The cons

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Because I have been homesick and genuinely sick again (I can't breathe out of my nose) I also made a list of things I don't like about China, because I'm grumpy. So here it is (in no particular order):

1) The staring. A teacher from a previous year once wrote in her blog that it felt like being a celebrity. Not so for me. It's more like being a Carnival Sideshow. And I don't need a barker to draw people in. On the plus side, if I trip or something I never have to wonder if anyone saw. I already know they did.

2) The pushing. Today I went to Walmart to find some medicine and comfort food. I was standing in the potato chip aisle and I noticed a man strolling right towards me with his cart. I was already standing as close to the wall o' chips as I could and there was no one else in the aisle, so I didn't move. And the jerk ran into me with his cart not once, but twice! I'm a person, dammit, not an obstacle to be shoved aside!

3) The traffic. Crossing the street here is like playing a live action game of Frogger. Even you if you have the little green man, that's not a guarantee that someone won't try to run you down. And no one looks before they start backing up, so walking around parked cars can be dangerous too. I was bumped by an parked SUV that backed up before looking. Yes, I'm fine. No, it didn't hurt. But it did startle me.

4) Getting on and off the metro train. You know when football players practice by running full force into those dummy things? Yeah, it's like that.

5) Thievery is rampant here. It's a pain to have to constantly keep a death grip on my belongings.

6) I missed my oldest friend's wedding. That really really sucked. Hard.

7) My first grandparent to pass away (love you g-pa!) and I missed his funeral. Also rough.

8) No mac 'n' cheese! I'd give my left nut for a box of Velveeta Shells and Cheese right about now.

9) And I'd give my right nut for anything--ANYTHING-- cooked by my mom (including said shells and cheese)

10) The culture of 'maybe'. No one wants to seem as though they require something of you, so they preface everything with 'maybe'. 'Maybe you will be at the flag raising ceremony every Monday', 'Maybe you will be at the gate at 2pm to go to the police station', 'Maybe this' and 'Maybe that'. While amusing at times, it would be nice to for someone to just say "Hey, be at the gate at 2". Also, I hear it so much that I'm starting to do it myself, and it pisses me off. 😊

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