• Expats make close friendships really quick with each other.  We're a minority, and people need people to lean on when they're in a new situation.  The more experienced expats are more than happy to fill you in on any queries you may have, or lend you anything.
• It's very likely that you'll hang out with your children's teachers and socialize with them.  Again, this has to do with our minority status.  The teachers are always interested in meeting new westerners and trading stories with them.  It makes them feel good to help other people.  Variety is the spice of life.  They're probably tired of looking at each other's mugs, too.  New parents are new people that talk their language.
• Everyone knows everyone somehow in the expat community.  Small town rules apply here.  Don't gossip about anyone, because it will probably get back to them. 
• The only thing that you can count on in your friendships is change.  Almost every expat here is on a 2-3 year contract.  Sure, you get close quick, but the minute you get close to someone, they announce that they are leaving.  Many families and teachers have announced that they are leaving now that it is spring.  Can't wait to meet all of the new people in the fall!
• When one expat finds a restaurant or store they like, word spreads fast in our small international community.  We text, e-mail, and phone each other with our reviews.
• I didn't realize how "continental" I was.  I'm learning the coolest sayings from all over the world, just by hanging around this international expat crowd.  I've learned that "flutter" is to gamble, a tired child is described as "all scratchy," and a "hangman" is someone who gets himself in trouble with his antics.  My vocabulary will be changed forever.  I'm always on the look-out for new sayings.  I love that stuff!
• We sure are a technological group.  In order to stay close to home, we've had to get knowledgeable very quick with our computers, digital cameras, and cell phones.  Amazing that I've built this web page and Doug has figured out how to set up a phone through the computer that can phone Chatham or Peoria with no long distance charges incurred. 
• As a whole, we tend to have good senses of humor.  If we didn't, it would be the end of us here.
• We are confused about how to deal with our domestic help.  Someone needs to write out some rules and publish them.  Whenever there is a holiday, we're whispering to each other about what days we're supposed to give our staff off and how much we should tip them.  We never come up with the same answers...no consensus.  We're constantly talking about whether or not we have good ayis or good drivers.  On the whole, the stories are pretty positive.  Nobody's ever treated any of us this good, ever.  But still, there is confusion.  I constantly hear sentences that start, "Does your ayi.....?" or "Does your driver....?"  This domestic help thing is all new to us.  Of course, around our drivers and ayi's, we have to act as if we're accustomed to it all.  But I bet they know we aren't.  I wish I could eavesdrop on an ayi or driver conversation.  That would be very interesting!
• Sometimes we have bad days.  Thank goodness we made some close friends really quick.  Then we have someone to talk about it with.  Your new expat friends make you laugh when they say things like, "Oh, you're just having a China day.  That's normal."  Then they go on a spiel about their worst day ever here, so you know that you're not alone.
• Our lives should be turned into a funny tv sitcom.  There are days that we're all bumbling about like Lucille Ball at the chocolate factory.  It wasn't funny at the time, but now I laugh when I think back to the first time I used the washing machine.  With only Chinese characters on the buttons, I had to make some guesses.  I guessed wrong and there was soap and water on the laundry room floor.  Then I couldn't get the water to drain out of the machine.  I had to run several different cycles before it appeared as if all of the soap and water was gone.  It took about 3 hours.  The washing machine is so small, I think I can only get one pair of jeans into it and maybe 3 shirts if I'm lucky.  Three hours for that!

• How come none of the drivers use maps?  Are there no maps?  Everyone seems so lost.  People just ask each other for directions, and then it takes a lot longer to get to your final destination, or you just don't make it there at all.
• Why would a "workerman" take apart my mailbox when it worked perfectly fine, put a new little door on the mailbox, but not give me the new key to the mailbox?  How come when I asked for a new key, I was told that there was none and that they'd have to get it from the factory?
• Why does everyone tie up my grocery bags so tight, in about 3 knots?  If one of the grocery clerks misses tying up the bags real tight, my driver will get a hold of it and tie it up tight.  Then I can't use the grocery bags again because I've had to rip them to get them open.
• Why are there no garbage cans or dumps here? 
• Why does everyone spit so much here, whenever and wherever they want?
• How come it took me an hour to exchange U.S. funds into Chinese funds at the bank?  There were only 2 people in the bank when I arrived there. 
• Why do they fold wads of money here when counting it?  Why must they count it about 7 times? 
• Why does everyone always want to see my passport whenever I do simple transactions?  They want to photocopy it, take it off to another room while I wait, and look it over several times.  They also like to show their co-workers.  They call it "the pass."
• Why is there so much paperwork and red seals when you go shopping?  And must 3 or more staff be involved in the purchasing of a product?
• How come I can't browse in a store without being nearly accosted by the staff?  Must there be so much staff?  And do they really need to tell me a long spiel in a language I don't quite yet understand, while they demonstrate the product, too?
• Why do they play such loud music in the stores?  It gives me an awful headache, causes me to race through the store to get my shopping done, and get out of there as soon as I can.
• Why are grocery stores often on the 3rd floor of a mall?  Wouldn't it be easier to get the produce in and out of the mall if it was on the first floor?  Imagine how convenient that would be for the customers, too.
• Why do other customers want to inspect the contents of my shopping cart so closely? 
• Why are there squatter toilets (on the floor) and no toilet paper in the women's washroom in the Beijing International Airport?  I thought that place would be a bit more international, at least. 
• Why are there always spelling and grammatical errors on every English sign I read?  Westerners here call it "Chinglish."  I saw the best one this week....a swimming pool sign, elegantly done and etched in stone that said, "Swimming Poor."  I hope none of the poor swimmers drown!

I'm sure I'll have some more "why?" questions to add at a later date to this entry.  But coming soon.....I'm collecting "Chinglish" pictures to show everyone.  Some of them are so cute and lyrical.  They'll be sure to give you a good giggle.