Anytime is a good time to cut your fingernails!

I’ve decided to lighten the mood with NYAFC, steer away from rants and bring you closer to my everyday life in China. Today I start with the ever-popular topic among expats (yet probably unknown to yall back home) that any time is a good time to cut your finger (and toe) nails.

So there I was. On the subway on the way to work and I see this middle-aged Chinese women hanging out cutting her fingernails on the subway. Now, it looked like there was a device on the finger nail clippers to catch fallen fingernails. However, one cannot guarantee there was not a fly-away fingernail here or there. (I’m sure we’ve all had to search for that one clipped fingernail that got away). Thank goodness I was not within shooting distance of a potential nail. And thank goodness I’m not the person cleaning the metro cars at the end of the day. Ick.

But, honestly, I was not caught off guard watching (and creepily capturing) this woman going at her nails. In fact, there is not a place that isn’t appropriate for a little trimming of the nails. I heard my boss the other day snipping away at her nails in her office. I’ve seen old men on the street hanging out on a bench clipping at their thick toenails. I even saw this one gay (in Nanjing mind you) find a pair of fingernail clippers on the floor of the bus, pick them up and start using them for his nails. Wow.

Only in China is any time is a good time to cut your finger(or toe)nails!