In regards to one question that most people have, no, I am not a giant among pygmies here. There may be a few inches difference between me and the average person I walk by, but nothing really substantial. I think the younger generation is significantly taller than, say, their grandparents, but they’re growing up in a completely different society. There have been high school students that have been taller than me, but I haven’t been keeping track or anything like that.
Tonight I have yet again eaten something without knowing exactly what it was. I’m sure there was tofu, and vegetables, and some brown sauce. What those vegetables were is a complete mystery. I kind of like it that way. It’s like I’m living on the edge. I suppose that’s partially true as I’m eating unfamiliar vegetables and getting my breakfast from street vendors. So far, so good.
I went shopping last night for a bucket I could use when cleaning my floors, the cooking pot I was using just wasn’t cutting it. Since I haven’t been cooking I didn’t have to worry about accidently seasoning the food with the grime from my mop and floors. I decided I could splurge for an actual bucket, it was only 6 yuan, which comes out to about a dollar. I was also looking for some milk. Some of you may remember some less than encouraging news stories about the quality of Chinese milk, but again, I like to live on the edge. It’s the bad boy in me, I suppose. The dairy section at the grocery store is rather small, most of it is yogurt and yogurt-like products. I was lucky that one of the containers had the English of “fermented milk product” otherwise I would have been quite disappointed with my purchase upon arriving back at my apartment. After I saw that, I noticed another collection of containers which looked like they could be what I wanted maybe fifteen feet farther down the aisle. I eventually walked away with a liter of milk from New Zealand. While it is not the best milk I’ve had, it’s drinkable, and it hasn’t made me sick...yet, but I’m ready for it. I’ve got my medicine on standby, ready to go at a moment’s notice.
On my way back from the store, I noticed a few things that made me smile, and one that made me chuckle. The first was a little boy who had on a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads, and one rollerblade. The front wheel of the rollerblade lit up, much like those great shoes little kids have where the soles light up. It was really amusing to watch, the one leg taking hops while the other leg threatened to roll away from him. I’m not sure why he had all of the safety equipment on when it seemed like no matter what happened his un-bladed foot was there to catch him. Perhaps it is the principle of the matter, that he needs to get used to having the pads for when he graduates to both rollerblades at once.
The second smile evoking sight was only a few yards away. A little girl was riding on a scooter that her mom was holding upright. The girl seemed to be enjoying her ride immensely, not having to worry about pushing or losing her balance. It was a darn cute thing to see.
When I turned the corner a little later, I passed a girl who might have been my age or a little younger, who was walking with her friend. The first girl had on a shirt that said “Ice Box” across the top of it. As with most English I encounter here, it seemed a little odd. I can only assume that she was warning all approachers who spoke English that she had no heart, but rather was more like an ice box with no warmth in her. That, of course, is only speculation on my part. I did not stop the two girls walking along a dark sidewalk to question her about the exact meaning of the words. I thought it a conversation that is best to happen in broad daylight with plenty of witnesses, or just not at all. While I’m sure the police jail cells here are nice, I’d rather not see them first-hand. My living on the edge only pertains to potentially lethal food safety issues it seems.
That’s all for tonight. I will most likely be updating again tomorrow night after my first day of class. I’m sure there will be something worth noting, and maybe a picture or two of my classes. Until next time, dear readers.