Jonathan Alexander Smith

Those of us called to teach are anything but stereotypes. We teachers are all strong, independent, free-thinking and unique in our approach to life; and the fact that we can be easily categorised, branded, classified, catalogued and labelled not...

Death and taxes. Taxes and death. Taxed until you die. Perhaps we don’t remind ourselves enough of Benjamin Franklin’s words; that these are the only two true things certain in life. Hearing this as a teenager, I recall wondering...

August in Nanjing defies expectations: extreme heat replaces mild warmth, disrupting normalcy and comfort. Nanjing's summer is unbearably hot, surpassing other global hotspots with its intense, humid 38°C (feels like 48°C). Winter in Nanjing offers little relief, as indoor heating makes...

The one overarching word that sums up my experience in Nanjing; convenient. A convenience that has its roots in speed. The Real Fast Life. Everything, everywhere, as soon as you want it. In essence; haste, hurry  and “fast-ness” (to...