Hey there, I'm new here too lol. I'm from Singapore! (Ppl ALWAYS think that SG is located in China fr sum reason....) Located in South-East Asia. I've been to China too, which part of China you located in?

Welcome to MB, Jessica!

Your country has such a fascinating history and society. I've always been impressed by the early technological advances and artistic creativity of China.

I visited Beijing, Guilin (beautiful landscape), and Hong Kong around 10 years ago, and had a wonderful and interesting two-week stay. I remember watching a traditional Chinese opera. One of my close friends at the time was from China and she sent me there with a few phrases to help me get by, such as when ordering food since I'm vegetarian. The only phrase I remember is this: "Wo chi su" (I am vegetarian). Did I say it correctly? ;)

GAA! :( I didn't know this either, Duce.

Hey man, spoiler tags exist for a reason!!

Haha,one of my dream is to study there~~~=)
I understand,just like when I said Inner Mongolia people thought I am from Mongolia~~=)

I live in Inner Mongolia currently,and I stayed in Beijing for 2 years and my hometown is Hebei````hope this is not confusing```

Thanks~~And you said it perfectly=)
You make me jealous,cuz I havnot got a chance to visit Guilin yet!=( Everybody told me that I need to visit there at least once before I die```

i thought it was common knowledge, srry

allo, so arr where in singapore you from arr? aisay arr, hard to find people so near me here arr, I in Kuala Lumpur

This is exactly what my Chinese friend said!

Guilin *is* beautiful ...

http://www.china-family-adventure.co...guilin-002.jpg

...but in addition to the beauty I remember some of the awkward feelings of being a tourist. For example, when we saw rice paddies and people working in them with water buffalo under such mountains, we foolishly thought we'd take a picture...which isn't polite to the people who were working there, since they shouldn't be turned into a spectacle. This resulted in an unfortunate situation involving our Chinese tour guide struggling to close the minivan door after the farmers streamed toward the minivan, hoping for money and even trying to grab a seat cover. I felt bad about our naivety resulting in countryman wrangling with countryman.

I realized then what I should have realized before: never take pictures of people without their permission.

you should at least pay them something first

that'd solve a lot of things

They were far out in the fields when we stopped, you see, to take the picture. By the time a horde formed around us, we were afraid to get our money out. The horde included many farmers who hadn't been in the picture.

It is a tricky issue always, regardless where one lives, how to handle it when strangers ask for money. I remember quite a few awkward situations in Boston, for example, when homeless men would ask me for money. (Jessica, I just don't want you to think this issue is limited to China.)

the reason I said this is that the Chinese villagers are pretty money-minded

for instance, if I could go back to my ancestral village, Ankui in the Fuchien district, if I said I was their relative, they'd be asking ang pao "red packet" money from me....

Isn't it one of the only city-states in the world?