21 Things I Will Miss About China and 8 Things I Will Not Miss About China

Things I Will Miss About China I wrote this while still in China. Teaching in China is a temporary adventure. They do not like foreigners to stay too long or to work when they are too old. Too old, in China, is often defined as 55 or 60. We are temporary, working guests of the People's Republic of China. Here are a few of the things I will miss about Huanggang and the surrounding area. 1. I will miss the buses that come every 10 minutes and cost about 16 cents USD per ride. 2. I will miss the cards that you touch to a machine to gain entrance to places like subways, buses and more. 3. I will miss the large, peachy orange, Asian persimmons in the fall. They are soft and sweet, mellow like pudding. 4. I will miss the ease of getting cabs to go anywhere. They do not charge much so it is quite convenient. 5. I will miss all different kinds of mushrooms that are sold here. One of my favorites is the King's Trumpet, a large mushroom that looks a bit like a fat stick. Another one I like is called black fungus (or wood ear) and another is called hen's feathers. They are all very good. 6. I will miss Hot Pot. Hot pot is a bit like a fondue but with boiling broth, sometimes spicy. You drop meats and vegetables of your choice in the boiling broth, then fish them out when they are done. 7. I will miss the high speed trains, especially the one from here to the city of Wuhan. It costs about $3.50 USD to ride the train one way. The ride is comfortable and takes less than half an hour usually. Once we get to Wuhan, I like the subway system for getting around. With a Metro card, loaded with some cash, we just have to touch the entrance area and go through. 8. I will miss the sweetened packets of Nescafe instant coffee. They never caught on in the USA. 9. I will miss the light work week, with 16-18 45 minute classes a week. 10. I will miss the college students, full of bright hope for the future. 11. I will miss the call of the birds outside my window, especially in the morning. They call, somewhat like a dove, but with a slightly different voice. 12. I will miss the automatic friendship we have with other foreign English teachers, although sometimes, the only thing we have in common is that we are not Chinese, so the Chinese culture is foreign to us. 13. I will miss the crazy translations that make me laugh. 14. I will miss the peace and quiet of living here and withdrawing to our apartment. 15. I will miss roasted chestnuts in the fall, fresh water chestnuts in the spring, lotus root, fresh pineapple on a stick in spring, roasted sweet potatoes in the fall, and fresh produce in season. 16. I will miss the culture of tea, where tea is the preferred beverage and is available everywhere. 17. I will miss the boiled water that is available for free everywhere, at school, in the train stations and anywhere people gather. 18. I will miss the sweet babies and the grandmas who are so proud to show them off. 19. I will miss the variety of fresh oranges in the fall and winter, especially the tiny, sweet oranges in the winter time. Possibly they are called Mandarin oranges. 20. I will miss my Chinese friends who are teachers. 21. I will miss getting to spend time with other English teachers from all over the world. Things I will not miss about China 1. I will not miss the air pollution which looks like a haze in the sky every day. 2. I will not miss having smokers around me, not matter where I go, causing me lung irritation and coughing spells. 3. I will not miss power and water outages in our apartment. 4. I will not miss the crazy drivers everywhere. 5. I will not miss the hocking up of loogies, and spitting and blowing one's nose on the sidewalks. 6. I will not miss having to step around little piles on the sidewalk where diaperless babies and dogs pooed. 7. I will not miss the dirt that seems to be everywhere, a product of dirty air and water. 8. I will not miss the unheated buildings, classrooms and public places during the cold winter. 9.