A Good China Day
Among the expatriates here there's an expression that we toss around as the need arises, "Bad China Day." I'm sure that it isn't unique to Shenzhen, and there are probably versions of it for expatriates in other locations. While I am sure there are such things as "Bad Dubai Days," and most certainly "Bad Nigeria Days," I have a very hard time believing there are "Bad Prague Days" or "Bad Rome Days." Call me crazy.
A Bad China Day is one, obviously, in which you find yourself totally exasperated by some aspect of the culture here that is foreign to you. Something relatively small could trigger it, but then it of course snowballs into a something far worse. It has been a long time since I've had a bad China day brought on by something Chinese. My Bad China Days increasingly have to do more with dealing with expat culture here. I've never run well in exclusive circles, and I am really doing a bang-up job of not doing it here. Not having nanny makes me seem anti-social because I can't join the midday knitting class or book clubs. . People actually get salty with me because Myles isn't in school here, or that I don't have an ayi. "Why do you live there?" I sometimes get asked with horror. I also miss out on events that I might actually want to do because I don't live in the right neighborhoods to see the advertisements for them. And then how could I forget the Bad China Days caused by being not only the only foreign woman a dinner, but also the only one whos is both a wife and over 30.
However, yesterday was a Good China Day, which was a little surprising because I didn't journey more than a few kilometers from the house. My usual Good China Days have me and Myles in the Shenzhen subway, shuttling capably among all the cool urban stuff (bookstores, city parks, malls) in the center of the city. After lunch both of our Chinese teachers showed up for our lessons. Myles had his in his bedroom. In two hours he didn't once ask for me, which made a teeny bit sad, but he spent the rest of the day playing with the paper feiji he and Laoshi Li made. My lesson went really well. My teacher even commented that my pronounciations have really improved. She could tell I was working hard at it. Anyone who has ever had a Chinese teacher for any subject knows that they don't throw out compliments lightly. I was really surprised.
After that Myles and I treated ourselves to Starbucks in celebration. Okay, had the lessons gone poorly Starbucks would have still been on the schedule as a cheering up. At Starbucks we ran into my friend Hai Xia. While we were there, Myles said he thought I needed a massage, and we all agreed that was a fantastic idea. Off to the foot massage place! Sesame Street for Myles, and milk and flower footbaths for me and Hai Xia!
After that we met Randy at home and went out for dong bei (some might know it as Manchuria) food. On Saturday morning I was shopping with one of my friends from church and we happened to walk past a Shenzhen location of Dong Bei Ren. I knew this restaurant had a few locations in Shanghai, but I had no idea it was a national chain! Some of the small dong bei places near our house have closed up shop, so it was so great to learn that this was not terribly far from us. We ate jiao zi and just filled up on outstanding cold cucumber and eggplant dishes. The waitresses sang dong bei folk songs at our table. Myles got to go home with a balloon.
So important components to Good China Day: speaking Chinese well, happy Myles, Starbucks, good friends (not necessarily Chinese), cheap Chinese indulgence (foot massage or pedicure could have worked, too), delicious Chinese food, staying far away from those expats that could kill my buzz.
A Bad China Day is one, obviously, in which you find yourself totally exasperated by some aspect of the culture here that is foreign to you. Something relatively small could trigger it, but then it of course snowballs into a something far worse. It has been a long time since I've had a bad China day brought on by something Chinese. My Bad China Days increasingly have to do more with dealing with expat culture here. I've never run well in exclusive circles, and I am really doing a bang-up job of not doing it here. Not having nanny makes me seem anti-social because I can't join the midday knitting class or book clubs. . People actually get salty with me because Myles isn't in school here, or that I don't have an ayi. "Why do you live there?" I sometimes get asked with horror. I also miss out on events that I might actually want to do because I don't live in the right neighborhoods to see the advertisements for them. And then how could I forget the Bad China Days caused by being not only the only foreign woman a dinner, but also the only one whos is both a wife and over 30.
However, yesterday was a Good China Day, which was a little surprising because I didn't journey more than a few kilometers from the house. My usual Good China Days have me and Myles in the Shenzhen subway, shuttling capably among all the cool urban stuff (bookstores, city parks, malls) in the center of the city. After lunch both of our Chinese teachers showed up for our lessons. Myles had his in his bedroom. In two hours he didn't once ask for me, which made a teeny bit sad, but he spent the rest of the day playing with the paper feiji he and Laoshi Li made. My lesson went really well. My teacher even commented that my pronounciations have really improved. She could tell I was working hard at it. Anyone who has ever had a Chinese teacher for any subject knows that they don't throw out compliments lightly. I was really surprised.
After that Myles and I treated ourselves to Starbucks in celebration. Okay, had the lessons gone poorly Starbucks would have still been on the schedule as a cheering up. At Starbucks we ran into my friend Hai Xia. While we were there, Myles said he thought I needed a massage, and we all agreed that was a fantastic idea. Off to the foot massage place! Sesame Street for Myles, and milk and flower footbaths for me and Hai Xia!
After that we met Randy at home and went out for dong bei (some might know it as Manchuria) food. On Saturday morning I was shopping with one of my friends from church and we happened to walk past a Shenzhen location of Dong Bei Ren. I knew this restaurant had a few locations in Shanghai, but I had no idea it was a national chain! Some of the small dong bei places near our house have closed up shop, so it was so great to learn that this was not terribly far from us. We ate jiao zi and just filled up on outstanding cold cucumber and eggplant dishes. The waitresses sang dong bei folk songs at our table. Myles got to go home with a balloon.
So important components to Good China Day: speaking Chinese well, happy Myles, Starbucks, good friends (not necessarily Chinese), cheap Chinese indulgence (foot massage or pedicure could have worked, too), delicious Chinese food, staying far away from those expats that could kill my buzz.
Comments
But here's to good Chinese days. And maybe when you're here to visit the Steelers will have a Good Pittsburgh day!
Unless of course you are born in Ohio and now live in da 'burgh, and are trying to get anywhere on the North Side any given Sunday in the fall. That might qualify.