BEIJING - I fear I've been a bit too negative here the past few days. Internet access, development, and rip-offs are serious problems here in China, but not so much that they exclude the simple surprises of living here.
One surprise is that I'm sitting here at the computer right now. It's 8 p.m. China time, and I missed the (excellent) dining hall's 5 to 7 p.m. dinner hour. That means I'm on my own for dinner. Rather than having to get on my bike and pedal to the nearest hole-in-the-wall eatery, in 15 minutes or so I'll be eating a steaming plate of oyako donburi. This Japanese egg and rice dish is one of my favorites, and it's coming to my door for under a $1.50. That includes a drink, and since this is China, I won't be expected to tip.
Enthralled with the choices on campus, I didn't even know there were on-campus delivery options until Friday night. It was around this time, and my roommate posed a question. He asked if I wanted to order some dinner. I said sure, but where to order from? He then went to the top shelf of his desk and pulled out from between two thick GRE study books, a pile of menus.
Written in Korean, Japanese, Chinglish and only occasionally Chinese, these lengthy menus mean infinite choice for the lazy Tsinghua student. They're open late, and the line's rarely busy. Wudaokou is a primarily Korean area, and there are plenty of Korean places, along with several Japanese and a pizza joint. There's also a place that specializes in chicken wings and kabobs and stays open until 3 a.m. I'm not sure if it has a name. If not, I suggest "Food that Will Make Drunks Very, Very Happy."
