You Know You're in China ...

Sarah is now two months at Suchou University outside of Shanghai, with two months to go. Adapting well, she is she riding the bus and eating in local establishments in this city of 6 million people. There is no blogging allowed and no face/book. The government is fearful it might engender another revolution.

She is running daily to work off steam and recently she was asked to run in a track and field event at the university. Preparing for the 4 x 1 - that is the 400 meter relay in which she will run 100 meters, she was laughing saying: You know you're in China when they run track and field using sections of toliet pipes instead of a baton.

Here are some others. You know you're in China:

- when you see people everywhere.
- when you are glad you weren't hit by a bicycle
or a bus while crossing the street.
- when people ride the bus carrying two baskets of eggs
and two squirrels in a cage.
- when people run backwards on the track
to balance off their yin and yang.
- when you can buy vacuum packed chicken feet in the local 7 - 11.
- when a man tries to sell you "undies" on the street.
- when babies wear open bottomed pants
and are encouraged to poop on the street.
- when people grow out their little pinkie fingernail
to clean out earwax.
- when you can get a great lunch for less than a dollar.
- when you find 10 barbershops on every corner.
- when you can belch at the table and no tipping is allowed.
- when they practice four major sporting events on the same tract:
baseball, soccer, track and field, and jumping rope.
- when you see people everywhere
(oh, I wrote that twice - there are alot of people)

She has a great sense of humor that balances the rigors of the classroom.