12 Reasons Why Moving To China Feels Like You've Gone Back To College

1. You constantly have no idea where you are/ where you're going/ have that one guy who tells you, "Don't worry, it's like two blocks this way".... you arrive nearly forty minutes later, disgruntled and drenched. Beijing blocks are no joke.

One time I had to buy an umbrella. I wasn't impressed. 

2. You have to figure out all the "spots" in town. Spot to buy your western groceries or groceries in general. Spot that accepts credit card (few and farrrrrr between). Spot to find clothes that are going to fit your giant western ass. Spot to get your phone reloaded. Spot that has cheapest pasta. Spot that has the best cheese selection because cheese is like the holy grail over here. Spot with the best steam buns. Spot that has the cheapest beer....

Our favorite spot- Sanlitun ;).

3. Which leads me to #3: Most local beers are roughly 50 cents for 600ml. Hello Freshman fifteen... or what I like to call the "Beijing Bulge". I regret nothing....

4. You drink in the streets. Because you can. Because Beijing.

Don't mind if I do.

5. Your friends all invite you out on Monday- Thursday nights because you know you don't have to get up for work until 2pm or later the next day. Damn near feels like I've raided the class schedule to get the latest starting classes so I can stay up as late as I deem fit the night before.

I love my coworkers.

6. You begin to invent bizarre food combos since you still can't read ingredient labels because everything is in Chinese characters. Today was a laughing cow cheese salsa sandwich. Judge me. Groceries are bought for two reasons: 1. they're cheap, you're poor and 2. they remotely resemble something from back home. You've hit the jackpot if you recognize the label.

You so precious.

7. Macaroni and cheese day is basically Christmas come early.

8. The expat community is connected by, at most, two degrees of separation. Have fun with that.

Representing two countries and five states.

9. You walk or take public transportation. EVERYWHERE.

I can barely breathe, let alone move.

10. You live in a quirky apartment that continuously reveals its quirkiness. And by reveals I mean has something break. Thank goodness our landlords are wonderful.

11. You eat ramen noodles with no shame. In case you thought ramen noodles couldn't get any cheaper, you were wrong.

No shame. None.

12. There is always that one guy on the subway that smells like a liquor cabinet. And that one person usually ends up giving you contact intoxication.

There are actually no complaints in this recent epiphany of mine. In fact, I rather enjoy feeling like I am back at University once more. Here is to the next 11 months of sort of feeling like an undergrad again!