A few quick random thoughts on the positives and negatives of being in China:

On Shopping and Buying Dongxi:

Like the rest of the world, I’m in love with dirt cheap Chinese products. A dollar for a DVD, 30 cents for a beer, 15 cents for a lamb kebab - all the ingredients for budget entertainment China style. Chock full of dangerous chemicals and flammable/exploding goodness — but ya gotta love it all the same.

As much as I love those cheap Chinese products, I HATE shopping for ‘em. I hate bargaining down from a way high price, I hate the target-the-white-guy-he-has-cash aggressive sales pitching, and I hate the noisy overcrowded markets. C’est la vie, wo suppose…

On Taxi-cabbin’

I got instant access to a 3 kilometer radius for the low low price of 8 RMB (i.e. a buck). Cabs are everywhere, all the time, and with the exception of a scattered rainy day they’re very easy to flag down. Drivers on occasion provide kick-ass conversations, and will dish the dirt that no ones else dares to speak of. And most importantly, taxis aren’t buses. What’s not to like?

What’s not to like? Here’s what. The honk-if-you’re-horny drivers who, despite the fact that traffic is at a standstill, feel the need to lean on their horns and remind everyone in front of them who can’t go anywhere that there are others behind them who also can’t go anywhere. Oh, and I hate those fuckers who try to pull the roll.

On the People

I want to say that I’ve made tons and tons of really close Chinese friends in my time here, but if I did, I’d be lying. But as it happened, the closest friends I’ve made so far have been other foreigners. Weird and interesting foreigners who all have some crazy, fascinating story of how they ended up in China. I hate to say it, but that trumps the locals.

But realistically, I didn’t hang with many locals when I studied Chinese. Weird huh? But since I started working at my new job last year, I’ve met a ton of way cool Chinese people. Maybe it’s all about the circles you hang in?

Oh. P.S. Man-purse toting Chinese Money-men? Hate ‘em.

On Learning the Language

If you’re gonna study any language on this planet, statistically, studying Chinese will allow you to meet to the greatest amount of people. Sure there are a few dialects, but you’ll manage, right? Realistically, speaking Chinese makes life in China easier and gives you an independence that most laowai cannot enjoy.

Mandarin Chinese is generally acknowledged among linguists to be a damn stubborn bitch of a language. Few can master it, and I damn well know I’ve struggled with it. So if you’ve done well with it, pat yourself on the back and buy yourself a beer on me.

On China

I’ll be staying in China for another 6 months to a year, but I’m exploring job opportununties in Japan (and elsewhere) so I’ll be ready when I’m done. But then again, I’ve said I was leaving before. Hell, I even left before and came back.

China is like a really cheap, slutty ex-girlfriend with crabs. You know without all the make-up she’s way ugly underneath, and you know she’s way dirty and you shouldn’t go near her…

…but all the same, you can’t help but be somewhat attracted.

If you have a similar love/hate relationship with China too, consider writing up post for the Love China / Hate China Group Writing Project over at Lost Laowai.

Cheers to Ryan for putting together another neato project.

Popularity: 7% [?]