This is going to be short but I thought I would share my recent cultural findings here in China. Liang, our residence advisor, and I got to talking and we were talking about what she should get her boyfriend (he is American and lives in Colorado) for Christmas. I started naming a bunch of things and she told me the cultural chinese explanations for why you can't give certain things as gifts: You can't give the person you're dating shoes, because it will be easier for him/her to run away. You can't give anyone an umbrella, because the Chinese word for umbrella "San" also means to break up or to lose; therefore, if you give an umbrella to someone, you will most likely break up. You also cannot give a person a clock, because the Chinese word for clock is "Zhong" and that also means to terminate or to die. I think you will all understand why it is bad to give someone a clock. I also found out that Chinese people are very superstitions about numbers. For example, they refuse to have the number "4" in their cell phone number because 4 or "si" also means the devil. And there is no chance you will find a 4 anywhere near an 8 because 48 "siba" means death. I'm finding these superstitions extremely interesting and I've even noticed myself going along with them without thinking. It is a little contagious and I guess you always have to be safe! ;-). That's all for now, I hope you enjoy my little culture lesson for the day!

Goodnight,

Becca