Five ways our world has been changed around in China:

1. They sell kernels of corn in a plastic cup at McDonald's. McCorn, I believe, is the translation.

2. Hooters -- yes, there's an actual Hooters in Beijing -- has Creole shrimp on the menu. Imagine coming all the way to China and going to Hooters to get a good Creole meal.

3. On my Chinese-bought cell phone, there is a game. It's called, "Coin Flip." Yup, it pictures a Chinese coin going up in the air. Heads or tails. Loser buys the Creole shrimp.

4. Starbucks is called SBR.

5. The escalators, at least in the media center, run in reverse. Up is on the left side. Down is on the right. Which provides some amusing moments as some of us Western-world types, lost in thought, walk toward the escalator and typically bump into two or three poeple coming down the escalator.

It's the modern version of up-the-down staircase.

Next on the to-do list: Learn the Mandarin phrase for, "Excuse me."

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