With this in mind, I thought I'd try and give my own list of what I've experienced living in a city in China.
Let me be clear and preface this with: These are my own experiences and I am not generalizing them to the culture or country as a whole. It may be that I've only seen/experienced an isolated occurrence, so please don't get on my case saying things like, "But I went to that same city and I didn't have any of those happen to me!" or, "You're taking things out of context and RUINING NATIONS." or, "I really wish you would tell me the recipe for your chocolate chip cookies, they're just so delightful!" We might have been to the same place, but this is my life. Also, I'll die before I tell you the recipe, Barbara. Trying to steal my spotlight at the county fair each year, you harpy.
Let's begin:
1. Traffic
Holy Hannah Montana the traffic! People had told me that the traffic was a little ridiculous, but I really didn't know what they meant. I think the only rule that applies is that there are no rules. If you want to change lanes, you swerve into the other lane. You may do this if you're a small e-bike or a 2-ton bus; it really doesn't matter. Pedestrians walking into the middle of a crowded intersection? No problem; just walk a little quicker grandma. (The sad thing is that I've gotten used to this and if a taxi isn't cutting people off, I think it's going too slow).
2. Sqautter Toilets
The actual preferred method of excreting your bowels is by squatting. To do so, there's usually a toilet like structure planted into the ground where you just do your business. I'm still not good and and probably won't ever be good at mastering this skill. I'm alright with that. Also, there's usually no toilet paper in the stalls.
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| That's a squatter in case you didn't know. |
3. Grocery Shopping
Grocery shopping is much more frequent here than it is in the states. People don't usually buy things to stock up for a week or two, but usually opt just for what they need to make the meals for the next day or so. After the meal is made and everyone has eaten, a lot of the time the excess is thrown out.
4. Credit & Cash
Most stores in my city don't accept credit cards. The preferred method of payment is debit or plain old cash. Thinking back, I usually never carried much actual cash in the states whereas now that's really all I deal with.
5. Pay As You Go Plans
As far as I know, monthly subscriptions to most things don't exist. Your phone bill you pay for until the credit runs out, your gas until the gas is out, the internet until you use all your data, and your bus card until you've taken so many trips. Depending on how much you use something, this can be beneficial (seeing as how my phone bill comes to about 30$ in the past six months).
6. Eating Out
Having a dinner party at one's home is mostly unheard of here. Usually, the home is reserved for immediate family. If one has a guest they'd like to treat to a meal, they always take them out to a restaurant.
7. Eating Out Part II
Eating dinner at a restaurant can mean a very long meal. It's rude to just leave mid-meal without the host suggesting that the dinner is over, so sometimes you gotta get comfy.
8. Transportion
Everyone takes public transportation. It's a lot more convenient and reliable than most American cities--also cheaper. Having a car in the city is more a sign of wealth and status than it is the only mode of transportation.
9. Long Pinky Nail (or other fingers)
Exactly what it sounds like. I still do not know what the utility of it is. Is it for aesthetics? Protection? Opening cans of soda?
10. Chinese Food is Spicy (and Other Things)
Really, I just didn't know it was that spicy. Generally, there are also more bones in a meat dish and lots of fish are served with the face still attached. Congealed blood? I didn't know that was a dish. Restaurants serve a lot more of the animal than US restaurants do.
11. No Tipping
Really, no tipping. Never ever. You just don't. (I've been told that it's offensive, but I don't have enough solid facts to say that's the sole reason, though it could be).
12. Portion Size
I guess I should have expected this, but gone are the days of a really large order. Drinks are about the size of an American small (if that even exists anymore) and dinner is usually served on a small plate where you can dish up your own portions. What I would kill for an Iceberg milkshake...
13. Fruit on Pizza.
NO.
There you have it as that's what I can think of right now. Like I said before, this is just my experience and it's to try and give you a little better look at my current life. Who doesn't want to step into my shoes? They really don't smell that bad. Do you know whose shoes smell bad? My neighbor who puts his shoes outside his door into the hallway in my apartment building. The entire hall just ruined by rancid feet smell. One of these days I'm going to throw them out the window, but I'm also afraid to touch them because they smell so bad.
...So in comparison, my feet really aren't that bad.
4. Credit & Cash
Most stores in my city don't accept credit cards. The preferred method of payment is debit or plain old cash. Thinking back, I usually never carried much actual cash in the states whereas now that's really all I deal with.
5. Pay As You Go Plans
As far as I know, monthly subscriptions to most things don't exist. Your phone bill you pay for until the credit runs out, your gas until the gas is out, the internet until you use all your data, and your bus card until you've taken so many trips. Depending on how much you use something, this can be beneficial (seeing as how my phone bill comes to about 30$ in the past six months).
6. Eating Out
Having a dinner party at one's home is mostly unheard of here. Usually, the home is reserved for immediate family. If one has a guest they'd like to treat to a meal, they always take them out to a restaurant.
7. Eating Out Part II
Eating dinner at a restaurant can mean a very long meal. It's rude to just leave mid-meal without the host suggesting that the dinner is over, so sometimes you gotta get comfy.
8. Transportion
Everyone takes public transportation. It's a lot more convenient and reliable than most American cities--also cheaper. Having a car in the city is more a sign of wealth and status than it is the only mode of transportation.
9. Long Pinky Nail (or other fingers)
Exactly what it sounds like. I still do not know what the utility of it is. Is it for aesthetics? Protection? Opening cans of soda?
10. Chinese Food is Spicy (and Other Things)
Really, I just didn't know it was that spicy. Generally, there are also more bones in a meat dish and lots of fish are served with the face still attached. Congealed blood? I didn't know that was a dish. Restaurants serve a lot more of the animal than US restaurants do.
11. No Tipping
Really, no tipping. Never ever. You just don't. (I've been told that it's offensive, but I don't have enough solid facts to say that's the sole reason, though it could be).
12. Portion Size
I guess I should have expected this, but gone are the days of a really large order. Drinks are about the size of an American small (if that even exists anymore) and dinner is usually served on a small plate where you can dish up your own portions. What I would kill for an Iceberg milkshake...
13. Fruit on Pizza.
NO.
There you have it as that's what I can think of right now. Like I said before, this is just my experience and it's to try and give you a little better look at my current life. Who doesn't want to step into my shoes? They really don't smell that bad. Do you know whose shoes smell bad? My neighbor who puts his shoes outside his door into the hallway in my apartment building. The entire hall just ruined by rancid feet smell. One of these days I'm going to throw them out the window, but I'm also afraid to touch them because they smell so bad.
...So in comparison, my feet really aren't that bad.
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