1. Baby butt cracks are a phenomenon.
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| When you see it. |
This was the first time I had ever seen it, but apparently it's every in China and has been happening for decades.
Babies walk around with splits in their pants, which allow their diaper to spill out, or better yet, sometimes you just get a clear view of their bum.
Apparently the reason for this is because it's easier for toddler's to go to the bathroom.
And when I say 'go to the bathroom' usually that means they do it on the side of the street.
The best example I saw was of a woman allowing her child to do a poo on the side of the street, but after a while she decided it was better for him to do it in the rubbish bin so she held her child bum out over the bin. I think since the child was taking too long, she eventually took a food container out of the bin and put it on the floor and just held her baby bum facing the container.
We had to leave before I found out the end of that story.
2. It's hot in the morning and then it drops 10°C at night.
The temperature change is immediate. You'll be sweaty hot in the morning, and once the sun sets you'll be freezing.
3. Children can be vicious.
I was sitting next to this man making candy art in the Ancient town, when suddenly this young 5 year old girl and her mother came up to the stall.
Mum: "How much is it for one?"
Man (looking down, making art): "10 kuai."
Girl (shouting): 5 kuai, Mai bu Mai!
(translates to sell or don't sell? but tone more suited to 'take it or leave it!')
Man doesn't respond. Mum stands back and says nothing.
Girl (shouting louder): 5 kuai, Mai bu Mai!!
Man still doesn't respond.
Man (refusing to make eye contact with girl): "bu mai."
Girl(angry): It's not worth it! 5 kuai!
Mum finally intervenes and tells her child to stop, then hands the man 10 kuai.
There are a lot of kids here with really bad attitudes, and even though I know that happens in every country, somehow it seems more prevalent here in public.
4. Bus drivers always let people on.
People say that Tokyo trains during peak hour are the worst.
But even that memory cannot compare to the experience I had on one of the buses in Wuxi.
It was 4:30pm, right when hoards of people were going back to the city from one of the major tourist attractions. There was no line, only swarms of people trying to push into the small opening into the bus. But it wasn't even a swarm, it was a sea. You couldn't move, you were touching at least 5 people any one time, and if you jumped you would've been suspended and caught, flowing with crowd.
It wasn't any better on the bus. I was squished right up against the driver, I could not stand vertically, and if I moved my limbs I would've touched some people parts I never ever want to touch. It was so full, my friend was sandwiched in the bus door when the driver opened it.
5. Use English to get away with things.
You get student discounts when you show your student card (50% off usually) at tourist attractions. I accidentally left my card at home though, and they were very adamant in seeing everyone's student card so at first they only issued student tickets for my friends. I didn't give up however.. I used my driver's license and tried to show them I was 21 (wouldn't have proved I was a student) but eventually she relented and gave me the cheaper ticket too. I don't think she understood the word "Provisional" on my licence. Actually to be honest, I think they only need photo ID, as I had to show them my ID again at the gate to get in.
Mum: "How much is it for one?"
Man (looking down, making art): "10 kuai."
Girl (shouting): 5 kuai, Mai bu Mai!
(translates to sell or don't sell? but tone more suited to 'take it or leave it!')
Man doesn't respond. Mum stands back and says nothing.
Girl (shouting louder): 5 kuai, Mai bu Mai!!
Man still doesn't respond.
Man (refusing to make eye contact with girl): "bu mai."
Girl(angry): It's not worth it! 5 kuai!
Mum finally intervenes and tells her child to stop, then hands the man 10 kuai.
There are a lot of kids here with really bad attitudes, and even though I know that happens in every country, somehow it seems more prevalent here in public.
4. Bus drivers always let people on.
 |
| My friend on the bus (photo taken by another friend). It definitely wasn't funny at the time but I can't stop laughing now! |
People say that Tokyo trains during peak hour are the worst.
But even that memory cannot compare to the experience I had on one of the buses in Wuxi.
It was 4:30pm, right when hoards of people were going back to the city from one of the major tourist attractions. There was no line, only swarms of people trying to push into the small opening into the bus. But it wasn't even a swarm, it was a sea. You couldn't move, you were touching at least 5 people any one time, and if you jumped you would've been suspended and caught, flowing with crowd.
It wasn't any better on the bus. I was squished right up against the driver, I could not stand vertically, and if I moved my limbs I would've touched some people parts I never ever want to touch. It was so full, my friend was sandwiched in the bus door when the driver opened it.
5. Use English to get away with things.
You get student discounts when you show your student card (50% off usually) at tourist attractions. I accidentally left my card at home though, and they were very adamant in seeing everyone's student card so at first they only issued student tickets for my friends. I didn't give up however.. I used my driver's license and tried to show them I was 21 (wouldn't have proved I was a student) but eventually she relented and gave me the cheaper ticket too. I don't think she understood the word "Provisional" on my licence. Actually to be honest, I think they only need photo ID, as I had to show them my ID again at the gate to get in.
