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Published: January 10th 2010
China-Inspired 'Do
My hair needed a trim, and I needed a reminder that "Live is Life." I wanted to change my look to compliment my experience here.Guilin is changing and growing every second. My mind can't keep up with it all. They paved what used to be a narrow back road just outside of the South Gate of Shida...it's now got two lanes, and they have cleaned all the debris away and are putting in a side walk and pretty little planters. What used to be a dusty, dark alley has turned into a busy, noisy mini-COSWAY. It's not just that street, they are doing road construction all over the city. I wonder if it will be finished by the time my parents get here. There are big piles of stone slabs (for the reconstruction of the sidewalks) littering the scooter lanes all over town.
I, myself, have been changing with China... I decided that this new life experience called for a new look. I got a haircut in a back alley salon...if you could call it that. It is just up the street from the bao cao (stir fry) place I like to go to. It looks like a glorified storage unit. The walls that aren't covered with plywood and cheap plaster are exposed corrugated metal. I stood and held my head over a sink
when they rinsed out the conditioner. I think it adds to the ambiance, personally. There were 3 guys and 1 girl that officially worked there, but friends and groupies came and went, so the salon was never quiet or empty. An early 1990s Chinese romantic comedy was playing on the old tv in the corner. Most of the people were fixated on the set. Thankfully, the guy cutting my hair was focused on me. I only knew to say "wo yao boa boa tou," (I want bangs - as translated by one of my coworkers). I also attempted to mime "I have curly hair," however I think I was much less successful on that phrase. I resorted to pointing to pictures. The guy took it from there. What I thought would only take 20 minutes of washing, cutting and drying turned in to 4 hours. Luckily, the movie had English subtitles--not something one sees very often in China. I decided after his first rogue <
> just to let him do what he wanted with my hair. I have another 6 months of teaching...so if it turned out horribly, I told myself that my hair would grow out again, and no Helmet-Head
My little Meimei is growing up. Trying on my helmet. one back home would ever see it, save for my parents who would love me if I was bald...or covered from head to toe in hair - a rather disturbing image. He put in some rather extreme layers...something that is quite popular here, and I got a Loreal "curl treatment"...I know that because those words were printed on the box in English. It was probably something close to a perm...but it has helped to define my naturally curly hair...so I am going with it. I paid 70 yuan...just over $10. It's not bad on my salary, and if I want to go and get my bangs trimmed every couple of weeks, it's only 4 yuan - (approximately 65 cents). I can handle that. After I left the salon, I grabbed some dinner from a street vendor. The guy that cut my hair chased me down and pulled me back into the salon. I spent the next 10 minutes awkwardly clutching my purse, laptop, and a couple skewers of fried broccoli while his friends took pictures of him blow-drying my hair. I am a celebrity here. Maybe next time I will get extensions. 😊 I wonder if they come in shades The View
I took this outside one of my classrooms on the 4th floor of FLS. other than jet-black.
It's still raining. I don't feel as guilty to say that I have spent the better part of my weekend inside curled up in bed on my electric blanket watching the movies my dad sent me from home. I won't list all the ones I have watched this week, otherwise you might think I am lazy or a shut-in. I watched "Julie and Julia" today, and couldn't stop thinking about becoming a professional blogger. I would have to perfect my writing style, and come up with something that the masses would want to read about. Something reasonably unique and thought provoking. There's not much I know to write about though. In the way of life experiences...I don't have much - save for this year in China. I have a temporary job "teaching" children English. The thing is, the kids I teach aren't learning English from me, they are learning it from their Chinese English teachers. I am there to play games with them, show them movies, and encourage them to use English regularly in the classroom setting. After this year...I will probably be a jobless, American youth - one year out of college, living in her The View
I warped the mid-tone contrast to bring out the shape of the mountains through the fog. parents' basement, eating her parents' food. I won't have a serious source of income...but I will have my cat.
Kelly and I are considering traveling all summer before she signs her life away to U of Iowa Med School for the next 4 years. I know she will do great things. She already has. Is it weird to say that when I grow up, I want to be like Kelly? She is smart and social...and she volunteers her time to help anyone and everyone that needs her. She is caring and fun and I don't know anyone who has a single bad thing to say about her. I see her working as a Doctor Without Borders as a Gynecologist - teaching women all over the world how to be healthy and smart...and leaving empowered women in her wake. We should start compiling a list of countries and cities we want to travel to. I will live like a vagrant for two months if it means that I can see parts of Europe. That I might have the opportunity in this life time to see some of the places and things that I studied in college is mind-blowing. I have been saving my kuai for just such an experience.
Countdown to my departure for Shanghai: 20 days
Countdown to my parents’ arrival in Shanghai: 21 days... 3 WEEKS!!!!!!!!
I cannot wait to see my parents. 6 months is a long time to go without seeing your family. It's certainly longer than I have ever gone before.
All my love.
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aunt annie
non-member comment
wow. cool pictures. WILD new you with your new locks!!! Funny, I also got a haircut (shouldn't that be hairscut?). And new and different for me, but not that different!!! Tell me, how is the maintenence of your hair? does it take long to keep it they way they cut it???? I know your parents are getting excited about coming to see you. I need to get together with your mom to see what their itinerary is.. She has told me bits, however, I need a map in front of me. HOW VERY EXCITING for all of you. I like your idea about traveling with kelly..... splendid idea, in my opinion. i have to get going to read...emma and I have bookclub. but wanted to say hi.. one of these evenings I will skype you again. i am sure your parents have told you.. we have had bitter weather, and more snow than I can ever remember... but that is ok... kids bundle up and sled our hi;ll; and come in for hot chocolate. I have been xc skiing all over. LOTS of fun. love your way, my dear clare. aunt annie