Bad China Days

Bad China Days: the days when living in the Middle Kingdom proves most challenging, not the smells or language barrier but the days when everything seems difficult, people seem out to rip off the foreigner, and my frustration level soars. They are the days our cultural trainer encouraged us NOT to blog. The days my facebook status might read something like: Jen is ready to implode or Jen is wondering where the easy button is or Jen is really not a xenophobe but is considering becoming one.

Compounding matters is that my family is here. I want them to see the best and brightest side of our international living experience. (Because, after all,  overall our time here has been  mostly positive. Yes, we have been stretched and challenged. We've had times we've been humbled. But we probably wouldn't trade our experience.) And, this is what I must remind myself of when yet another red capped inland Chinese tourist takes a picture of our girls whilst be picnic seaside, when the delivery man taps his watch and rolls his eyes when I inspect my shipment for damage, and huffs even more impatiently when I find broken items at the bottom of the cardboard and styrofoam mess. The list could go on, but I think you get the point. And really I'm not bitter, I promise. I've just had a few Bad China Days (or is it a Bad China Daze?)