What was really more interesting was knowing foreigners that moved to China, but didn't like Chinese food.  I knew one family, and my wife knew of another few people.  The people that my wife knew or heard of constantly wanted to eat at McDonalds or someplace like that. I always kept hoping that my smirking would go unnoticed, but I suppose that it was because they were acquaintances that I just didn't come out and say, You want american food? go back to the US.

2 observations about the topic of this lesson:

- Speaking Chinese so that Chinese people understand you is not at all easy. Pronounciation and tones play a role, culture too, but what is often overlooked is 'expectations' of the listener. People just don't expect you to speak Chinese. They just expect you to mumble something in a foreign language, most probably this 'English' they have been struggling with at school. So, their ear is often not tuned to a slightly 'off' Chinese. I found that for short conversations, like in a shop, it is often better to play the game and just point at things and use some sort of sign language.

- Chinese food comes in various degrees of spicyness, but overall I found it to be very salty. I have had the experience of eating in several restaurants and in private homes. I have also helped my friend with cooking many times and she used a lot of salt, more than I would ever put into a dish. Then there are also the pickled vegetables that contain tons of salt. Only the steamed breads tasted quite saltless, so maybe they don't put it in the bread, but all the other dishes contain plenty.

Marc

  I know the following expanision sentence is correct

裡面沒有人  There is no one inside. which just seems odd to think of it as "The inside ..." has no people.

Just to make it simplier for me 

"Nobody's home" would be

没有人在家

When Chinese first learn English, we have the same reaction to 'there is no one inside'.

盐上加盐/yan2 shang4 jia1 yan4/add salt to salt.

There is also a great idiom in Chinese that praises/boasts seniority. It goes like this: I've eaten more rice than you have salt. /我吃过的米比你吃过的盐还多。

I love learning little (or in this case not so little) sayings like that. I'll have to try to work it into conversation soon.

Sean

Or, even simpler, you could say:  家里没人 (Jiālǐ méi rén)

thanks and God Bless

我吃过的米比你吃过的盐还多。

Love it - thanks Jen.

I think confidence, or rather nonchalance, helps a bit too. If you act like you know how to speak Chinese, most people accept it. A few silly people do get 'foreigner goggles' on though, and won't even try to understand you. My Russian friend who's fluent has experienced this.