As I begin to pack up my room, the feeling is definitely bittersweet. On the one hand, I can’t wait to get back to the States and binge-watch Suits, but on the other hand, I feel like there’s so much more left to explore in Beijing! Here’s some final thoughts on these two short months.
Things I didn’t do but wish I did:
- 1. Try the deep-fried scorpions and beetles at Wangfujing
- 2. Play ping-pong and badminton on campus
- 3. Try all the various styles of hot pot
- 4. Spend more time in Beijing’s 798 Art District
Scorpions on a stick at Wangfujing’s night market
Things I’m glad I did (in no particular order):
- 1. Waited in line for 30 minutes to buy Chinese date bread at Wudaokou – trust me, it’s worth it
- 2. Climbed the Great Wall, twice
- 3. Ate copious amounts of 煎饼 (jiānbing)
- 4. Ate 小笼包 (xiǎolóngbāo) at Ding Tai Feng
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How can you resist this little guy welcoming you into Ding Tai Feng?
Soup-filled 小笼包!
- 5. Traveled to Hong Kong and Macau
- 6. Spent all my money at stationery stores
- 7. Indulged in mung bean and red bean popsicles
- 8. Mastered the art of bargaining
- Pro tip(s) for bargaining:
- The most important rule is to not care whether you end up getting the item. If you must care, don’t let the other party know.
- If you feel comfortable bargaining in Chinese, do it! My experience has been that you’re more likely to get a better deal.
- For your starting offer, cut the listed price in half and then some. If the price sounds ridiculously low, then you’ve done it right.
- When negotiating with the shopkeeper, force them to lower their price by complaining about how expensive it is, how the shop next door sells it for so much cheaper, and the like. Stand firm, and raise your offer only once (at most).
- When the shopkeeper refuses to lower their price any more, begin walking away. If they call after you, you’ve most likely succeeded.
- If the above tactics fail, and the shopkeeper doesn’t give a price you agree with, move on and try again. Chances are you’ll easily find what you want somewhere else!
That’s all I have for now, 再见北京， 再见北大， 谢谢!