Music

There's a funny thing about China... well, there are many funny things... but what has been catching my attention most recently has been the ice-cream-truck-esque music that comes in and out of earshot approximately 50 times a day. The funny thing is that it's not just music.. it's Christmas carols. Christmas carols in August? WTF?

My mom explained to me that China likes to be able to "show off" how Westernized they have become, and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," played on repeat, is a preferred vehicle for their message.

I finally asked Caili if she thought it was strange that every now and then trucks would drive by school (remember, the main road outside the back gate, or "houmen" as we lovingly call it, is more of an 6-lane highway that leads into one of Hangzhou's massive ring roads) playing Christmas music. She looked confused at my question, then explained that in China, only certain trucks play music. So, in response to this music (the fact that it's actually "Jingle Bells" on repeat is unbeknownst to them) they've basically been classically conditioned to think, "garbage truck's coming!" "street-washing truck's coming!"

I guess it's not much different to our Western "ice cream truck's coming!" reactions. Only they don't start salivating in response. Here's to hoping.