Day 16

25.04.18 - ANZAC Day - Lest We Forget

WeRun Update: 15116 steps

Landmine noodles and roast duck
Uncle Kenny took me to an authentic Nanjing noodle joint (which only opens from 6am to 2pm - you'll rarely see noodle joints close so early in China). The noodles we ate were called landmine noodles, where the noodles are covering the fillings that you choose to have in it - resembles what a landmine looks like (地雷面). The joint was packed and there was a queue - often a good sign that it's tasty. Another sign was when orders were being shouted across the room and you could see the chefs prepare 10 bowls of noodles at one time. There was an uncle who sat across from me, comes in, takes 4 cloves of garlic, peels them and then eats them. Then he buys a small bottle of baijiu and necks it as well. It was 12pm. I could not comprehend.

Vegetarian chicken 素鸡 (beancurd) is actually quite popular in China. I would always have it back at home but never knew what it was in English. I got that as one of my fillings along with a big piece of fatty pork belly. Kenny also bought me a roast duck - they do the roast duck differently in Nanjing as I had mine drenched in some special sauce (and not wrapped up like Beijing style and a different taste compared to Guangdong style).

A walk around the 'No Worries' Lake 莫愁湖
I decided to venture out into Uncle Kennys way towards another lake in Nanjing called Mochou Lake. Mochou means do not worry in Chinese. I was trying to follow the story in some of the artwork inside the lake. It says that she was a very beautiful woman, who was married and had a child but then her husband got taken away from her (or she was claimed by someone else when her city fell) and her longing for her husband made her weep tears, which turned into the lake.

Nice to meet you 很高兴遇见你 
That was the name of the restaurant which I met some new friends at, which was fitting for the occasion. My two new friends were both quite shy and there were periods where you'd have an awkward silence where none of them talked before I initiated with a new topic. We talked about mostly me because it seemed like I lived a more exciting life.

Shirley's this law student at Nanjing University (which means she is very very smart to even get in to the university). She is graduating in two months and has been offered a job at a law firm in Nanjing. She said that in order for her to be offered that job, she had to use connections, because having the skills and ability is sometimes not enough to get a job. Many students smarter than her didn't even get an interview with her company, whilst she got one without even meeting one of the criteria (which was to have some experience studying aboard).

Even though she graduates mid-year, her job requires her to work immediately upon graduating. There is a process where she is an intern for the first few months before being a full-time employee.
She isn't able to delay her start date because the firm can easily find someone else to replace her - she must take her opportunity or else regret it in the future. Unlike us, we can afford the luxury of taking time off to travel and still be in the running to get grad jobs 12 months after we graduate. Chinese students don't have this luxury because they would prefer the certainty now than have to deal with an uncertain future.

Last night, Shirley wanted to go clubbing because she has never been to a club before (very normal here in China). She has the impression that clubs are 'messy, rowdy and loud' which discouraged her from going previously. But she feels that when she starts work, she'll have no time to try new things because of the long hours she expects to do. It really made me feel privileged to be in such a position that I am in now because Chinese graduates get it really rough. Long hours and overtime, no time to relax and enjoy life - it really can be a struggle for them and most of them accept it as it is.

The other friend is Jack, who studies Communication at Nanjing Technical University. He's your typical Chinese guy - friendly but shy. Into football and basketball. Never been to a club too.

I took both of them to Bassment and we played some pool, tried some Aussie beers (Coopers and Crown Lager) and listened to a live band. It was nice - I felt like a uni student again.

As I said before, I felt really lucky to have so many experiences in my life - these university students clearly have an appetite to try new things but are sometimes constrained by their surroundings and culture - I will take them to MIU on Friday because they ought to see for themselves what a Chinese club is really like, regardless of the negative stories they've heard.

Experience with your own eyes.