MArch 11

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March 11 - Sunday

Got up at 7:30 ready to face the day. Mark was in the living room holding the baby and watching TV. I went in and took my books with me to study. He asked me when I got home, and I told him. That was that. I had some written homework but not as much as the 4 ½ hours worth I had the night before. After I got it done, I just watched TV. Mei came in and I thought she was going to say something about my waking them up when I came home. Turns out that when I left last night they were in the bedroom, sleeping I thought, and they didn’t hear me leave. Later when they actually went to bed for the night they thought I was in my room, so they double locked the door. I knew I hadn’t had that much to drink. I had told them I was going out so I don’t know what happened, but at least it wasn’t my fault

At about 11:30 am the doorbell rang and Mark and Mei had company come to visit; another couple about their same age. I told Mark I would go in the bedroom and let them have some privacy with their guests. He said OK so I’m in here writing this part of the blog. I’m going to go out for a walk just for something to do.

Went back to Wanfunjing Street and looked around. I found the “famous Foreign Book Store and looked for a book that was recommended to me by another student, George, from Germany. I found it and bought it for 38Y. I then ate lunch - noodles and soup, and came home. The subways were packed. When I got on at the first stop, there were more people than room and some couldn’t get in. A guard just ran and pushed them hard un until they all fit in the car. Was very funny. At the rest of the stops, there were Chinese students wearing badges who were making people line up to get into the next car. There was one line on each side of the door, perpendicular to it, with a space in the middle for those getting out. The normal process is that everyone getting on blocks the entire door and when the door opens those getting on shove in and those getting off shove out. Quite a show. The Chinese have no concept of taking turns. Everyone MUST be first at all costs. The government realizing this won’t work with tourists coming to the Olympics has directed that people must be orderly without shoving. The student volunteers made everyone line up and when they didn’t made them do it. Everyone in China obeys orders from those in charge regardless of who they are so they all complied. That is until the subway pulled into the station, and the lines broke down. AT some stops the volunteers were adamant that people would obey and yelled at those not complying. Where the volunteers were aggressive people getting off got off easily, and those getting on had an easier time getting in the car. But you could see they didn’t like it. Decades of pushing and shoving is in their blood. Using an elevator is exactly the same way. The door opens and everyone rushes in, like a mob, and to hell with those trying to get off. Oh yea, as soon as the first person gets into the elevator, he/she pushes the shut the door button regardless if anyone is getting off, or if there are any others getting on. Every other person getting on also pushes the button. The shut the door buttons work very well here. Push the button the door starts to close, no waiting. So you see the doors bouncing off those getting on and off, until finally everyone is off and everyone is on. If you are getting on an escalator and leave one tiny space between you and the right hand, or left hand railing, before your foot hits the step, someone pushes ahead of you. You could have been in line for an hour, and someone just coming in will crowd right in front. It is just the Chinese way. The only place where I actually see orderly lines is in McDonalds. They do line up behind the cashiers, although you can see people just coming in trying to figure out how to get to the head of the line. I think that getting in front of a single person would be too confrontational but at an elevator, subway car, etc. where there are a lot of people, look out. Here they come. Yesterday I could see a guy coming on my right as I was getting on the subway, going to push ahead. I put my elbow out to my side and blocked him, and moved slowly. I just kept it out in front of him. He was pushing it but I wouldn’t let him and looked at him. I could see it in his eyes; he was very confused. But I won the battle.J

Got home, studied a little and was falling asleep so I went to bed at 9:30 and didn’t wake up until the alarm went off in the morning.

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