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
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
Pinned
I started an
#Armenia
Starter Pack, but it doesn't have a lot of content because I just can't find a lot of content. #Armenian diaspora, #Հայաստան
#Artsakh #սփյուռքահայշ #հայերեն media, anyone -- come find me and get in my starter pack!
go.bsky.app/8U8VfaY
#Armenia
Starter Pack, but it doesn't have a lot of content because I just can't find a lot of content. #Armenian diaspora, #Հայաստան
#Artsakh #սփյուռքահայշ #հայերեն media, anyone -- come find me and get in my starter pack!
go.bsky.app/8U8VfaY
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...
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
November 7, 2025 at 2:32 AM
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...
laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: The Translator's Daughter
A good book, but I hadn't expected so much death.
laorencha.substack.com
October 26, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Taiwan's foreign policy has no scruples
But are scruples more important than survival?
laorencha.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 1:59 AM
I dunno. Who, in this dispute that was ultimately about what freedom of speech does or doesn't mean in #Taiwan, was right? Probably not the Little Grass, but perhaps my friend.
laorencha.substack.com/p/handling-a...
laorencha.substack.com/p/handling-a...
Handling a Little Grass
My Taiwanese friend and I had very different approaches to someone in a cafe whom we both felt was being rude. I still don't know who was right.
laorencha.substack.com
October 8, 2025 at 12:26 AM
I dunno. Who, in this dispute that was ultimately about what freedom of speech does or doesn't mean in #Taiwan, was right? Probably not the Little Grass, but perhaps my friend.
laorencha.substack.com/p/handling-a...
laorencha.substack.com/p/handling-a...
I tell you a lot about myself in this post, but it's in service of discussing #Taiwan's healthcare system.
Taiwanese Healthcare and Me
Discussions of the Taiwanese healthcare system, including National Health Insurance, make it seem either impeccable, or deeply flawed. The truth is that it's pretty good, but not perfect.
laorencha.substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 5:48 AM
I tell you a lot about myself in this post, but it's in service of discussing #Taiwan's healthcare system.
I wanted to write an article that covered every single argument for why #Taiwan is a country (from another perspective, every argument against why it's a part of China) so I only needed to offer one link to Internet chuds. Now, you have one link to send chuds, too
ketagalanmedia.com/2025/09/28/a...
ketagalanmedia.com/2025/09/28/a...
AIT Was Right, and More Reasons Why Taiwan is a Country - Ketagalan Media
Under international law, Taiwan’s status is either undetermined or it qualifies as a nation.
ketagalanmedia.com
September 29, 2025 at 12:11 PM
I wanted to write an article that covered every single argument for why #Taiwan is a country (from another perspective, every argument against why it's a part of China) so I only needed to offer one link to Internet chuds. Now, you have one link to send chuds, too
ketagalanmedia.com/2025/09/28/a...
ketagalanmedia.com/2025/09/28/a...
Classic 2am rant about #Taiwan needing to draw a line between making strategic choices, vs. cozying up with fascists -- personal stuff in there too
laorencha.substack.com/p/no-i-wont-...
laorencha.substack.com/p/no-i-wont-...
No, I won't coalition-build for Taiwan with MAGA
Because I don't think we should play nice with misogynist fascist transphobic pedophiles. Not even for Taiwan. This may be hard to hear for some men who aren't affected by MAGA's horrors.
laorencha.substack.com
September 24, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Classic 2am rant about #Taiwan needing to draw a line between making strategic choices, vs. cozying up with fascists -- personal stuff in there too
laorencha.substack.com/p/no-i-wont-...
laorencha.substack.com/p/no-i-wont-...
Reposted by Lao Ren Cha (Jenna)
Conservatives love to darkly say stuff like “you aren’t prepared for what’s next, we’re not going to be moderate anymore, you have no idea what you’ve unleashed” and then cry like babies when you call them fascists
September 23, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Conservatives love to darkly say stuff like “you aren’t prepared for what’s next, we’re not going to be moderate anymore, you have no idea what you’ve unleashed” and then cry like babies when you call them fascists
A solid "based on a true story" historical novel about twentieth century #Taiwan with an exceptional translation by Timothy Smith
laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Book Review: Banana King Ngôo Tsín-sūi
A novel of twentiety-century Taiwan, focusing on an entrepreneur in the banana business, weaves uniquely Taiwanese history with the life of one man
laorencha.substack.com
September 20, 2025 at 1:49 AM
A solid "based on a true story" historical novel about twentieth century #Taiwan with an exceptional translation by Timothy Smith
laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
laorencha.substack.com/p/book-revie...
Even I was surprised how long it took for my neighbors in #Taiwan (same apartment for 14 years) to start treating me like I really lived here instead of a temporary weirdo, but it did eventually happen. A flooded back room a few weeks ago made that clear.
laorencha.substack.com/p/without-an...
laorencha.substack.com/p/without-an...
Without and Within
It took fourteen years living in the same Taipei apartment, but my neighbors finally treat me like a member of the community, not a transient foreigner
laorencha.substack.com
September 18, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Even I was surprised how long it took for my neighbors in #Taiwan (same apartment for 14 years) to start treating me like I really lived here instead of a temporary weirdo, but it did eventually happen. A flooded back room a few weeks ago made that clear.
laorencha.substack.com/p/without-an...
laorencha.substack.com/p/without-an...
I'm still not convinced I should care about Ko himself, but the court of public opinion is fascinating.
laorencha.substack.com/p/should-i-c...
laorencha.substack.com/p/should-i-c...
Should I care about Ko Wen-je?
Anecdotally, public opinion seems to be turning in his favor. I don't know if I should pay more attention.
laorencha.substack.com
September 11, 2025 at 1:40 AM
I'm still not convinced I should care about Ko himself, but the court of public opinion is fascinating.
laorencha.substack.com/p/should-i-c...
laorencha.substack.com/p/should-i-c...
Any other #americansabroad (in #taiwan or anywhere) who read the news from the US and don't want to visit at all because it looks like a dangerous shithole? Are we overreacting? I really don't know.
laorencha.substack.com/p/through-th...
laorencha.substack.com/p/through-th...
Through the Looking Screen
From Taipei, the US seems so terrifying now that I don't want to visit.
laorencha.substack.com
September 6, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Any other #americansabroad (in #taiwan or anywhere) who read the news from the US and don't want to visit at all because it looks like a dangerous shithole? Are we overreacting? I really don't know.
laorencha.substack.com/p/through-th...
laorencha.substack.com/p/through-th...
Reposted by Lao Ren Cha (Jenna)
look, think of it this way: he’s probably not dead, but he is in bad enough shape that we will almost certainly get to run this back a number of times over the next 3.5 years and maybe one of them it’ll actually happen
August 30, 2025 at 4:46 AM
look, think of it this way: he’s probably not dead, but he is in bad enough shape that we will almost certainly get to run this back a number of times over the next 3.5 years and maybe one of them it’ll actually happen
Reposted by Lao Ren Cha (Jenna)
he'll always be dead in our hearts
August 30, 2025 at 3:44 AM
he'll always be dead in our hearts
Reposted by Lao Ren Cha (Jenna)
I will never understand how American elites managed to convince themselves that uncivil debate — not fascism, not impunity and not widespread indifference to facts — is the defining problem of our time.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...
August 28, 2025 at 1:24 PM
I will never understand how American elites managed to convince themselves that uncivil debate — not fascism, not impunity and not widespread indifference to facts — is the defining problem of our time.
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/o...
This book is only nominally about #Taiwan but I did a #bookreview anyway because it's absolute trash.
laorencha.substack.com/p/i-read-the...
laorencha.substack.com/p/i-read-the...
I read the worst novel ever written about Taiwan so you don't have to
A review of William Arnold's "China Gate"
laorencha.substack.com
August 29, 2025 at 2:40 AM
This book is only nominally about #Taiwan but I did a #bookreview anyway because it's absolute trash.
laorencha.substack.com/p/i-read-the...
laorencha.substack.com/p/i-read-the...
I wasn't too enthusiastic about yesterday's vote in #Taiwan, but I have some takes anyway.
Warmed-up referendum takes
I don't have a lot to say about yesterday's vote, so I'll keep it short
laorencha.substack.com
August 24, 2025 at 11:32 AM
I wasn't too enthusiastic about yesterday's vote in #Taiwan, but I have some takes anyway.
As someone who does occasional travel writing and acts as an unofficial tour guide to friends and family visiting #Taiwan, I have some thoughts.
laorencha.substack.com/p/is-interna...
laorencha.substack.com/p/is-interna...
Is International Tourism in Taiwan Really That Bad?
Yes and no. Or just read on for some of my favorite places to take visitors.
laorencha.substack.com
August 19, 2025 at 1:52 AM
As someone who does occasional travel writing and acts as an unofficial tour guide to friends and family visiting #Taiwan, I have some thoughts.
laorencha.substack.com/p/is-interna...
laorencha.substack.com/p/is-interna...
I moved to Substack and wrote about my recent (second) trip to Orchid Island (蘭嶼), #Taiwan!
laorencha.substack.com/p/weather-st...
laorencha.substack.com/p/weather-st...
Weather Station
I visited Orchid Island (蘭嶼) for the first time in over a decade. What's changed?
laorencha.substack.com
August 13, 2025 at 1:44 AM
I moved to Substack and wrote about my recent (second) trip to Orchid Island (蘭嶼), #Taiwan!
laorencha.substack.com/p/weather-st...
laorencha.substack.com/p/weather-st...
This already feels like old news after that complete fuckin slaughter
goddamnit
goddamnit
I attended both rallies (anti-recall/KMT and pro-recall/pan-green) for #Taiwan Total Recall Day.
Spoiler alert: I liked one more than the other
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/some...
Spoiler alert: I liked one more than the other
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/some...
Some rally observations for Total Recall Day
Travel, books, politics, history and opinionating on life in Taiwan.
laorencha.blogspot.com
July 26, 2025 at 12:47 PM
This already feels like old news after that complete fuckin slaughter
goddamnit
goddamnit
I attended both rallies (anti-recall/KMT and pro-recall/pan-green) for #Taiwan Total Recall Day.
Spoiler alert: I liked one more than the other
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/some...
Spoiler alert: I liked one more than the other
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/some...
Some rally observations for Total Recall Day
Travel, books, politics, history and opinionating on life in Taiwan.
laorencha.blogspot.com
July 26, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I attended both rallies (anti-recall/KMT and pro-recall/pan-green) for #Taiwan Total Recall Day.
Spoiler alert: I liked one more than the other
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/some...
Spoiler alert: I liked one more than the other
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/some...
Reposted by Lao Ren Cha (Jenna)
Taiwan Ministry of the Interior releases English-language air raid safety guide. This year, urban resilience drills will combine air raid, evacuation and traffic control measures across public transportation, shopping centers and government sites.
MOI releases English-language air raid safety guide - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
July 14, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Taiwan Ministry of the Interior releases English-language air raid safety guide. This year, urban resilience drills will combine air raid, evacuation and traffic control measures across public transportation, shopping centers and government sites.
I felt I had to talk about the budget vote in #Taiwan, the $10k tax rebate, Taipower etc. but what I really wanted to show you was the New Taipei legislator who gave out trash bags as gifts because he faces a recall
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/week...
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/week...
Weekend Recall and Budget Not-So-Shorts
Travel, books, politics, history and opinionating on life in Taiwan.
laorencha.blogspot.com
July 13, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I felt I had to talk about the budget vote in #Taiwan, the $10k tax rebate, Taipower etc. but what I really wanted to show you was the New Taipei legislator who gave out trash bags as gifts because he faces a recall
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/week...
laorencha.blogspot.com/2025/07/week...