Rebecca A. Foster

Three months in, a few things I love about being back in America: 1. Walking into a store that has clothes and shoes in my size, and no one telling me I am too big or fat for their store. 2. Buying produce without having to weigh it first at a chaotic produce counter where if you don't shove to the front, you never get your stuff weighed. 3. No one screaming "Hello!" in my face as I'm walking by. 4. Super clean public bathrooms! 5. Everything smells so good. (Americans are very particular about smells, aren't we?) 6. Indoor climate control everywhere you go. 7. People smile at you and hold the door*. 8. Target. 9. So much cheese! 10. No firewall, no need to censor what I'm Googling, and I can take pictures of whatever I want.** *Stores in my part of China don't have doors, just an open wall, but no one smiles. ** In the video I posted recently of my neighborhood , you might not have noticed I was being very careful to keep the camera on my s...

1. Any food you eat in bed tastes exponentially better. 2. It’s okay to admit you hate camping. When I was younger, I sort of made myself believe I liked the outdoors because most of the guys I was interested in were mountain men on the side. The truth is, I like hot showers and seafood buffets and soft hotel beds, so sue me!  On the plus side, when you admit that out loud, you find the people who feel the same way. Amazing. 3. Something more expensive that will last over time is a much better deal than cheaper and easily broken. This is especially true of shoes and appliances. 4. The question is not “Are you single?” The question should be: “Are there any girls who you know think they’re your girlfriend?” 5. Sometimes what is holding us back is the fear of our own success, either because we don’t think we deserve it, or we don’t want the responsibility that comes with it. 6. A guy who wants to help you carry your bags or pay for things doesn’t necessarily think you’re in...

It's been interesting to me to see which things from my home culture are popular here and which are completely unknown, even though in my eyes, they are comparable products. These things listed as 'popular' are well-known to people in my city; that is the average Chinese person you meet here would know and like them. The 'unpopular' category are things I consider popular in the U.S., but are unknown here. Popular TV: Prison Break (they LOVE it), Big Bang Theory (this one surprised me), Lost , Gossip Girl , Desperate Housewives , Ugly Betty Unpopular TV: 30 Rock , The Office , The Daily Show , CSI -type shows, Reality TV Popular Fast Food Chains: KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Subway Unpopular Fast Food Chains: Wendy's, Taco Bell, Carl's Junior, Quizno's Popular Candy Bars: Snickers, M&Ms Unpopular Candy Bars: Everything else Popular Movies: Titanic (oh man, you have no idea), Forrest Gump , Gone With The Wind , recent action movies ...

I love that my laptop and iPod run on 100 - 240 voltage and I don't have to carry converters.  I love that I can take antibiotics when I get sick.  I love that I can download silly American tv shows and get a small respite from daily life here.  I love that I can get dimsum 24 hours a day on the street near my apartment.  I love that I have friends who know I am eccentric and have a hard time moving past my mistakes, and like me anyway.  I love that I can still shop on Amazon, Target and iTunes because my credit card address is still U.S. based.  I love cheese. 

I hate doing dishes so I cook directly on foil in the oven as often as possible. I love corn tortillas with olive oil baked at 375 until crispy, sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese for the last few minutes of baking, then topped with pico de gallo or tomatoes with hot sauce before eating. I noticed the little bits of shredded cheese that fell onto the foil were deliciously crispy and flavorful and because I have extremely sophisticated cooking habits, I now throw an extra little pile of shredded cheese directly onto the foil. Peels right up in a thin sheet of cheesy bliss that melts in your mouth. Yum-my.