*Chinese sign for 9*It's May 19th. That means that Matt and I arrived in the Orient exactly nine months ago. As someone pointed out to me the other day, that means that I could have had a baby here, and no one would even know. Let me assure you that is not the case. My faith in the healthcare here was abolished when I saw the dentists office. I would rather hit my abscessed tooth out with a rock Cast Away style than make a visit to the chair.
Anyways, I had wanted to do a monthly 'numbers' theme while I was here and I failed. In walkie talkie language 10-9 means 'Repeat Message', so for month 9, here is a list of 9 things that still confuse me about China (are you catching the connection, or is it too far out there?)
1. Racism: Not only towards me and my dear friend Matt(usually in our favor), but you should have heard what some of my students said about President Obama and Africans in general the other day... man, it was RACIST to the max(I won't repeat it here, since I like Africans, and I don't know who reads this blog, but if the curiosity is killing you, call me on Skype and I'll tell ya). Most Chinese people only like white people. Think I'm being racist or overgeneralizing? Our program director is almost UNABLE place people as teachers in China if they aren't Caucasian, none of the schools want them. They all fight over the blonde hair blue eyed girls. (Hopefully nothing in that statement was racist, I mean overly)
2. The Grocery Store Ladies: There is a lady waiting to assist you in every aisle, and they never let me buy what I want. They always surround me(everyone within 10 aisles is there), poke at me, speak at me in Chinese really quickly and replace whatever product I have in my hand with what THEY want me to buy. I don't understand it. I bought some really gross yogurt the other day because the refrigerated section lady wouldn't let me buy my normal kind. When I want American brand shampoo and face wash, I have a special plan. I stand aways away, and locate my bottle. Then I walk really quickly through and pick it up, before anyone can stop me. Any hesitation and I'm through.
3. Prying Questions: Usually when we meet people, the first question they ask Matt (in Chinese) is "Do you speak Chinese?" the next question is "Where do you work/live?" the 3rd question is "How much money do you make?". I mean really, this happens ALL THE TIME. So much so, that I even understand the question in Chinese, and that is saying something my friend. I guess it's not weird to inquire about income with strangers here.
4. Public Spitting: Gross. My students spit on the floor in their CLASSROOM. I don't understand why they do this. 'Nuff said.
5. Shoes: Whenever Chinese people come over, I make sure I have my slippers on. They FREAK when you're walking around your apartment barefoot.
6. Chicken Feet: I've tried to eat them, and I really don't understand what part of it is edible. But they LOVE them.
7. Traffic: Still don't understand how I haven't seen millions of dead bodies strewn about the side of the road. There must be a method to their madness that I haven't caught on to yet.
8. Knocking: You can always tell if it's a fellow American knocking on your door, or a Chinese person. Chinese people knock incessantly for long amounts of time. Our friend Sam informed us of a time there was a student knocking on his door for literally TEN MINUTES while Sam was laying deathly ill on his bed, not wanting to answer the door. I don't understand that, at all.
9. Nap time: Our school recently instigated a forced nap time for our high school aged students. All the students are locked in their dorms for 104 minutes right after lunch to have a rest. Why don't they just let them out of school before ten every night? Or, let them sleep in past six? Don't ask me, cause you know I don't understand it.
That's all. Sorry it's long.
6 comments:
Well, I learned a lot of "what not to do's" when you guys come up to visit. I guess I better stop spitting on the floor and taking groceries out of you hand and swapping it with what I want. Thanks for the heads-up.
That's awesome. And such a good way to remember your trip! I hope Australia isn't as weird...
Wait...you forgot squat toilets. Have you tried to explain to your kids that spitting in America is not right? Cause I sure would hate to have them all come over here and start spitting. I know Russell is used to it ( baseball), but the rest of the country not so much.
Oh man, that's so great! It's true the spitting it SO gross & the racism is HORRIFIC there. The most racist things of my life I heard in China. So sad. And lastly, I swear I "almost" died daily from the traffic and cars driving like crazy. It's a mad house!
Wow! That's incredible! Very neat!
Ok I am going out on a limb here and saying the shoe or slipper thing has something to do with the spitting on the floor. Just think of all the germs and such that is tracked in form: squat toilets, blood draining from animals in the street, babys using the street for toilets and probably other people too, compared to these things a little saliva seems harmless, and you know how I feel about spitting.
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