The Small Things

So -here are some small things about china that I have noticed that may easily get passed by in a newsletter/update/emails/slide shows. It's nothing too exciting - but small things I would like to remember.

-When we first arrived I noticed a LOT of people (well, mostly women) wearing face masks. I thought - wow - everyone is really really cautious about getting sick. Then I noticed they were stylish face masks - all sorts of colors and patterns. And I learned, they were face masks for the cold, but it probably doubles for germs as well.

- Most stores and restaurants have thick blankets hanging in the doorway to keep the cold out when the doors are kept open. It feels like you are going into a tent or fort everywhere you go.

- There is no cold water here - they serve it hot everywhere.

- Most kitchens have big sliding glass doors/walls separating them from the rest of the house.

- For some reason, my friends here have to go to the Post Office to refill their gas card. (Gas for their house - everything is prepaid here.) Not sure where the connection is between gas and mail.

- Chop stix and rice. Enough said.

- They do construction 24 hours a day - the off shifts sleep in make shift tents on the sidewalks.

- Eli's favorite thing about China right now is the kitties. Our friends have 2 kittens and when Eli woke from his nap today, he came out and said, "there are so many kitties in my bed with me!"

- The have these rooms - we would call them sun rooms - in every apartment. This is where they hang their laundry to dry. It is very cold in these rooms right now, but apparently they warm up a lot when it's nice out. The kids like to play in them - they again are separated from the rest of the house by a sliding glass door.

- There are a ton of taxi's here - but it can take up to 20 minutes to get one!

- They really do have 100 year old eggs in the stores here. Not sure if it's considered a delicacy when they are everywhere.

- There is only one type of cereal to buy here and it is in the chip aisle.

- The milk is so pasteurized it is not refrigerated in the stores.

- We can only buy real coffee at a local coffee shop where they bring it in from the Tibetian villages. Otherwise - it's all nescafe.

- Oh- my friend here says that everything you buy (clothes) here, the buttons will fall off... so I will be sure to redo the buttons on such purchases when I get home!

- Um - that's it for now. I'm sure I'll think of more little things later.....