This is China.

Walking along the canal the other day...

I have seen more vomit here than I wish for any person to see in their lifetime (actually, I can think of one person) and I was a bartender. I once picked up a pint glass of vomit at the end of the night. I appreciate that you didn’t spew all over the floor, but you should have taken that glass to the trash can sir.

Why is everyone always getting sick here? I have no clue. I always thought the Chinese were so healthy, and I still do, but it’s interesting to hear (and see) them throwing up so much. Maybe I wouldn’t have to witness this so much if I didn’t take the bus everyday. I can’t help it; I have a love hate relationship with the bus. I don’t think many of my foreign friends take the bus, but it’s so cheap! How can I not? My father taught me well, frugality is next to godliness. Like I said. Love/Hate. I love how cheap and reliable it is. I hate how crowded it can be (strangers touching me and lack of personal space is my biggest pet peeve) and how often I see someone throwing up. I won’t go into much more detail because this is a gross topic and I don’t enjoy thinking about it either. Let’s just say it happens on average twice a week. Sometimes they are prepared with a bag, sometimes they are not. If they do have a bag then there is no need to get off the bus. Those that don’t have a bag usually get off at the next stop most likely due to embarrassment. Needless to say, I constantly feel dirty in China. People puking on buses, spitting in the street, picking their noses with no shame, shooting snot rockets…. It’s just a war zone of germs here!!

The worlds cutest Starbucks. West Lake.

The Chinese are not huge coffee drinkers. This we know. When I moved here I decided to take part in the green tea lifestyle. You hear about all the amazing health benefits and what not. Plus the women here don’t age. I assume its all the tea they drink, so I gave up coffee. It went really well for the first six or seven months, then my mom came to visit (she ruins everything!). When my parents were here we found ourselves at Starbucks more times than I had been since I moved here. Granted, sometimes it was just to escape the heat or have a rest, but it somehow crept its way back into my life. I think I’ve gotten a soy latte almost every day since they left. I’ve decided I’m not going to feel guilty about it. It’s my treat to myself for living in China! Here’s the difference between a Starbucks in China and one in the US. Starbucks, or any coffee shop for that matter, is going to be packed between the hours of 7:30am and 10:00am. This is a scientific fact (trust me, I worked at Starbucks for over two years). It is completely the opposite here. Starbucks is a ghost town in the morning, and packed in the evenings! I love it, because I don’t necessarily want to see a lot of people before I’ve enjoyed my coffee. From noon to close though, the baristas are nonstop blending Green Tea Frappucinos.

Matching couples and sun umbrellas. This is China.

Speaking of Starbucks (they should really think of endorsing me) I saw this couple on my way in the other day. Chinese couples love wearing matching outfits. It’s hilarious. I do not know a single American guy that would wear a matching outfit with his girlfriend. I mean you see older couples wearing similar styles (there’s a photo of my parents in Spain wearing the same navy jacket they got at a convention, white t-shirt, and khaki pants, darling) but here it’s quite deliberate. I see on average two to four matching couples a day. Sometimes it’s just an identical shirt (most often) but there are exceptions of the entire outfit. I saw a couple wearing matching neon tracksuit and Nikes. It’s hilarious. I don’t know the direct answer as to why. I’m not sure if it’s something they do during the honeymoon phase, when they first become boyfriend and girlfriend, or something they just like to do no matter the stage of their relationship. Either way, it’s funny to see. 

Bo (aka Kitler) is my summer obsession. My roommate and I are babysitting her all summer, but between you and me, I do all the care-taking! I have to sweep my room pretty much everyday because we are both shedding so much in this summer heat. She is very cuddly and very active between the hours of 5am and 7am.