Ok, so I've been wanting to do this for awhile. I think sometimes I just assume that you all know what it's like over here, but since most of you don't, I'm going to make a random list of things I've noticed or random things I've experienced. I want you to know, I'm being completely biased, and I know that not ALL Chinese people are like this, but oh well.
Chinese people don't know how to stand in a line. The only time they stand in a line is when they need to buy something, and even then I have had people try to get in front of me, and tell me (at least I think they did) that they should be allowed to cut in front of me because they were only buying one thing (I'm 99% sure they would have just cut if I wasn't paying attention). I've also had an experience where I ordered my food first but two people behind me got theirs first. I'm not sure what happened there.
Because China is so crowded, Chinese people have this sense of urgency that they have to get places as fast as possible. This means that people push and shove to get into buses and subway cars. It doesn't matter if it is empty or full, or if there are a lot of people waiting to get in. Someone was trying to push me one time when we were the only two people waiting to get into a car that had more than enough empty seats for the two of us.
When the crosswalk sign is red, it means you shouldn't cross because you will probably die.
When the crosswalk sign is green, it means you have a slightly better chance of surviving than if it was red, but you probably still shouldn't cross the street because you will get hit by a car.You also need to watch out because motor bikes and some cars go through red lights.
(From something Dan saw one time). The shoulder on a highway is not for people whose cars are broken down or who get pulled over by cops, it's for people who want to go the wrong way on the highway without getting off and getting back on.
In America, cars usually honk their horn when someone else is in their way or about to get in their way. In China, people usually honk their horns when they are about to do something stupid. They honk their horns because they're about to switch lanes when there is absolutely no room to switch, or, like today, because they're speeding through a red light (that did not just turn red) while I'm crossing the street and want to make sure I don't walk in front of them.
One of the things that I still haven't gotten used to and probably never will is the spitting. Spitting outside is whatever, after seeing it multiple times a day (and seeing it all over the sidewalk) it doesn't bother me as much; it's the spitting in doors and the fact that it's completely acceptable is what is disturbing. And the hacking right before the spitting (which everyone does) makes me want to throw up.
I can't remember what else there is, and I really do like it here, a lot. I don't want it to sound like I'm complaining and I hope it was somewhat amusing. I could take time to write about all the awesome things about China, but I'm not sure how interesting that would be. If you want me to, just say so.
Last time I came back from China I remember I had to take some time to readjust, and I was only gone for 6 weeks...I wonder what it will be like this time.
I'm still looking for a job, but I have a promising interview sometime this week. Dan's classes start up tomorrow (boo!). I have lots of videos from Spring Festival. I'm glad it's mostly over, it was a crazy time. Chinese people definitely know how to celebrate. The festival, in my opinion, is Christmas mixed with the 4th of July, except they sell fireworks on the street and anyone can buy them, so you don't have to go anywhere to watch fireworks. Right around the new year, we could see fireworks going off everywhere, and I mean everywhere. It was one of my best experiences ever!
One of my students had to go to the hospital for burning his hand really bad while setting off fireworks.
Grad school update: Dan got accepted to UC Irvine! Since it's CA, we don't know the money situation with it and what they will give us, so we're not sure if it's one of our choices, but I'm really happy he got in.
