Bibliophile

The day I had decided that I would be spending the next 5/6 years of my life away from home, had me both terrified and giddy, especially to a place like China, I was more of the later. Everything was sudden, at one point it seemed like my choice wasn’t even my choice but destiny itself had chosen my path. Nevertheless, on the 25th I set out to venture into a new life.

My first impression when I landed was not entirely what I was expecting, media had played its part in influencing my view of China. It wasn’t just surprise that had taken over me but also the fear of what to expect in terms of my faith and the language barrier.

No sooner had I landed, I realized that Chinese do not speak English at all, even if their lives depended on it, the first few months I was entirely dependent on sign language, Baidu, and google translate, of course, this was until I learned the basic words you need to crame when you visit the shops. It’s a good thing the locals don’t try to make small talk when they see foreigner unless you’d hint that you can speak the language.

The first experience on my first day wasn’t pleasant as well, after having to rely on fast food in airports and sleeping on benches waiting for the next connecting flight, I was craving for an actual heavy meal, which I might add, was not a good idea for a first timer in China.

Now that I think of it, the meal that I had ordered might not have been all bad (it was beef soup and chicken curry-rice), the current me would be able to gobble it down and enjoy it but at that point, my body was not used to the no-flavor-but-extra-spice taste. Most Chinese meals are boiled veggies (and partial meat) which do not have any salt or lemon zest to it and the rice is also thoroughly plain boiled with no salt, you can imagine the disappointment my desi taste buds had to endure. I might’ve cried that night with homesickness and hunger.

After the first week of relying on snacks and instant noodles, I decided it was time to venture out and to actually try to be open-minded with the experiences I’d find and it was the best decision ever. I found out the way Chinese meals are cooked, is the healthiest way, relying on veggies more than meat, less fat consumption, reducing direct salt intake, and maintaining a healthy amount of starch quantity in their rice.

Apart from developing a different taste, I have tried to immerse in the culture as well by learning Mandarin and actually using it as a communication medium with the locals. It’s a very tough language so there’s a lot more to learn.

In conclusion, so far my stay in China has been a pleasant one, I might have caught a few stares because of my different complexity but never quite because of my headscarf, even though I had expected to encounter some problems during my stay but it could be because of the presence of high population of Muslim Chinese that reside in my province, so the people are not surprised by the different attire. The people I have encountered so far have mostly been pleasant and loving (especially the vendor grandmas).

The amenities in China are pretty good as well, compared to my home country, the transportation service is immaculate, the online shopping services (such as Taobao) is the most reliable and cheapest with daily discounts if you know how to shop smart, the online food services are just as good, and having to link your bank accounts with WeChat and Alipay and use apps for the payments is rather efficient than carrying out bundles of cash and worrying about transactional fees.

As long as you do not interfere in the lives of others, stick to the basic rules, and be able to use the language efficiently, life in 中国 is pretty smooth.

Hopefully, I will try to post more on my unique experiences and all that I have encountered while living away from home.