Things I CAN do in China

Well, about 24 hours in a different country where you don't speak the language is about enough time to figure out that you are really NOT good at a lot of things.  There are just so many things you CANNOT do.  After encountering several, oops...going to have to abort mission on that attempt type of scenarios I decided to try to reflect on what my strengths are here in Beijing.

Usually my strength is in meeting people and making friends.  That's got to be it...just make some nice friends, together we can do anything!  But...wait.  How do I usually make friends, well humor and words (I'm going to admit I talk a lot...for once) are usually my greatest allies.  Shoot.  Not speaking the language sort of takes those tools away.  O.k. scratch that.  There has to be something that I'm comfortable with here.  Yes!  There is!  I am living smack dab in the middle of a huge University and one thing I am very comfortable with is living and working on a University!

This brief thought came to me the other day while I was walking through campus and it did provide a little optimism to my day.  I mean, even looking around at these students here who all speak the language and know the food and can communicate with friends, parents, teachers with ease...they still probably are a little nervous about University life.  Not me.  Thinking about it (gulp) I've been on a University Campus since 1999!  Six different Universities and I have conquered each one, being able to find the right buildings, classrooms, etc...adjusting to their little nuances and rules...in fact I love living on the University.  Yes, this is certainly one of my strengths and something I can rely upon.

With this new found optimism I decided to try out the cafeteria.  Heck, a University cafeteria...this is something I've done a million times before...no problem right?  My room does not have a kitchen, there is a little fridge and a microwave in the hall...but really no place at all to prepare food.  So I'm envisioning a lot of meals, 'out'.  There is a cafeteria right outside my building...very close and if I can master the cafeteria...it might provide a great alternative for finding food!  One of my hall mates pointed out the building to me yesterday and noted to go up to the second floor, so with that as my guide I dove in for lunch.

One thing that is kind of interesting here is that most doorways in China have this plastic hanging down from them that you have to go through.  It reminds me of the plastic they put on doorways that are leading to construction areas in the U.S.  Anyways, that is a sidenote.  I go in and there is a place where tons of students have run up to...I see it is kind of like an ice cream or yogurt place.  But...no pictures...so no good for me...moving on.  I find my way upstairs and am met with a hoard of hungry University students (I feel like they 'drill' all day so they must be starving!).  My hall mate also told me the general rules, 1.  Get a tray.  2.  Decide what food you want, just go take it and put it on your tray.  3.  Go to the cashier and just put out 4 different types of bills and she will take what she needs.  So I grab my tray and am on my way.

Woah!  This was my first real experience with 'seeing' what the Chinese really eat.  Not much was recognizable to me.  No sweet and sour chicken or pork to be seen!  But lots of interesting things nonetheless...ohh there is the sections with all the buns...I NEED to try one of those.  O.k. so in China I swear they will put just about anything in a bun, and they can be Delicious (or disgusting...kind of like the Harry Potter jelly beans...half the fun is in the surprise).  So I go and I point to a triangular one and the lady provides it to me...yes!  Another successful communication (and by successful communication I mean I ended up with food...not that I knew what the food actually was :-)

Then I meander over and find something I am very familiar with...wontons!  I love wontons!  And here is a HUGE bowl of them.  More wontons than I've ever seen in a bowl for sure.  I wait, and watch a girl come up and take the whole bowl and place some sauce on them and go off on her way.  Then I watch another girl come up and take the whole bowl.  O.k. now I'm confident that you are supposed to take the whole bowl (seriously...this is a huge bowl!!!  We would never take that many in the U.S.).  I decide this is more than enough food and go off to pay.

I'm really not sure what the price is...there are 'sort of' prices listed on stuff but you don't really know what they are actually prices for unless you can read Chinese characters.  So I go up and giver her a 20 note RMB (a little over 3 dollars).  She then looks in my wallet...not sure if I needed more money?  I thought 20 should cover it.  Then she hands me back 14 RMB in change.  Really?  All that food for 6 RMB?  Keep in mind that's under $1.  Score!  Good to know.

I go off to find myself a seat.  Not as easy as planned.  This place is packed!  Also, the cafeteria is kind of interesting in that the seats don't slide in and out.  They are stationary and placed so close together you cannot go in between most tables...so it is like a little maze to find a route to an empty table (another potential math problem...how do you find the shortest path to your intended cafeteria table!).  I sit down and start eating...mmm....wontons!  I love wontons and these are delicious!  Score!!!  Take some of the bun...icky!!!  This is like a booger flavored Harry Potter every flavor beans.  It has a dark substance inside which is reminding me of blood, but it is black...maybe squid ink...(O.k. I know it probably isn't squid ink...but that is the only thing running through my head).  NASTY!!!!  No more triangle buns for me...good to know!

Anyways, I finish up eating...get my utensils back in the right place and make my way back to my room.  I consider this cafeteria experience another HUGE success!  Now I know of a good way to eat that is close.  I can actually see the food before I order it and that is a huge plus!  Yes, I can do this China thing...I really can.  (Said like that little train that goes, I think I can, I think I can).

That's all for now.  Off to find computer adaptors and bags.  Yes, my life is THAT interesting.

Zaijian,
Gary