Amusing Insanity

[Bulbasaur4]

Okay, that might or might not have anything to do with this thread. I lack creativity to think of a better title. :P


As some of you may (or may not) know, I am in China for the fall semester. While it is a very unique experience and I'm learning/seeing/trying lots of new things, there are a few things that I have yet to get used to. ONE, would be that the internet here is rather difficult due to the school's proxy server. Thus, I am limited to what I can do on the internet because it is ssooooo slllloooowwww....

That, and unless I'm out clubbing, I have little else to do at night besides draw, annoy people on AIM and dance on my bed.

So with that in mind, I figured I'd start a question topic to amuse me and perhaps other members at TPM. I've seen topics like this before, so I figured, "what the hell." So feel free to ask me any questions you'd like. I would assume most of them would be directed to my experiences in China (which are still limited, but they're from an outsider perspective), however if you wish to ask random questions about ... well, anything, then feel free. xD I'm not picky and hell, it would be amusing.

:3
~ Bulbie4

[Dark-San]

Thats cool! I've been wanting to visit China for a long time now. But to an otaku like me, Japan would of course be my first stop. Which parts of China would you be visiting? How you find the local ascent and culture? Also would you be visiting the Fujian province?

[Bulbasaur4]

Hurray! Thank you Dark-San for... amusing... my... insan..ity? (Okay, I TRIED to work in the title. >.>;;)

I'll be visiting Beijing, Shanghai and perhaps a few other spots but those are not determined quite yet. :3 The culture here is pretty easy to adjust to, in the sense of adaptation-wise. (Home sickness is another thing. ^_~) While I'm not very good with my Chinese language skillz, it is fairly easy to at least get food and communicate with businesses and what-not. People here are pretty gawky at foriegners, but I believe in Hangzhou, they're used to it more than most. It is a very touristic place in China, after all! The things that are most difficult to get used to, is just the sheer number of people and public transport. I'm not used to crowded, very jerky bus rides but slowly I'm adapting! (Although thankfully taxis are incredibly cheap here). For example, I can get a 15 minute - 20 minute taxi ride for about 25 kuai, which roughly is about 3 dollars. Giving that I split that with three people usually... yah, very cheap. The one thing I can get used to though, is bartering. I find that haggling prices is something I'm quite fond of, especially when I think things are usually reasonably priced to begin with.

And I'm not sure if I'll be visiting Fujian, but I wouldn't be surprised, given that it's right below Zheijiang Province, where I am. :3

[Heald]

When are you gonna do part 2 of The Hidden Curse? :( I loved that RPG...

Also, when I went to China, I was offered "pork balls", and was actually given pig's testicles. What culinary treat has taken you by surprise? How did it taste?

Pig's testicles are disgusting, by the way.

Also, don't drink the milk. I hear they put HAPPY SUNSHINE in it, or something like it.

[Drago]

So what's it like clubbing in China? Heard much of what's popular in Chinese music so far? Made any cultural slip-ups? I went to Hong Kong once, but that was when I was a wee sprat, I don't remember any of it at all. Sounds pretty interesting, though.

[mr_pikachu]

When are you gonna do part 2 of The Hidden Curse? :( I loved that RPG...

Also, when I went to China, I was offered "pork balls", and was actually given pig's testicles. What culinary treat has taken you by surprise? How did it taste?

Pig's testicles are disgusting, by the way.

Also, don't drink the milk. I hear they put HAPPY SUNSHINE in it, or something like it.

I really hope we don't end up accidentally blocking Kalah's TPM access in China... you know how well anti-governmental statements are tolerated. :sweat2:

[Drusilla]

Also would you be visiting the Fujian province?

True story: My grandmother was born in Fujian Province. I want to visit one day...

How is the weather? (Seriously, I want to know.) What to you miss most?

[Heald]

I really hope we don't end up accidentally blocking Kalah's TPM access in China... you know how well anti-governmental statements are tolerated. :sweat2:
If you mean the milk part, I think the government is fully aware that the milk is dodgy [[linky]] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7628125.stm)

I've editted my previous post anyway. You know, just in case.

[mr_pikachu]

If you mean the milk part, I think the government is fully aware that the milk is dodgy [[linky]] (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7628125.stm)

I've editted my previous post anyway. You know, just in case.

Nah, I wasn't referring to anything in particular. It was more of a general comment... partially saying "Hey, we'd better be careful or Kalah will lose her net access," and partially daring everyone to slander China for that reason. *cackles*

As for the government knowing things... that may be true, but I think they also knew that a phoenix wasn't going to swoop down and light the Olympic torch when their newspapers printed that. Just saying.

[Bulbasaur4]

Heald - I haven't had many people nag me to do that RPG, you're sorta the only one. I suppose I could start it if there was enough general interest. :3

Pork balls? Ewwwwwww... I haven't had anything like that. I use the 'eat after everyone' tactic. We order big dishes and share them, and so I let everyone else try to see what they think before I contemplate taking anything. A good thing too, because one time our friend (he knows Chinese very well) as a joke, ordered Cow stomach lining soup...

And no worries, I haven't had milk here. :3


DragoKnight - Clubbing here is actually really fun. One place we go to is S.O.S, where you pay 60 kuai (about 10 bucks) for all you can drink and clubb'n. It's sorta funny, because the Techno side is always crammed with locals- men, usually. So most foriegners go to the hip hop side, where they play typical clubbing music. And actually, all the clubs I've been to here play American music. So we get Justin Timberlake and such, a lot.

I haven't made any cultural slip ups yet, although I bump into people all the time and say "I'm sorry" in Chinese. So at least I'm not a rude American. xD


Drusilla - The weather... oh the weather... ;_; It was a bad idea for me to live in happy California for the summer, because I'm used to dry, nice weather. In Hangzhou, it is humid... really humid and warm. It doesn't really get cool here either, until much later in the fall. *sigh* It rains about once or more a week too, but nothing that huge.



mr_pikachu - lol, if TPM was banned because the government found out about Heald's slander... I would laugh and applaud Heald. xD

[mr_pikachu]

I haven't made any cultural slip ups yet, although I bump into people all the time and say "I'm sorry" in Chinese. So at least I'm not a rude American. xD

Wow. As soon as I read that, a hundred anime characters simultaneously squealed "Gomen nasai!" in my head. Now they refuse to leave.

Do *headdesk* not *headdesk* stereotype *headdesk* Asians *headdesk* mr_pikachu!

[Dark-San]

True story: My grandmother was born in Fujian Province. I want to visit one day...

My paternal ancestors came from Fujian. My maternal ancestors came from Guangzhou. So I guess that makes me a half Canton and half Hokkien, living in Singapore. 0.o; Talking about complications! And also if you are wondering, Canton and Hokkien are both the dialect for both Guangzhou and Fujian respectively. Sadly I ain't no mixed blood, 'cause overall I am still a Chinese. >.<;


Do *headdesk* not *headdesk* stereotype *headdesk* Asians *headdesk* mr_pikachu!

One thing for sure is that you will be the first person in my most hated list if you ever do that. Second thing is that you better hide yourself real good 'cause if I ever go over to USA and finds out where you live. I would be visiting your residence with nude photos of a very famous TPM male mod, plastered all over the building (Yeah, you know who he is!).


And I'm not sure if I'll be visiting Fujian, but I wouldn't be surprised, given that it's right below Zheijiang Province, where I am. :3


Good. Do keep me informed on which places to visit. 'Cause I might be visiting next year with my folks. We do have a local tradition here to visit the place where our ancestors originated from. Well, we are supposed to visit it two years ago with my granddad but he passed away without returning to his homeland. Hence, my dad being the oldest son had to sort of carried out this last duty. And yes, and the next in line is me. >.<; WTH!

[mr_pikachu]

One thing for sure is that you will be the first person in my most hated list if you ever do that. Second thing is that you better hide yourself real good 'cause if I ever go over to USA and finds out where you live. I would be visiting your residence with nude photos of a very famous TPM male mod, plastered all over the building (Yeah, you know who he is!).

No! That would be even worse than repainting my house with a certain fluorescent color combination! :o

(Note to everyone else: These are inside jokes. Good ones, too. No, I won't explain them to you.)

Kalah: I didn't see any updates on your current or past locations, so I'm not really sure if you've been near any major sites... but have you caught any glimpses of the aftermath of the Olympics? I'm curious if you've seen anything notable regarding what they're doing with everything now that it's all over.