Holy cow!

One of the first lessons you learn in China is never to say you like something. An offhand, "oooh, I like that" about any object from food to trinket equates in many peoples' minds to "oooh, give that to me". However, this lesson was difficult to learn as an American, for I tend to like to fill lulls in conversation by discussing likes and dislikes. My mistakes in this area, though, have become fewer and farther between as I (somewhat) get the hang of indirect communication. Apparently, though, Sonny and I have not quite mastered this skill yet. Last night we went out with a student to a hot pot dinner. Hot pot is a meal which is explained by its name. You are literally given a hot pot--a pot full of boiling water--that is kept on a flame or hot plate in front of you. You then order an assortment of meats, vegetables, and other unidentifiable substances to cook in your pot, dip in a peanut sauce (my favorite part) and then eat. Basically, you pay to cook your own food. As we were going through the ordering process, the student was quizzing Sonny and I on what we wanted to eat. When discussing meats, to the lamb or beef question I responded, both are great. Sonny said he liked beef. Fish balls? No, thank you. Sonny, do you need another meat? And here is where our error must have come...Sonny responded, "No, I just like beef." Apparently, this statement translated to, "I eat A LOT of beef," for we ended up with not one, but two, large tubs of beef on the table (in addition to a plate of mutton, veggies, and noodles). I swear that between the three of us we must have eaten an entire cow. The amount of beef I consumed in that sitting was enough to almost turn me into a vegetarian. Ok, not really...I still love meat...but, holy cow!