Original Expectations

As i was attempting to get back to the hotel from visiting my new apartment, I had a great deal of time to think.  I actually got off on the wrong stop, and then got lost in yet another underground mall trying to find the right exit.  i eventually found my way back to the surface and knew, beyond doubt, that there was no way that i was going to spend another hour wandering around trying to find the metro, when it was only one stop, and i could probably walk home.  that turned out to be an error, as i really didn't have anything but the foggiest notion of how to get back to the hotel.  it only took me 3 hours, so, i'm going to say that that was a good thing.  the bad thing...sort of bad thing, i guess, is that i was not in a good neighbourhood at all.  if i had been at home, or in many other countries, i would have been in a great deal of danger.  in China though?  absolutely safe, and in no danger whatsoever.  i didn't once stop to wonder if i was going to get mugged, shot, or kidnapped.

so, while i was wandering the back streets of Luohu past "massage parlours", and things of that nature, i found myself thinking about my original expectations about china.  I did some half-assed research, watched some discovery channel documentaries on China (netflix), and watched a vlog of a guy who lives in Shenzhen, but there were certain expectations that i had for when i landed.  In the past i lived in South Korea for a year and a half, but that was 20 years ago, and i think that some of my expectations were based on that experience.

So, here were my expectations (along with what i actually found):

1.  landing in a foreign, dirty airport, completely lost, spending time in a customs line with thousands of other people, being treated like a dirty foreigner, and generally a miserable experience.

landing in Shenzhen, China was actually one of the best airport experiences of my entire life.  it still seems strange to me.  we disembarked from the giant plane straight onto the tarmac, and then walked into where the baggage came off the plane.  there was none of that running around, attempting to discover where your luggage was going to appear.  everything was clearly marked in chinese and in english.  because i had purchased an upgrade to first class on the trip from phoenix to la, my luggage was first off the plane.  it was easily the best $60 USD that i have ever spent.

after collecting my luggage, i wandered to a clearly marked sign that said, "foreign visitors", and walked up to the customs agent.  he looked at my passport, looked at my form, and waved me on.  that was customs.  i walked through some doors, and there was my name on a sign with a guy waiting for me.  he grabbed my luggage cart, took me out to the waiting car, and we were on our way.  i was in that airport for the grand total of 15 minutes.  when is the last time you were able to get off a plane, get your luggage, and clear customs in 15 minutes?

(to be continued)