Source: www.sysustudent.net
Written by: Ian J. Heuer
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

Growing accustomed to life in a foreign country is always a process, and international students coming to study at SYSU are certainly no exception. When fresh off the plane, we understand nothing about how to get by and manage our daily life in our new home, where everything seems different down to the smallest details. As time goes by, whether by skill or necessity, things begin to fall into place. One day we figure out how to place an order at a fast-food joint. The next day we learn how to ride the bus or hail a taxi. Independently, these are all small pieces. But together, they stitch and weave together to form the fabric of our daily lives. For me, food was a challenge. I enjoyed trying restaurants around the campus and eating in the cafeteria, but I missed the freedom and flexibility afforded by cooking my own meals. When I mentioned this to one of my teachers, I was advised to do something that probably should have been obvious but still came as a revelation: “Go to the market.”

We may call our markets “super” in America, but the austere lighting, disinterested staff, and impersonal monotony of the shopping experience back home cannot compare to the sheer frenetic bliss of shopping at a Chinese wet market. Anything that could conceivably be of use in the kitchen can be found on offer, from pulsating tanks of live prawns to tilting columns of stacked rice bowls. The market that services SYSU is located outside of the Small West Gate. Making your way outside of the gate, you are first faced with a long alley flanked on both sides by all manner of shops, restaurants, and purveyors of goods.The market is not a single unified building or collection of vendors, but a sprawling web of stores, shops, hawkers, and stalls. Despite this eclectic nature, the beating heart of the market is certainly the fresh meat and produce area.

The fresh meat and produce is split into several smaller areas: seafood, vegetables, meat, and poultry. The building is constantly humming with the sounds of commerce. The selection is varied, but there are two constants: freshness and affordability. That being said, as a foreigner looking for the best deals, be prepared to bargain. At first I was reluctant to walk away from vendors whose price I found too high, but after a while I realized that this is standard practice in this kind of shopping context. Before long, I was haggling with the best of them.

On a typical trip to the market, I will pick up some pork and vegetables to fry for dinner, eggs, rice, fruit, sauces, and maybe a bouquet of fresh lilies. Just to give a flavor of the variety offered in the market, I could also purchase: egg tarts, brandy snifters, Nike sneakers, romance novels, office supplies, and much more. One notable shop had only two offerings, pet goldfish and plastic guns.

Shopping at the market has opened my eyes and improved my life in many ways. It has allowed to feel a closer connection to my community and to better appreciate the way of life of those who make up this community. It has also prodded me into learning new styles of cooking and make me more appreciative of where my food comes from. I recommend all international residents of Guangzhou to locate their local market and see what it has to offer. You might be surprised what you find.