"Nihao, Ma Shukai! Ni pang le!"
This is how I was greeted today as I saw my host family for the first time in almost two years.
"Hey Matthew! You've gotten fat!"
It's alright to say that in Chinese culture (right Kelli?), but it still shocks me a little every time I hear a Chinese person say it. In Aunt Pan's defense, I was pretty skinny last time I was here.
Other than being verbally assaulted (I'm kidding, obviously), catching up with Aunt Pan and Uncle Zhou has been great. I think they were genuinely happy to see me, and I am definitely glad to be back in Shanghai with my Chinese family.
At dinner, Aunt Pan handed me a big bowl of....红烧猪肉 or pork braised in soy sauce. Thanks again to Chinese cultural traditions, it would have been very rude for me to refuse it, even though I'm a vegetarian now. My stomach hurts a little bit now, but I'm going to go to bed early and see how I feel in the morning. I guess a two week break from vegetarianism won't kill me...
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