100 Days in China

Thursday, November 6. A text message today from Ashley says "Happy 100th day in China!" Can't believe we've been here that long already. Almost 1/3 of my time here.

No classes today or tomorrow. Students taking mid-term exams for 3 days: Thursday, Friday, Saturday morning. Cooking: apples and vegetable soup.
Working on photographs: uploading, editing, organizing, Picasa, Walgreens, blah, blah, blah. It's very time-consuming. Watch the film "DaVinci Code." I really enjoyed the book (a great blend of history and fiction plus a whopping good story) but I think it was just too complex to translate successfully to a film, despite Tom Hanks best efforts.

Friday, November 7. Another in a series of rainy days. Out of the past two weeks, we've had only 1.5 nice days! But, as I've said, we needed the rain. And next week is supposed to be sunny, according to the weather forecast.

Comments from both Janet B. and from Kathleen on my blog about the election. So great to get comments from people!

I am now washing my dishes in the bathroom sink. Reason: the kitchen sink has only cold water. This was OK when weather was warm/hot but not so great now!
Dinner at little dumpling restaurant with Ashley, Kelly and Sandi (Chinese student at Hunan Teachers College). Afterwards, we play 3 very long and spirited games of Uno with David and Tiffany.

Saturday, November 8. Repair people come to look at the leak in my bedroom. Apparently, they fix whatever is wrong in the apartment above me because the wall starts to dry out. Electrician comes to fix my ceiling light fixture.

I have a "Skype" visit with my women's group this morning. So much fun talking to and seeing Beth, Penny, JoAnn, Marie and Diane! The miracles of modern technology . . . I don't think I could be this far away for so long without them (think I may have said that before!).

This afternoon: cultural observation activity. Going to Zhuzhou General Merchandise Department Store to see whether I could find a floor lamp. What an experience on a Saturday afternoon. The place is mobbed but especially around the area that sells mobile phones! I find a one floor lamp that is quite nice - a reading lamp adjustable for height and angle but it costs 360 yuan. Maybe I'll just buy a new mattress and read in bed! We'll see. I have no idea how much a new mattress would cost. None for sale here. However, on the top floor, I find a section that sells high-end Chinese goods, such as the porcelain from the factory at Liling that we visited at the end of August.

I would enjoy looking around more but for the fact that I am followed closely by a sales assistant (they are everywhere -another sign of cheap labor in China?) wherever I move. Each one has her own little territory (they are invariably women). Are they afraid of shoplifting? Probably. In Chinese stores, everytime you stop to look at something, a sales person appears to help/encourage you (or direct your attention to something more expensive!). It's the opposite of the problem in American stores where you can never find anyone to answer your questions. I leave with the least expensive of all pleasures - interesting impressions.

Walk down the street to Carrefour. On the way, I discover a Rosa's Bakery! There were a lot of these in Changsha but I hadn't seen one in Zhuzhou until today. So I stop in to peruse the bread etc. However, the best thing I find is the wonderful brand of Cafe Latte (in a sort of foil juice-box affair) that I had in Changsha! Hot dog. A wonderful little indulgence for 3.5 yuan.

A little grocery shopping in Carrefour for yogurt and cheese. I've discovered the secret to getting the larger cartons of yogurt (350 g) cheaper - you buy the ones that are past the "sell-by" date! Pick up a few other things I need such as dish soap and extra socks. Also, here's an example of how something can be right in front of you but you don't see it because you're expecting to find something else: I have been looking for a long-handled brush for washing my back in the shower but haven't been able to find one anywhere. I started to wonder if all Chinese people could reach that impossible spot in the middle of the back or if they just didn't worry about it. But today, I'm standing in the bath aisle and Voila! there it is! Except it isn't a brush. It's a long piece of doubled cotton, about 3" wide by 2 feet long, with loops on both ends to hold, and on one side in the middle is a length of sponge. Perfect. I probably didn't see it before because it is folded up in a package but today I opened my mind and the light came flooding in!

Talk to Eleanor this evening! It's so great now that she has the little computer with the camera and microphone built in - she just carries it around the house with her and does whatever she needs to do while we're talking so it's just like being at home!