I Freaking Love China!

I was going to have a quiet Monday evening. So how did I end up in 0513, the only nightclub in the village, being forced to chug beer as hundreds of people belt out the Chinese national anthem?

 

Excellent question. Things really escalated quickly.

 

What started out as a leisurely stroll around the village with my friend Sky turned into a rowdy National Day celebration at 0513… There are really no words that can accurately depict the events of that fateful eve.

 

It still seems quite surreal.

 

I cooked myself dinner. I went for a walk with Sky. We bought some pomegranates. We stopped to eat our pomegranates and watch one of the best firework displays I've ever seen. We got dragged to the club by a stampede of celebrants wanting to hang with the laowai.

 

I enter the nightclub via the usual red carpet. At the end of the red carpet is a HUGE photo of Chairman Mao that you must cross to get in. Every inch of the club is covered with a Chinese flag or a poster declaring, "The Diaoyu Islands belong to China!" The employees are sporting China owns the Diaoyu Islands shirts.

 

There was a lull in the chaos as we settled into the club. I played dice games with some friends. I danced to Flo Rida. I sipped a beer.

 

The lights go out. Three club girls march out in slutty military uniforms and proceed to do a provocative dance to the Chinese national anthem. The crowd starts getting pumped. A man in white jeans, a black turtleneck, and a glittery vest comes on stage to sing a song in Chinese. The fog machine shrouds the stage with mist. Strobe lights pulse. The crowd goes wild and starts buying him drinks to chug – I somehow get roped into chugging a beer with him. Everyone likes to see the foreigner drink.

 

Five random men are chosen from the crowd. It's a contest to see who can tear the most Japanese flags the fastest. The bartender starts doing a fire-breathing thing with some alcohol. People start burning Japanese flags. There is more chanting. I am "strongly encouraged" to chug another beer with the owner of the club.

 

The energy in the club was incredible. I can't even describe how entertaining it was to witness this awesome display of patriotism and celebration. It is moments and nights like this one where I can't believe how blessed I am to be experiencing life in another country.

 

I left the club laughing and saying, "I freaking love China!"