Chinese Cafeteria

Today I'm writing about something very dear to my heart. FOOD!!! Many of you know that eating is something that I take very seriously (Mom, Aunt Debby, Tante Anja, Deb Nabhan). So today, this entry is all about the cafeteria I eat at everyday for lunch. I'll fill you in with all of the details, so that you too will know what to do in case of eating at a Chinese cafeteria yourself.

When I come in every morning to volunteer, I first clock in via fingerprint. At the same time, I receive a ticket to eat at the cafeteria. The coupon is good for that day and includes an all-you-can-eat buffet along with one bottle of a Coca Cola product (Coke sponsors the Olympics). Lunch is divided into three periods, one at 11:30, one at 12:00, and one at 12:30. It's the luck of the draw that determines what lunch period I get.

Later around noon--depending on which lunch period I get--I head downstairs with my fellow volunteer-friends to the cafeteria designated for our office. There are about 3 cafeterias for staff to eat at, and they are scattered around the Olympic Sailing Center.

Okay, here's the process. I first hand my ticket to the ticket-taker at the door. They check the ticket's date and time to make sure the ticket is valid. The drink coupon, I tear off for later. Next, I grab a set of plastic chopsticks (no forks), a divided tray, and a napkin. Going through the line, I select a couple of entrees that look good out of about 8 different dishes. Sometimes it is eggplant, or potatoes, or chicken, or bok choy. Next, I grab a couple of carbs, such as white rice, or a couple of slices of bread. Finally, I grab some fruit and soup. Fruit that we've had lately has been sugared tomatoes, watermelon, and honeydew.

The next part is a no-brainer: eat!

When I'm done, I separate the chopsticks and soup bowl, and hand the tray to the girl who cleans off the tray scraps. As I walk out, I grab my bottle of Coke or Sprite to enjoy on my own time.

As a little side note, I find it quite interesting on the beverage choice of most of my Chinese counterparts. About 90 percent of them grab a bottle of uncarbonated Minute Maid. The drink is not distributed in the USA, but it seems to be a favorite of China. It tastes like orange Tang! And after trying it once, I'm sticking to Coke or Sprite.