It's 9:45 AM on Sunday morning and Starbucks is completely empty. Over 1.5 million people live in the city of Zhuhai, China, yet I sit alone at a large wooden table, sipping a latte and writing in my journal. Culture shock hits you in ways you never expect. I guess that's why it's so... well, shocking.
"The coffee shops don't open until 8:00 AM? How do these people wake up in the morning?"
"How do you say 'put away your stinky feet' in Mandarin?"
"Wait, I ordered frog? Those are the characters for 'field chicken.'"
Living in another country is a fascinating experience. Southern China is absolutely beautiful and Chinese food is figuratively to die for. A native of Minnesota, the transition to mega-city-China was challenging, but it was a challenge which allowed me to grow. It opened my eyes with new experiences, new sights, new sounds, and my hope is that I'm able to share some of that with you in this book.
