I have a confession. This post has actually already been posted previously (on the 14th of August to be exact). Shock horror. But it’s my first proper China post so please pretend I never told you and just continue reading, pretending that it’s fresh new material. Much appreciated.
Here it goes.
The enormity of the move to China hadn’t really hit me. I’d already moved to Sydney and had my crazy life adventure. Another move was good fun but not really anything out of the ordinary.
Then I ticked the ‘leaving Australia permanently’ box. Then I had to attempt to translate everything on menus with the help of my iPhone (almost ordered snail and bullfrog – pictures are deceiving). Then I took forever to cross the roads because traffic never seems to stop. Then I got lost. Then I heard the spitting and saw the old men playing mahjong. Then I saw the gambling on the streets. Then I saw people carrying umbrellas, not to protect them from the rain but from the sun. Then I saw a man riding a pink scooter with a Hello Kitty sticker and leopard print seat. Then I got lost again. Then I found super cheap books sold from a wooden cart on the street. Then I saw that my food had more oil than sauce. Then I had to tiptoe my way through a whole load of construction men who all decided to sleep on the concrete pathway during their break. Then I saw all the amusing menu items and street names. Then I got given a different menu to the locals that was more than double the price. Then I got distressed when I realised I only had two pairs of shoes to choose from – sneakers or heeled boots (both in black leather, naturally). Then I met the Ah Yi that comes to clean our house every Saturday. Then I looked up at the sky in the day and it was white-grey instead of blue with fluffy marshmellow clouds. Then I looked up at the sky at night and it was a red tinge.Then I got lost a little more. Then I got crushed in the subway like ice in a margarita. Then I went into a tiny restaurant and was greeted by a multitude of waiters. Then I realised that scooters in China truly believe that they are pedestrians, but sometimes cars, depending on what suits them. Then I went to Carrefour with grand plans and got so confused I ended up buying a pack of garbage bags. Then I saw that there was food at every turn, at every hour of the day. Then I got delivery – 3 burgers, 2 fries, 2 drinks and it cost less than $8. Finally, I had an interview with one of the top international PR/Marketing companies – and it was all in Chinese.
And that’s when it hit me. I really am in China.
It was then when I came to the realisation that I really did just create a little world of my own with my 22 degree air conditioning, air purifier and super large (albeit really hard) bed. I would stroll around the neighbourhood for lunch, then go straight home. Taxi when places are a little too far in the weird polluted heat (I still find the $2 flagfalls a little hard to resist). Then get accompanied for dinner. Spending all the time in between on Facebook, reading blogs, reading books, taking naps, taking more naps, watching movies, watching series, downloading more movies, etc etc etc. I finally got my long-awaited Gossip Girl fix. Planned massages over the weekend, a Western breakfast. Yes – definitely been a tough ride since I got here…
But things will change a little starting from now.
So how is China you ask? I really do mean it when I say that it’s good. Talk about serious culture shock, reality shock, and every other shock that comes along with living in this country. But it’s good fun, there’s plenty of places to go to and best of all…there is food EVERYWHERE. That makes me pleased. Really interesting and rather eye-opening. Lots of things to be learnt, lots of new things to see. It’s a good thing that I always seem to be up for an adventure.
FUN TIMES TO BE HAD.
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