Sick!

How lame is this? Fall in Nanjing is happening and I am sick in bed with a sinus infection. Thank heavens for doctors. That speak English. I have awesome international insurance that covered everything, even my medication. Although I did still have an interesting doctor’s experience. I had to get an x-ray to see if it was a sinus problem, and one of the nurses told me to leave my stuff in the main lobby and follow her to the x-ray room. We went outside the clinic and around it to the side of a building with a big entrance with one of those metal garage doors like the ones in the back of a Walmart where their supplies get loaded and unloaded you know? She walked me through it and down some stairs crowded with old furniture and dust, and just when I thought I would have to say goodbye to my internal organs, we got to the “x-ray room”, which was like an American x-ray room but less shiny. Unfortunately, I do not know the Chinese words for “septum” and “infection”, and so the x-ray technician frustratedly asked me questions while the nurse dumbed it down for me. Eventually we made it back to the doctor’s office who gave me medicines and sent me on my way.

But hooray for skipping class right?! I think this is one of two sick days I’ve had in years. I’m kind of basking in it. I feel so bad! Tee hee! Next I’ll be putting a tack on the teacher’s chair. I’m unstoppable! 

It’s been a while! I have a lot to catch up on. I think I left off in Yellow Mountain right? Omg that was weeks ago. K I’ll do my best. FIRST of all, I saw the most terrifying thing of my life today. I was  walking home from the doctor’s, and I was approaching my building when I saw the largest RAT I have ever seen in my life. (Excepting of course the ROUSs) It bounded happily over to the side of my building when in saw me and paused briefly, staring into my soul and most likely psychically analyzing my greatest fears and weaknesses, before diving into a septic hole hopefully never to be seen again. Some cuss words were uttered. It was huge! And brown. I literally thought it was a squirrel at first glance because of its size. I can handle mice. They’re small and stupid and almost cute, but rats? I don’t know man. I actually don’t know if I’ve ever seen a rat before. Except as the bad guy on several animated films. Calm. Serenity now. I can do this. I am the dominant species. Caaaaaalm. 

 

Okay. I’m good. Haha So more way fun things, I went to Hangzhou over the National Holiday! It was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been in my life, famous for West Lake. I went with the beautiful Leigh Lawrence in my flagship program and we rented a tandem bicycle and rode around the lake for hours. There are several sites to see in different locations around the lake including pagodas and cool statues and gardens. We spent most of our time in the magical Hangzhou botanical gardens. Only 5 Yuan to get in for students, and it was a magical peaceful place that transported me to a land of happiness far away from the stress of China. It was nice okay? There was a giant statue of Buddha and an art museum and we did acrobats in arches. 

The Lake

On the early train to Hangzhou

Big City

Cute bridge

Panoramic of the Lake

Pretty river

Tandem bikes are harder than they seem

My fearless driver

What else what else? Um, I think I am becoming Chinese. A common ingredient in Chinese desserts is red bean, they think it’s sweet. It’s a bean! It is sweeter than most beans but still definitely not dessert material. I have disliked red bean as long as I can remember, until a couple of weeks ago when somebody bought me a milk tea with red bean in it. It was so delicious! I can’t get enough of it all of a sudden. How did this happen to me? There must be something in the water (there is, don't drink it) or the air (also true, sinus infection). Besides liking their “desserts”, my English is worse than ever, and I'm starting to wear adorable skirts with tights. The Asian in me is taking over.

So here’s a funny miscommunication story. I was chatting with my roommate and we were talking about the concept of a “player”, as in a man who sneakily dates around a lot. She asked me “Do you know what it’s called when a girl has multiple boyfriends at once? It’s called ‘pitui’” at which point she stepped to the side with one leg so her legs were spread out. My immediate reaction to that was “one who spreads her legs” so I started laughing. She got it and hurriedly explained that it did indeed mean to split your legs, but meant instead that you have legs in two different places, like two different relationships. I am probably the worst influence my roommate has ever had. 

My friend Vik came to see me! Vikram is this wonderfully nice man that I met two years ago while I was on study abroad and who lives in Hong Kong. We’ve kept in contact this whole time which is awesome, and he’s like an adult with a real job so he found time to come visit last weekend! It was so much fun, we went to the Ming tombs and to Xuanwu Lake. And he stayed in a super snazzy hotel which made me feel all grown up. I can’t wait to be an adult, guys. It’s going to be great. 

At the Lake. Gorgeous right?

At the Ming tombs

This is just a really pretty flower. ob v.

Last week, my computer broke. I feel betrayed by my brand, and Best Buy who promised me it was the best brand next to Macs. I foolishly went to Best Buy here in Nanjing thinking that they would have a geek squad to help me. They don't. However, there was a nice young man that pointed me toward a place that could fix it for me. I passed at least three different Mac stores and several Lenovo as well on this road before I found the place that could fix it. They took my computer completely apart while I sat and watched and freaked out silently, 

My poor baby in pieces

then they told me there was a problem with the mother board and memory card (thank heavens for electronic dictionaries) and they could fix it for 280 Yuan (about $40). I decided it was worth it and they fixed it up and I haven't had any problems since! 

On the very awesome side of cold weather, it is now timely acceptable for me to wear sweaters with reindeer on them, or a rabbit wearing a sweater. Why would I wear that you ask? Because I am in China and I can wear whatever I want, because people already think I'm weird, so there's not much I can do to make it worse.

I feel like this post was just a bunch of word vomit. I feel like I should be able to sum everything up in some concise, meaningful lesson learned in my time so far in China. Coming up empty. Next time. 

For now,

China pic of the day:

Use these if you want to look like Britney