To describe where I am, I'm in an internet cafe that's build into the support of an elevated highway. I don't know why they decided to turn the support pillar into a store, but they did. All around me are Chinese guys playing World of Warcraft, so it's kind of like being back in my dorm room with Wes (no offense Wes).
However, that only serves to describe my immediate surroundings. Much like the unposted picture, they represent a view of China that makes it seem a lot more like home than it really is. That's not to say it's completely different, but I suppose half the purpose of this blog (and the more meaningful purpose) is for me to go into depth into what I find the same and different. The other half is for me to point out the things I find entertaining for you to either laugh at or feel that I need to get a better sense of humor.
To warn you all right now, my posts are going to be long. I have so many things to say, both meaningful and not, that I'm sure I could keep writing long after my hour right now has run out. But I'll try to keep it as much to the point as I can both so that you all don't get bored and so that I don't fail the blog part of this study abroad by never actually talking about what I'm supposed to.
I suppose my first impression of China would be that it is very similar to America. Getting into the Beijing airport, the first thing that greeted us after customs were a Starbucks and a KFC (pictures hopefully coming later). On our bus ride to Nankai University, the highways seemed like those in America, and the signs even had English right next to the Chinese. The biggest difference was the number of times our bus driver honked the horn despite the fact that the trip took place from 11 pm to 1 am.
Hello, welcome to Beijing.
This leads to one of the differences I've noticed, the amount of honking that goes on. I'd read that that happens a lot in China, but I never really thought about why. Driving around, it's become clear that it serves a totally different function than it does in America. Back home, people honk only when they're pissed off or when an accident is imminent. Here, it's more of an advisement. Rather than "Hey, you're gonna hit me!" it's "I'm about to pass you, just so you know." And here it's necessary, what with the driving habits.
Frankly, I'm surprised we haven't seen an accident yet. The rules of the road are there are no rules other than don't hit anybody and don't get hit. And you can obey the red lights if you feel like it. People weave in and out and change lanes at a whim, giving no indication other than the occasional (or frequent) honk. I've only seen a turn signal be used once.
On the other hand, some things seem considerably similar, although they have their own foreign flavor. The dining hall where we eat has a familiar feel. You get your tray and chopsticks (well, the chopsticks aren't really the same), you wait in line to get your food, sometimes waiting a while when they run out of what you want, you pay with your meal card, then you go to sit at a table with your friends. That being said, the food is entirely different than the Diner (and a ton cheaper). I think the most I've paid for a meal is the equivalent of $2 (take that the Diner). The food here is actual Chinese food, unlike that fake Chinese food at the Diner. That and I don't order so much by saying the name of the food I want as much as I just point at it.
Oh, and so that you know, my posts might weave in and out and not really go in chronological order. There's so many things to say that I can't think of them all to say when I go to write. For example, I'm probably gonna right about the actual flight in another post even though I've already written about a lot of stuff that took place after it. And then once I get my pictures working there'll be the fun post about all the crazy things I found and took pictures of. Anyway, I suppose I've already written way way more than you're going to want to sit down and read at once, so I'll stop here. I hope all of you at home are doing well, and I'll see you in what is still gonna be at least a month.
1 comment:
Oh wow! So beautifully written! So well organized! Brett is truly the DaVinci of bloggers of our age! The way he captures every minute (with an 'oot) detail! If such a blog were to be given a grade for a class (hypothetically, of course), I think this one should be given high marks all around! If there were a letter that came before 'A', that's what he should get - with an exponential next to it instead of a mere +. No need to read any further, for it can clearly be assumed that each installment from here on out will be a true masterpiece!
((Was that good enough, Brett? I'd like my 50 bucks in yen please.))
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