Another day without my blogger or facebook account and it is going to be a bit tiring/time consuming when I get back to Hong Kong to upload all the great pics that i have taken. I probably will not spell check so be prepared for the interpretive dance of what was it he is trying to tell us as i will be doing well to just get all the pictures uploaded. China is a bizarre place that i am learning to LUV! I Luv Ella at the Blue Mountain YHA as she is so friendly and easy to talk to....she speaks perfect English and is a sweetheart to talk with. She loves her guests and is always helping them find their way and writing locations in Chinese so that we can show the written words to bus drivers, train attendants, cab drivers, rickshaw drivers, pedicab drivers and all other transportation helpers who might be able to get you to your desired destination without being lost or stared at endlessly due to the communication gap.
I wandered off the beaten path today. Instead of my usual scamper rather than leisurely stroll down Nanjing Road to outrun/outfox/avoid the hawkers I decided to take the path less traveled and went to the right. At first I was totally worried about first a right turn then another right and then 2 main intersections straight ahead and then a main thoroughfare turn left, over the pedestrian walkway, straight past the lady holding a cute but dirty child both asleep on the sidewalk...dead ahead a golden arches. I beelined for the counter ordered 2 hamburgers and got extra napkins cause at least they could wipe their....ok they would have them for whatever was needed. I went back and quietly said mama san...mama san and the lady looked up, I handed her the golden arches bag and the smile that came over her face was....well PRICELESS. I felt good and know that I can't solve world hunger alone...i can spent 12yuan = US$1.85 for a couple of burgers to feed a hungry human being. I looked back with a tear in my eye knowing that I had no idea the story that goes with being in the street but as i look back that smile was still there and she gave me a wave. It made my day.
There is more to the day....as I was in a predominately Chinese neighborhood...with long alley ways that lead to the homes of some everyday people. The pictures I took tell a story of their lives without really knowing the background. There is laundry out drying on a clothesline. Bikes/scooters left leaning against the wall after a long days work. There are the dinners being prepared and the meal carts preparing meals for the neighborhood residents and those headed home from the days business. I visited local Chinese shopping malls/stalls. They sell all kinds of knockoff type clothes, none the big brand names that are on Fashion Square or that many would wear (rather dated styles) but at prices affordable to the locals. However there were 1 or 2 items that I would have bought if I needed another t-shirt or button down shirt. There were also so very cutting edge fashion that the Chinese are really into. For those of you who follow fashion week....ok so that is all of the people that i know back home...The rather blousey, drapey, men shirts are very big in China. So is BIG HAIR.... on all the guys. They seem to love their hair spray and the bilateral hair cuts. Alot of shaved one side, long on the other; or strange big whomped up do's that just kinda jump out at you. If you have a chance to visit Chinatown in your city...drop by a hair salon and ask to look at the hair style book..remember I got my haircut in Hong Kong and just about passed out when based on not being able to communicate (no English) I used basic words, no details to confuse or misinterpret....easy, clean cut, short and used my hand in the mirror to show the basic cut that I wanted. Having seen the book and know seeing the mainland Chinese look for the guys and don't get me wrong it is definitely young guy look as is the very trendy wardrobe but it is soo cool. Not a baggy assed, waistband under your ass, boxer/briefs showing gangster look in the whole city. However almost anything else goes...plaids with stripes; colors that do not coordinate (Donna Karan would die), layers upon layers as these people must not sweat; jackets, hoodies, winter coats, leather pants and glasses....I have never seen a race of people so blind as the Asians. Maybe because they are raised as bookworms?? That and the fact that they are all tied to their I-phones, I-pads, Computers or whatever communication technical devise rocks their world.
I don't want to hear it is weird but the little kids here wear this split bottom outfit that I guess explains the squat toilets of this part of the world. When then bend over or squat down to pick up a toy their little hineys just hang all out. just about flipped out the first time I saw it thinking that the small child had split their pants; but then I kept seeing these little round Chinese bummiestheyre to squat rather than sit. I guess if you are raised with your pants split at the seat so all you have to do is sit back on your heals and let er rip.. the squat toilet is normal and customary. Now the fact that this bit of convenience is being abused as the squatting child is urged to do their business in the street gutter, in the landscaped bushes at the park or well just on the sidewalk is a bit more challenging for my taste and upbringing. I am Soooooooooocared of my future in India. Lord/Buddha/Alla give me strength, I fear truly for my sanity in the not too distant future of what will be presented that I will have to endure.
Enough potty talk, more about the things that moved me today. My new roommate is a great 27 year old Chinese girl named Chanel. Love her as we had a great evening chat about her being in Shanghai for the Avril Levine concert and how one of her students made a graphic shirt for her to wear. It was an awesome likeness of Avril on a white Tee and her Western name on the back. Like the Thia's alot of Chinese have adopted Western names which I really don't know the reason. They really are mainstream but I guess the Western name is cool?!?! Go figure. If my name was Mui She Yuan or something I would work it. Having someone who doesn't speak clear English only to attempt to introduce themselves as Ben or Barb is a bit unusual. They always seem to say my English is no good but you spend an hour or so just chatting the whole time in English and although some take a minute to think thru their words most are more fluent than i am in my Texas twang and slang. Note to self: Congratulations on not swearing for almost 3+ months. Amazing when you life is good there is nothing to bitch and moan about. I realized in Thailand during a frustrating badminton game that I was the only one although having fun seemed to drop an f-bomb. I looked around only to see the look of embarrassment in my host eyes knowing that apparently no one in Thailand cusses. As this was my first frustration since beginning my trip that elicited such an outburst I swore one last time to eliminate such outbursts...and have been successful to date. Yeah Me! Anyway back to my roomie. she is an English teacher, which survey says is one way to work in China. Contract labor, semester or 1 year at a time. the pay is low but then most of the English teachers that I have run into at the YHA all work in very small rural communities. Most are the only or one of only a handful of English speakers in the area. Several are at the YHA as this is the time of the year when the Chinese students are all taking some testing. They keep thinking that I should know about such tests but as I then have to admit I am twice their age and these required entrance exams did not exist back in the stone age when I was in school. Thank goodness or I never would have graduated...any grade level. I was back in the good effort now get out of here graduating class. Thank goodness they recognized potential. This is my blog, make up your own. ;-)
Oh wait I forgot the best part of my touching storyline of feed the street people from the golden arches. After taking some interesting photos of well real life in China which really is more fun than almost all the sites photos I was retuning to the hostel and again following my right turn, another right turn, past 2 intersections.....backwards I was back to my bridge crossing and was pleasantly surprised to see my golden arches contribution being enjoyed by both mother and child. They were still rather dirty but the smile was there and I got a wave not only from Mom but also from a still groggy little one as he was eating his sandwich. It almost made me cry and definitely put a smile on my face as I returned the wave and continued on my way home. But then I'm getting more comfortable with my emotional state being at times on the verge of tears for no apparent reason. And sometimes for reasons like being a survivor when other weren't...being blessed beyond belief and knowing it, when others aren't...missing friends and family so much; but knowing that this adventure is so important to who I'm going to be that the pain is and will be good for my personal growth; I like to think that I am coming into my own and not giving a shit what people think of my having emotions that I am not afraid to show. I guess i still have to work on my profanity while still being descriptive in a visual yet unoffensive way. I'll work on that next.
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