美国做名单

 

For those of you who don’t know, I am currently in America where I’ll be vacationing for three weeks (it’s my winter break right now!) And I plan to enjoy each and every moment of my time here. Plus, I’m going to try my hardest to appreciate all the things that are available to me in America that I can’t get so easily in China. In fact, before I left, Rachel made a list of things for me to do while I’m home. I’d like to share it with you so that, one: I can update you on which ones I’ve completed and, two: you can get an idea of the things we can’t get here in China. And while some of them are a little exaggerated, I still think it’s a great list to try to accomplish while I’m home. Here goes:

To do: America

By: Rachel J.

1. Go to Dunkin Donuts, order a Mocha Coconut Iced Coffee with extra cream and extra sugar (Rachel used to work at the DD, which is why this is number 1 on the list – she tells me I won’t be the same once I’ve tried it).
2. For the first hour you are home, lay horizontal on every soft surface you come across. Appreciate how soft these surfaces are.
3. Test the water quality of each faucet in your house (you may use a cup, but it’s not necessary)
4. Find two different channels on TV playing the same show/movie. Flip between them for no real reason.
5. Drive, even when you can walk.
6. Go to a supermarket, go to a chip section, and buy at least six kinds of snacks that you can’t find in China. Eat them and enjoy.
7. Run around outside barefoot, because you won’t get tetanus (avoid rusty nails – they will still give you tetanus)... also, consider getting tetanus shot before coming back to China.
8. Take a picture of the sky every day while you’re home. Photoshop all of them into a collage and print them out to hang on your windows in your apartment in Hangzhou so that every day is pretty.
9. Stand outside and inhale deeply – do not fear immediate lung cancer (do not inhale near a smoker who is smoking, or you should still fear lung cancer).
10. Pee while sitting down. Everywhere. (Unless you’re peeing on the ground – then hover).
11. Go to a store; buy something; know that they will have a size that fits you.
12. Go to the meat section of a grocery store. Appreciate that nothing is staring at you (or is still alive). Go to fish section; appreciate that there is no fish section.
13. Eat lobster.
14. Go see a movie in a theater.
15. Watch Jurassic Park 1, 2 & 3. Stay out of the tall grass.
16. Go find the longest line available (at Wal-Mart, the check-out line, whatever) and stand in it. Watch as everyone else simply stands in it. Feel amazed.
17. Bask in the fact that perfect strangers will hold doors open, say please and thank you, wait appropriately to board elevators, and, in general, be more pleasant.
18. Everyone understands you! (But be careful, because everyone understands you)
19. Order Chinese food. I suggest shrimp and lobster sauce – do not be alarmed by the texture (it has big peeled shrimp in it – dump sauce over rice with no shame).
20. Talk about whatever things/topics/politics/etc. you want freely, loudly and in public places. Do not fear retribution or punishment.

As you can see, the above is quite an impressive (and random) list. But, I’ll be trying my hardest to accomplish everything on it (and maybe take pictures, too). If you have any questions about any of the above tasks (and what they imply about China), please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send me an e-mail. I look forward to it!

Until then, Zai Jian!