By Kayan

5 things I like about China

1. Food is Cheap – a good meal cost around USD$2-USD$3. Really, it doesn’t get any better than that. Not only that, if you and a group of friends decide to do a group dinner you can try a variety of excellent dishes at around USD$4-USD$5. ONLY IN CHINA!

2. Transportation is convenient – there are two bus stops only 5 minutes walk away for only 0.4 yuan, the subway is a bus ride away at only 2 yuan per ride, and there are taxis everywhere. It’s great.

3. Everything you need is right there in front of you – there are restaurants every TWO STEPS literally! You can never go far to get something good to eat. Street food is good, and the store is 5 min away from my school, the ATM’s are everywhere. It’s really convenient.

4. People are willing to help you if you get lost – people here are friendly and mostly willing to give a helping hand!

5. The historical sites are amazing – I’ve been to Tiananmen Square, Llama Temple, Hangzhou, Summer Palace, 798 district etc……its all so beautiful with such rich history!

5 things I dislike about China

1. Stares from the locals – Being black, I’m like a huge elephant in the room. I’ve caught people gaping, sneaking pics, and I’ve been touched three times without permission. It gets to be a problem sometimes, but what can I do…没办法。(mei banfa..meaning there’s nothing you can do)

2. The air quality is CRAZY BAD – some days I cant see the mountains. And on these days many people where masks, and runners are encouraged not to run. Just imagining what that would do for your lungs is terrible.

3. Transportation is too crowded – I cant count the number of times I have to squeeze myself into a subway or a bus. Sometimes there are so many people that the bus just has to leave. So even though transportation is convenient, its not that convenient.

4. The cheaper restaurants are more likely to be dirty – There’s one particular restaurant we like to go to eat because their food is cheap. But I once got a dirty cup, the floor is also dirty and also at other restaurants. Sometimes I get paranoid and wonder what is happening back there in the kitchen.

5. The drivers are crazy and the traffic is daunting- We have a rule…don’t cross the road until you see the natives cross it! Comparing pedestrian rights in California to China is a HUGE difference. Pedestrians absolutely do not have the right of way, even when the light says we can walk.