Reason #1,021 and #1,022 I love living in China

#1,021: Rain is a perfectly acceptable and valid reason to cancel plans.  In the states, we may rank the excuse “I’m sorry I can’t make it, it’s raining” right up there with “I’m sorry I can’t make it, I need to wash my hair.”  However, in China, this excuse more closely ranks with “I’m sorry I can’t make it, I’m sick.”  I have my guesses as to why this is the case (such as, you have to walk everywhere, and the streets get dirty and gross in the rain or the Chinese have a great fear of catching a cold), but honestly, I don’t really care about the reason.  I just think it’s wonderful.  Because, really, when it’s raining, all you want to do is throw on sweatpants and curl up under a blanket.  It’s just not fun to go traipsing through puddles to go sit in cold rooms with wet feet.

#1,022: When rain unexpectedly rolls into town while you’re at class–unexpectedly because you can’t read the weather forecast in Chinese that’s sent to your cell phone–you don’t have to worry about getting soaked on the way home.  Chances are at least one of your students was prepared enough to bring an umbrella.  And chances are they’re going to check to see if you have an umbrella.  And chances are if you don’t, they’re either going to give you their umbrella or insist on walking you home under their umbrella.  This offer, which would be viewed as almost absurd politeness in the States, is not viewed in anyway as an imposition.  It’s not a burden or a self-sacrifice.  It is simply just what you do to take care of your teacher.

In conclusion: I love living in China.