...
Gee golly, why don’t people want to do crappy jobs in Taiwan?
It’s the money, stupid. And the work climate.
laorencha.substack.com
Once again anti-abortion assholes are just making things worse because they hate women. Fuck the lot of 'em. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...
‘There’s no place to go’: providers see more abortions later in pregnancy as bans spread in US
Patients are showing up ‘later and sicker’ for abortion care as more US states adopt bans and significant restrictions
theguardian.com
It was nice to finally get a little respite from the rain yesterday laorencha.substack.com/p/slivers-of...
Slivers of sunshine between the plum rains
The skies have been opening on us seemingly nonstop these days. On a rare rain-free day, here's how I clawed back my sanity
laorencha.substack.com
I couldn't write this yesterday as I had to work all day, but it's a story I wanted to tell laorencha.substack.com/p/the-drunk-...
The Drunk History of Tiananmen Square
In my year in China, a lot of interactions felt surface-level. This one affects me over 20 years later.
laorencha.substack.com
Just some general life thoughts on language learning, what I'm planning for 2027, and what success means for someone who lives abroad long-term laorencha.substack.com/p/a-controll...
A Controlled Explosion
In a personal blog, I talk about what's going on, what my plans are, and how immigrants and long-term expats might define 'success' in a life that looks so different from their parents
laorencha.substack.com
I mostly complain about the state of transportation on Green and Orchid Islands, and a lack of information for travelers in #Taiwan (or perhaps they don't read the information?), but I do see real areas for improvement, especially in public transportation across the country.
Could the Taiwan tourism experience be improved?
Taiwan's easier to travel in than it was when I first moved here, but there are ways to make it a little easier for tourists. Mostly, by improving public transportation across the country.
laorencha.substack.com
Fractures Emerge Between GOP’s Pro-Pedophilia, Extremely Pro-Pedophilia Wings
Rebel Island starts out quite well and is engagingly written, but the last few chapters on this history of #Taiwan fall off a cliff laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: Rebel Island -- The Incredible History of Taiwan
A new general history of Taiwan that starts out well but ends rather questionably
laorencha.substack.com
Sometimes, the media is not terrible when it writes about #Taiwan! laorencha.substack.com/p/lets-look-...
Let's look at a pretty good article about Taiwan
I love to tear apart bad journalism on Taiwan, but sometimes it feels good to pick through something that's relatively well-written.
laorencha.substack.com
I wasn't really sure what to call this post, but both issues discussed in it ultimately boil down to Chinese bullying laorencha.substack.com/p/standing-u...
Standing up to China
Two takes on Chinese aggression in one post. They're barely related, but both have to do with Chinese bullying of Taiwan
laorencha.substack.com
So tired of the propaganda trip of that MAGA-haired sellout laorencha.substack.com/p/i-am-so-si...
I am so sick of hearing about Cheng Li-wun
We all knew the purpose of her visit to China was to generate propaganda, I'm just surprised and annoyed by how much propaganda spewed out
laorencha.substack.com
Book review of Mother Tongue (about #Taiwan in the 1980s and learning Taiwanese) by Linda Petrucelli laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: Mother Tongue
A forthcoming book that tells the story of one missionary's road to learning Taiwanese
laorencha.substack.com
I've definitely thought at least one thing that is illegal to say too openly
🇺🇸Boston Brian🇺🇦@bostonbrian.com · 6mo agoAt least 10 times a day this fucking administration got me thinking shit that would 1000% get me arrested if typed online or said out loud😅
I think I rambled a little in this one but I just wanted to say it. laorencha.substack.com/p/stop-denig...
Stop Denigrating Taiwan's Will To Fight
Polls suggest most Taiwanese would resist China no matter what. That means something. And no, they shouldn't act more scared than they are.
laorencha.substack.com
A book review of Revolutionary #Taiwan by Catherine Lila Chou and Mark Harrison laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: Revolutionary Taiwan
New ways of looking at Taiwanese history to frame current issues clearly
laorencha.substack.com
It took me awhile to write this and even longer to post, but it's really how I felt after finding a picture of myself from 2003 laorencha.substack.com/p/a-curvaceo...
A Curvaceous Wreck
Spending most of my adult life in Asia helped convince me that I was irredeemably fat, when I merely wasn't skinny. I'm still in Asia, and still feeling the effects of that self-esteem wrecking ball.
laorencha.substack.com
In which I take on No Self-ID and the #Taiwan Statebuilding Party for being anti-trans laorencha.substack.com/p/transgende...
Transgender Self-ID and Taiwanese Identity
Some pro-Taiwan people who call themselves progressive oppose trans rights and self-ID. That's incongruous with supporting Taiwan.
laorencha.substack.com
I'm on the Bookish Asia podcast talking about my favorite #Taiwan fiction! open.spotify.com/episode/2MUk...
E-17- JENNA CODY’S FAVORITE TAIWAN FICTION
open.spotify.com
I have lots of short-form opinions about current events in #Taiwan. Enjoy these bite-sized thoughts before Lunar New Year gets into full swing laorencha.substack.com/p/its-flash-...
It's flash-bang opinion time
There's a lot going on in Taiwan, and I have thoughts
laorencha.substack.com
Nicholas Kristof's recent NYT op-ed about #Taiwan set my teeth on edge. This is what happens when you lived in Taiwan half a century ago and asked two friends instead of reading a fucking poll laorencha.substack.com/p/when-it-co...
When it comes to Taiwan, read a damn poll before you opine
Nicholas Kristof's NYT piece reads like something not just out of another year, but another generation.
laorencha.substack.com
Do I really need to explain why the #Taiwan legislature are doing a "nuh-UH I'm rubber and you're glue and I locked the principal out of the classroom" strategy? laorencha.substack.com/p/for-the-ta...
For the Taiwanese legislature, every accusation is a confession
I'm really starting to hate these jokers in a system that's fast becoming Oops All Constitutional Crises
laorencha.substack.com
I review Nathan Batto and Emily Beaulieu's book about brawling in legislatures in #Taiwan, #Ukraine and beyond! laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: Making Punches Count
Batto and Beaulieu take sordid tales of legislators punching, pushing and shoving and turn it into data to explore the who, why, where and a bit of how legislative brawls happen
laorencha.substack.com
I think I've found the best book to give friends and loved ones to learn more about #Taiwan, available for pre-order or Kindle now laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: Ghost Nation
If you want to recommend a book to clarify what Taiwan is about and why Taiwan matters, this is the one.
laorencha.substack.com
