Why three indeed?
Not sure.
Perhaps two refusals would be bad feng shui, and four would mandate a Pak Mei Kung Fu battle to the death.
OP, the fact that you feel angst over this is a great sign that you are a considerate and well-intentioned person. There are hundreds of unspoken, intangible, universal ways in which your character will (and probably already has) come across to your new Chinese roommate. I am sure you have already conveyed your respect for your roommate in these ways, and that she has noticed and been appreciative of them.
I agree with the others; she came here for an American experience, not a Chinese experience. Sounds like she lucked out with a great roommate.
There is no hard rule that it is three times; it is customary to refuse a few times.
Here in the south (U.S.) it is customary to refuse an offer twice before accepting on the third offer. My friend who moved to Georgia from California thought that we were nuts when she first arrived. “I was visiting a new neighbor in her home, and this woman wouldn’t take no for an answer. She kept asking again, as if I had changed my mind about needing a beverage in the last 15 seconds!” Once I explained our southern way of doing things my friend relaxed and started fitting into the southern culture.
I guess we southerners don’t want to appear too eager to get our hands on that sweet tea!
Pizza is not an American or Italian thing anymore. We can eat pizza in China. Probably she should take her out to eat blue cheese burger with mac& cheese as side which I think is pretty American.
Egg roll, fortune cookies, general tso chicken or orange chicken are not Chinese things… there isn’t anything like that in China. @Nerdyparent
@CollegeKiddo127 The biggest culture difference is micro-aggression which sometimes makes one another really uncomfortable. Like Do Chinese eat dogs or why do Americans use deodorant? You should go party, don’t study anymore to Chinese. And you should study, don’t go parties to Americans. Overcome those and everyone can be best friends.