Catching On

First of all, I should tell you that I am feeling quite a bit better. Thank you for all of your chats with Dad to this end. I slept the better part of 10 hours last night and they remained fever free. I have only taken one evil allergy tablet today, though I think that I will take one more for good measure. Along with the fever, my headache has almost completely disappeared. My throat only hurts a little and, like the heartache of an unrequited love, I only notice it when I start to wonder, "Am I over it?"

So I was thinking just now on the bus, that I am beginning to catch on to why people love this place so much. I was a little dissappointed with myself last week, because I just didn't understand and I didn't feel a real draw to the country and, in a lesser sense, even to the people. Maybe I am just a slow learner. Today I have decided that I could really grow to love it here. I still don't understand very much, but I am okay with that.

It makes me laugh that no matter how little Chinese I actually speak to someone, they automatically assume that I am fluent. I ask, "How much for this?" and when it becomes clear that this is the extent of my command of the English language, it does not seem to matter. The guy at the bag store continued to explain the quality construction of the knock-off Nike messanger bag that I was eyeing (and eventually bought because it is just way too hot to be carrying a book bag on your back). He was just so happy to show me all of the different models and colors and really all I could do was stand there and nod.

Last night on my way home, I made my first purchase on my own. Not like a store purchase- those are easy. You just take your stuff to the counter and they ring it up and you can see the numerals on the display so it is okay if you can't quite tell if the person behind the register said 3 or 4. I have made plenty of those purchases. But last night, I was by myself and I bought roses from the lady outside our apartment complex. Twenty-one beautiful yellow roses. It may sound so simple, but I had to ask how much, listen to her answer, translate the numbers in my head, and then decide if it is a good purchase. Major thinking that would be automatic if I spoke the language. There is a good possibilty that I should have bargained with her, like you should do with all street vendors, "Oh, that is too expensive. Could you do cheaper?" But it was only 4 kuai. 21 beautiful yellow roses for the equivalent of 50 cents.

Yeah, I am beginning to think that coming home will be difficult in its own way too.