Level 1: Astonishment. I was here for about the first 2 months in China. Everything was amazing! Wow, that old lady holding that tiny, bottomless baby who is urinating over a trashcan is amazing! That old man with his shirt up over his buddha belly and hocking a giant loogie is amazing! That girl wearing the 4-inch sequined blue high heels, leopard print mini-skirt and red and pink striped shirt is amazing! That strange smell is amazing! That dead, skinned dog hanging by a hook in that meat shop is amazing!
Level 2: Disgust. I was in this stage for about 1 month. Everything that was previously amazing is now repulsive.
I would go back and forth between the two until I arrived at the inevitable Level 3:
CHINA RAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The pinnacle of my China rage occurred two weeks ago in Walmart when I was trying to purchase some feminine products. I'm looking at my options when a salesgirl comes over and says something in Chinese. She starts pointing to all the different options and I assume describing the benefits of each. I say, "Bing tu dong" which means, "I don't understand." She leaves, but promptly returns with some more lady products and starts talking in Chinese again. Apparently, I look incapable of choosing panty liners. I quickly grab a box from the shelves and walk towards the counter. While I'm waiting in line, a group of about 4 sales girls gather around the checkout counter. They are staring at me. They are staring at the box of panty liners I've placed on the counter. I tell them, "Yes, ladies. American girls get their periods, too." We are having a stare-down when I finally explode. "WHAAAAAAAT?!" One of the girls says, "Your eyes, beautiful." I shut my eyes tight, look away, pay for my stuff and walk out.
This may seem harmless or almost flattering, but after 4 months of being stared at like some deformed human or extinct dinosaur, I'd just had it.
The cure for China Rage = Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a place where people say "excuse me" or "sorry."
Hong Kong is a place where people stay to the right of the sidewalk or escalator.
Hong Kong is a place where people dress nicely and nice clothes can be purchased. Operative definition of nice clothes-garments that do not have sequins, lace, pleather, bows or the words "Fashion" or "Style" embroidered on them.
Hong Kong is a place where one can buy pretzels and deodorant.
Hong Kong is a place where no one stares.
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| Laila and I on the ferry en route to HK |
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| Busses and bridges |
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| Visual ADD |
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| Heaven is an IPA from America |
I am borrowing that bridge picture from HK (with attribution, of course!). (I gave a talk on bridges a few weeks ago and this will make a nice addition.) Your photos are great!
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