Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Deary me

Hello, how are you all? Thanks, as ever, for your emails!

Time seems to be in fast forward! Argh! Things are generally very good here, but I seem to be ridiculously busy doing this, that and the next thing. I have more photos, but my PC has taken a disliking to the Kodak software at present, so there's a minor (I hope) delay.

Just in case any of you are considering wandering east at any point in your life, I have been mentally compiling the following list over the last week:

Bec's China 'Best To' and 'Best Not To' List

1. Best not to step in puddles - especially on days when it has not been raining.
2. Best not to assume that the little green-light man making a walking motion on the opposite pavement is an indication to you that it is safe to cross without hesitation.
3. Best not to think that the left-turn traffic filter light will ordinarily not light up at the same time as the aforementioned little man.
4. Best to laugh at yourself when speaking Mandarin to locals.
5. Best to tell yourself that when locals laugh within hearing distance of your dodgy Mandarin, they are actually laughing along with your aforementioned mirth.
6. Best not to clean your bathroom with Captain Bathroom - he has an, erm, unusual odour.
7. Best not to order from the pictures in restaurant menus before establishing (a) exactly which part of the animal you will be consuming, and (b) how heavily chilli peppers feature in the composition of the dish.
8. Best not to start watching Chinese television advertisements - they are one of the greatest hypnotics known to man.
9. Best not to let people get on the bus before you.
10. Best not to wait until a lift appears to have enough room for another before you get in - unless you have a week to spare, that is.

I'm going to my first ever Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday! Woo hoo! Oh hell, I'm talking about food again! Photos soon I promise!

Take care of yourselves and wrap up warm now!

Zàijiàn!

Bec
x

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like pretty good advice for the most part!
Funny how few people will really understand :)

Only Bec said...

Hey Andy!

Mm hmm. How's the studying going? Sorry, I haven't had a chance to read your blog for a while!

I'll give you a call re this weekend, hopefully we can catch up as I'll be away next weekend!

Speak soon!

Anonymous said...

Westerners, tut. What do they know about our great land, and it's supposed faults?

Anonymous said...

The studying has been going well....I can now communicate a bit and I love being able to speak to people when I go out.

Anonymous......I think she (and I) both really like your "great land"....chill

Anonymous said...

Well hallooooo, thought I would check out the site!! Jolly nice it is to, have you thought about putting the helpful hints into a book, possibly called "becs blistering chinese chortle"