In this episode of Charlotte Dune’s Lagoon, I speak with American expat and trailing spouse, Melanie Duhon about her years living in Beijing, including her time during the Covid-19 pandemic and her experience of WeChat, and “The Brickening,” plus, a lot of amazing food, travel, and culture.
Listen here, on your favorite podcast platform, or watch the video version on Youtube, which offers captions for anyone hearing-impaired.
Prefer the written, edited version of this interview? Read Part 1 or look for it in your inbox if you’re already a subscriber.
These episodes always release first on Youtube, and you can take advantage of that by subscribing to my Youtube channel if you’re active on that platform.
A note from me:
This interview may contain something you find upsetting or controversial. I’m here to listen and learn from my guests. Take what you need and leave the rest—is my attitude.
China itself is a fraught topic in the US and the more we can listen and learn, the better.
I’m grateful I could speak with Melanie because many Americans currently in China aren’t allowed to talk about their experience or don’t feel safe doing so. The first person I wanted to interview wasn’t actually able to speak with me, as their employer forbid it.
I would love to visit Beijing myself, but I worry that my status as a former U.S. Diplomat would complicate my trip. However, I find the country and topic fascinating and I hope you do too. If there are experts on China-related topics that you’d like me to interview in the future, let me know in the comments or shoot me an email.
I obviously don’t support any form of genocide.
Enjoy!
An American Expat in China with Melanie Duhon, Episode #15