Things I Miss About China, and Things I Love About the US

Reverse culture shock... it is a real thing. Honestly, I think it was harder adjusting back to the States than it was jumping into China. Or maybe that is just because I got some super mysterious disease for the first few days while I was back, and just spent a lot of time feeling miserable. Anyway, I loved my trip to China. I am definitely going back, no doubt about it, and I just wanted to share a few things that I  have really missed these past few weeks.

1) Melon on a stick. This sounds silly, but honestly I loved being able to walk up to a vendor on any street corner and just getting a giant piece of muskmelon, or picking up a handful of grapes or lychee. Grab and go street food is so much better than the US's fast food, and I don't think I've ever had melon that tasted as good as the ones I ate basically every day while in Beijing. And this also extends to all of the other fantastic food and drink I had while in China. I already miss the beef noodles and milk tea.

2) Having people just come up to you on the street and start talking to you. The staring got really annoying, but I've had some of the most interesting conversations of my life in this way. And really, is there any better way to brush up on your Chinese skills?

3) Stumbling across ancient history. Here, a building is old if it has been around for 50 years. We regularly saw thousands of years of history all in one day at China. Few things give you more perspective than seeing complex structures and delicate works of art made around the time my ancestors were still busy killing each other in tribal warfare.

4) Not really knowing what is going on. I never thought that this would be a plus for me. I am normally described as being very Type-A, and regularly have at least 2 calendars and 4 to-do lists going on at once. But in China, things happen. You get lost, stuck in traffic, you can't read signs, your teacher changes the schedule daily, people are late or just don't show up, or suddenly there are 20 Girl Scouts in your office and you have no idea what to do. And eventually, you just have to be okay with that, or you will drive yourself crazy. I'm trying to apply this to life back in college, but talk to me next week when classes start up, and we'll see how it's going.

5) Feeling like I'm on an adventure, all of the time. Even something as simple as running errands can be perceived as an adventure in China. You never really know who you will run into, what new thing you will stumble upon, or what people around you are talking about. It is fantastic!

6) Chinglish! I love keeping my eyes peeled for really bad translations. There have been some pretty hilarious ones. Also, watch out for unintentionally funny t-shirts; the obvious knock-offs of American brands, random college shirts, kids wear shirts advertising things that should not be on kids' shirts... and the list goes on and on.

7) The smells. Now, they weren't always pleasant, but they were always there. Maybe it is because I am so used to the US's scent, but I don't really smell anything while I'm here. And that first time walking into the MSP airport, it was absolutely shocking that the smell had just totally disappeared.

8) Pedestrian bridges above busy streets. Why doesn't Madison have these over University? It would make getting to class so much easier.

9) Old people just sitting out and about. We tend to shut our elderly up in homes and facilities far from where the rest of us live. I miss seeing the groups of old ladies dancing in parks, or the old men smoking like pipes, yelling, and playing cards together, I miss watching the grandmother carry around obviously spoiled and well-loved little children, and I miss watching the elderly sitting on the street corner watching as all of us rush on by.

10) Trains. Oh my god, why don't we have high speed trains yet? I have now decided that I refuse to live in a city that doesn't have a subway system. They are so much better than buses or cars.

But... to be honest, since coming back to the US, I've found a few other things that I really missed.

1) Tacos and spaghetti. I did not realize just how often I eat these two things, and how hard they are to make when you only have access to Asian ingredients. In reality, I love the ability to eat a different kind of food for every meal. Peanut butter toast for breakfast, African for lunch, and maybe some rice and beans for dinner. We have a whole world of culinary flavors at our fingertips, and yes, most of them aren't terribly authentic, but they are all different and tasty.

2) Water straight from the tap. Water fountains (or bubblers for some of you) are some of the greatest things ever invented. After walking a few miles in a one hundred degree city, I just want to be able to take a cool sip of water from a fountain. Instead, I have to find a corner store and hope they don't charge me an arm and a leg for a bottle of water.

3) Having accurate directions. I am so thankful that BIOFarm loaned me a smart phone while I was in China, because having the Google Maps app was invaluable. However, Google does struggle a lot in Shanghai, so often I would end up in interesting places... just not where I originally wanted to go.

4) Not having to take a college entrance exam. The ACTs or SATs are absolutely nothing like the Gao Kao, and don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise. That single score not only determines where you can study, but also what you can study. I've met several Chinese students who were forced to study some weird language or subject they were not interested in, simply because they did not do well on that test. While we were in Kunming, Chinese students were taking the exam. Every time we walked past the school where students were taking the exam more and more mothers were gathered outside the gate, waiting and praying for their children's future. If you think finals are stressful, think again.

5) Having soft mattresses and furniture. There are few things better than sinking into a big squishy chair and relaxing for a while, or relaxing upon a nice soft bed with big fluffy pillows. The Chinese don't seem to be very into this, and so I spent two and a half months basically sleeping without a mattress. After a while you get used to it, but my bed in Madison is infinitely more comfortable.

6) Being able to pick up a book, magazine, or newspaper and reading it. Being illiterate is hard. I spent a lot of my free time reading books on my computer, simply because there weren't many other resources to turn to.

7) Having basically unrestricted access to the internet. Honestly, it kind of freaks me out how much you can't do on the internet while in China. Yes, a good portion of people have access to a VPN and can get around it, but really... is it necessary?

8) No umbrellas! Except for when it is raining... I really hate umbrellas. I hate that people walk more slowly when they are carrying umbrellas, I hate that they constantly twist and turn their umbrellas so that I nearly lose an eye, and I hate trying to dodge a sea of umbrellas as I walk into or out of a door.

9) Bread. Have you eaten bread today? I love bread. I love all kinds of bread... except for steamed bread, which, to me, mostly tastes like a lump of dough. I eat bread almost every single day, and I vow to savor every single slice... from the best artisan sourdough down to the lowly off-brand white Wonder bread. They are all amazing.

10) Oh... and I guess I missed being able to talk and hang out with all of my friends and family.