LoveTEFL Five Weirdest Chinese Foods

When travelling through a foreign country, we should remember the three ways to experience a culture: sightseeing, shopping, and my personal favourite, eating. Now, we all have that one friend who will order a hamburger and chips where ever he goes, even if he must conjure it out of thin air. If you find yourself in this situation whilst travelling or working in China, you might consider chucking this dull-palleted friend and acquainting yourself with a worthy companion open to trying the strangest Chinese foods in existence. Here at LoveTEFL, we have compiled a list of the five strangest dishes because, who doesn’t love lists?

1. Hangzhou Beggar’s Chicken— A roast chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, you may be confused when this dish arrives at your table and though you expect food, all you see before you is a large ball of dirt on a plate. Then, as the curious foodie that you are, you start to poke and prod this large ball of dirt and after a bit of struggle, you find a whole chicken in the middle, marinated and stuffed. Have you ever eaten a whole chicken?
2. Balut eggs— If you can stomach the idea of eating a duck egg that has been fertilized for over two weeks, then balut eggs are for you! Although it is more commonly found on the streets of the Philippines, this “wrapped” egg often kept in a warm bucket of sand has its origins in China and is eaten simply with a sprinkle of salt.
3. Bugs on Sticks— They eat bugs on sticks. ‘Nuff said.

4. Snake Blood/Snake Wine— No vampires exist in China (or anywhere really, depending on your mythological beliefs), but some natives may occasionally have this gory alcoholic beverage with a close friend on a Friday night.
5. Penis Delicacies—Yes, you did read that correctly. Jaw dropped in disbelief? Thought to increase virility by the Chinese, you can find a large variety of dishes that contain animal penis throughout China. One might order the penis of a yak, dog, horse, or tiger, the most expensive animal penis of all sold at the price of £3,000.

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Thailand is nicknamed the “Land of Smiles” because there are thirteen different kinds of smiles that Thai’s use for a variety of situations. Needless to say, tourists often find themselves surrounded by friendly and cheerful locals, creating an atmosphere that makes it impossible to frown. And with its natives having such a positive attitude, it is no wonder that people from all over the world travel to see the country—that is, of course, apart from the white sand beaches, the amazing cuisine, and the forty-one thousand Buddhist temples.

Imagine yourself travelling through Thailand, starting your trip in Chiang Mai. In this city located in northern Thailand, no tourist leaves without seeing the Wat Prathat Doi Suthep, a famous temple high up on the Suthep Mountain where you can feast your eyes on breathtaking sights of gold statues, gold plated roofs, and—you guessed it—much, much more gold. Moving on to the nation’s international capital in central Thailand, you can squeeze some retail therapy into your action-packed sightseeing day by walking along the riverside, browsing the goods Thai boat vendors have to offer in the floating markets of Bangkok. Making your way down to Phuket, and island at the southern tip of Thailand, you can catch a show with the Simon Cabaret, one of the biggest local transvestite shows where you will spend one of the most flamboyant and simultaneously entertaining nights of your life. And yes, if you now have the sudden urge to book the next flight into this strange and exciting place surprisingly located on the same planet as Yorkshire, England, then we are on the same page.

Now, imagine yourself living in Thailand. Here you can teach English to Thai students as a native speaker, interact with Thai locals, and experience the beauty of Thailand as you immerse yourself in its rich culture. At LoveTEFL, we offer this unique experience for students as an internship in several Asian countries, including Thailand. Through our 6.5 week program which will allow you to live and work in Thailand, you will gain invaluable teaching experience and help Thai children learn the English language. In addition, at the end of the internship, you will have the pleasure of travelling to Koh Samet, an exotic island on the Gulf of Thailand where the magnificent beaches feel endless and you can kick your feet back, and just enjoy the view.

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