China Stories 2

After naming a lot of things I'm looking forward to in the States in my previous post it is probably appropriate to make a list of the top five things I'm going to miss about China (in no particular order except the first one).

1. People
 I've met a lot of people during my time here and will have to say goodbye to many good friends, both Chinese and fellow expats.  I think this is always the most difficult part of moving.  After living many places (including several continents), now it is impossible to be in the same place as everyone I love.

2. Cheap fresh fruits and vegetables of a large variety
 This is particularly because I live in southern China, which is sub-tropical.  I can literally eat the papaya off the tree next door, which is of course picked exactly when it is ripe not early and then shipped around the world.  Right now I live in a papaya, mango, passion fruit, banana, dragon fruit, mangosteen, lichee, melon, pineapple, and jack fruit paradise.   Pretty soon mango season will be upon us and you literally have to watch out for mangoes falling from the trees.  There are also so many different kinds of vegetables that I don't even know the English names of half of them.

3. The challenge of living in a foreign language environment 
Of course this can be frustrating at times but there is a certain triumphant feeling you get each time you overcome a new situation in that language.  It's fun and rewarding to be able to prevail over obstacles in a foreign language, whether it be arguing successfully that yes your shipment did already arrive at the train station and you know this because somebody phoned you about it or finally being able to understand that old 'auntie' who speaks with an incredibly strong country accent.

4. Cheap and efficient rail networks
 Ok so this is one area that the US is majorly behind in.  Our rail system is so outdated that it's embarrassing.  Why can't I travel across my country on high speed rail?

5. Real Chinese food
Seriously, American Chinese food is not Chinese food (just like the "Western" food here is really... well, um... not Western food.  Even if you go to P.F. Chang's instead of ordering Chinese take-out you're still eating Westernized Chinese food.  For example, the "Western" food here has been known to be things like a pizza with a sweet pastry-like crust and without any of the Italian seasonings, a Hawaiian pizza that comes with pine nuts and raisins but no pineapple, "Caesar" salad without garlic, mayonnaise and salad cream on EVERYTHING, mayonnaise trying to pose as salad cream, cakes with cherry tomatoes and peas on top that are filled with beans, the strangest ice cream flavors ever (such as corn), or a chocolate glazed doughnut filled with tuna.  In the same way, the Chinese food you think is Chinese food is not actually Chinese food.