I’ve made great strides in becoming more patient with the sometimes ridiculousness of this society. I can handle the squatty potties, carrying my own toilet paper wherever I go (no pun intended), and I’m trying my best with the hole in kid’s pants. I’ve even started to push and shove when it comes to getting on/off buses and trains. I step to the side when scooters and bikes come honking and ringing down the sideWALK. But there’s one thing that irks me to my core, so much that I end up yelling at the driver with road rage: buses on sidewalks. Boy, are they in for a treat when I learn how to say it in Chinese!
And I’ve even seen the big city buses take the sidewalk too. They don’t want to wait for the light to turn green to take a right (because the 5 cars in front are going straight) so they hop on the sidewalk. Why not, right? They’ve got people to pick up and places to go!
One time I was walking to church (Which reminds me, why is going to/getting ready for church a recipe for disaster? It’s like the mornings beckon an irritation or fight, all because you’re going to [and by going to, I mean rushed for] church. CHURCH! Such irony.), McDonald’s coffee in hand, when I hear a “beep beep”. Silly me, I assumed it was a car on the road. Nope, it’s bumper was literally touching my pant leg, letting me know I was in the way. “You can’t push and shove with cars, people! That’s how folks die! I almost spilled my coffee! And I’m going to church just so you know! Crap!”
I certainly never want to be the foreigner who always sees the negative simply because it’s different. I don’t want to ever insult a culture or speak as though its inferior. I’m feeling more and more at home here everyday, but I wonder if I’ll ever become accustomed to it all.
*Sigh* Let the beautification process continue.
imsorrygodsaythatagain 