A Chinese "code"

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It is Tuesday morning, and here I sit, sniffling, because I god da code n by doze iz blugg'd. My body has betrayed me by hosting some crappy cold viruses. Sheesh ka-BOBS! I so hate having a summer cold. BAH! I was supposed to work last evening, but as the day progressed and I felt worse and worse I decided to stick around home and take to my bed. So there I was. WAH. LOL. Feeling sorry for myself but happy that we won a lot of tissue during our mid-autmumn festival gambling, so at least I can take care of the inevitable runny nose. LOL

Luckily, my cash card worked yesterday, and I managed to make a large withdrawl. I literally marched straight over to the bus kiosk and I put 100 Yuan on my card and it should last me, I am estimating, about 6 weeks of bussing it all over the place. So, I am great, in terms of mobility, and that makes me feel better. I also went and bought some groceries, you know, staples like milk, bread, butter, yogurt, Coke zero, and apples and bananas. I am so glad that I will not have to resort to begging! I put some coins in a beggar's cup on the bridge close to the school and a man approached me after and scolded me in stilted English, "That professional beggar--do not give!" Rich and Diane told me that they had seen that beggar walking up the stairs in a lively fashion, carrying his crutch in one hand and his begging tin in another. Sigh. I don't know what to think. I surely can afford to give this old man a few coins, whether he's a "pro" or not, can't I? I feel unkind not sharing especially when I am realizing how very rich my life is compared to my Chinese contemporaries.

Today is my day off, and with my cold, I am going to take it easy. It is already 26 degrees outside and the temperature is supposed to rise to be 31. With the relative humidity in the 70's, you might ask, how hot does that feel? Like a sauna. A sauna where you've just poured a whole dipper full of water over the hot rocks. It's like having a facial every day, and it's giving me zits. That's SO unfair. lol Oh well. All part of the experience I guess!

I continue to be amazed, stunned, and horrified by the things I witness. Sunday evening, while having a quiet moment in my bedroom window alcove, before going to yoga, a movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. No. Nobody would do something this unsafe, would they? Was I really seeing this? A fellow with a rope around him was out on a ledge 6 floors up. I sat stock still saying a silent prayer for him! As nimble as a tree monkey he hoisted himself up onto a ledge over the window and proceeded to haul up what I think was an air conditioning unit. He replaced it behind the screen he had removed. He had 2 cohorts in the apartment below him at the open window. He fiddled around doing something mechanical, then hoisted himself down the way he'd come. I stopped breathing for a bit watching him. I was glad he made it safely into the apartment window. Methinks it's a You-Tube video! LOL

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Comments

[Guyanne]

I just found your blog today, so read the whole thing at once. Sounds like you\'re having an interesting time, but I think it would be very hard to adjust to the cultural differences - and the heat and cockroaches. I had some experience with Turkish toilets in France, so I can sympathize with your feelings about that kind of thing. Reading your blog gives me a taste of what it must be like over there, but I don\'t think I would ever be able to do something like that myself. Good luck with the rest of your adventure!