Bring a gift. Fruit is usually a
safe bet. Cookies are cool too.
You will be asked “are you
hungry?” and supplied with fruit and nuts to eat to your heart's
content. Please, eat, but remember that this is only a snack and
you will have lunch soon.
You may be served some “strange”
dishes like sheep's stomach and intestines for lunch. Eat as much
as you can to be polite. Don't think about the villi waving at you
from your piece of intestine. Satisfy your actual appetite with the
guo bao rou.
Wear enough clothes to keep you
warm when you go for a walk in the snow to visit the Confucius
museum and neighboring Engineering university. Also, practice
walking backwards in case the wind tries to blow snow into your
face.
Be prepared to sit in someone's
bedroom and watch an English movie while the Chinese family hangs
out in other parts of the apartment.
You may be offered ice cream
before dinner because your hosts are concerned that you are hungry
from waiting for dinner. You do not need to accept this ice cream,
but please, find a culturally appropriate way to turn it down.
Eat those chicken hearts with a
smile on your face and love in your heart.
Come ready with a song, or two, or
six. Swing dancing or some other ability wouldn't be turned down
either.
Have fun, talk, laugh, and learn
because Chinese people are awesome!!
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