…for 3 seconds -___- Flobots inspired me with his ravishing lyrics.
For those of you who did not know, I was physically challenged at riding a bike prior to coming to China. Yes indeed- that part of my childhood was, well, I don’t know what the heck I was doing instead of getting on a bicycle. Perhaps I was too busy cradling Barbie dolls or shooting water guns at my cousin’s window instead. More reasonably, I was trying to evade the fear of falling after having failed attempts but I gave up like a baby and never really had to learn. Growing up with privileged public transportation, where Mom and Dad chauffeured me, and eventually having mastered the skill of driving myself, it didn’t make sense to bike when I had quicker options. At home biking is more of a past time for many. Unfortunately, I never picked up such an essential hobby.
That is until I came to Beijing- the bicycle capital of the world. I had no choice but to learn or I’d have to walk 20 minutes through campus to get to my classes each day. And knowing me, waking up extra early was just out of the question! Anywho, I met a Nigerian friend, Francis, who patiently coached me through the process. I proudly mastered the bike in less than an hour- holler! But practice made perfect. And now it has become an inexorable part of my Beijing lifestyle as I swift alongside buses and cars through heavy traffic. “Look ma, no hands” :P Ok, I’m a dork.
Learning to ride a bike is only one of many life lessons I have picked up while abroad. In fact, I go through them every day. While I have much to learn and much to experience ahead, here are some already acquired knowledge that I’d like to openly share:
1. The only people in America who consistently use the metric system are drug dealers. That’s because drug dealers are ironically smart. They know that everywhere else in the world people use measurements like celsius, meters, kilos, etc. Dahhh?! I was flabbergasted too but my brain is slowly getting used to it. The United States along with Burma and Liberia are the only regions who have not metricated. I wish they had so I don’t have to be that one American who habitually questions, “wtf?”
2. Talk to strangers. Well obviously be smart about it and don’t go up to weirdos, but you can learn a lot through conversations with potential new acquaintances. Otherwise, I would not have encountered the people I have met nor have made the friends I now have. People are interesting characters and for that I have become more tolerable of society. Following this advice- in my life, I have met crackheads, millionaires, celebrities, bums, and my best friends. In China, it goes the same. Meet someone today and your life could change tomorrow.
3. Be patient my friends. We’ve all heard this one before but in fact, it is a very important skill I recommend we all take up. China has treated my impatience. In a country where things do not typically show at an instant or work immediately, you’d have to unfortunately sit back, relax and simply wait. I have learned not to stress about frivolous things or try to impossibly hurry things up because ultimately things will work out when you give it a chance. Worrying too much will only damage your stress hormones. Just chill and drink some damn tea.
4. Keep calm and carry on. Usually my optimism helps spread positive energy around people but lately I’ve been running out of energy. It’s a part of my idealistic mentality but now I am more of an optimistic pessimist. I think Urban Dictionary describes it best: One who tends to “hope for the best and prepare for the worst.” In all actuality, some things are just not meant to be and I’ve realized that my expectations won’t always be reached and heart breaks are meant to happen once in a while. We just have to guard ourselves, lift our heads up high and confidently walk towards the next best thing. Shit happens.
5. First impressions are always wrong. As cliche as it may sound, you really can’t judge a book by its cover. You’ve got to skim through it a bit and sometimes that’s doesn’t even do justice. You’ve got to really open it up and give it a chance. Initial impressions often swindle you from really knowing a person. Having given people a second chance, I have met incredible people whom I originally disliked. And vice versa. After meeting so many people and then getting to know them more on a personable level, I’ve grasped the fact that everyone has issues and have problems about other problems. Everyone is going through some sort of crap in their lives. We all share that in common. And that is something we normally don’t register at first glance.
6. Try drinking warm water instead of cold water. In Chinese culture, drinking ice cold water is simply “unhealthy” as it supposedly could damage your insides. My mother used to tell me “Anna, don’t drink that cold bottle of water or your uterus will freeze!” Yes, my mother is something. My friends joke about my mothers “ancient words of wisdoms” but overall, she treats me like I’m still five and tells me lies to prevent me from mistreating my body. You see, cold water apparently slows digestion and can drain your energy. Luke warm water, on the other hand, aids in digestions, drives your metabolism, prevents heart attacks, and generally is good for your body since we are warm-blooded creatures. Despite my mother’s droll words, I still prefer an iced tea in the hot summers. And like every other foreigner, I thought strangely of drinking warm water instead of cold. What I’m trying to say is- we should try following local practices, try new things, and learn something new. It is what life is all about. We should not be cooped up in stubborn thought; we miss out on possible vital information if we are unyielding to the rest of the world.
