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What do you miss? What's better now?

  • 16-07-2012 7:24am
    #1
    Brokentime
    Closed Accounts Posts: 287 ✭✭


    Might be a bit of a cliche, but I'm interested to know what people miss from back home? And what new things do you enjoy where you are now?


Comments

  • #2
    pauldla
    Registered Users Posts: 2,247 ✭✭✭pauldla


    In no particular order, and off the top of my head...

    A decent pint, tayto, good bread, tea, bookshops, soft weather (35 degrees in Shenzhen today), the craic, Irish cooking, being able to do simple things for myself without the need of a dictionary or translator (I suppose that's part of the fun of living here, but it's awkward trying to buy pens sometimes :p).


  • #3
    Mr. Loverman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,001 ✭✭✭Mr. Loverman


    I miss:

    Safe water, safe food, safe air, regulations, rule of law. (I know Ireland is nowhere near the likes of Germany when it comes to regulations or rule of law, but we are miles ahead of China).

    Better cuts of meat, e.g. chicken breast rather than just some weird bone with a tiny bit of flesh on it.

    Healthy food options. It's not so easy to get decent salads, wraps, smoothies, etc. here.

    Craft stouts.

    Easy transport. I know Beijing has a good subway system, but everything is so spread out. In Dublin you can just head into the city centre and easily walk everywhere.

    Intelligence. Critical thought. Sense of humour. Can smell bull**** a mile away.

    Reasonably trustworthy hospitals and doctors.

    Unrestricted internet.

    Anonymity.

    New things:

    Being a bit of a superstar. (People frequently tell me I look like a movie star and want their photo taken with me). I find this stuff hilarious.

    Being super pale and having reddish hair and grey/green eyes is a good thing. I quote random Chinese girl on subway: "Wow, I want to have baby with you!"

    Constantly being reminded how lucky I am. I can't emphasise this enough. I was born in a middle class family in a safe country where education and healthcare are free and where I was encouraged to be confident, successful and happy. This does not exist in China, except maybe for the top 0.00001%.

    General day to day cultural differences.

    Being able to make a difference with small acts of kindness. In general, Chinese people are not nice to those outside their network.


  • #4
    pauldla
    Registered Users Posts: 2,247 ✭✭✭pauldla


    I've actually gotten used to the internet thing. I was home at the summer and was stunned by how fast the internet was there. Sad.

    The other thing I miss, and I didn't realise it was gone until I was home and went to use it, is the ability to hold a conversation. People would be chatting to me in the shop or at the bus stop and the best I could manage was a blumble wum ba bee hah, followed by a weak smile and the person slowly moving away ("Ah the poor fella must be a wee bit touched"). Been here too long, I suppose.


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