Answer to "the most unexpected/shocking/baffling things"(2)

4 BOOK PRICE 

I feel sooo lucky that my classes are all great!!! And what’s more awesome is two of my classes have no textbooks!!!!

At first, I didn’t think it was great. But when I got to know my friends paid a lot to buy textbooks, I was so appreciated. I can’t imagine a textbook can cost more than $100!!!

In China, books are super super cheap, compared to most countries. 
For example, to buy a cup of coffee in Starbucks in China will cost $5, a book will cost $4. A book is even cheaper than a cup of coffee!!!!

The sad truth is, more people are willing to buy a cup of coffee instead of a book.

A lot of bookstores cannot keep running because a few people buy books in a shop.

Most people will prefer to buy books from the internet to save money. To be honest, I am one of them.

If a book is higher than $10, it is already really expensive.

Normally, our textbooks are $5. The weird thing is, we have to buy all the textbooks from school and there’s no any discount. (Not every university but the most..) And the more weird thing is, during last three Years, more than 60% textbooks I bought were never being used.

Teachers said the books were not good enough, so we won’t use it.

Instead of buying books, there’s other ways to get books. 
Searching on the Internet, you can find a lot of books. And you can download any books legally and easily. Except some books are blocked in China. 
To be honest again, I was one of them too.

I read a lot of books that I download from the Internet. Thank you and SORRY!!!!!

In my internship, I interviewed a famous writer in China. (His name is Chen Zhongshi) He wrote a really famous fiction, called Bailuyuan, 20 years ago. The book went several editions and printings. The books are still being rolled out today.

He told me he could get $2 every book, and the publisher printed ten thousand books every year. So he earns $20,000 every year from the novel he wrote twenty years ago.

It can be a good payment for ordinary people but not for a famous writer.

For now I’m in the U.S., I promise I won’t download books from the Internet. I mean it.

I will eat less and save money to buy books! I promise!:)

5 Thieves.

Last Friday, there was a foam party in OU. Because of the foam, everyone got a plastic bag to keep their phones from the water.
I didn't bring my phone with me. (Yes! I got a new phone with the help of Alexis!) 

When I went to there, and put my shoes in a corner. I found a white iPhone 5 was there flashing. 
"OMG, American people are soooo crazy!!!!" I couldn't believe someone just left their phone and put it in a corner. I mean at least the owner should keep it into a bag.
Especially when the phone is an iPhone 5.

After one week, now I'm getting used to see phones and wallets lying down alone. In gym, in library..

I am sooo relived that I can stop fighting with the thieves.

Three years ago, when I was new to Xi'an, where my university located, I went to a Macdonald. It was on a busy street.
It was a rainy day, I closed my umbrella before entering. I put my cellphone into my coat pocket casually. There's a man standing next to me, closing his umbrella too. 
I smiled to him and walked into Macdonald.

Then I found the young man didn't come in and my phone was gone. 
I realized the man stole my phone and I ran out. He was still there, didn't walk away too far. I grabbed his arm and screaming. "Give my phone back."

Maybe 20 seconds later, he hit my head and threw my phone on the ground. I let go because of the pain. 
My glasses were broken. 

I sat in the Macdonald and called my father. I cried for the whole afternoon. 
My father was angry because no one helped me.

I met thieves 5 times in my whole life. Luckily, I didn't lose anything. Every time, I got back my things.

And I helped other people many times. 
Once, I saw a man was trying to steal something from a girl's bag on a crowded bus. I was not brave enough to yell but I went to the girl. I touched her shoulder and made up a name. "Hey, Lily, where are you going? Long time no see." The girl was shocked but she answered me. 
The thief threw me a hateful look and walked away.
I admit I was really terrified.

Maybe I'll meet thieves in America too. Hope they won't hit me. It hurt! :(

And Americans, when you travel in China, please never leave your phones alone. They won't be there waiting for you!

6 People in their 20s don’t go to parties

Encouraged by my beautiful Bolivian friends, I went to a party the on August 16, the first Friday I stayed in America. 
It was my first time to go to a party in a bar.

Luckily, I talked to many people and didn't feel lonely or boring.
Someone asked me if people in China went to the parties. They were so shocked it was the first time I went to a party in a bar.

I began to think about it. I told a guy from Venezuela that people in their maybe 25 and older would go bars. But students at my age would seldom go bars. (I just know the people around me, not all the students in China.)
Maybe because the loud music, he didn't say anything in 3 seconds.
Then he said "What? I will stop going to parties at that age. I am going to get married and have family!"
Wow, this guy was so manly at that moment. (He's manly all the time though I can't remember his name and his face...)

During the last three years, I studied in Xi'an, far away from my parents.
Even no parents, I went back to dormitory early every night. Weekend night, I'll have a big meal with my friends. Sometimes we played Mahjong (I'm a Chinese..) or went to karaoke.
We seldom drank alcohol though we can drink at any age. (Don't jealous of us.:))
And we won't go bars. Not only because bars are really expensive, but also bars are chaotic. 

I thought people would get drunk and dance crazily that night, but everyone was in sober and enjoyed the time.
American dramas and movies lied to me! 




To be continued.:)