Things I have learned my first week in China

Ni hao.

Sorry it has taken me so long to post. I've been really busy with school, and by the time I'm done with my homework and catching up with people via Skype, gmail, etc., I'm just too exhausted. Plus, there are so many things to say, all the thoughts get jumbled up in my mind. I've only been here a week and a half, but it feels like forever. It's certainly not a vacation- the weather is bad, I'm working all the time, and every single thing is a huge struggle. I knew not going Mandarin would be hard, but never to this extent. People just don't speak English in Suzhou. Crossing the street is dangerous. It's hot. But I'm really enjoying myself. I like the struggle, and the prospect of learning Chinese. Every day is something new- like tonight I had crayfish for dinner. And I'm not talking like I had a little taste and choked it down.I mean, I cracked those suckers open and sucked their tails! Big deal for someone who hates seafood. Only negative is that, despite the fact that they gave us gloves to wear, I can't seem to wash the smell out of my fingers.

Because there is so much to say, I've compiled a list of things I've learned so far in China. Many more to come, I'm sure.

1. Beef dumplings do not make for a lightly filling breakfast. In fact, it is a good way to feel terrible the rest of the day.

2. Taxi drivers will kick you out of a cab because you need to show them your destination on a map, and they don't have their glasses. While driving. At night.

3. When you do eventually find a taxi driver with decent eye-sight, getting in his cab and showing him the address of your destination does not mean he won't drop you off on the side of the highway over a mile away.

4. You haven't fully lived until you've heard drunk Chinese sing Lady Gaga into the microphone.

5. Scotch and green tea make an excellent mixed drink, and make it easier to enjoy number 4, and to fall victim to number 6.

6. Not waiting for the ATM to return your bank card after withdrawing cash at 4am and then not noticing for 2 days will result in being poor in a foreign country.

7. Before some of you freak out, number 6 is currently being resolved.

8. It is not as difficult as I thought it would be to find really good Mexican food in Suzhou.

9. Eel isn't so bad.

10. Clothing for little kids comes without a crotch, so they can do their business whenever, where ever. Or they just don't wear anything on their bottoms.

11. Getting my laundry done cost more than 2 round-trip express train tickets to Shangahi. And I washed my underwear myself.

12. Don't wash your underwear in the sink yourself. Nothing ever dries here. Ever.

13. I NEED TO LEARN MANDARIN.

14. Hearing Chinese tour guides talk in German is a bit mind-altering.

15. There is no more dangerous job in this world than Chinese crossing guard.

16. Getting a blister between your toes is as unpleasant as it sounds.

17. The average English tutor makes 8x as much as the average Chinese tutor. Every English speaker should move out here immediately.

18. Deep fried corn is wonderful for the first 15 minutes. Then not so much.

19. The concept of Face seems simple enough, but is far more complicated to navigate than I had anticipated.

20. Suzhou has 5 million people. They want to increase the population to 20 million in the next several years. I will be looooooooooong gone before then.

21. The most amazing place I've ever seen is the Chinese supermarket. Imagine Super Walmart, but with 100 million more people. And live turtles. Pictures to come when I pull my jaw off the floor and return on Friday.

22. Papa John's, McDonalds and Mr. Softee never tasted as good as they do in China. One can only eat but so much rice.

23. I can count in Chinese!

24. Diet coke tastes like regular coke, and regular coke tastes like Slurpee syrup.

25. I can't think of anymore because everytime I type I get a whiff of my crayfish hands, and I need to go wash them again for the 20th time this evening.

I am going to upload photos very shorts, and will post the link once I put them online. Will keep you updated.

And thank you for the comments/emails! Always a pleasure to wake up to :)

Miss and love you all!

RDG

Your Chinese for the day: Mafan nin fangxia canzhuo?

May I trouble you to pull down the tray table?