MUTTON KEBOBS

Please make me some. They've been coming up all day today, but my plans to go eat some fell through :( So please bring me some kebobs~

Oh. Without my realizing, suddenly there is a thunderstorm. Hello!

Monday's Reflection: Bell Peppers, Doors, Toilet Paper

There were actually other things I wanted to talk about, but as soon as I started typing this, I forgot them. So I'll write them down when I remember & write about them later :)

Bell Peppers

Okay, as a child, I really liked eating bell peppers raw. For some reason, they tasted really good to me. Now, I can still eat them, but I don't like them as much. I also don't particularly like the texture of cooked peppers, so when they appear in dishes, I tend to avoid them.

In China, in my experience, if you get less than 1/2 a bell pepper (of any color) in your dish, you're lucky. There's always so much... even if I really liked them, I still don't think I'd be able to always completely finish them off. It's kind of crazy, actually. But other vegetables tend to be used sparingly. The name of the dish might specifically mention broccoli, but actually you will have only 3-5 added as decoration. It might say "beef & eggplant" but actually it should be called "beef & peppers with some eggplant mixed in here and there". Are they easier to grow here? Why do you guys use so many?! I'm just curious.


Doors

In Texas, doors to businesses are always closed. Mostly it's probably due to safety, but also it's either really hot or really cold or raining so the goal is to keep that outside and make it comfortable inside. Here, if the door is closed, it usually means that the business is closed. Even when the pollution is bad, the doors are still open (for the most part) - most entries have plastic covering them so that the doors can be open but the outside stays outside. So forgive me for being hesitant when I'm going places if the door is closed...


Toilet Paper

So I had heard from my teachers a while back that a lot of restrooms here don't have toilet paper, and that you should always carry some on you. So I brought 6 rolls of toilet paper with me. And I haven't even used one of them.

It's only in the older public bathrooms that you need to have your own toilet paper. Most places have it, so no one has to carry it around. People carry around small packets of tissues (but these can also be used as napkins, towels, etc. - so versatile!). So now I have to bring 6 rolls of toilet paper back home with me...



Augh, things keep happening that will make me miss this place even more. The other day I wen to the waffle place... and they gave it to me for free~ And the meat buns guy greeted me in a store... and the timid security guard who always acted shy when I greeted him smiled at me today... UGH WHY ARE YOU ALL BEING SO NICE WHEN I'M ABOUT TO LEAVE T^T

Oh well. T-4 days until the final exam/closing ceremony.

晚安，早上好！