– our Cantonese Phrase for the Week: “Delicious!” or literally, “very good taste”. These were probably the very first words I learned in Cantonese! Which gives you a very good idea about Guangzhou…at the end of the day, this city is really all about food.

Very appropriate considering as it feels like we’ve literally been eating our way through Guangzhou these past couple of weeks. With Cantonese cuisine reigning as one of the four legendary regional Chinese cuisines – and with our penchant for “yumcha” (Cantonese dimsum) on weekends – we’re constantly surrounded by food that’s all “hou hou” (very good) but not very flattering for one’s waistline.

It’s time to apply some much-needed self-discipline and just say “Ngaw bau laa” (I’m full) to all that delicious food and get up early during these summer mornings and exercise. Ouch. But what’s a girl to do? LET’S JUST DO IT!!!

– our Cantonese Phrase for the Week: “Can you help me, please?”

Getting lost while getting to know a strange new city is a common occurence so this phrase has been REALLY useful this past week in Guangzhou!

The surprising thing in trying out this phrase in the streets is finding out that there are lots of people in Guangzhou who are NOT from Guangzhou but who may be considered “waidiren” (in Mandarin, meaning “outsider”) by native Cantonese as these people originate from other parts of China. Once you switch over to Mandarin, people all of a sudden spring into action in attempting to help a lost “waiguoren” (in Mandarin, meaning “foreigner”) and are chattering away!

So, knowing a little Mandarin still comes in handy even in this part of the world! What about you, are you a “waidiren” or a “waiguoren”?