Not Long Now...

What with now being under TWO WEEKS (AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!) away from ending my contract and my time in Fúzhōu, I’ve started thinking about what I’ll miss the  most about China while I’m in England. It was this thinking combined with reading A LOT of buzzfeed lists and articles recently, that has inspired me to create a list of the top 9 things I think China are totally nailing (in no particular order). So without further adieu…

1.     Maccie D’s Takeaway: seems like a silly one, but this extends to all foods/restaurants really (though McDonald’s specifically because nothing beats a Big Mac delivered to your door the morning after the night before). Takeaway is insanely easily available here, from pretty much everywhere. I realise this is also a pretty common thing in the UK, but even the tiny restaurants do it, and the distance matters not!  – for example, a restaurant downstairs from my school (I’m talking a 2 minute walk max.) where we sometimes order lunch from (FANTASTIC chăo miàn), brings it up, no muss, no fuss (and no extra charge). Obviously this awful lazy, but it’s like an acceptable thing here. Hurrah! In fact, the easy access to all kinds of food (not just Chinese!) in general is something I’ll miss – but that’s maybe just because I’m going back to the countryside where the majority of food places are selling fish and chips (not that I’ll be complaining, I could murder cod and chips right now).

2.     Umbrella holders on bikes and scooters: (exactly what it sounds like, and I’m assuming we don’t actually have these already – I’ve never seen one) granted, in the UK you’d look mad or strange with an open umbrella attached to your bike, but why?! Why would it be odd to see that? Why is practicality a strange thing? (Obviously speaking as a very practical, take-no-nonsense person) It makes total sense! And what with all our rain, I’m surprised we don’t create bikes or scooters that can hold our umbrella for us. I mean it’s 2013 for goodness’ sake.

3.     Frequency of public toilets: OK, so I have many-an-issue with squatter toilets, but that doesn’t change the fact that they can be found EVERYWHERE. This means that when nature is desperately calling, you usually only have to walk a few feet in any direction before seeing (and smelling) a public toilet. Convenient no? Also, none of this paying to go to the loo business like some in England, though you do have to pay for toilet paper – so as long as you’re never without a pack of pocket tissues, you’re fine. Another toilet-related thing I like about China is that restaurants/fast food joints/coffee shops aren’t annoyingly picky about you having to make a purchase before using the facilities. Just swan on in like you own the place. I still feel like I’m somehow cheating them and being awfully impolite though, so I usually either scuttle in and out with my head held down, avoiding eye contact, or buy something post-pee.

4.     Fruit platters: if you’d told me before I came to China that fruit is exactly what I’ll be wanting on a night out, I’d have laughed in your face while mentally planning which chippy would be best to order my cheesy chips from. I am by no means a healthy drunk, and when I have the hangover from hell all I want is greasy food, but since coming to China I have discovered the truly magical combination of fruit, specifically watermelon (I CARRIED A WATERMELON!), and alcohol – goes down a bloody treat on a night out let me tell you. Why don’t they (a) serve food in all clubs anyway and (b) sell fruit – a healthy option which would make even Jamie Oliver happy – in single-sized portions? I strongly suggest jumping on THIS bandwagon, club owners.

5.     Bar service: not sure if I mentioned the difference here, but in China (and Hong Kong too for that matter) you don’t stand at the bar patiently waiting, then pushing and clawing your way to the front to be served - ugh and then there’s always that one (or more if you’re unlucky) guy/girl who doesn’t respect queuing etiquette and cuts right in front of you just as you’re acknowledged by the bar staff – sorry, went off track. Instead you find a seat or standing table and the bar staff comes to you, takes your order and money then brings your change and drink back to you. Initially I wasn’t too sure how I felt about this method of service, but I think I’m starting to prefer it now. The thought of standing in an endless ‘queue’ with people pushing and shoving and standing on your feet is not appealing. At all.

6.     Plastic gloves for your finger foods: (again, exactly what it sounds like) but in I think all the bakeries or fast food places (not Western-owned) I’ve been to here, provide free plastic gloves so you can eat your food with ease! Now it may be the practical old-woman in me talking, but I wish they did that in England. Or failing these, how about…

7.      Free access to sinks: so as mentioned earlier, you don’t have to purchase to pee, but in some smaller restaurants with no loos, they have sinks around for conveniently and hygienically washing your hands in if you’re going to eat. Brillo.

8.     Safety: due to the fact that there are so many people everywhere you turn in Fúzhōu (and the majority of Chinese cities for that matter), I have always felt very safe walking the streets alone (day or night). Obviously there’s a certain amount of common sense everyone needs to take with them when they are wandering around on their onesie, but I do still think Fúzhōu is especially safe. I especially like the fact that the children here are given a lot more freedom because they don’t have to be afraid that danger lurks around every corner – their parents don’t need to watch them like hawks 24/7.

9.     KTV: can’t recall if I mentioned in my belated birthday post how much I bloody love KTV. And I’m really going to miss it (/make my friends go to those dive karaoke nights at pubs or bars with me as many times as possible). It’s just so entertaining! I mean, who doesn’t love a good sing song eh? Eh?

Well that’s that! This may be my last post from Fúzhōu what with a busy work schedule, and not an awful lot going on anyway.

After Fúzhōu, and before heading to Bangkok, I plan on doing some travel, zài Zhōngguó. Still finalising plans as to where I’ll be heading, but I am so freakin’ excited to a) get out of Belief, b) get out of Fúzhōu and c) just be a tourist again!

So, 再见for now readers

xoxo