Almost Halfway Done

I finally have more reliable access to the internet since we've discovered an on campus computer lab and I no longer have to deal with treks to a smoke-filled, dirty, and smelly internet cafe. One glaring aspect of the internet in China is the government's control over what its citizens get to see, also known as "the great firewall of China". I now realize how much freedom I had in the United States; even though there are always complaints about the government infringing on civil liberties, we're probably better off than many other people in the world.

On Tuesday, I finally visited the other half of Nankai University's huge campus. I figured it'd be pretty similar to the universities back home, but like pretty much everything else in China, it turned out to be way different than I expected. It looked like an urban residential block, complete with a small market selling goods ranging from bubble tea to SIM cards. I couldn't tell if the apartments were for students or if they could be rented out to anyone and people were hanging out on the streets. In the evening, we ventured out to see what was inside this interesting-looking building next to the campus. It turned out to be a shopping mall, but it was unlike any that I've been to in the United States. The individual stores were tiny and everything was located in plain view because there was no back room for storage. All sorts of different clothes (including the everpresent shirts with nonsensical english), jewelery, and electronics stuff was for sale and there was a cafeteria on the top floor. The fried rice I had there was really good, considering that I only paid $2 US for it.

Yesterday, me and one of my classmates went out to an outdoor resturant recommended by one of the other students in my study abroad group. It's located in the on-campus market area and consists of a large grill along with several tiny tables. The stools were so short that I was basically squatting for the entire meal and the sanitary conditions were questionable. Despite this, I really enjoyed the environment of this store. I've never encountered a place in the US where you sit outside in the evening and enjoy a nice meal with children and dogs running through the "resturant". The food was good, despite being a little bit spicy and I tried a couple of things I've never eaten before (chicken hearts and lamb). If no digestive issues pop up, I hope to visit this place again.