Hello Mr Butter

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I've been inspired to write lately, so posts have been more frequent. I apologize for the flooding of inboxes with "Travelblog Update" notifications.



Thursday, Dec 8
Just got home from hot pot at Little Swan with Mona. Mmmm. Best hot pot I've been to by far. We ate... a lot. Potatoes, mushrooms, tofu skin, green veggies, noodles, lotus root (a delicacy), quail eggs... Mmm. Had to come home early because Jon locked himself out of the house while he was having a smoke .

Sunday, Dec 11
Little Sunshine class was cancelled this morning so I spent the morning lazing around in bed. Got up around noon and caught bus 75 to Shanshe Donglu (aka Fake Street) in search of something (not sure what)... but whatever it was, I didn't find it. It was a just a little too cold to wander aimlessly so I wandered myself straight to the warmth of Jenny's Cafe and had lunch while reading "River Town", a book about a young man's experience living and teaching in China's Sichuan province for two years in the 90's. Taught my afternoon class at JAC and decided that the "Fall Down Boy" is too cute to leave in China. So I think I'm bringing him home. Hahah.
Around 7, I met up with Thomas and his (also) Polish friend at McDonalds. He told me that he'll be going home to Poland within a week because wants finish his degree, etc. Kinda bummed about that, but that's the way life goes when you're travelling and you meet people... someone's always leaving, whether it's you or the other person. So we took a cab to Quan Cheng Lu and found a literal hole-in-the-wall restaurant to have some dinner (tomato and eggs, rice) and baijou. Even I drank a bit, though I was haunted by the aftertaste for the rest of the night. We wandered around Quan Cheng Square in the freezing cold, Thomas and I taking photos left and right like the photo-junkies we are. Walked along the canal and ended up at a really neat little teahouse overlooking the canal with all of the city lights reflected in its still, black water. Shared some Jasmine tea and sunflower seeds (typical Chinese snack), and talked until about 11. Debated trying to steal the teapot but decided against it. Caught a cab home, hugs to Thomas, and called it a night.

Tuesday, Dec 13
The morning drive to the college is my favourite. Every Tuesday, every Thursday, 7:30, for the last 4 months. This time of year, the air is cool and matches the cold grey silhouettes of the buildings we pass... offices, stores, restaurants, apartments (no zoning in Jinan)... new buildings and old... all contrasted by the warmth of the morning sky... pink and coral, yellow, and pale blue.. like somewhere behind those buildings a fire is burning. We all know that fire haze. That's what the mornings remind me of. The road to the college is always under construction, buildings and walls are being torn to the ground, piles of bricks and the remnants of walls line the side of the street. Some buildings half-stand. No rooves and no doors, but walls and doorways still remaining. Such destruction is countered by the sunrise... the flood of colour and light. The red sun hangs as a perfectly defined circle in the sky... like the bald head of a monk watching over the city, and serving as a reminder that in such a thriving, developing, intricate place, some things remain unchanged. Despite the demolition, every morning the street is also lined with farmers selling their fruits and vegetables, amongst other things. And like every market street, there are groups of Chinese, young and old, squatting on their majas at knee-high tables and enjoying their Chinese breakfasts and morning cigarettes.
Today was another test morning at SAC. I talked with a LOT of students, close to 40 I'd say, and stayed almost an extra hour to finish exams. "Eyebrow" Jason (guy) in Class One told me he had a dream about me, but wouldn't tell me what it was about. Hmm. My best conversations were with Arven, Ring, David, Kitty and Fish/Polly/Panda (the trio). Jason (girl) knitted me a beautiful white scarf, Kitty brought me a bracelet from her hometown of Yantai, and Arven gave me a necklace. Rainbow cried. I almost cried. I hate goodbyes.
Got my Chinese medicine today. 6 glass bottles, labelled Metronidozole Injection, Glucose Injection, and Sodium Chloride Injection. Hah. They were the only bottles the doctor had. My medicine is all natural, and tastes like *&%!$(MISSING)*^#@$^.


A Thought: Christmas in China
Oma set up a pathetic Christmas tree with last year's broken ornaments (a particular Santa comes to mind)... but at least it's something. The Christmas-in-China phenomena is something that puzzles me. The Chinese don't really celebrate Christmas or recognize it as a holiday, and yet in so many stores and so many restaurants, the Christmas paraphenilia is sickening (to say the least). Carrefour has the cheesy decorations, workers standing around in Santa hats, and blaring Christmas Carols (in English!). There is a tree of lights (similar to our Tree of Hope) on Quan Cheng Lu by the ISetan store. All of the Pizza Hut workers wear Santa hats, and there are wreaths in the windows. UBC Cafe has a lifesize moving Santa Clause just outside of the main doors and little silver Christmas trees on every table.
So I wonder, do the Chinese (at least in Jinan) do Christmas in a big way to impress/appease the foreigners who live here, to try and appreciate and enjoy this popular part of Western culture, or for another reason? That's the question of the day.




Random Observations: (increasing exponentially)

. There's a lot of static electicity here this time of year. Every time I get out of a cab, WHAM. Every time I touch something metal, WHAM. Open a door? WHAM. Shake hands? WHAM. The end of my scarf stuck to the wall the other day and I've definately had some freaky morning hair lately. I'm afraid to shake hands with any of my kids in fear that I might be a little too... electrical.

. I will miss two dollar hair cuts.

. I will not miss twenty degree "showers" beneathe the heat lamp.

. Little kids with their "hair toques". Toques with little blond braided pigtails poking out of each side. Beautiful Chinese children with freaky blond antennae.

. Street police. Standing in the intersections of five-lane (each way) highways, wearing furry hats and long black jackets, blowing green plastic whistles and directing traffic with arms like marionettes. Never smiling.

. 95%!o(MISSING)f womens' winter coats are knee-length or longer... kind of remind me of our friendly Michelin Man. Hmmm. A thought just came to me. I wonder how they ride bicycles in those coats.... I'll do some observing and get back to you.

. I haven't seen a single stop sign since I've been here.

. There is an Audrey Hepburn makeup line.

. The guy who sells shoes on the side of the highway now sells all kinds of clothes. Jeans. Sweaters. Coats. Chinese long underwear. Even more reason to pull over! Who wants to try on pants on the side of a highway? (Truth is, a lot of Chinese don't even try things on, they just buy.)

. There are plastic dividers between in the driver and the passenger in most taxis. They are such a pain and you can usually find a booger or two smeared on there (don't ask me how they get there).

. I saw a girl on the bus with one purple contact lens.

. Pet peeve: "Crosswalks". Scratch that. Any LINES painted on the road. They serve no purpose. People don't drive on a particular side of the road. There is no such thing as a passing lane. No one stops at the crosswalks. It's useless paint on the road.


Memorable Quotes:

. "Does anyone know what this is called?" (me, pointing to a moustache). "Mouth beard?" (Jiji)
. "Hello Mr. Butter" (Chinese man to Thomas' Polish friend)
. "You need some little clothes for your cold nose." (Jason aka Heartbreaker)
. "My name is va-china." (Thomas)
. "Basketball. Football. Volleyball. Pingpongball. I like all games with balls." (Jerry)


La Photographie

Forgive any spelling errors. I tried my best but I don't have spell check.



All my love,
Laura

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