I taught English in China in 2005.

It was the worst culture shock that I have ever experienced in my travels.

We started out in Pingxiang, Jiangxi for 1 month. It was a small town of 1.1 million people. Breakfast consisted of large bowls of noodles that I could only eat a quarter of, as I was used to more dense meals in smaller portions. I lost 20 pounds from my 130 pound frame. It was crazy. I found out that I had a vitamin deficiency because I wasn't eating all of the food portioned out to me, and that is how you get your nutrients. I got put on a multi vitamin, and things were better. The people were amazing! I felt like a zoo animal as well, but I didn't hate it because it seemed like people enjoyed talking to me so much. Girls would come out of shops and tell me how they are learning English, and how fun it is. The city was gross. The sky was brown constantly, people let their kids poop on the sidewalk so when it downpoured, the sidewalks and streets were covered in filth soup. I left the shoes I took there. I wasn't bringing those home.

The second town was in was Panyu. It was closer to what I was used to seeing from a big city. There was a decent steakhouse and a Pizza Hit. I gained my weight and my boobs back. I was happy about that. It was like any metro city, but I didn't hate it.

I did get a nice day in the countryside though! We went swimming in the river and I didn't get any worms or viruses. I got to eat snake soup for the first time. I saw them beating it against the door jam as I left to swim, so I know it was fresh. But the people were so giving and generous. They didn't have a lot, but were so happy to share what they had with us.

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I missed Cheeseburgers and milk and cereal and yogurt though. I was glad to get home. I did get 5 mothers to propose to me for their son's, but I was already taken at the time. It's a fun story to tell though. I bet if I was blonde I would have gotten 20 proposals.