A Few Things

I'm sure many of you feel the same, whether you're in the U.S. or in a land farther away (if that's possible) : THIS SPRING WENT BY SO UNBELIEVABLY FAST. March 1 hit, and it has been full throttle ever since. IT STILL IS. So the first short, however very sincere, thing is that I apologize. I apologize for not writing as much as I should have, and for not giving you the appropriate amount of updates that I, at one point, promised I would.

Second thing: i've been in China for approximately nine months total by this point, yet sights still do not cease to amaze me. Among some horrible things that I won't put in a blog post, I have also seen things that tickle me- most often they occur right outside my apartment, on the street with all the food vendors. Most recently, the cabbage truck is my favorite. This tall, tipsy truck decides to pick an arbitrary spot on a lawn who's owner is ambiguous enough that it feels comfortable enough to park, and it parks. WIth it's back end facing the street, the door unlatches to reveal a 10 foot high WALL of cabbage, perfectly lined up and stacked, like a tessalation or pattern of those blocks you get in elementary school that lets you make those really sweet designs. People just come by, and participate in a shady looking interaction, and then proceed on their way- if there was a cabbage black market, this would certainly belong.

Buuuut I don't have a picture, because everytime I have seen said truck, I am on a run, and I don't take my camera with me. Sorry.

Third thing: Pig not in a blanket. in a VAN. Stay with me on this street, but just turn around and head east for about 10 yards. You will see a meat vendor at a stand with slabs of butchered animal hanging behind him. Not a rare sight, (actually it's ALL rare!! I didn't try to do that, it just happened) so I don't even blink as I pass. But two nights ago, Heidi and I went for a walk, and they must have been recieving a delivery or something, because there it was. A pig in a van. Not a live one, but if you took the two halves you saw, that were cut nose to navel, just laying on the floor of the van and super-glued them perfectly back together, you could have mistaken the pig as perhaps sleeping??

It was such a fascinating sight that I just stopped, back tracked, and inspected as the vendors commented on and laughed about the american looking at a dead pig. At least it didn't smell of formaldehyde... Don't worry, I've never bought meet from them before, nor do I plan to. :)

Fourth thing: At our school, Northeast University at Qinhuangdao, the foreign teachers have a cooperating teacher that answers our culture questions, takes care of our apartments, organizes and works on our provincial and city visas, accompanies us to our doctor's appointments (if needed), and is the liaison during the hiring process. This person's English name is Henry. Henry is one of the most mellow, relaxed, soft spoken people I have ever met in my life. So chill, in fact, that when he smiles it seems as though it takes a LOT of effort, and that when one's cheeks would normally pull up, his pull out and stretch to the side, making it look a bit strained. Whatever, each to his own... (I guess) but due to this odd stoicism juxtaposed next to our team's happy-go-lucky m.o., we decided to make it our goal to make him laugh.

I succeeded.

It was so simple: I was excited to play with the foreign language department in the annual volleyball tournament at our school. Henry asked me how I was at volleyball, and if I was planning on joining them for the games. Without considering cultural norms/boundaries, or his general demeanor, I exclaimed loudly, in rapid-fire style, in an echo-y hallway, "YES I can't WAIT. I love playing volleyball- are we good? are you playing, Henry? Yeah, BRING IT ON!" ...as I bounce on my toes and playfully punch the air like a boxer warming up.

His eyes widened, he opened his mouth, and LAUGHED. A bonified LAUGH.

cool. I'll take it.

But then the conclusion to that interaction ended as awkwardly as any other conversation between a native Mandarin speaker and a native English speaker could. He stopped laughing as quickly as he started, turned abruptly into the room he was unlocking, and I, sensing the conversation had stopped, walked away. Later than comfortable, I hear him quietly say, "see you then. Yes, have a good night."

You too, Henry. You too. (oiy)