Staying at the Hangzhou Hofang International Youth Hostel just off the busy Hefang Street, I met people who had come to Hangzhou for a variety of reasons. As an example, Monday night, I shared a beer with someone from Lithuania who was traveling the world trying to sell his artwork. Then the following morning, I met another individual, Leonardo, who had traveled to Hangzhou with his family and was staying an extra day. Leonardo was a practicing Buddhist who had come to Hangzhou to visit the famous Buddhist temples.
After breakfast, Leonardo and I walked to the West Lake, which I learned is pictured on the 1 Yuan bill, and walked across the Su Causeway through the middle of the lake. Although it was a little cold, the view and the company was great. I learned that Leonardo is going to school in Vancouver, is studying physical chemistry, and is back in China because it’s his Spring Break. He explained that although his English was pretty good, it was not as good as the Chinese humanities and art majors. I also learned that Leonardo picked his English name based on Leonardo DiCaprio’s award winning performance in Titanic.
Later in the day, after making my tourist rounds and visiting Failei Peak, The China National Tea Museum, and the Nangsong Dynasty Palace Porcelain Museum, I ran into another U.S. Spring Breaker, Yvonne, who had returned to her family in Hangzhou but is going to school in Pennsylvania. I met Yvonne at the Porcelain Museum in an area offering ceramics classes. I was watching as she formed an owl out of clay, and eventually, she looked up and blurted something out in English. I was so surprised by her English, that I forget what it was that she initially said to me. I asked if I could sit down near where she was working and then proceeded to interview her, flooding her with many questions. Around closing time of the museum, she asked if I would like to join her and her family for dinner. I immediately accepted under the condition that I wouldn’t be intruding.
I followed her to the bus station, where she insisted that I have the fried tofu on a stick that was being sold right at the station. I then had my first experience on the not-so-English-friendly bus system. Unlike the subways and railroads, the buses had no English instructions. We make it to her home, where I am greeted by her grandparents and invited inside. I take off my shoes as is the custom in most Chinese homes, and they lend me some slippers to wear while I am inside. While getting a tour of her home with tea and snacks in hand, I soon meet her mother, brother, and aunts and uncles. There was also a one a half year old who was a lot of fun once he got over being shy. Also during the tour, Yvonne tried to teach me some of the basic rules of the game Majiang before we eventually all went out to dinner.
The whole family came out to dinner, where among many things, I learned that the location one sits at a round table is significant. The head of the table is seated facing the door. The two most important guests are then on either side of the head. Finally, the level of importance of the other guests either travels counter-clockwise around the table from there, or varies as the seat is farther away from the host. We ordered many different dishes, including some that were a little more exotic such as the tongue of duck. Being the guest, the family would generally want me to try something first; however, I was hoping that someone else would start so that I could learn how I was supposed to eat it, with what utensil and on what plate or bowl. I usually had to start and then alter my method of eating once I learned I had being doing it incorrectly. Throughout the dinner, the smallest would find someone around the table, many times me because I was the new face, and raise his bowl yelling “Gan Bei!”. I soon was told that this was the equivalent to “Cheers!” in English, and would repeat it back to him. Being welcomed into this family’s home and joining them for dinner was easily the highlight of my Hangzhou experience.
After dinner, although I was already very full, Yvonne wanted to take me to a street market where they prepare some of her favorite foods. We enjoyed all sorts of delicious snacks on skewers despite not knowing exactly where it all was fitting in my stomach. These snacks ranged from spiced vegetables to the more adventurous squid.
What drove me to that Porcelain Museum is a mystery other than I saw it on the map and thought it might be interesting to explore. But whatever the reason, it led me to Yvonne, who in turn welcomed me into her home and provided me with a very authentic and memorable Chinese experience.
