For example: "5 million people are reported to have picked their noses in China just today!"
According to my calculations, 5 million people is approximately 0.4% of the entire population. Don't get me wrong, 5 million people... that's a lot of people. But yeah... it gets boring after a while.
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I wish I could post a picture of my Chinese friend's face when she discovered that my Mandarin accent had taken a "turn for the worse" and now has a Taiwan flavor to it. Her expression screamed: "OH NO! SAVE US! CHRIS' ACCENT SOUNDS LIKE THAT OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN TAIWAN!" He doesn't sound like a communist anymore! Laugh. Out. Loud.
Yeah, I laughed.
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Speaking of being reacquainted with old Chinese friends, statistically speaking, about 75% of my old Chinese friends who are girls have, upon seeing me, noted that I've "变帅了" literally "become handsome (with a possible emphasis on having changed from a previous state)".
Thanks.
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On the same note...
We Americans have the word "consumer" associated with our culture, with our society: "A consumer culture", it's said. Well, let me just say: as far as consumer culture goes, well, China is winning that race, in my opinion. Living in the city, it's hard to ignore the emphasis on fashion. I see more BMWs, Audis, and Mercedes Benz' daily than I have ever seen in Scottsdale, AZ. Advertisements plague the sides of buildings and sidewalks. Buy, buy, buy.
It's not that I didn't realize this the last time I was here, it's just more obvious this time around, I guess. I write that this is "on the same note" as the Chinese girls saying that I've become handsome because they are related, in my mind.
An overwhelming emphasis on that which the eyes are able to see.
An overwhelming lack of emphasis on the intangibles.
It's like eating only rice and thinking that's all there is to eating food.
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News about jobs the next time that I post...
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It's snowing.
hahaha i love this post. i'm glad you're doing alright.
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