Eleventh Hour Invitations & Hamburgers

I have read some about last minute (eleventh hour) invitations in China, and I don’t think I need to read anymore to understand the reality of them. In a way, eleventh hour invitations are exciting. I think that in this way, I am a little bit Chinese, because I would often initiate eleventh hour invitations in the States.
This past Saturday, several students called me at 5:40 and asked me if I had plans for supper. I was in the midst of a language lesson, but I said that if I could bring a friend, I could meet them. We met the students at the front gate and ate at a delightful Hunan restaurant that is popular with students. Afterwards, we walked around campus and the students showed me their dorm rooms. One particular student is very infatuated with learning how to cook American food—specifically the hamburger. I think she brought up making hamburgers at least 3 times. She also had me write down the ingredients. I hope that I can invite her and a few others over to make hamburgers—but in fact, I have yet to make a hamburger in China, and I know for a fact that it is not as simple as buying “ground beef.” The meet here is not as processed, so to make “ground beef” will involve some fancy chopping work. I think that students here assume that Americans eat one hamburger a day. And, I happened to read in one of their textbooks on American and British culture that, “Hamburgers and hot-dogs are some of the most popular foods in America.” Interesting!!