FINALLY, got my blog working. I think trying to start it in China made it more difficult for them to create my IP address and validate it, then a few of their emails went to my junk mail.
Pictures are important to see while you are reading, so here it is. The internet here is so slow. Maybe I will generate some patience?
Yesterday I had the day off and no one was free to play and the laundry is not open on Tuesdays, so what to do with myself?
I walked about 6 miles today, which is good, but it doesn’t really seem like that much since I spread it out over 3 trips.
I walked through campus trying to find the main gate, but found a side exit and a Starbucks. I got a drip and asked for cream in it, but the guy dumped in lots of clotty cream stuff. Once I got him to dump that and give me coffee with just a little cream, it was good. Although Starbucks opened at 7 am, they had not yet brewed the coffee or put out most of the food. Weird. It gets light at 5:30 am and people are in the streets by 5 am. So I had a chocolate muffin since that is what they had out.
Later I went for another walk to see if I could find the grocery store and market that Marsha and Frank showed me, where the Chinese shop for fruit, veggies, fish, fresh noodles, etc.
I found the main gate, then it was easy to see the Taiwanese bakery 85 degrees, then the building with the blue keyboard on it where you turn left.
Then the park you walk through where older people gather to talk and play cards.
Then turn left and there is the market.
I don’t have much Yuan left so I need to not do shopping right now, but of course I saw a place with cute things right away. Bought a bag for Laura and some hangers for me. Saw lots of stuff I could buy. I will come back after the money is in my bank account – a day or two.
There are a few shops that sew pillow cases – want to get them made for my house.
I found a small Chinese storefront selling buns. 2 Yuan each! I pointed and asked for one but he pointed to signs: which kind? I looked at all the Chinese and said “I don’t know. One.” He pointed at the signs, reading each one to me. Nope, sorry… I shrugged and waved across them all and said “Any one.” I would take the one closest to me. He looked at them all and chose one for me. I thought “He probably chose the pork because he thought I would love it. It was a deep fried light bread the size of a big donut, but whole. The first 3 bites were so good. Then I got into the insides. It was… bean sprouts in a light veggie gravy! How did he know? It tasted great because I found it on my own and it was only 2 Yuan.
I found the grocery store the Lovells had showed me and bought water and some lemons. I looked at everything. Could not find the yogurt I love that they have here at the buffet breakfast.
Oh – and I found this little shop that seems to just sell whatever comes in that day. It was crowded, almost no room to walk. Some dishes, shoes, socks, a comforter, little plastic shelving units, paper clips, etc. I will come back here later.
On my way back I took more pictures of my campus.
I got some nice students to take a picture of me. Apparently, everything I own is blue. And my hair will be frizzy and curly in this wet humid place.
Went back home and rested and talked to the boys on We Chat. Watched TV. Every day there are 2-3 American movies on, and 2-3 American re-run TV shows. Nip Tick and Once are playing. Also, reality shows like Cupcake Wars. This in addition to the 25 channels with various Chinese TV shows. And somewhere between noon and 3 they played a Superman cartoon. It seemed even more violent than the Batman I’ve seen. Superman was hitting the bad guy repeatedly with a street lamp.
Went back out a third time, the opposite direction, to get more familiar with that part of town. Found the Starbucks I was at the other day. It’s called “Starbucks Reserve.” Then I went a different way and found a street with expensive shops and another Christine’s (French bakery.) Got a roll for 85 cents then walked around. Found another very hip neighborhood with 4 coffee bars and outdoor seating. Made my way back home and stopped by the Chinese grocery in this end of town. Maybe they would have my yogurt? Yep! And they cost 1 Yuan each. I got 8. Then I bought 4 eggs. I am going to try to boil them at home. Stuffed it all in my purse except 4 yogurts.
At the corner waiting for the light, a Chinese woman smiled at me and looked at my yogurt and smiled and said something. I smiled back. She said some more and laughed. Her sister looked at us and smiled. The lady said some more and smiled. Either she was saying something nice or she thought it was really funny I was buying that. Then the older man said something to her in response to whatever she was saying. She could not get over me with my yogurt. I said “It’s yummy!” and smiled. Whatever. I noticed their shoe size was about a 4 and they were thin, like all Chinese. Maybe she was saying, “Wow, you’re so big! Will you eat all that yogurt?” My shoes look huge compared to hers.
Now it’s 6:30 am. I will try to drop off my laundry at 8am, then take the bus to the Minhang campus, put $ on my card, get lunch, then meet Dean Tao at 2pm, then meet Shelley after.