What I've learned

Ten things I've learned (and things you might want to learn as well):
1. Chinese is hard as hell to learn. The same word can have 4 different tones, and therefore 4 different meanings.
2. Chinese food here is so much different (and better) than the crap they call "Chinese food" back in the U.S.
3. Be prepared to eat a car emissions sandwich every day (although the government has done a good job of keeping the air clean-you can see the mountains on good days!)
4. People on bicycles will run over pedestrians. Same thing applies to taxis and buses. I've had some close calls.
5. Hold on for dear life on the bus. You're in there with about 75 of your closest friends at rush hour.
6. Get used to hanging your laundry out to dry after it gets washed.
7. White people get terrible prices at shops catered to westerners.
8. The labs aren't always ventilated or air conditioned. So be prepared to smell like benzene all summer.
9. Wal-Mart Supercenters in China aren't 24 hours. I found out the hard way.
10. My face turns red after consuming a small amt. of alcohol. So I won't be drinking the rest of this trip.