UPs and Downs and In BeTwEEns.

China is such an up and down place. From one moment to the next. One situation leaves a bad taste in my mouth and an hour later, I'm flying high. For example yesterday I had to go to the foreigner hospital about 1.5 hours away from school to get another physical so I can get my residence permit. Why another physical even though I just got one in order to get my work visa?  Because that's China for you. All disconnect. So I wait in line for 45 minutes will 300 other foreigners and show the woman all my tests from America. Where is the signature she asks, pointing to my blood work from queer diagnostics. There are initials on each page I reply. No they are not original. You Must do the tests. But that's how they are done in America. And this worked for me to get my z visa I do t understand. No signature means test. I am so frustrated. I won't want to deal with the Chinese hospital. And I just had a physical! 6 weeks ago! Into a new line. It's gonna cost me 100 USd. More annoyance. Another line. Cheat X-ray. No radiation cover. Annoyed. And horrified. Next line. Pull op my shirt for an ultra sound. Next line. They take some blood. Next line. Hand in my paper work. I have to come back in 4 days. What!!!!

But then... This morning I had to make copies for my first class. I found the print shop on campus and there was hardly a line. The man who works there helped me with my usb even though there was a gigantic language barrier and pushy students coming in. I asked for 40 copies and he smiled and made them for me, shooing away students who were asking questions. 2 $ later and I'm ready for class! And walked home from campus a happy lady. Oh yesterday sucked? I'm over it. Everyone here is so nice!!

On another note, so all the college kids came back and campus is hopping! I walked through with Sunzheng and all the freshmen were so cute!! They were with their parents moving in just like American universities. But it got me just a little bit nervous for my class tomorrow. I have 7 years of experience but every September I freak out. What also changed besides this influx of students, is all the street vendors have come out of the cracks. And taken over the sidewalks. Headphone sellers, phone companies, fruit stands, anything on a stick sellers, grilled whole sweet potatoes, boiled corn: you name it, my street now has it. When I some home after yoga last night, all the dinky little hole in the wall restaurants had turned into giant outdoor beer gardens. Complete with those giant margarita fountains and beer fountains etc. So many drunk people and so many beer bottles. And it was a Monday night!