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Day 2: have an egg

I heard before coming here that  China was a gift giving culture. I wasn't sure what that meant exactly. The people were just extra generous? They had more holidays? It wasn't until last semester that I began to get a bigger picture of the meaning. Every time students come over, they come with fruit to give us. When our neighbors had a baby, they gave everyone in our stairwell a gift box announcing the birth of their child. I caught on to those traditions and did the same if I went to someones house. However, this past Christmas I got deeper into the gift-giving saga,  more than I was ready for.
I took our fruit lady a bottle of wine and a scarf. To me it meant, "Merry Christmas, this is what we do in America" To her it meant " We are friends and now I owe you a gift." I had no idea they felt obligated to give something back. The next day as I went to buy my apples, she had a bag of gifts ready to give me. Lucy got a "cool" hat and some goodies.

I was then informed that when a gift is given you are expected to return the favor. So, I made some banana bread....she cooked me a fish....... I gave her some easter eggs on Easter....... she gave me a bag of free apples and Chinese food.....and so it continues.
Today as I went to buy eggs the lady said she was really grateful for me being a loyal costumer and decided to give me a free egg. I don't know what kind of egg it was....goose? I tried to reflect and not take it, mainly because I didn't know what it was or how to eat it, but also because its not a free gift. They will expect something in return. For my egg lady, it may not be her asking for a gift but to keep me returning to her.

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