Language

The Chinese language is violent. I can find no other word to describe it.
It consists of 5 tones : rising, falling, fall-rise, flat, neutral.
And the Chinese people go to town with these tones, and their speech (to a waiguoren) is pitchy and loud, and always sounds very, very angry - even when they aren't angry.
It definitely does not sound as reassuring as a Romance language - and definitely not beautiful like Italian or French. Chinese language just seems like an angry assault to anyone who can't speak it. (Ride a Chinese bus or get lost in a Chinese city - you'll see what I mean).
So, honestly, there's very little love between me and this violent language.