Coping with culture shock

I had not counted on intense culture shock, for I'd been to China before. But in Nanjing, I worked at the Oxford English Academy, which was run by a British director and reflected his values. Now, I live and reside at a Chinese university. It's totally Chinese.

I find resting helps, and doing practical things like setting up my printer. Afterwards, I explore. I'd grown tired of the dining hall, and often eat on the square by the dormitories where there are several food stands (above). People have warned me about eating from carts, but I find I'm no more likely to get an upset stomach from cart food than from restaurant food. I apply this rule: Don't eat it in China if you wouldn't eat it in the states.

We are still on summer break, but students are gradually arriving for the Fall semester. In the evenings, they sit out on the square prepare for the year's work in informal study sessions (below).