Thursday was very black and white. I had agreed to come into the office for half the day, and ended up staying the whole day because it was going to be too hard to catch up with the kids in the middle of their day's activities and by 3 or so when they came back they were just resting anyway. It was a somewhat frustrating day in the office, but it was fully made up for by a few things. One, A Guang (the secretary and all-around awesome person...I think I mentioned that he came with yesterday and was great with the kids) offered me a jump drive of his pictures from yesterday and talked to me about how I'm leaving soon and how he'll miss me and will I remember them the next time I go to China? Such a sweet guy. So much of how I interact with people is based on language that I know the people I've made friends with without any English are really special.
After 6, I headed over to the hotel and had dinner with my Hong-Kongian (better guesses?) artist friends and some of the volunteer adults from Anhui province (where the kids come from). I guess Avon and Vero really liked the noodles (technically not "noodles" I am told because they are made from...potato I think?) because we immediately went to the grocery store and bought some. Hung out in their room for a bit, then went to do more art! It was a low-key day, since the kids were just writing things about their art, so I spent most of the time being taught a song by the older girl I met the first day and a boy who really likes to sing. After we finished with the art, everyone practiced the song a bunch, and it was really fun.
My camera batteries have run down and Damin took my charger back, and he's not around, so I don't know what I'm going to do (since I need to use rechargeable batteries for my camera and haven't seen any for sale) but hopefully I'll run into him in time to recharge them before my travels. On the plus side, I have A Guang's photos from yesterday, and Avon and Vero said they'd email me the ones they took tonight. They're heading back tomorrow.
There was blue sky again today for the third day in a row. At night, you can still totally see the sky and clouds...it's just like you're in a room with a painted ceiling and you turned the lights down. Does this not happen in the other cities in which I live, or have I just never noticed it?
6 comments:
I can see your title on my Mac. It looks like it should be about ladders and other playground equipment.
You will certainly have some great memories of people you met this summer, and hopefully you'll see some of them again when you return.
I can't remember why your camera need rechargeable batteries; is it because you can't find alkalines?
Your weather sounds great. Enjoy.
SWEET.
I can see your characters, too, and I fully agree with your Dad. Sure looks like monkey bars - with a couple little pagodas thrown in. Very cool!
What is this--the Chinese character Rorschach Test? I see apartment houses and people doing yoga...
It's so cool that you have made friends there who really enjoy and esteem you--and say so.
Even if you were in the office a lot, I'm glad you had some good singing time together.
As Dad mentions, you should be able to use regular batteries if they are available. I sometimes switch, depending on availability, but have sometimes forgotten to change the camera setting for the different kind of battery, so this will serve to remind you.
I think it's because regular batteries get zapped really fast in digital cameras. They'll work, though, and it might be worth it to buy a little stack of regular batteries just to last you through the trip. Also, I just bought some non-rechargeables that are specifically designed for digital cameras, although I can't promise they have those in China, even though they were probably made there.
Do they use the same batteries in China?
You are awesome. :)
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