Extreme China

Sometimes being a foreigner in China is hard and frustrating. Chinese people always say "well, you are just not used to the culture, this happens to everyone in China, we also treat other Chinese people this way." Which is true. All the things that happen to foreigners can happen to Chinese, sometimes Chinese also get stared at, they certainly get asked personal questions, are invited to eat dinner, made to negotiate prices (even the university I am at negotiates the prices and classes and promptly and then changes what they said), and receive compliments. Chinese shop keepers, also at times, will try to get Chinese people to the highest prices.

What Chinese people fail to understand is that as a foreigner these things happen to you more, 24 hours per day 7 days a week. This is Extreme China, all of the great things and not so great things happen to you. You are the most interesting thing on the street so everyone stares at you, often pointing and calling you a " foreigner (Wai guo ren)." Unless a half man half dog walks by, they will stare at you for a while. If it does, they will look at the half man half dog for a moment, then look back at you.

The other day, I went shopping with Henry and Jasmine. Henry is a white American married to Jasmine, a very pregnant Hunan native who loves to meander through the open air markets searching for watermelon. Jasmine and I are doing a culinary cultural exchange. Just as Chinese food in America, in general, is not really Chinese food, Western food in China is not Western food. I am going to teach her about my pasta mimi (pasta secret, which I got from Lydia's family table, a great show if anyone is interested) and she has taught me to cook gong pao chicken and Chinese sliced potatoes (steamed fish is next week, an exciting dish.)

As we walked through the market, Henry explains the essence of Extreme China, "If I go through once, 75 % of people stare at me, but if I have to go back, then 99% stare at me." Which may be worse for Henry, because he has a pregnant Chinese wife, very precious in a country that has many more men than women. What is worse that worse is Henry's wife is pregnant, the world knows he has good aim.