Scott and I play billiards sometimes at night, simply because there is nothing else to do by where he lives. We are great freinds with the owners. Way of communication is body language, they speak no English, we cannot speak Chinese.
Last time I was there, they invited us over for beer. After, a boy a little taller than the billiards table invited us to play against him. We lost all 6 games we played against him. Yes, we both suck at billiards, but this boy is amazing at the game. He has a professional glove and everything! He also offered us his mother's cigarettes, and proceeded to light Scott's. Definitely something I do not see on a daily basis. We said our goodbyes around eleven when it was the boy's bedtime and he had to go home.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Personal Hygiene
Armpit Hair
It is not hard to notice a bush of hair sneaking out from under a short sleeve shirt or a very nice dress. I still cannot get used to it. Most people at least I come in contact with, do not shave, I am talking about women of course.
When I decided to shave my legs in the bathroom, there ended up being 4 girls watching wondering what I am doing and why. I have never had such an audience examining my shaved legs.
Using Deodorant
Yea, I do not think many people use deodorant, but they also do not sweat as much either. At first I thought that even their sweat did not smell, but I was proven wrong during a picnic and this sitting next to me was smelling a lot :)
Taking a Shower
Granted, shower here is different. My bathroom comes equipped with a sink, some holes meant to be used as toilets, and a shower-head right by the sink, there is really no shower designated space. Still, there is hot water, it's just awkward standing naked in the middle of the bathroom.
Sophie, a girl that lives with me showers, I think, but not very often, I rarely see her in the bathroom for this purpose. I cannot estimate how many times a week she showers, but it is less than ever other day.
Clothes
The female teachers here have a few outfits, like a shirt and pants, nothing fancy. They wear the same outfit may days in a row. The girls wear the same clothes sometimes a week in a row. They alternate between 2 or 3 outfits. The male teacher has been here for a two weeks now, and I have only seen him wearing one shirt for this whole time. Alice, my co-worker pointed out that I like to make myself look different everyday, meaning I wear something different each day which is not common at least where I am.
It is not hard to notice a bush of hair sneaking out from under a short sleeve shirt or a very nice dress. I still cannot get used to it. Most people at least I come in contact with, do not shave, I am talking about women of course.
When I decided to shave my legs in the bathroom, there ended up being 4 girls watching wondering what I am doing and why. I have never had such an audience examining my shaved legs.
Using Deodorant
Yea, I do not think many people use deodorant, but they also do not sweat as much either. At first I thought that even their sweat did not smell, but I was proven wrong during a picnic and this sitting next to me was smelling a lot :)
Taking a Shower
Granted, shower here is different. My bathroom comes equipped with a sink, some holes meant to be used as toilets, and a shower-head right by the sink, there is really no shower designated space. Still, there is hot water, it's just awkward standing naked in the middle of the bathroom.
Sophie, a girl that lives with me showers, I think, but not very often, I rarely see her in the bathroom for this purpose. I cannot estimate how many times a week she showers, but it is less than ever other day.
Clothes
The female teachers here have a few outfits, like a shirt and pants, nothing fancy. They wear the same outfit may days in a row. The girls wear the same clothes sometimes a week in a row. They alternate between 2 or 3 outfits. The male teacher has been here for a two weeks now, and I have only seen him wearing one shirt for this whole time. Alice, my co-worker pointed out that I like to make myself look different everyday, meaning I wear something different each day which is not common at least where I am.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Being Part of a College Admissions Council
It seems as though anything is possible in China for me to do or just end up in a situation I would never expect. All of these events can be explained in one phrase, "Let's do it, its China"
One day, my manager said that I will be going to a college for a day helping them with something. Truns out, I was a part of the admissions committee interviewing kids to let them into the college or not. They wanted to test the student's English ability before admitting them into college.
I can assure you I was the youngest person sitting at that table and the closest person in age to mine must have been at least 10 years older.
The kids were all very scared. We were sitting at this very long table and on the other side, the kids were standing and shyly answering questions from the examiners. One guy I thought was going to cry by the end of his interview.
The behavior of the kids were very different than that found in American interviews of any kind. Instead of portraying ability and independence, the kids were humble, very reserved and just said a few words for each question asked.
One day, my manager said that I will be going to a college for a day helping them with something. Truns out, I was a part of the admissions committee interviewing kids to let them into the college or not. They wanted to test the student's English ability before admitting them into college.
I can assure you I was the youngest person sitting at that table and the closest person in age to mine must have been at least 10 years older.
The kids were all very scared. We were sitting at this very long table and on the other side, the kids were standing and shyly answering questions from the examiners. One guy I thought was going to cry by the end of his interview.
The behavior of the kids were very different than that found in American interviews of any kind. Instead of portraying ability and independence, the kids were humble, very reserved and just said a few words for each question asked.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Can I Have the Egg Flavored One?
Ice Cream
I love ice cream. What has greatly enhanced my China experience is that ice cream is found everywhere here. There are fridges full of ice cream on a stick or ice cream cones in almost every store. They are also very good. Their flavors are much more creative than in the US as well. There is banana, mango, watermelon, pineapple, peach, apple, raisin, bean, corn, green bean and egg flavors to name a few.
Trust me, unfortunately, the egg flavored ice cream tastes exactly like raw egg..
Other Crazy Flavors
So not only ice cream comes with crazy flavors but other food as well. For example oreos have colorful fillings. Lays chips have flavors such as cucumber, kiwi, blueberry and hot&sour fish soup.
Drinks come with an enormous variety of flavors. Also, their flavors taste differently, orange tastes much different. Pineapple juice is 'fake' yellow and there are pieces of pineapple floating in the juice. There are also all these drinks that are part jelly that one is supposed to drink.
I love ice cream. What has greatly enhanced my China experience is that ice cream is found everywhere here. There are fridges full of ice cream on a stick or ice cream cones in almost every store. They are also very good. Their flavors are much more creative than in the US as well. There is banana, mango, watermelon, pineapple, peach, apple, raisin, bean, corn, green bean and egg flavors to name a few.
Trust me, unfortunately, the egg flavored ice cream tastes exactly like raw egg.. Other Crazy Flavors
So not only ice cream comes with crazy flavors but other food as well. For example oreos have colorful fillings. Lays chips have flavors such as cucumber, kiwi, blueberry and hot&sour fish soup.
Drinks come with an enormous variety of flavors. Also, their flavors taste differently, orange tastes much different. Pineapple juice is 'fake' yellow and there are pieces of pineapple floating in the juice. There are also all these drinks that are part jelly that one is supposed to drink.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Never Ask What You Are Eating
food in Beijing is amazing!
You Fancy Now
There are the restaurants with fancy lighting and very nice interior. If you really are cool and have a larger group, you get a private room with a table and air-conditioning. A lot of the places I've been to have this glass you can rotate at the middle of the table.
As mentioned before, when you order, the dish is meant to be shared by all so the portions are huge and the rotating table comes in handy. People usually order juice or pop. This comes in a large bottle that gets poured into people's glasses as needed. Tea is also very common to be had with a meal. Sometimes they serve hot water to drink.
The food is prepared so it not only tastes great but looks awesome as well. I have eaten sweet and sour fish which was very delicious. It was a whole fish diced up into little squares but still attached to the skeleton and the fish head, tail were all there of course. Same with duck, it was a whole duck diced up into pieces, bones and all. Keep in mind that all food is eaten with chopsticks even soup and meat, so the meat has to be cut up. Prices are about 25 yuan to 60 and up.
Local Specialty
There are also plenty of local restaurans you can go to. Those places have a couple flies flying around and the menu is usually all in chinese symbols, so when I order, i just have to take a gamble and have a suprise meal. The food is not as fancy but very delicious. The dish prices range from 5 yuan, something very small that you should order more than one to 30.
Craving a Big Mac?
Another type is the fast food chinese style, chinese food that takes minutes to prepare and is open 24hrs a day, not as good but still much better than anything you could get in the USA. prices range from 1yuan to 30.
We also have McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut. They are not very common but can be seen from time to time. Their interior is very nice and the food options are somewhat the same but modified flavors. Like ice cream in McDonalds is not only vanilla but 3 other flavors. Same with the little pies for desert, not only apple but other fruit, some I have never heard of.
Eating off the Streets, but Exactly What are You Eating?
One last type of food is streeet food. people set up a little griddle on a cart at a corner or side of the street and sell food. They cook it right there as you watch. It is very good and extremely cheap. There is meat on a stick. just be ready that the meat could be anything and you would not know it. I've seen liver, ear, chicken neck, heart, chicken feet, octopus, pigeon and rest i could not identify. You could also get fried tofu, dumplings, fried dough, pancakes that are composed of dough, egg and you can request meat along with lettuce, known in our group as the "chinese taco".
Look to the right in the picture, a typical stand with food
In restaurants, sometimes it is not a good idea to inquire what you are eating either. I have had a local specialty donkey meat in a sandwich. It was very good. Also, never look in the kitchen! Even in the fancy restaurants, it's dirty or very dirty.
Mythical Chinese Food
1. Fortune cookies are NOT chinese. I have not seen one fortune cookie the whole time i was here.
2. Kung Pao Chicken tases very different from Panda Express
3. There is no such thing as fried rice. They can make it for you if you specify what exactly this phrase entails.
4. Egg rolls are not really eaten here.
You Fancy Now
There are the restaurants with fancy lighting and very nice interior. If you really are cool and have a larger group, you get a private room with a table and air-conditioning. A lot of the places I've been to have this glass you can rotate at the middle of the table.
As mentioned before, when you order, the dish is meant to be shared by all so the portions are huge and the rotating table comes in handy. People usually order juice or pop. This comes in a large bottle that gets poured into people's glasses as needed. Tea is also very common to be had with a meal. Sometimes they serve hot water to drink.
The food is prepared so it not only tastes great but looks awesome as well. I have eaten sweet and sour fish which was very delicious. It was a whole fish diced up into little squares but still attached to the skeleton and the fish head, tail were all there of course. Same with duck, it was a whole duck diced up into pieces, bones and all. Keep in mind that all food is eaten with chopsticks even soup and meat, so the meat has to be cut up. Prices are about 25 yuan to 60 and up. |
| Those eggs are are obviously not from a chicken but taste good |
There are also plenty of local restaurans you can go to. Those places have a couple flies flying around and the menu is usually all in chinese symbols, so when I order, i just have to take a gamble and have a suprise meal. The food is not as fancy but very delicious. The dish prices range from 5 yuan, something very small that you should order more than one to 30.
Craving a Big Mac?
Another type is the fast food chinese style, chinese food that takes minutes to prepare and is open 24hrs a day, not as good but still much better than anything you could get in the USA. prices range from 1yuan to 30.
 |
| KFC delivers! on a bike, just like Pizza Hut |
We also have McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Pizza Hut. They are not very common but can be seen from time to time. Their interior is very nice and the food options are somewhat the same but modified flavors. Like ice cream in McDonalds is not only vanilla but 3 other flavors. Same with the little pies for desert, not only apple but other fruit, some I have never heard of. |
| Different type of meat on stick, I'm sorry its a little blurry |
Eating off the Streets, but Exactly What are You Eating?
One last type of food is streeet food. people set up a little griddle on a cart at a corner or side of the street and sell food. They cook it right there as you watch. It is very good and extremely cheap. There is meat on a stick. just be ready that the meat could be anything and you would not know it. I've seen liver, ear, chicken neck, heart, chicken feet, octopus, pigeon and rest i could not identify. You could also get fried tofu, dumplings, fried dough, pancakes that are composed of dough, egg and you can request meat along with lettuce, known in our group as the "chinese taco".
In restaurants, sometimes it is not a good idea to inquire what you are eating either. I have had a local specialty donkey meat in a sandwich. It was very good. Also, never look in the kitchen! Even in the fancy restaurants, it's dirty or very dirty.
Mythical Chinese Food
1. Fortune cookies are NOT chinese. I have not seen one fortune cookie the whole time i was here.
2. Kung Pao Chicken tases very different from Panda Express
3. There is no such thing as fried rice. They can make it for you if you specify what exactly this phrase entails.
4. Egg rolls are not really eaten here.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Bieber Fever
Why Bieber ?!?!
Justin Bieber is a world wide hit here. Not only is he popular with young girls, but people of all ages love Beiber. When I was at the Olympc Stadium, i heard the song "Baby" playing. I thought it was very funny. Soon it became from funny to scary. My co-workers love Bieber and they are between the ages of 24 and 30. The kids love Bieber, both guys and girls. Another hit is Lady Gaga. If I mention to someone that I am from America, they automatically ask if I like Lady Gaga.I promised my co-workers that I would actually translate the underlying meaning of the songs they are singing.
I have to admit, that sadly I already did karaoke to both.
Justin Bieber is a world wide hit here. Not only is he popular with young girls, but people of all ages love Beiber. When I was at the Olympc Stadium, i heard the song "Baby" playing. I thought it was very funny. Soon it became from funny to scary. My co-workers love Bieber and they are between the ages of 24 and 30. The kids love Bieber, both guys and girls. Another hit is Lady Gaga. If I mention to someone that I am from America, they automatically ask if I like Lady Gaga.I promised my co-workers that I would actually translate the underlying meaning of the songs they are singing.
I have to admit, that sadly I already did karaoke to both.
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