Creatures of Comfort

There is a debate among students who study abroad over whether it is better to fully immerse oneself in the culture at hand or seek out foreign commodities and comforts to remind oneself of home. Some say that to be frequently reminded of a home that is far away is detrimental. This school maintains that it is better to cut out the reminders so as to fully transplant your life, which will enable you to 适应 or "adapt". The counter argument is that quitting your "old life" cold turkey is to difficult to sustain, and indulging in creature comforts will help you survive in a new world.

I would like to think of myself as somewhere in the middle. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in China, slurp those noodles, wear those plastic 拖鞋 or "slippers", and don't mind the spitting in the streets. However, lets face it--China is still a developing nation. As a Westerner, I am used to certain "creature comforts" that I do not always get in China. So, sometimes it's okay to indulge a little. Not everyday, but why not every once in a while?

This past weekend my friend and I visited Shanghai. Having spent only a day there in the past (and having only seen the inside of an Amusement park), I must admit that I experienced a little bit of in-country culture shock. Walking around the city I was surprised at how clean, modern, and open it felt. There were times when I looked around at stone buildings and outdoor cafes and actually wondered whether I was still in China. Starbucks, sandwich shops, and Western clothing stores are abundant. City Shop, a foreign grocery store, has everything from Lindt truffles to Greek yogurt. It felt a lot like home.

We visited several typical tourist spots, including the Bund, Shanghai Old Street, the Yuan Garden, the French Concession, and an artist quarter with tiny cafes and modern boutiques.

In the French Concession we ate at a restaurant called Ginger, which serves fresh salads and home-made ginger ale. Given the name of the restaurant, I decided to try the signature drink and was pleasantly surprised. Their ginger ale is thicker than it's US bottled counterpart, but the syrup that made it so was not too sweet, and the drink had the typical bite of fresh, sharp ginger. We also trekked quite some ways just to get to a Hong Kong restaurant called Honeymoon Dessert. Milk and fresh fruit are the stars of these dessert plates, which satisfy the need for something sweet after dinner without putting you overboard like a massive piece of chocolate cake might. The trek was worth it.

Since this was a weekend of comfort anyway, my friend and I also decided to get massages at Dragonfly, which I had previously been to in Hangzhou. For only 168 RMB ($26) you get an hour of bliss in which the masseurs put you in a sublime state of semi-consciousness. The only downfall of this kind of treatment is how much you lament putting your shoes on and walking back out onto the street.

Now that I'm back in Nanjing I've already done a load of laundry (by hand in the sink) and unpacked my overnight bag back into my modest living quarters. Tomorrow, though it is Sunday, I will start my 6 day week of classes starting at 8am. I will eat 10 kuai meals at hole-in-the-wall noodle joints. None of this is a problem--it's just a different life. I like the tiny noodle places, and I don't mind washing my underwear in the sink. I will once again, however, be far removed from these "creature comforts" we all find guilty pleasure in. But there's no shame in enjoying them when you can.