LOVE/HATE

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A very incomplete list:

NEW LOVES:
1. ~Street Food~
My favorite part of the day now just may be lunchtime, when we take the bus to East China Normal University campus in enough time to partake in the wonders of cheap, cheap, cheap & greasy Chinese food that's sold on the street. I'll have to admit that my first day I was a little timid and stuck with what I know, chao mian (stir-fried noodles) for 3 kuai (If 8 kuai is a dollar, that's less than 50 cents). Yesterday I went with the recommendations & had a Chinese-version of a burrito?, which was basically a crepe with egg and some greens and something brown that is supposedly bean curd sauce, for 2 kuai. It was incredible! Today I had a most interesting lunch of a fried radish, or at least I think it was a radish, it was some kind of vegetable, and a whole peeled pineapple. Makes me laugh just thinking about it...

2. ~Xiangyang Fake Markets~
Yesterday Kelly went with me after class to the fake markets, where there is basically a sea of vendors selling all kinds of amazing fakes, including bags, sunglasses, North Face/Burberry/Prada coats, sweaters, shoes, etc etc etc. I went mainly because I have been freezing here, and within 20 minutes I had bargained for a fake polo sweater (the woman told me it was a "cashmina" haha) and a North Face fleece thing, all for less than $20. And it was only my first try at bargaining, I'm sure I can do better next time. I might have to go back this weekend. And before I leave, I will definitely be taking requests...

3. ~Four-day weeks (of class), 3-day weekends~
I can get used to this.

NEW HATES:
1. ~Getting off of the public bus (or subway or probably any kind of public transportation for that matter)~
After my second shocking and infuriating experience of getting off the bus at my stop today, I have learned that when it comes to exiting public transportation, it is war. It's not a game, and I'm realizing that I am going to have to mentally prepare myself from now on at least a stop in advance. It's well known here that Chinese people DO NOT wait in line, and while we take it for granted that you let people off before getting on yourself (which even makes sense from a selfish perspective, that there will be more room for more people after), that is not how it goes here. From my experience so far, every time the doors open, it is chaos, with people scrambling to get on (literally, clawing at you, and I swear my friend Kelly practically got trampeled) while we have to fight to get off through the crowd. It's fucking crazy. Sheesh.

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