-spitting
-smoking in elevators
-dudes who tie off their "wife beaters" at the belly button
-taxi wars
-useless directions
-inability to think outside the box (especially wrt to topics like Taiwan or WW II)
-bad smelling taxis
-worst air quality in the world (I heard that BJ broke a record yesterday!)
-sharp elbows

That's my list. While I dislike this stuff, I am still here. Why? Well, because China is kind of cool.

Several years ago, one of my friends used the "dog years" theory as the basis for his (very successful) b-school applications. The idea is that 1 year in China is equivalent to 7 years in the west. It's true!

On a positive note, we never discuss politics over here (in part because we have no ability to affect change, and in part because we simply don't care).

In closing, I want to advise prospective tourists that the spitting, smoking, and elbows are persistent issues. But, if you can get past that, then come on over!