Hello My name is Jennifer and I am a majong addict......(17.07)

What have I been doing since arriving in Xian, to volunteer? Well, the first month I was possessed by that discount demon, finding DVD's for $1. Some are copies and some are are good copies of the real deal so you can't tell. Also, expanding my CD colletion. I have seen some of the sights, but truth be told I'm not a tourist. More like a world shopper. Otherwise, I have been studying and playing Majong,which is very addictive once you figure out the oh-146 or so pieces. I have played with street bums, neighbors, and the other volunteers. The people I live with are interesting-for lake of a kinder word. Majority are American, and I have been racking my brain to figure out their quirks. What conclusion I have come to is that America is a nation of bullies. In the full force day and age of PC-dom, and "freedom" I notice that those are code words for "I don't like what you are/doing/being...so change it" In Asia, I have noticed a level of tolerance for others and consideration being placed on what would make someone else comfortable,happy, etc. But with Americans, the first thing to generally arise is how someone else's thing is interfering in their "whatever" and how it should be stopped. What ever happened to "maybe it's not for you but who are you to be the one to judge?" Did that get killed off in the Patriot act and post 9-11 era? Or during the anti-smoking witch hunt? I don't know but I sure wish Emily POst hadn't moved out of the country. Or was she burned by her antiquated thoughts?
Anyway, living in China is rather rough. One has to deal with daily comments of being a foreigner, and the stares. Oh the stares...Sometimes they are curious and sometimes they are if you have a tit on your forehead. Occationally, I will overhear a nasty comment about being black, and I am always mistaken for being an African. Which I have noticed that I have such a strong reaction to. I know it's because I am have a fear of being identified with a group of people who generally not most popular on the block. But it's a embedded issue not just stemming from wanting to be seen as someone "acceptable", but also what I believe the implications are of being associated with Africa mean to me. Once a man argued me down, saying that America has no blacks. That was a hoot and a holler. But generally I found the Chinese polite,too blunt at times,and funny. But I am counting down the time to when I get to return to Taiwan.