Since we seem to consistently get the same questions about China (-5 creativity), I thought we might do a fun question and answer time to tell you all at once everything people ask us (also, if you ask me one of these questions I will assume you do not read our blog and we are therefore not that good of friends and will adjust our relationship accordingly).
Q. How do you like China?
A. That is such a hard question to answer. Like anywhere, it has it's good and bad days. Sometimes I love that I'm here and have a blast and just love everything. Other days I get a bout of Mao's revenge, almost get run over by a car, am stared at constantly and I wish I was back in the city where no one knows you or cares (that's New York in case you couldn't figure that out).
Q. What is the weirdest thing you've seen so far?
Oh man! I should probably get a go-to for this, but there are so many... was it the cart full of random goats we walked by, or the guy who went around the park offering to clean out your ears with crazy instruments or perhaps the naked old man getting ready to swim across a river right next to a middle aged man in boy shorts (like the girls underwear, not like shorts for boys) working out to Gangam Style? Each day really brings out it's own weird, but I love it.
Q. What is the weirdest thing you've eaten so far?
I still can't decide if it was the pig knuckles, the chicken feet or the donkey. Or perhaps it's the bright pink hot dog like things that they put in EVERYTHING here... I'm pretty sure it's not anything that was ever once living.
Q. How is the Orange Chicken?
I'll let you know if we ever find any... turns out it's an American dish :( We miss it a lot...
Q. What's the weather like?
Well everyone in town, besides Chad, seems to think it's pretty chilly already. I have had multiple people approach me because they do not think Chad wears enough clothes. Right now the weather is in the 35-55 degree F range... Pretty chilly right? (edit: Chad does in fact wear clothing appropriate for the weather - when it is 'chilly' he dons a jacket).
Q. How are your students?
Oh those sweet, sweet souls. Each class is very different. I have a favorite and least favorite class for sure. It's pretty funny to say something or try to explain something and just see blank faces staring at you and then looking at the Chinese teacher in the room for a translation. One of the funniest things for me is that I have a class that has about 40 students enrolled and when I start class I have about 18 students there... then during the break (classes are 45 minutes then a 10 minute break then another 45 minutes) more of them leave and the second half is only like 8 kids... it's crazy to me. Honestly, I could go on and on about classes and probably will in another post...but they're sweet, sweet souls.
Q. What is church like in China?
Well it depends... do you like getting dressed up and going and sitting in a chapel and other rooms for 3 hours? If you said you love it, then church here is not for you. BUT if you're constantly wishing for a chance to have church from your bed and only for max 2 hours a Sunday then you'd do great here. The way it works is that there is a conference line and you call in. If you have a Priesthood member around (some places have a few members and meet together) they do the sacrament in your place and then you just listen in. The 2nd hour rotates between Sunday School, RS and EQ. I love it and I don't know how I'll go back to normal church. 3 hours? Having to leave bed? Tiny humans running everywhere? Yikes.
Well it depends... do you like getting dressed up and going and sitting in a chapel and other rooms for 3 hours? If you said you love it, then church here is not for you. BUT if you're constantly wishing for a chance to have church from your bed and only for max 2 hours a Sunday then you'd do great here. The way it works is that there is a conference line and you call in. If you have a Priesthood member around (some places have a few members and meet together) they do the sacrament in your place and then you just listen in. The 2nd hour rotates between Sunday School, RS and EQ. I love it and I don't know how I'll go back to normal church. 3 hours? Having to leave bed? Tiny humans running everywhere? Yikes.
Q. What's the hardest thing about living there?
Probably the hardest thing is living in a country where you don't speak the language... you honestly have no idea what people are saying to you and sometimes charades just doesn't cut it.
Probably the hardest thing is living in a country where you don't speak the language... you honestly have no idea what people are saying to you and sometimes charades just doesn't cut it.
Q. What has been hard to adjust to?
The two hardest things to adjust to have been the lack of line (as in queue) norms that are so prevalent in the US. People warn you they don't do lines in China, but it really doesn't hit you until an old man is standing next to you (trying to get in front of you) while you're talking to a nurse at a hospital or you get shoved back from getting on a bus by a crowd of prepubescent teens struggling to push on first. Did I mention that we get on the bus at the first stop, like the bus is turned off while we board - no rush homies - yet people go bananas to get on first. The other is that littering ain't no thing here. For instance, we were waiting for a bus and this kid walked by and just dumped his trash on the ground in front of us and no one even cared (well except us...). That's a pretty routine occurrence.
The two hardest things to adjust to have been the lack of line (as in queue) norms that are so prevalent in the US. People warn you they don't do lines in China, but it really doesn't hit you until an old man is standing next to you (trying to get in front of you) while you're talking to a nurse at a hospital or you get shoved back from getting on a bus by a crowd of prepubescent teens struggling to push on first. Did I mention that we get on the bus at the first stop, like the bus is turned off while we board - no rush homies - yet people go bananas to get on first. The other is that littering ain't no thing here. For instance, we were waiting for a bus and this kid walked by and just dumped his trash on the ground in front of us and no one even cared (well except us...). That's a pretty routine occurrence.
Q. Where are you going to move to when you come back?
NO IDEA! If you would like us to live close to you, get a job at in admissions at one of the following law schools (not necessarily in that order) and accept Chad... and maybe get him a scholarship too...
Stanford
Harvard
Duke
Columbia
NYU
UCLA
USC
Loyola
Georgetown
ASU
University of Texas at Austin
BYU
If you accomplish this then we will be moving near you!
NO IDEA! If you would like us to live close to you, get a job at in admissions at one of the following law schools (not necessarily in that order) and accept Chad... and maybe get him a scholarship too...
Stanford
Harvard
Duke
Columbia
NYU
UCLA
USC
Loyola
Georgetown
ASU
University of Texas at Austin
BYU
If you accomplish this then we will be moving near you!
Q. Are you making friends there?
We have the oddest assortment of friends, ever. The friendships being somewhat an odd thing... for instance we buy noodles probably 5 times a week from this one guy. He doesn't know our names, we don't know his, but I play with his daughter while he cooks, so I consider us friends. We also have random Chinese people that like to talk to us on QQ (see the Facebook question) and random strangers in the street tell us they want to be friends. We also have students that talk to us on QQ allll day long.
We have the oddest assortment of friends, ever. The friendships being somewhat an odd thing... for instance we buy noodles probably 5 times a week from this one guy. He doesn't know our names, we don't know his, but I play with his daughter while he cooks, so I consider us friends. We also have random Chinese people that like to talk to us on QQ (see the Facebook question) and random strangers in the street tell us they want to be friends. We also have students that talk to us on QQ allll day long.
Q. What do you miss the most?
Depends on the day. Usually it's the variety of food.... man oh man I didn't know how good I had it! Even little old Logan, Utah has more variety of food than dear Weifang here. Sometimes I miss being able to easily communicate with almost everyone around me... that is a nice thing too.
Depends on the day. Usually it's the variety of food.... man oh man I didn't know how good I had it! Even little old Logan, Utah has more variety of food than dear Weifang here. Sometimes I miss being able to easily communicate with almost everyone around me... that is a nice thing too.
Q. What's your favorite thing about China?
My favorite thing is the people! (cliche) Everyone is so cute here... wellll except for in LeShan (still not over how much I hate that city!) most people are so excited to see foreigners and everyone is so nice to us... strangers will walk up and try to help us if we look lost or confused (or they are feeling bold) and people just seem so happy to see us. They are very warm and welcoming. It makes it very easy to be a foreigner here.
My favorite thing is the people! (cliche) Everyone is so cute here... wellll except for in LeShan (still not over how much I hate that city!) most people are so excited to see foreigners and everyone is so nice to us... strangers will walk up and try to help us if we look lost or confused (or they are feeling bold) and people just seem so happy to see us. They are very warm and welcoming. It makes it very easy to be a foreigner here.
Q. Is the food better than Panda Express?
Depends on the food... I have yet to find any dish here that gives PE's orange chicken a run for it's money... but the dishes here that you can get at Panda that we've tried are pretty good, we've had some really good kung pao chicken in our school cafeteria... every time I walk in I hope it's kung pao, but so far it's only been there once... the gross meatballs that gave food poisoning show up alll the freaking time though.
Depends on the food... I have yet to find any dish here that gives PE's orange chicken a run for it's money... but the dishes here that you can get at Panda that we've tried are pretty good, we've had some really good kung pao chicken in our school cafeteria... every time I walk in I hope it's kung pao, but so far it's only been there once... the gross meatballs that gave food poisoning show up alll the freaking time though.
Q. What do you eat on a normal day?
This is actually a pretty easy question. We have gotten into quite the habit here... in fact I can tell you what we eat in a normal week rather easily. Breakfast is always one of 3 things: oatmeal with fruit in it, eggs and toast or pancakes. We usually do the pancakes on Sunday because we only cook them in our wok so it's a one at a time kinda thing (aka it takes two hours). Then for lunch and dinner we always rotate through the following: whatever they serve in the teacher cafeteria, what we call Pho (which is really just a beef noodle soup), this little fast food place that sells chicken in every form (edit: we have been on hiatus from this place, as that is the leading culprit in an as yet unresolved food poisoning investigation being carried out by the authors), beef and rice, something we call sketti noodles (because it's kinda like spaghetti but not really there) and street food. I will also add that we frequent the local McDonald's maybe once every 10 days or so...don't judge us until you eat the same thing everyday and long for familiarity. It's just nice to forget where you are every once in a while, and that you walked past pigs feet fried in recycled poo oil on your way in.
Q. What is 'street food'?
Street food is always stir fried noodles. this fried bread with some seasoning on it and these AMAZING egg wraps... it's like this circular dough that's part croissant and part biscuit that she fries an egg on and then rolls up with lettuce some mystery yummy tasting sawdust thing and a TON of ketchup. Occasionally we get "burritos" on the street which are just thin tortilla like things full of egg, potato and some random vegetable and, when we can remember the Mandarin for chicken, a bit of chicken in it.
This is actually a pretty easy question. We have gotten into quite the habit here... in fact I can tell you what we eat in a normal week rather easily. Breakfast is always one of 3 things: oatmeal with fruit in it, eggs and toast or pancakes. We usually do the pancakes on Sunday because we only cook them in our wok so it's a one at a time kinda thing (aka it takes two hours). Then for lunch and dinner we always rotate through the following: whatever they serve in the teacher cafeteria, what we call Pho (which is really just a beef noodle soup), this little fast food place that sells chicken in every form (edit: we have been on hiatus from this place, as that is the leading culprit in an as yet unresolved food poisoning investigation being carried out by the authors), beef and rice, something we call sketti noodles (because it's kinda like spaghetti but not really there) and street food. I will also add that we frequent the local McDonald's maybe once every 10 days or so...don't judge us until you eat the same thing everyday and long for familiarity. It's just nice to forget where you are every once in a while, and that you walked past pigs feet fried in recycled poo oil on your way in.
Q. What is 'street food'?
Street food is always stir fried noodles. this fried bread with some seasoning on it and these AMAZING egg wraps... it's like this circular dough that's part croissant and part biscuit that she fries an egg on and then rolls up with lettuce some mystery yummy tasting sawdust thing and a TON of ketchup. Occasionally we get "burritos" on the street which are just thin tortilla like things full of egg, potato and some random vegetable and, when we can remember the Mandarin for chicken, a bit of chicken in it.
Q. What are you going to bring me back?
Well since only a few of you have asked for anything... nothing? Besides the random sweater and Foms (fake Toms) request, I'm not sure we'll be bringing much back... you know we are just poor teachers... but it doesn't hurt to put in a request. Or send me something that I want. That seems to help a lot (let me know if you need suggestions). (edit: when in doubt, she will always be pleased with candy made of chocolate and peanut butter. Or tampons. This is a pad country. As for me, what makes her happy makes me happy. Really, what I want you cannot give, and she is infinitely more likely to give if she is happy. So please, for me, help me make her happy. Send her chocolate and tampons. No judgement here. I realize this sounds bad but....just do it. Please.) (edit to the edit: She is not always a "raging, bleeding monster" (her words). In fact, most days she is quite pleasant. I added this of my own will and volition - CM)
Well since only a few of you have asked for anything... nothing? Besides the random sweater and Foms (fake Toms) request, I'm not sure we'll be bringing much back... you know we are just poor teachers... but it doesn't hurt to put in a request. Or send me something that I want. That seems to help a lot (let me know if you need suggestions). (edit: when in doubt, she will always be pleased with candy made of chocolate and peanut butter. Or tampons. This is a pad country. As for me, what makes her happy makes me happy. Really, what I want you cannot give, and she is infinitely more likely to give if she is happy. So please, for me, help me make her happy. Send her chocolate and tampons. No judgement here. I realize this sounds bad but....just do it. Please.) (edit to the edit: She is not always a "raging, bleeding monster" (her words). In fact, most days she is quite pleasant. I added this of my own will and volition - CM)
Q. Do you have the internet?
Haha this might seem like a silly one because if we don't how the heck am I updating this blog then?? But yes we do... in fact we also have wireless... AND data on our cell phones.... although it's not 3G (don't even think about 4G ahaha).
Haha this might seem like a silly one because if we don't how the heck am I updating this blog then?? But yes we do... in fact we also have wireless... AND data on our cell phones.... although it's not 3G (don't even think about 4G ahaha).
Q. Do you have Facebook in China?
Facebook is officially banned in China.So is Blogger, Twitter, YouTube and a whole host of other popular American website. (Instagram isn't though!!) However, we are very, very sneaky and have a VPN on one of our laptops so we can connect to America... Oh technology! Guess what isn't illegal in China though? Downloading... so the other laptop is just downloading away! Keeps us pretty busy.
Q. Can you still text?
I assume it will be dumb expensive for you to text us so don't bother. However there is a lovely little smart phone app called "Voxer" it sends walkie talkie voice messages and text messages through data, so you can use that to communicate with us if you'd like... we both have it and I like talking with people (especially those who love me, and I assume, by reading this far into our blog, that you do)! You can send pictures too!! I have also found out that if you text my old cell number (I was able to port it to Google voice) it comes to me in an email and I can respond through email. Yay technology. (see above video!)
I assume it will be dumb expensive for you to text us so don't bother. However there is a lovely little smart phone app called "Voxer" it sends walkie talkie voice messages and text messages through data, so you can use that to communicate with us if you'd like... we both have it and I like talking with people (especially those who love me, and I assume, by reading this far into our blog, that you do)! You can send pictures too!! I have also found out that if you text my old cell number (I was able to port it to Google voice) it comes to me in an email and I can respond through email. Yay technology. (see above video!)
Q. Have you met a lot of foreigners?
Not in Weifang. We have seen a few occasionally out and about... a few Indians and one other white couple, but for the most part it's just us and a couple million Chinese.
BYU?! Unacceptable! Also, everything on that list in unacceptable apart from Columbia or NYU. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteHaha Liz's comment. & I TOTALLY hear you on eating at McDonald's because of longing for familiarity. By the end of my mission I was eating there probably once a week, SOMETIMES MORE.
ReplyDeleteI vote BYU... then we can get together more. Or somewhere cool where Steve and I can come visit you guys again :) Sounds like quite an adventure!!!
ReplyDelete