How living in China is like camping

1. Standing Toilets

My quads are going to be much stronger after living here because of all the squatting. I don't understand why standing toilets are still the norm here. Is it some strange form of cultural preservation? Do the Chinese actually prefer to squat rather than sit? Does it have something to do with the plumbing? This is something I'm going to have to look into. Luckily, my apartment has a Western-style sit-down toilet, but everywhere else, even the McDonald’s across the street, you have to squat. I was surprised that McDonald's didn't have Western toilets since it's brand new and, well, Western, but even though the porcelain hole said "American Standard,” it was still just a hole.

2. Tooth-brushing from a bottle

The water here isn't potable, which means I get all of my water for drinking and tooth-brushing from an office-style water cooler. The guy who replenishes each apartment's water supply carries the tanks up the steps on a bar carefully balanced across his shoulders. Every once in a while I hear Luke's voice telling me to let the tap water boil for three minutes before throwing in my dumplings, or Lucy's voice asking if she'll get gonorrhea from drinking the water. Ha.

3. You eat it, you carry it

I think this is true of city life in general, but since Chengdu is the first city I've lived in (aside from a three-week sojourn in Philly, thanks PIRG), I will probably always associate sore arms after shopping with China. After I go to the market, I carry home eggs in a plastic bag. There's also this sweet stand at the market where you can buy all of the ingredients for soup (cut vegetables, broth, spices, sliced meat) and then come home and cook it. Campbell's roll over.

4. Finicky gas stove

Gas is used to heat everything here from the take-home soup to the hot water for my shower. The flame of my gas stove can get so large it engulfs my pot, so I have to be super careful when turning the knob. When I take a shower, I can hear the flame ignite, and then I know it's time to brace myself for boiling water from the spout.

5. Rain, rain go away

It rains a lot here, which means that if I've just done laundry, I have to run outside and bring my clothes in off the line. If I've planned to go into the city, I might curl up with a book on my 70's throwback sofa instead. If the air conditioner is on full blast, I might open the windows and use the remote control to switch off the air (that's right, I have remote-control air-conditioners!). Today, I went into the city in spite of the rain and discovered two spots that might become some of my favorite havens: The Bookworm and Grandma' s Kitchen. Good thing I got that sweet raincoat before I left, though.

6. Mosquito bites!

There are lots. And they itch!