China is Bhagdad
Well once agin I apologize for the lack of update, but really there isn't as much to tell on a daily basis anymore. We are all slipping into a routine and not much goes on. Here is what has happened this weekend.
Well the week went by like any other. On Friday we decided that we needed to celebrate something, so we decided to have a little party in Patrick's room. It was great! Practically the whole frat house fit into his little room, including additional visitors. We had a blast and also took a moment to remember our fallen soldiers that fought for our freedom since it was Remembrance day. We had lots of laughs, enjoyed good music and each others' company. I spent alot of my time laughing at the silly things Patrick was doing and the silly things that Matty Sticks was saying. One by one the crowd died down till it was just me, Matty Sticks, Brian, Patrick, Damon and Brian's brother in law who spoke very very little english (side note: at one point he asked if he could call me sister and I though he asked if he could sleep with me. it was a funny moment) In chinese culture, once you marry into a family, siblings of your spouse become your siblings. So you would never say "This is my brother in law" you would just say "This is my brother" Brian's brother in law is just referred to as 'brother' and I guess because we all live in the house and he doesn't really know how to refer to me he just asked if he could call me sister. This is a very big deal for the chinese that they feel that comfortable to call someone of no relation, by marraige or otherwise, something like that and the fact that I'm black makes it an even bigger deal because chinese people are afraid of black people (long story on that one).
Anyway, I digress. So after having many many drinks the boys decided that they wanted to get something to eat at midnight. I passed on that trip. Brian and I just stuck around and talked for a bit while brother watched and listened, then around 1am, I had had enough and was off to bed.
Saturday morning, well actually early afternoon on Saturday, Annaick and I decided to got out and do some shopping. I went back to that store that has clothes that fit me and got a few more sweaters. The store is called BreakThrough. We hung around for a bit more then came back home. A few nights ago Annaick met 2 gentlemen that are here from France. She was in heaven because she found people that she could speak french to. Their english is not too bad but they are french and speak mostly that language. Anyway, she called them to join us for dinner. We decided that for a change we would go to Pizza Hut. Well, the service was really bad and the food was ok. I was eating pizza like I do back in Canada but then my stomach reminded me that I can't do that anymore. I got so very tired after eating because now my stomach had to work overtime and I felt so very full. Anyway, Patrick and Matty Sticks (who will be known hereafter as 'the boys') left and Breanna left even earlier than that because she had to teach the next day. So that left Annaick, Roy, Angela, myself and the french guys Patric and Jean-Jacques. They were really nice guys. We all decided, after we left Pizza Hut to go to this cafe for after dinner drinks. It was a nice evening except for the fact that Annaick did most of the talking and spoke 98% of the time in french. I was happy for her because I know how good that would feel to talk in your mother tongue. My french is really very bad and I can't carry a conversation, so I spent most of the evening just listening and catching a few words here and there. When I did understand something, usually I would laugh because it was a joke and Annaick was happy that she didn't have to translate but for the most part, I didn't understand anything and Annaick did very little translation. Angela studied french and understood alot more than me and translated to Roy whenever possible but I was on the otherside of the table and couldn't catch alot of it.
All in all it was a good evening, it just sucked that I couldn't follow it all.
Today Patric and Jean-Jacques were going to take us to another part of Wuhan in Hankou for more shopping. I was able to pick up a few things but after a while I started to get tired and once again was faced with the language barrier. Then it started to rain and I knew it was time for me to go.
So I hopped on my bus and just got home a few minutes ago. I really feel like I'm living here now. It's a difficult sensation to explain, but I have this level of comfort. I'm getting to know vendors and they are getting to know me. If I want to buy something I know exactly where I can go no matter what time of day or night. I really feel good about this and the best part is I'm learning more and more chinese. I won't be fluent when I get back to Canada but atleast I would have another language under my belt.
Now to explain my title.
There is always construction in Wuhan. All the time. Everywhere. Sometimes stores just close down without warning. You'll see a shop you like and you could come back in a week and find it demolished. Then you would see a new shop just pop up out of nowhere. So we describe the torn up streets as being in Bhagdad. Then bhagdad became an adjective, not a noun. So you can use it to describe things or even yourself. "Those shoes are bhagdad" or "I feel very bhagdad today". Sometimes, China is bhagdad.
As I said once, "it begins with a 'C' and ends with an 'A' but it ain't Canada."
TTFN
Well the week went by like any other. On Friday we decided that we needed to celebrate something, so we decided to have a little party in Patrick's room. It was great! Practically the whole frat house fit into his little room, including additional visitors. We had a blast and also took a moment to remember our fallen soldiers that fought for our freedom since it was Remembrance day. We had lots of laughs, enjoyed good music and each others' company. I spent alot of my time laughing at the silly things Patrick was doing and the silly things that Matty Sticks was saying. One by one the crowd died down till it was just me, Matty Sticks, Brian, Patrick, Damon and Brian's brother in law who spoke very very little english (side note: at one point he asked if he could call me sister and I though he asked if he could sleep with me. it was a funny moment) In chinese culture, once you marry into a family, siblings of your spouse become your siblings. So you would never say "This is my brother in law" you would just say "This is my brother" Brian's brother in law is just referred to as 'brother' and I guess because we all live in the house and he doesn't really know how to refer to me he just asked if he could call me sister. This is a very big deal for the chinese that they feel that comfortable to call someone of no relation, by marraige or otherwise, something like that and the fact that I'm black makes it an even bigger deal because chinese people are afraid of black people (long story on that one).
Anyway, I digress. So after having many many drinks the boys decided that they wanted to get something to eat at midnight. I passed on that trip. Brian and I just stuck around and talked for a bit while brother watched and listened, then around 1am, I had had enough and was off to bed.
Saturday morning, well actually early afternoon on Saturday, Annaick and I decided to got out and do some shopping. I went back to that store that has clothes that fit me and got a few more sweaters. The store is called BreakThrough. We hung around for a bit more then came back home. A few nights ago Annaick met 2 gentlemen that are here from France. She was in heaven because she found people that she could speak french to. Their english is not too bad but they are french and speak mostly that language. Anyway, she called them to join us for dinner. We decided that for a change we would go to Pizza Hut. Well, the service was really bad and the food was ok. I was eating pizza like I do back in Canada but then my stomach reminded me that I can't do that anymore. I got so very tired after eating because now my stomach had to work overtime and I felt so very full. Anyway, Patrick and Matty Sticks (who will be known hereafter as 'the boys') left and Breanna left even earlier than that because she had to teach the next day. So that left Annaick, Roy, Angela, myself and the french guys Patric and Jean-Jacques. They were really nice guys. We all decided, after we left Pizza Hut to go to this cafe for after dinner drinks. It was a nice evening except for the fact that Annaick did most of the talking and spoke 98% of the time in french. I was happy for her because I know how good that would feel to talk in your mother tongue. My french is really very bad and I can't carry a conversation, so I spent most of the evening just listening and catching a few words here and there. When I did understand something, usually I would laugh because it was a joke and Annaick was happy that she didn't have to translate but for the most part, I didn't understand anything and Annaick did very little translation. Angela studied french and understood alot more than me and translated to Roy whenever possible but I was on the otherside of the table and couldn't catch alot of it.
All in all it was a good evening, it just sucked that I couldn't follow it all.
Today Patric and Jean-Jacques were going to take us to another part of Wuhan in Hankou for more shopping. I was able to pick up a few things but after a while I started to get tired and once again was faced with the language barrier. Then it started to rain and I knew it was time for me to go.
So I hopped on my bus and just got home a few minutes ago. I really feel like I'm living here now. It's a difficult sensation to explain, but I have this level of comfort. I'm getting to know vendors and they are getting to know me. If I want to buy something I know exactly where I can go no matter what time of day or night. I really feel good about this and the best part is I'm learning more and more chinese. I won't be fluent when I get back to Canada but atleast I would have another language under my belt.
Now to explain my title.
There is always construction in Wuhan. All the time. Everywhere. Sometimes stores just close down without warning. You'll see a shop you like and you could come back in a week and find it demolished. Then you would see a new shop just pop up out of nowhere. So we describe the torn up streets as being in Bhagdad. Then bhagdad became an adjective, not a noun. So you can use it to describe things or even yourself. "Those shoes are bhagdad" or "I feel very bhagdad today". Sometimes, China is bhagdad.
As I said once, "it begins with a 'C' and ends with an 'A' but it ain't Canada."
TTFN
posted by Tish at 3:06 a.m.
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