And we're back

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Hello, folks, I realize it's been a while since I've written anything, and I do apologize for that. I've been in a funk lately, and it's been killing my motivation to do anything. The past week has been spent trying to stay awake long enough to get the most important stuff done before crawling into a warm bed at 10pm and conking out before the opening lines of Pride and Prejudice have finished. Poor Mr. Bingly never even got to make an appearance most nights.

Life here has been pretty ho-hum. I'm in a bit of a rut. That might be part of the reason for my funk. I get up, I teach, I go to class/meet my tutor, I come home, I study. In between all of that I eat. My school did have Sports Day again, but I can't get the video off my camera.

For further added delight, I got sick. In the course of three days, the weather went from 90+ to about 75. While I realize that still sounds warm, for here that's a bit chilly. And then a week later, just when you've adjusted, it drops some more, so you're hoping for a high of 60. And suddenly it's much windier and a bit rainy. I am aware that compared to Minnesota, 60 degrees, or even 50, sounds balmy for November. But it's 50 degrees while living in a concrete box with tile floors, no insulation, and no heat. All of the school hallways are outside and the classrooms are also unheated. People here have this crazy notion that keeping a window or two open will help the air circulate better so they won't get sick. All the teachers wear coats to class.

Wearing two sweaters and a shirt everyday would be bearable if not for one other detail. I'm suddenly sick of Chinese food. That combined with already having a slight cough and the sniffles has left me with no appetite. Try staying warm and motivated when you're not eating two full meals a day and the wind is blowing through both you and the walls.


I took drastic measures. I went to Hong Kong for a weekend. Nothing noteworthy happened there. I met a friend of mine who is a teacher in Wuhan and we walked around, mostly people watching. We tried to sight-see, but I wasn't feeling up to it. If he hadn't already purchased his train ticket before I felt less than spectacular, I would have canceled.
My days were uneventful. I ate cheesy fries, I slept. I ate creamy tomato soup and slept. I ate chocolate cake and slept. I ate a tuna melt and went to the bookstore. And later slept. Any chance you're seeing a pattern? In all instances, I was only eating half the food put in front of me. My stomach had shrunk.

My funk was not yet destroyed. My friend went to Stanley Beach on the last day of the trip (the day I went to the bookstore and had my tuna melt). He said he needed to recenter himself after being in China for so long. Maybe that's what I need to do. I'm sick of not wanting to eat.


I went to Carrefour and purchased spaghetti sauce and western pasta. I bought hot chocolate mix. I found chicken noodle soup for the first time. I did the math and figured out that the slightly expensive western spaghetti meals I'm looking forward to only cost me about Y10 each if I stretch out the sauce. That's about the same price as eating at my Muslim noodle place. And I get the benefit of heating my room up with steam.

So my appetite is back. I'm craving food. Wonderful. But something's still a bit off.


Today I did it. I figured it out.
First, I engaged myself with China. I realize I live here and can experience it everyday, but I needed to slow down, hear the sounds, see the people. It's easy to run around through it and miss it all. I ran around to three different stores to try and buy a space heater. One store had one, one store only had a zillion of the tiny one I already have, and the last store only had really expensive ones. It was like goldielocks and the 3 space heaters, except that I'm still cold.
Then I went to IKEA.

Oh, IKEA, how I do love thee. The signs are in three languages: English, the Swedish names that look funny, and Chinese. All of the products are Swedish, nothing has been China-ized. They have things like potato mashers, fluffy towels, and scented candles, all at prices I can afford. I know the quality is consistant. No one is harassing me. I am not being blasted by pop music.

When I got excited over seeing the 2010 catalog, "Ooh, the 2010 catalog!" and the foreigner next to me gave me a look, I said, "I miss mine." He replied, "Me too," and smiled.

I walked out with a new throw rug for my room (so I can change my clothes without stepping on the ice-cold tiles), apple and cinnamon scented candles, and a new French press (my current one, that I got for about $7, is starting to act like a $7 one and I hate it). The French press was $15 last year, but now it's marked down to a little under $10. If this keeps the coffee grounds from leaking into my coffee and the filter from bending and snagging on my dishcloth, I will be happy.
And of course, I got my Y1 ice cream cone. Nothing completes a shopping trip quite like an ice cream cone.


Tonight I went out for dinner with Candy and laughed so hard I nearly choked on my food. I even got dessert. It's good to be back. Perhaps tonight Mr. Bingly will get to utter his first awkward attempts at conversation.

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Comments

[Elyse]

Hate Eating
I hear you about the eating. Pete and I have been going through this recently and I went to Ole for the first time since being in China. Next on the list is IKEA.

[sunketing]

eating
I'm just happy I made it over a year before burning out. And I'm also happy that Carrefour--with its fantastic imported foods section--is right across the street.