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Q: Do you ever visit 'old timey' China?
Spending Spring Festival with the wife's family and it's.......rural. In actual fact it's another city, but somehow manages to have a real backwater feel about it, at least where the in-laws live it does.
First thing that strikes me when we visit at this time of year is the cold, not that it's any colder than where we live in Nanning, just that there's no attempt made to combat it; no heaters or electric fires and all the windows open. I under dressed so my father in-law gave me one of those big green 'people of the revolution' coats to wear (that must have been one toasty-warm revolution, these things are cosy).
Here for three weeks, which at least gives me time to study for my driving test, can't imagine living here though, these people are poor as shit, I go into withdrawal spending one night away from my PS4.
The in-laws are very old fashioned too, 'si shu' and 'si shen' I'm instructed to call them. First time I did I got the words muddled and called the old man Susan. Lovely people but God knows what they make of me. Anyway it's like China in the middle ages; Beijing Opera on the tv at every opportunity (that's what they all watched back in the middle ages, right?) and not a Burger King in sight. I've got 18 more days and 11 hours to go. I don't think I'm going to make it.
Almost same situation is when we are visit my in-laws. But, they do not watch much TV, only grandson at age about 14 is watching cartoons all day, and new year gala is a must. For us, it is just 3, max 4 days. I call them ma and pa, but that's almost all. I don't talk theirs dialect and they don't talk putonghua 
House with no insulation, sometimes they do open fire at room, but that require to open windows to safe yourself from poisoning. So, completely waste of wood. When you go out, they you finaly see what is the mean of dark night. and what is is to hear nothing. unfortunately, never was able to enjoy stars on sky, as always it was covered in "fog". it should be beautiful view.
I do wish you strong will, to overcome the boredom. It may be great in a long run, find some way to walk around and discover new places. I am not allowed to do so, because " the hills are dangerous " 
That's why I limit the time to be there. even my wife can not stay there for more than a week.
Clean your lungs there, i bet it's one of the big positive of that place.
mArtiAn:
Sounds like real village life, this place is still a city but third tier and kind of on the outskirts. Not a lot to do but I don't mind that for a short while.
Almost same situation is when we are visit my in-laws. But, they do not watch much TV, only grandson at age about 14 is watching cartoons all day, and new year gala is a must. For us, it is just 3, max 4 days. I call them ma and pa, but that's almost all. I don't talk theirs dialect and they don't talk putonghua House with no insulation, sometimes they do open fire at room, but that require to open windows to safe yourself from poisoning. So, completely waste of wood. When you go out, they you finaly see what is the mean of dark night. and what is is to hear nothing. unfortunately, never was able to enjoy stars on sky, as always it was covered in "fog". it should be beautiful view.
I do wish you strong will, to overcome the boredom. It may be great in a long run, find some way to walk around and discover new places. I am not allowed to do so, because " the hills are dangerous " That's why I limit the time to be there. even my wife can not stay there for more than a week.
Clean your lungs there, i bet it's one of the big positive of that place.
mArtiAn:
Sounds like real village life, this place is still a city but third tier and kind of on the outskirts. Not a lot to do but I don't mind that for a short while.
couple good experience based stories....thanks guys.... I expect to respond a bit more, after I get my "loose lips" going......... more booze and the village, "small city" life will be more available for all you city slickers.
I have similar experiences visiting my in-laws in rural Jiangxi. Their "modern" (30-year old house) is built into the back of grandpa's mud-brick built place. Cooking is still done on the built-in wood burning wok's and the toilet is an outhouse 20 meters away shared with the pig they fatten for spring festival. Their only heating is small charcoal burning pots that you sit around.
Lovely people, place and relaxed but poor lifestyle. My wife gave up sending money home years ago as all they did was save it up then give it to their only son (the 2 daughters getting new thing!). My wife hates this part of Chinese tradition.
mArtiAn:
Yeh, that sexual favouritism does indeed suck balls. My wife has one sister but all her cousins are male. As a result she was treated like shit by her grandmother and the boys were treated like kings. Now the boys are all broke, my wife is a successful businesswoman, and that stupid old bag is dead. Funny old world, innit?
just a curious me..... where do you like living ? Europe? North America? S/E Asia or my place (Guangdong, China)
mArtiAn:
Wherever I lay my hat, mate, that's my home. I'm happy in China, my tastes are just a little too spoilt to live poor, I'm too attached to my home comforts.
I deleted my blurb hope to have an inspiration to write it again... i like China as a comfortable home!!!!! imagine heaven in Columbia with no AK 47s South America.... how about Africa> may in 20 years? it will be a n economic giant.... I am working on today
