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Published: August 28th 2009
Don't get used to the photos. They aren't here.
i feel the need to share with you that yesterday is the first day that I haven't been covered in sweat the majority of the day. It was actually a really nice and cool day. A bit of a relief.
Well, I was flipping to a new page in my journal, and I saw some things that I thought would be fun to share.
The coolest thing in the world: Being picked up at the airport and having your name on a sign. I have seriously ALWAYS wanted to have that happen. Check.
Speaking of my name... It's funny. In America, I can say my last name is Fudge - like the chocolate. Here.. not so much. I asked the Chinese guy beside me on the plane from Hong Kong to Wuhan if he had ever had fudge because he pronounced my name wrong (Foodge). He said, "I don't know. I have had Hershey's and Dove." Fail.
Another thing about my name. The other Americans in my city for now are a married couple. The Chinese who have been taking us around and helping us call them both "Dickey" (their last name). Sometimes they add "Mr." or "Mrs." I am always referred to by Brenda. It makes me laugh. What makes it even funnier is that my whole life everyone has always thought I had the coolest last name ever, so they always called me "Fudge" (or some variation thereof.. Fudgie Wudgie was my favorite). Not anymore.
Back to the airport. There are 3 of us. Each one of us has two 50 lb. checked bags plus our carry-ons and personal items. Our school showed up with one car. Problem? Yes. We had to get a taxi for the rest of our bags and me (this is the rusty metal surrounding the cab driver picture). Another Fail.
I can't believe I forgot this in the first entry.. It's definitely something you have to get used to. My first trip to a bathroom... let's just say that it was interesting. I had been told about them by several folks. I believe them now. It really is a hole in the floor. There was no toilet paper. And there was no soap for you to wash your hands. Really. Please imagine that... if you care to. If you don't, I don't blame you.
In telling you about my apartment, I brushed the subject of the shower. Yes, it's true. There are no partitions or curtains.. You stand in the middle of the bathroom (sometimes next to the toilet) and take a shower. It's kind of weird, but then I realized, hey, I live by myself... who cares?
I watched a lady make duck soup. She was standing in the dining room area pulling a duck apart (not cool for me.. as you know, or as you should know, I LOVE ducks. And no, not to eat. They're cute).
Another thing about driving... We were going to Danjiangkou, and there was some construction on the highway. In America there are signs that say don't pass in the shoulder. No signs of that sort in China. We sure did pass a car on the shoulder. Scary? Yep.
We took a ramp to exit off the highway. We went through a toll booth thing and immediately turned back around and went back through. I'm not really sure what happened... but that's not the reason I'm telling you this. While we were waiting to go back through the toll booth, I looked out the window and saw something flying through the air. I thought it was just some kind of dirt or pieces of something.. I don't know. I looked closer. I leaned back and asked if they were bugs. The answer? "They're bees." There were, I would say, thousands of them. Why? "I don't know." It reminded me of several movies..
Candyman,
The Silence of the Lambs movie cover,
The Birds. Maybe I should have gotten out and made an impromptu video called
The Bees. Except I didn't want to get stung. That would have been awesome. Just kidding.
We pulled off in a service area.. I went to the bathroom just because I was curious. Yep. Still holes in the floor. There were 2 toilets though.. neither of them usable.
They spit. It's not been as bad as I imagined, but I've seen (and heard) several people hock loogies (I hope you know what I'm talking about. Travelblog says I spelled it wrong. Of course, it also says I spelled Travelblog wrong) and spit on the street. Not cute.
Split pants? Yep. They're real. And so is peeing in public. I have only seen a little boy do it, but still. It's real. And quite awkward. Especially when it's right outside of a store and you almost run into the parent and child because you're going into the store. True story? Yep. Awkward times.
And they stare. Hardcore. That's all I have to say about it.
Okay, that's really all I can think of right now.. Keep reading, keep commenting and tell your friends! It makes me happy!
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Frieda
non-member comment
I love it
I can't tell you how happy I am that you have this blog to share all your adventures with us. I have heard of the hole-in-the-floor toilets, but never had the pleasure of seeing one. That is one thing I believe I can miss and not feel too deprived. Keep those blogs coming!!