Cheryl's New Moves

Every time I get on the subway, I think about the New Moves that I have learned here. These are the new moves I have learned from living in the big city of Beijing.

1) Subway Sequence – when we go through the subway, we take off our backpacks to send them through the security scanner. As I take off my backpack, I also take off my lightweight jacket. By the time my bag comes out of the scanner, I have my jacket off. The subway is warm and packed so it’s often too hot for a jacket inside the train.

      2) Subway Swipe – how to swipe the subway card upon entering and exiting the subway station. This one is easy, as long as the machine works and the card has money on it.

     3) Subway Surfing – how to stand in the subway when I can’t hold on. I spread my feet apart and bend my knees like on a surfboard so that when the train comes to a jerking halt, I don’t fall over. Sometimes that’s not an issue when we are packed in like sardines. There is no room to fall.

     4) Subway Shuffle – how to shuffle my feet inch by inch to exit the train with all the other people. There is no room to pick up my feet when we all leave the train as a pack. 

     The joys of riding one of the world's busiest subway systems. In fact, I hear that one of the stations that we pass on the way to school made news on YouTube. Check out Xi'erqi Station.