1. Almost every time we have been out to eat with a group it is family style. There is usually a lazy susan in the middle of the table. Everyone uses their chopsticks that they are eating with to get the food from the serving dish to their plate - this is called DOUBLE DIPPING where I come from. You either get used to it or stay home, and I am not about to miss out on the fun so I am dealing with it (quite amazingly contrary to how Rick Dees might think Diane is dealing with it ). At least I eased into it with company friends first (you are certain THEY don’t have any germs) . Since then, we have gone out double dipping numerous times with faculty and students we just met !!!
2. There is no tipping in China in restaurants, hotels, and taxis. It has been said that a waiter will chase you down to give you back the extra money you left on the table for their tip, b/c they think you just mistakenly paid too much.
3. I am finally getting the hang of grocery shopping after being here 5 weeks. It is taking longer than other kinds of shopping. I never seem to have trouble wherever I am finding the MALLS. But the grocery shopping, on the other hand, is another story. Finding western (American) food is quite tricky, and it is not your one stop shopping. None of these stores are within walking distance. They might be anywhere from 30 to 50 minute taxi trips, and you cannot get everything you need at one store. This was very frustrating to me at 1st but I started making my lists and taking them with me everywhere I go just in case we are near one, Dick has been overjoyed to make many grocery store trips with me!! Many times after our Sunday meeting we are going passed one of these grocery stores, so we stop by for a few things. All grocery stores, except one called Metro (like Sam’s) are in the basement of a big shopping mall. The marketers here are very sharp – to get to the grocery store you have to pass through many different depts. like clothing, shoes, makeup, etc. You carefully plan how much you can take home in a taxi and you bring your own sacks to put the groceries in if you don’t want to pay for sacks. Usually you don’t buy things from multiple stores in one day b/c you don’t have a car to put all the packages in. (really rough life over here)
4. We have had 2 different sets of people over so far to eat and we are having more tonight for chili and beans – good Texas food !
5. Lots of salt and MSG are used in restaurant food. They are addicted to MSG b/c they think it adds to the flavor of food. You can request “no salt or MSG” but they try to talk you out of it, saying that the food won’t taste as good. When we 1st came this was kind of a problem, b/c we were eating out so much, but now we are eating at home many nights.
6. You have seen pictures of our western toilets in our apt., but most places (restaurants, shopping malls, etc.) do not have them. They have the squatting kind we encountered in Turkey (somehow I was able to avoid using them there). They are never furnished with toilet paper so you must carry that with you at all times (or wait until you arrive back home)
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