Today was a good day. I’ve been having lots of bad China days recently, probably because it’s hot and I’m ready for a vacation. Anyway, China can seem so wonderful on the good days, so I’ll take as many as I can get.
This one started off well. The weather was rainy and the visibility poor, so our school shut down for the day at 1030. No complaints from me. Especially since dear, dear DH decided to pull one of those “why don’t we go on vacation right now instead of next week?” stunts. I’m used to this. This is the same DH, after all, who called me up one October morning and said, “let’s go to Vietnam tonight.” Back in January we ended up paying full price for a couple of tickets to Vancouver since we bought them two days before flying. Yeah, advanced planning is not really our forte. (I thought I’d have to run home and pack, but in the end we’ll likely be starting our vacation on Sunday or Monday.)
So with the whole day free, I decided to head down to Linyi’s People’s Square to do some gift shopping for my nieces and nephew. I was feeling positive and this being a Friday morning, I thought I would take the public bus instead of a taxi. Normally, the buses are very crowded, but at off hours they can be pleasantly empty. And they’re very cheap – 1RMB (15 cents).
At the bus stop I met up with a girl from work. She was pretty freaked out that I was going shopping alone. This attitude always surprises me. I’ve lived in China for four years yet my workmates always worry that I can’t get around or that I can’t buy food. How do they think we survive? One day the DH and I told a workmate that we planned to ride our bicycles on the weekend and she looked at us like we had said we planned to skin goats and drink their blood. It is as if they can’t quite reconcile the fact that we “laowai” do normal things, just like they do.
On the bus two women standing next to us kept pointing at my feet. I was wearing sandals and had just painted (albeit badly) my toenails. Chinese girls wear nail polish, so I decided they were not talking about that. What could be so fascinating about my feet? Did they like my shoes? My friend from work told me they were going on and on about how I had “baby feet.” Baby feet = very pale feet. I’m extremely white and here in China I get a lot of praise for being pale. Little do they know all my life I’ve been desperate to be tan.
When I’m having a good China day, I do not mind being stared at or shouted “hello,” or even people pointing at me. Sometimes its fun being the freak. Sometimes I’m oblivious to it. Back at home later in the afternoon, I decided to walk to the front of our apartment complex to by some fresh bread. I was listening to my ipod so I didn’t hear the shouts of hello behind me until a boy on a bicycle rode up and stopped in front of me. It seems that a whole group of kids on bicycles had been trailing me shouting “hello.” Suddenly a woman appeared and started talking to me in English. What a shock!
I think I made a friend. I think I made a whole group of friends. The woman is the kids’ English teacher and she invited me to her class tomorrow to talk with the kids. I usually don’t like these kinds of situations, because I’m shy, but this time I thought, “why not?” and I agreed. The kids all live in the neighborhood and I think it would be nice to actually get to know a few of my neighbors. As it stands now, I say hello, they say hello. And we just wonder about each other from afar.
I might have a welcoming committee on my return from Spain later this month!Lo siento, no tengo la paciencia para escribir en español ahora! Mañana!
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Yes. It is always a mystery how we manage to survive by ourselves in these big scary countries. I am always surprised by the number of times Chileans feel it necessary to warn me about the men here, or the keep my backpack in the front. I’ve been here a year and a half. Somehow, I’m getting by.
.-= Sara´s last blog ..New Job =-.
LOL! I know they mean well, but don’t they just drive you crazy!?!
Hello to you and your DH!
T! Ni hao! When are we gonna see you again!?
“Sometimes its fun being the freak. Sometimes I’m oblivious to it.” Ha, ha! I love this. For me, it totally wears me out sometimes.
That is funny about your coworkers. Here most help has been completely abandoned. As soon as my husband started picking up some Portuguese we were on our own for everything.
I haven’t been by in a while and I love the new look of the blog! Thanks for your recent comment. The more I read the others I’m pretty sure they were spammers out to create a stir. I doubt they’ve even read mine before.
Oh, it is exhausting for sure! As for those spammers – I just thought it was really unnecessary what they commented and you’re absolutely right, they don’t even read your blog. If they did, they would know how ridiculous their statements were.
Hi, long time ago…. I am happy to hear you spend happy days in Linyi. Enjoy your holidays. A big hug.
Hola Marta!
My days in Linyi have not been all that great lately, which was why I was happy yesterday! I miss all of you crazy people. It is too quiet and boring here these days!