Oh Beijing..

I’ve been in Beijing for a year now and here are some strange (personal judgement) things that I have seen or encountered:

• 20 something year old girls hold hands while walking together. Everywhere, the street, malls, bars, etc. At first I thought Beijing just had a bunch of lesbians, but it was later explained to me that ‘This is what Chinese girls do when they are friends’
• Babies don’t wear diapers and poop on the street
• A lot of girls are scared to go/stay out past 10:30. My buddy calls them 'Those solar-powered types’
• If you shop anywhere except a retail or department store, most prices of things are negotiable
• Right on red might as well be a green light because cars don’t stop for anything as they whip around the corner
• Some girls will be wearing a nice outfit, only to also wear those 'trucker’ style hats with some bedazzled design on them. To me, it’s like wearing a suit with flip flops. 
• Everybody smokes everywhere
• Today I learned that in Chinese, America means 'Beautiful country’ and China means 'Middle country’. 
• People constantly touch other people in the gym as a sign of admiration of their muscles
• Everyone says 'Buh-bye’

And with that, I’m off to Brazil in 3 days