Ephesians 5:18 says: "and do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the spirit." If you've ever been drinking in China, you'll likely doubt the word of god here and agree that it's best to stay away from the spirits - they're almost certainly fake! Actually, and as if you needed another excuse to hit the beers, remember that wine in China is generally fake as well. I'm not sure where I was going with that quote.
Anyway, founded around 4 months ago, Liuzhou Meet & Learn has quickly become the biggest and liveliest social event in Liuzhou. Whilst definitely not debaucherous, there are certainly some drinks to be had every Saturday night at our regular meeting. We have over 30 attendees every week, and a total membership of nearly 100 people, ready to meet new local and foreign friends, to share their language, their thoughts and more.
When we first arrived in the city, we found there wasn't really an opportunity for the expat and local communities to mix in a casual, but organised and regular, way. Whilst it's great to 干杯 (literally "dry glass" or down drinks) with farmers at the roadside BBQ restaurants, the conversation never really extends beyond the locals expressing their amazement at a foreigner's ability to use chopsticks and eat spicy food. So, with that in mind, and a wish to break away from the more negative elements of the expat community in the city, we started a meetup at our favourite bar. Things caught on fast, and our membership continues to grow.
We welcome visitors to Liuzhou, and any locals of course, to join the party. All we ask is that you bring a positive attitude and that you socialise with other attendees in Chinese or English (or any other language, for that matter) - please don't play with your phone for the whole evening! We get together from 8pm every Saturday night and we're always happy to welcome new members.
Here are some pictures from our recent meetups; if you fancy joining in, send us a message to get the location.
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