An Unforgettable Experience in Shanghai

credits to someecards.com 

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE BORING DAYS I had during my month-long stay in Shanghai in 2009 that I went inside this internet café located more than six blocks away from our apartment. 

In Shanghai, one block is more than a five-minute walk; therefore, I had to walk for about 30 minutes. Unfortunately, this was the only internet café nearest so I had to travel by foot to save 4 RMB (about 28 pesos or 50 cents).  Nevertheless, I didn’t mind walking to the internet cafe since I could just enjoy the bustling life in Xu Jia Hui District teeming with people from different walks of life.

When I got inside the internet cafe, I suddenly felt like answering the call of nature, so I looked for a comfort room inside the cafe, only to find out ironically that it’s far from being comforting. 

With the main door wide open and the toilet in each of the two cubicles revealed its dirty interior without doors, it’s not worth to be called “comfort room” indeed.  

I was about to get in the first cubicle, when a very embarrassing sight welcomed me.  A Chinese girl in her early twenties sat like a frog on the toilet bowl in front of me, texting while defecating. She just looked at me without giving a damn. Instead of turning red, I was even the one embarrassed with what I saw.  Never in my entire life have I seen anything as embarrassing as that anywhere in my own country, and it’s only in Shanghai that I experience it! I guess I had to blame it all on cultural differences. It really gave me a good laugh when I left the café. It sure was a nice story to tell my sister when I got back to our apartment.