Biking to School

YEEHAW!

Soon after I practiced how to WALK across the street I took my bike out for a morning ride -- just me and "Daisy". Sweet. I love it.

I think my bike is my favorite part of China thus far.

I've almost been squished a couple times.
Last Sunday I heard that one national accidentally had her finger cut off while biking because a car came in too close. Oh.

Most of my "almost squished" moments have happened while going through the roundabout. I go through this roundabout on my way to and from school. I hear tales of a different way being available, but I don't know this way yet...and with my sense of direction...NO WAY.

I wouldn't be able to ask, "How do I get home?"

In the roundabout there are four lanes of traffic. My first near-crash experience happened when I tried to go across these lanes (against traffic). As I was going to the other side of the road, a car and a bus started coming at me. The car on my right and the bus on my left.

For a moment, as I stared up into the face of the bus driver, I was embarrassed that I was in his way. Then I remembered that I am in China and this sort of thing just happens.

They aren't shocked to see a bike in the middle of the road...in the middle of their lane.

(Though to see a redheaded rider, THAT may come as a surprise.)

In order to avoid certain pain and death-risk, I moved to the middle of the lane and passed between the car and the bus as a national would have done....(cough cough) I am sure.

The other day I was a real IDIOT and went to the INNER lanes of the roundabout to try to get into traffic as quickly as possible when I saw an opening in traffic. (I don't like waiting.)

Foolish.

Where else are the cars (and the buses) going to drive so they don't squish me?

Into the roundabout median?!

I was honked at several times...and a bus had to try to move in order to not squish me.

When I am out biking I don't always feel afraid. I feel like I have "power" to bike on the street and go with traffic. I get an extra boost of confidence. (My mom's teaching of "defensive car driving" in the US has made me a better Chinese bicyclist, I believe.)

Making a left turn across a few lanes of traffic at the beginning of morning traffic is always one of those "adrenaline rush" times, but! it is done and can be done and should be done because I am here and that's the way of the natives.

...Not that I would start biking off bridges if all the nationals lines up to do it...THOUGH...if I knew the depth of the water and the height of the drop... I am sure I would be tempted to follow them.

I mean, come on, if the nationals are doing it, surviving, and having fun (no moral standards being overturned,) WHY NOT?!

Tianjin-Ren Girl Within

It may be small, but it’s growing.

--I like crossing the roads right in front of oncoming traffic. (cough, chuckle)

--I don’t mind standing close to people.

--I don’t mind (and rather enjoy) staring at people. (In the States this was a rude no-no, now I can do it all I want!)

--I never really cared much for buckling my seatbelt anyway.

--I can walk to work and the markets/store.

--I can bike everywhere (feasibly) I want to go. (YEEHAW!)

--I LOVE the “family” eating style where you have all your dishes/side dishes brought out and then you just PICK at what you want and put it on your plate. (YESSSSS! My style of eating – PICKER!)

--Family honor. (That one is written for you, my father!) :0)

SO! I have now been in China for a little over one week [now two]. School starts in about 6 days. [It started 3 days ago.] My room is still “a bit” crazy and I am not entirely sure what the first week is going to look like in terms of instruction.

Don’t worry. It’ll come.

I just want to be sure it comes SUCCESSFULLY!

I am glad I am not one of those REALLY late people who come a week (or more) after the school year has already started.

AIYEE!

THAT would be crazy.

Gatherings of People

The people are so friendly.

The only question I have is – are they all so friendly and thinking in smiles on the inside, or are they just trying to hide their emotion and save face?

Or are they just using me as their "good fortune"?

Have I offended them and don’t know it, or are they really laughing?

(Who cares if it’s with me or AT me.) haha

I have heard some stories from some like-minded nationals.

I have been asking for their stories as we get to know each other.

I want to hear.

I want to know if what I read is true.

I have heard some stories about their Father from over the summer.

They shared what work they saw him doing over the summer.

Some almost started crying because of how he is tilling the soil.

My love for them emerged.

(Can I say it grew though I don’t know them? Probably.)

Many of these ladies seem so soft to his guidance and care.

It’s very interesting to hear how many have come to know their father.

I think what gets me too is that I have read about this type of people (if you know what I mean). I have heard that the number is growing, but it is small, proportionately. I have heard that Their life is hard and full of testing.

And yet, here they are.

We must be careful, but in Tianjin it’s not scary.

In other cities you must be more aware.

It’s just like crossing the street – you have to find the rhythm and sway of the people – and respect the system that’s in place.

Just keep calling. (You know what I am saying?) :0)

Quick Summary of First Days

(Written DAYS ago, but I post now.)

The plane trip was pretty nice. I kept falling asleep. (I had had about 5 complete hours of sleep between my two last nights in Ohio.) When I sat in my plane seat my eyes began to close almost immediately.

The people I sat next to were quite pleasant and were heading over to adopt a boy.

When I exited the airport – HUMIDITY! as I have never known. (I am all right with it. Everyone sweats – so it doesn’t matter if you also show signs of being wet.)

I have always wanted a ‘fro.

Didn’t know I would get one in China.

(Though, I must say that the rain and sweat do push it down.)

My first day here I got a bike. (Everyone kept telling me I was brave and/or that they were “amazed”.) I guess most new people don’t buy bikes until they have been here for awhile. I don’t think mine was an act of bravery, but perhaps an act of ignorance. (I had not yet ridden in a taxi.)

The Tianjin people see foreigners all the time and so I get stared at, but no one has yet asked for my picture or tried to touch my hair. Too bad. (haha – Though my incomplete phrase is not sarcasm.)

I am really enjoying the people. I had a GREAT interaction (through the interpretation of a lady named Wei Wei,) with a taxi driver. He was asking me if I was a student or teacher, if I was married, if I would stay in China longer than two years, if I would go back to the US get a husband and then return to China, if I would marry a Chinese boy, and if I missed home.

He liked my smile and laughter. I liked HIS smile and laughter! He kept looking at me in his rearview mirror, smiling with a tooth-missing grin.

I also really enjoy the Tianjin accent. (If I can even say that I know what it is.) My taxi driver told me I couldn’t learn Mandarin from him because of his Tianjin accent. When we exited the taxi he turned around to say goodbye. I thanked him in Mandarin (xie xie) and made sure to smile big. How pleasant.

I REALLY want to speak. When I am around Chinese speakers for lengths of time I start adjusting to the pattern of their speech. Once, after having been with only Mandarin-talkers for awhile, I entered a building, heard a Chinese conversation taking place and nearly blurted out sounds that were my concept of the Mandarin I had been listening to.

I laughed SO HARD at myself (inside my head). What was I going to say to those people?! “Goo bwah ee saw”? It would only be gibberish IF anything came. (Which I am thankful nothing escaped my lips.)

All that to say – my brain is ready to GO!

The pollution is not as thick as I was expecting. (As I look out the window…yes…the clouds of smog are thick, but I can breathe.)

When I first arrived my lungs did have a bit of trouble adjusting.

It is strange to go into public places and smokers are there. That gives my lungs (and then my head,) some trouble.

The second and third day I was here there were BEAUTIFUL blue skies. I went out and rode my bike. GREAT!