It's amazing how different this place can seem when you're not here for a language program. At HBA, between the readings, discussion topics, touristy weekend excursions, and zhongwen zhuozi, China was as much our full-time job as the place we were living. Whether by the deliberate effort of the program or by our own choosing, it was as if the goal of our stay was to maximize culture shock: eat this authentic food, shop at that sketchy market, try to experience Beijing the way the average Beijinger does. There was pressure to experiment, explore, and push yourself to avoid the comforts of home. Total immersion.
Now that immersion is not my focus, I don't feel an ounce of regret when I stop at Starbucks on the way to work or think twice about my decision to shop at an expat grocery store and buy almost exclusively products I could find at home. I'm no longer studying this place. I live here and I will conduct myself as such.
Case in point, yesterday for lunch, the whole office went out for a buffalo chicken and pulled pork sandwich special at a nearby pub. I was ready to go wherever the more experienced guys decided, but more than a little surprised when no one even considered getting Chinese food. Today, we had Indian buffet. Same thing, not a single mention of Chinese. Tomorrow I'm sure we'll have Mediterranean or burgers or pizza or whatever else normal people at a normal American office would have. Of course, life here still retains its undeniably Chinese flavor -- yesterday's chicken was about as tender as the service, which is to say not very -- but it's becoming increasingly apparent to me that for the average expat, that flavor is little more than a sour aftertaste.
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oh, hmm... then I guess, when in China, do as the Americans do! haha. I'm sure you'll eventually get your summer fill of Chinese cuisine.
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