Day Twenty.

At last it is the weekend again! However, I do not know what is up with the music selection of the dance groups practicing on the field in front of the dorm. This is the second night in a row that they have decided to play Canon in D on loop for three or four hours straight without end. Are they truly trying to make every musician live out their nightmare or simply want to make us move out? Regardless, it was a good enough reason for me to leave after class and meet Kirs' sister and mother who are in visiting from Russia. I only had the pleasure of speaking with them for a short time, but they seemed like lovely people.

Today is day twenty. In honor of this moment, I would like to make a list.

Things I have learned in 20 days:

1) Never leave home without toilet paper. Ever.

2) If you DO happen to leave without toilet paper, I hope you haven't forgotten your hand sanitizer. I have noticed that only a very small percentage of residents in my dorm wash their hands after using the "facilities". Maybe it is because there's no soap.

3) You may think you don't need a mobile phone, but you are sadly mistaken. It has taken me twenty days to get one. Just do it when you arrive. Making friends will be so much easier when they can actually contact you to hang out.

4) Ditch the people you came with and make new friends. Otherwise you're going to sink like the Titanic when your comrades ditch you for their newfound friends who are obviously cooler than you.

5) Don't give up the things you love, incorporate them into your new friendships. If you like music, play it and others who like the same will come. Have a craving for the food you're used to? Go to the store, buy the ingredients, invite some friends, and cook the food yourselves. It will be fun and tasty.

6) Get out of your dorm room/hotel room/apartment and explore. Get lost. Take a taxi home. Do the same tomorrow. Not only will you find some amazing places, you will meet some amazing people, and have fun doing it.

7) Don't let the language barrier stop you from trying to communicate. Locals love nothing more than listening to you stumble through your poorly pronounced Chinese phrases. Some can speak English, but that's not the point. By making an idiot of yourself, you're at least doing more than most of the foreigners and making an attempt to respect the people and their culture. Some shop keepers or vendors may even give you a discount for trying.

8) Never forget that you are the foreigner. This is their country, their home. Respect it.

9) No matter how disgusting a food dish looks, or smells...try it. Ex: Stinky Tofu. Just do it.

10) No matter how much you miss your home, suck it up. This is your home now. No matter how bad it gets, you're going to miss it when you're gone.