Tell It Like It Is

Many people are familiar with the supposedly Asian concept of "saving face". The way this plays out is quite interesting. For example, if I ask someone for directions and they don't know where the place that I am asking about is...they may give me random directions rather than just say that they don't know to "save face". It is interesting to note that what differs cross-culturally is not so much the concept itself (we are just as familiar with saving face in America), but rather, what constitutes something that would cause one to lose face.

One way this is noticeable is in the bluntness with which some subjects are addressed in China. In America, we don't talk about someone's weight, the giant zit on their face, etc. In China, it is simply making an observation to say something like, "Oh, you look very tired" "You were fatter in this photo" or "drink more tea for your skin"...or a personal favorite, "Your eyes look like a vampire". It takes some adjusting to not take things personally, and I am amazed when I watch a friend call another friend fat and they won't get horribly offended and burst into tears. I have had a friend's father tell me I was more beautiful than his daughter...right in front of her. I have watched another friend's mother call her fat. And I have seen multiple instances of people publicly comparing people. It definitely takes adjusting to, and it's rather heartbreaking to see that most girls here don't see how beautiful they really are (and the girls here are, in my opinion, gorgeous!). Although at times it's annoying, and wrong, some of the honesty does become sort of endearing...

A Taste of China?

If you have never experienced Chinese cuisine in China...you are missing out! And yes, Chinese food here is very different from what you find in most Chinese restaurants in the U.S....most of the food served there is more similiar to food found in the south of China (also, you don't see fortune cookies here...shocking, I know). In fact, China has a lot of diverse flavors to sample from!

One of my favorite types of food to be found in my area is Mongolian food. Hearty and delicious...Mongolians eat a lot of carbs, dairy products, and mutton.

Pictured above is my favorite thing ever: Mongolian milk tea. It's really more like a soup than tea, because it is salty and thick. It is made by boiling black tea leaves, then adding milk, and, depending on your tastes, butter, oil, or salt. No, it is not very healthy...but it is amazing!

My friend allowed me to taste a new food at dinner last week....Suan Nai Mian (literally translates: sour milk noodles). Yep. You add some fermented milk to hot water with some green onion and salt to make a noodle broth. The noodles absorb some of the yeasty taste of the fermented milk...it's an interesting flavor. But delicious. And reminds me of the time that I drank several shots of fermented horse milk in a yurt (Mongolian house) in the grasslands....fun for the tastebuds, not for the stomach. :-)

(Does it look appetizing? Maybe not...but it was!)

Public Appearances

One of the amusing (and oftentimes awkward) novelties of being a foreigner in less-developed areas of China is the wide variety of appearances one may be asked to make for the media.

On my day off, my roommate and I went to try out a new coffee shop that opened near our apartment....while we were there, the owner came up and explained that they were having some sort of exhibition that evening, and that it would help him out if we could come since the media would be there (and thus, it would make his business look good to have foreigners there).

Upon arrival, we were escorted to seats at the front of the shop, and shown a slideshow with a local artist's photographs (they were excellent, I must say), and then interviewed by the local news about our perceptions of the photographs and the culture they were representing, as well as our experience in China.

And of course, it ended with the request, "Say something in Chinese to the camera!"...I think I did pretty well considering I can't usually come up with anything to say in English on the spur-of-the-moment.

While I usually try to avoid media appearances (unless they will somehow help me to meet Jay Chou)...I did my part for local business. Although I am having to reconsider my commitment to marrying an Asian pop star....I feel incredibly awkward in front of cameras...especially considering they never stop snapping away (hence the photos above, sent to me by one of the people we met that evening). Ah, the life of a foreigner.

Lifestyle Affected

I realized that since I have moved to China, I have gotten extremely lazy about the following things:

• Showering. Yes, I know...gross. I pretty much shower when my hair is greasy (in the winter...in the summertime I am still a regular showerer). But in winter, low water pressure=having to be in the shower for a while=having my clothes off for longer=cold. The hot water is not really so hot here.


• Shaving my legs. See above. I still shave them in the summer though....so haven't gone totally native.


• Doing laundry. Most of my friends re-wear outfits (economical). They may not have many clothes...I have adopted this habit as well.


• Doing my makeup. I ride my bike most places, hence the wind will mess up any hairdo or makeup job that I undertake. Wow, I am really starting to sound like a wreck, huh? I do wear mascara some days so that I don't look dead.


• Writing. I used to find a good deal of pleasure in intellectual writing as a hobby....now I find myself just wanting to turn my brain off at the end of a day.


• Going to the store. Yep...going to the store here is just exhausting. I'm not sure why....the stares....the not having a car to throw things into at the end of a trip? I prefer stopping into a small, local shop to grab most things....but unfortunately it is sometimes necessary to venture into the HEB of China....which is chaotic.

On the other hand, there are some things I have improved at:

• Carrying reusable grocery bags (they charge you for plastic bags here)
• Exercising. Part of this is just because I find I need more energy to function here, and part of it is that my lifestyle naturally incorporates more exercise (I ride my bicycle almost everywhere)
• Knowing where I am...still not great at directions...but I've gotten a little better
• Taking care of my skin. The dry air here mandates better attention to skin care
• Being comfortable singing in front of strangers. Thank you KTV.
• Drinking more green tea (it is good for you, and really tasty here!)
• Eating protein (hoorah for tofu!)

Things that I SHOULD have improved at by now...but haven't:

• Being comfortable in front of cameras
• Ignoring being stared at (I still get uncomfortable)

For those of you who have lived overseas, how did you notice that your lifestyle was affected?

The Joys of Karaoke

So...there is not a lot to do in the city where I live...but, the nice thing about China, is that an abundance of karaoke places are to be found. Unlike in the U.S., karaoke here (called KTV) is not done in a bar setting in front of strangers...instead, a group of friends will rent a private karaoke room to belt their hearts out.

When I first visited China a few years ago, I was a little shy about singing. One way that I have changed since coming to China, is that I am no longer shy about singing (although my voice is still not very powerful). Honestly, who doesn't have a secret pop diva fantasy? Well, in China you can live that out any time you want. :-)

English Corner

Many foreigners in China are asked to do English Corners. These are usually just gatherings where people (usually university students or young professionals) can practice English. Myself and a classmate lead one, and I have to say, I really enjoy the opportunity to meet Chinese students, and *gasp* to speak English. I spend most of the week attempting to speak Mandarin, so it is honestly nice to have easier communication for one evening a week. Also, it ends up being helpful with Mandarin because we try to practice a bit as well (I usually learn some things trying to explain English phrases).





Also, some of my closest friends here I have made through English Corner...we have some really interesting discussions...these have included:

-family

-politics (although, as a foreigner, I usually just listen to their opinions and don't contribute many of my own)

-spirituality

-societal pressures of China

-dreams, goals, and what brings people here hope

-random get-to-know-you questions

-dating, sex, and love

-ebonics/slang

-the environment

-movies, music, and pop culture

...and really anything and everything in between!



What about you? If you have experience interacting with international students, what are some topics you've found interesting to discuss?

The Story of 狗不理

I recently had the opportunity to travel to Tianjin, a city that is a 30 minute fast train ride from Beijing. Tianjin is famous for its snacks, and a specialty dish called 狗不理 (Gou Bu Li) dumplings.

We also were excited to get to try it at the most famous GouBuLi restaurant in Tianjin (hence, our friend explained, we had eaten at the best GouBuLi restaurant in the world).

The restaurant gave us a brochure with the story of GouBuLi, so here it is:

Goubuli first appeared in 1858, when a farmer in the countryside of Tianjin's son was born when he was forty. He named the baby Gouzi (Baby Dog) for the sake of safety. Gouzi went to Tianjin to study his skill when he was fourteen. He was an apprentice in a steamed food shop. His skill was great and he improved very quickly because he was hard-working.

He didn't desire to become employed by others, so he began to run a stall of Baozi (steamed stuffed bun). He invented watery filling and half-leaven dough. This kind of baozi was attracting, soft, and fragrant. It looked like a chrysanthemum. Its special color, fragrance, taste, and shape was attracting many people to eat it. His business was very good. He was so busy that he had no time to talk with people. The people said: "Gouzi isn't talking when he is selling his baozi." This situation lasted for a long time, so the people started to call him "Gou Buli". (By "buli" it meant paying no attention to the people). Some soldiers eventually brought Goubuli baozi to the Empress Dowager. She was very happy after eating it and said "Goubuli is more delicious than the wild beast in the forest, the fowl in the sky, beef and lamb in the field, and sea food in the water. People will live long if they eat Goubuli baozi often."

From that, Goubuli became a famous brand in China.

(The other food was delicious too, like these tofu wraps!)