China gets a lot of bad press. Whether it’s the thousands of pigs dumped in
Shanghai rivers, the H7N9 bird flu virus, Beijing’s “airpocalypse,” or currency
manipulation, most of what gets publicized is negative. These things are certainly worrisome, but
they are only background threads to the fabric of daily life. With that in mind, here are a few things you
don’t hear about on the news:
In China it’s perfectly socially acceptable to wear pajamas
in public. I see people on the street in
pajamas on a daily basis. One evening I
left work and even spotted a young couple walking hand in hand wearing matching
flannel PJs. Amazing!
Christmas is apparently a year-round celebration. Although slightly more common in December, I
still regularly find myself humming along with “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”
in department stores. Today I did my
Chinese homework in Starbucks to the tune of “Sleigh ride,” “Rudolph the Red
Nosed Reindeer,” and “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.”
Spring weather has arrived with means “split pants” are back
in fashion for toddlers. Split pants are
just like regular ones except that where the crotch seam usually is, there is a
hole instead. The toddlers also don’t
wear underwear which makes potty training supremely convenient! A parent whose child needs to pee need only
find the nearest bush, trashcan, or curb.
Unfortunately, this tendency to pee anywhere extends into
adulthood. Despite the abundance of
public toilets in China, many men opt to urinate everywhere else. I have learned from experience that it’s best
not to look too closely at any man standing by himself, looking down. It generally results in blushing on my part J
