Further notes of wonder

It seems weekly I have to list further observations of these warm and touchy people. If a porcupine is prickly, I think that some of the population here have thorns. It is not that they are not polite, just that they are overly sensitive of exposure to westerners.

I have always counted myself as a non political person and know that many will agree with me that I am such, but here in Beijing I have been branded as the opposite, for I introduce or allow to be discussed too many controversial subjects, that are brought up by the students own curiosity and need to know! So for all of you business, or tourists wishing to travel to China whether for the Olympics or otherwise, be warned, do not ask or speak about the French, Japanese, Taiwan, Tibet, boycott or any other tidbit of interest and should the subject be brought up and an opinion requested, just politely refuse to comment!

I was stunned to hear from one of my students that she had been brave enough, at the advice of her father, to have the 'eye laser' procedure done some seven odd years ago! It was an extremely brave step, as here the opinion is that using the laser 'pollutes the air!'.

It is with fascination that I watch the Chinese in their inborn balance ability whether it be on bicycle, roller blades or a little child skipping along the uneven and somewhat daunting steps of the Great Wall! When I asked other Asians, who are not citizens whether they had the same
ability, I was told that they had not.

Taxi drivers, for all their ability to frustrate and infuriate the passenger, start to drive a little before they actually turn on the meter, I am not sure if this is just a quirk of their motors, or a
little reverence for a foreigner, but it is nice to see that they are not so 'finger on the button' happy as you enter, but make sure that you are settled as they drive off.

For a country of the flat chested, it is not surprising that here the men are more into legs than
boobs. It was a rare sight for me then to meet a young lady with a healthy endowment and
catch myself from asking where she had got them done!! So saying, as I was waiting at an appointed spot a couple of nights ago to meet up with a couple of students for a farewell evening for one of them who was going back to her native land, I was stunned when two women came up to stand next to me, openly staring, eyed me up and down and continued to have a 'pull apart' conversation about me!! What did I do? I gave them my most disdainful look, ignored them and they stole reluctantly away.

At the same spot, almost in the same position, I had opportunity to watch a couple obviously trying to contact some friends whom they were supposed to meet, by phone, the boyfriend, better dressed than the girl, was attempting to be patient and loving, but she, more than once
or twice, was hitting him openly in public! and the weirdest part was that he was letting her!!
It was not merely a playful slap on the shoulder, but on the cheek. In a country with such a large population and no shortage of choice, I cannot understand why or how he would allow himself to be treated in such a way, especially in public!?

Here in Beijing and I understand the same goes for Hong Kong and Shanghai, the term 'Shop till
you drop' certainly applies, Dr Phil if you are looking for a new posting, China would certainly suit the bill, as here the word 'shopaholic' certainly applies. How do they do it you may well ask?
Well, let us say that there are some advantages in having a one child family and a more simple household. Their obvious pleasure that you see on their faces can only make one smile, as there
is no en cumbersome worry as to whether they can afford it.

Lastly, the slogan for the Olympics reads 'One world one dream', a student pointed out to me this week, that the exact translation should be 'same world same dream' and he asked me which one I preferred, I am not telling, but now I ask you, which one do you like better?