Well, first let's back (back, back it) up for a bit. Let me say this: China is remarkable (I was gonna go for amazing and/or incredible, but the whole human rights things kept me from going there..). It's hard to grapple with the sheer amount of people. But it's also fascinating to watch it develop. You just don't see (or maybe I don't) the kind of poverty you might see in India or any other developing country. It's surely a feat worth noting.
Still, I've got my beef with China. I'm all about embracing the oddities and quirks of each country, but there are some things that are downright strange or have an inherent "gross factor."
First, in China men love to urinate and smoke at the same time. Most every bathroom I've been to in the PRC has an ashtray above the urinal. Also, most every bathroom experience I've witnessed multiple men light up, open up, and let loose. While I'm sure that this combination of activities probably feels quite nice, I just find the extent--from gas stations to clubs--of this phenomenon. Weird.
Second, Chinese men and women alike have no qualms about "hocking loogies." I'm not sure if that's an official term, but the practice is precisely that. Snort, hock, spit. All day, every day. This is the kind of inherent grossness that I can't quite get around. I don't get it, China. Are you genetically predisposed to a higher phlegm-production than the rest of the world? Let us know, because it seems to be working.
I love being here, but I had to let the world see China for what it really is. Urinating, smoking, and spitting.
Hoping the PRC doesn't shut us down,
Danyal
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