Miss This, Not That

There's not a whole lot of exciting stuff going on these days, so I made a list of things I'm really starting to miss (besides food, that's obvious):

1. My sewing machine and Jo-Ann Fabrics. The only sewing materials I brought with me were a few sewing kits stolen from various hotels, one small scissors, and one spool of navy blue thread. And I am quickly running out of black and grey thread from hemming Adam's pants and sewing buttons back on. I also didn't bring a measuring tape. I thought I could live without one but I miss having one around. I bought a little sewing kit that I just happened by in a convenience store and it had a measuring tape inside. I didn't expect it to have an inch side but it did, so I thought, woohoo! I went to go measure my waist and the tape said it was 22". My waist has NEVER been 22", so I knew something was wrong. I compared this measuring tape with the tiny ruler Adam has in his planner, and saw that the inches on the tape were actually about 1 1/4" long. Oh well, they probably thought no one would ever know.

2. Our yard. Aside from privacy, I really just miss not having to clean up Smudgie's poop. Although, to be honest, we don't clean it up that often here. :S I think our housekeeper has been doing it for us once a week or something. Score! So I guess I just miss not feeling guilty about not cleaning it up when people walk by right as he's doing it. In PA, Smudgie's poop seemed to disappear in a matter of days from bugs eating it and whatnot, but here it just hardens and turns black. That is one thing I've noticed, there aren't very many bugs in Huainan. And I surely don't miss bugs.

3. Our dryer. Here, we have a washer/dryer combo, which I originally thought was cool but now I don't really like it. First of all, it doesn't let you just dry things. So if you come in with wet pants from a rainy day you can't just throw the pants in for a few minutes. Secondly, because it's also a washer, there is no lint trap. So the lint just ends up balling up all over your clothes.

4. Being able to drink tap water. No explanation needed, I just miss it.

5. Getting mail and ordering things from the internet. We don't know where our mailbox is at our apartment, if we even have one. So if we do order something online, we have to have it sent to the plant. And that's fine, but then everyone is nosey and wants to see what you got so I'm not going to be ordering things as much as I would in America.

Things I don't miss:

1. Driving. Adam misses it, but I kind of like being driven everywhere. I certainly don't miss having to pay for car repairs.

2. Religion. Whether they have it here or not, I can't tell. And that's the point! No one is shoving religion in your face. I've been keeping up with the Republican debates and it sickens me to see how many issues are being argued like this: "(Insert group here) shouldn't have their rights because the bible says it's wrong." If Rick Santorum gets elected, I'm not coming back.

3. Having to engage in mundane small talk with people. This is one of the best things about China and not knowing the language very well. People don't talk to me at work, unless it's important. And they don't expect me to join in the majority of the conversation at dinners. This might bother a normal person but I love it.

4. Snow. We've had snow a couple times here but it never stuck.

That's all I can think of for now. Here are some pictures of Smudgie!

The Search for an Erhu and Other Random Stuff

I just have a bunch of random news. First, here are a few pictures of the things our housekeeper has been making for dinner:

I also have started the search for an erhu, the most beautiful of all Chinese instruments. Ever since hearing one in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, I have said “I must have one!” It only has two strings and you play it kind of like a cello so I don’t think it would be very hard to pick up. Here is a video:



But I have a major problem! It’s a good thing I did my research before running out and buying one because apparently, the US customs and border patrol is very strict about the importation of erhus. The soundbox is covered with python skin, and since pythons are becoming an endangered species, you can only bring in erhus that are made from farmed python skins. In order to prove that your erhu is made from a legal python, you have to get this certificate from the seller AND have it endorsed by the local AVA office. It’s very much the same process we had to go through to get Smudgie into China. And it sucks extra because Huainan instrument stores don’t exactly cater to people who are going to be bringing their instruments to America, so they have no idea what this certificate is (we brought a friend with us to go check them out). I found a reputable erhu dealer online who knows all about the process but I e-mailed him and apparently, the certificate is only good for one trip. Since he’s based in Singapore, the certificate he provides is only good for the trip from Singapore to China. And THAT sucks extra because he gets his erhus from China! So I’m not sure what I’ll do now. I was really hoping I could buy one here because if we’re going to be around for next year’s company New Year’s party, I’d rather whip out my erhu and impress everyone than sing another lame song.

The friend that we took with us to go erhu shopping was Elly, a neighbor of ours. I’m telling you, there simply isn’t a way to move to China and not make friends. They will find you! Our landlady’s daughter speaks a bit of English, and one day she came over and said her friend would like to practice English with us during her break from school. So we said sure! Elly came over twice a week this past month and we talked about the differences between Chinese and American culture. She told us that her father forbids her to drink, have a boyfriend, or have a job (she’s 20 years old and there is no drinking age in China). She also really wants to move up north after college but feels pressured by her parents to stay. She is the only child (and therefore responsible for taking care of her parents) so her parents tell her she is selfish for wanting to pursue her dreams. I feel bad for her. I hope she finds a way to convince her parents to move with her. If not, I hope she goes anyways. And I asked her about open crotch pants. She said she thinks they’re more convenient because you don’t have to take the pants off. But you still have to clean up after the kid AND there’s the danger of getting peed on (or worse). And she said she’s been peed on before so I whole-heartedly disagree on the convenience thing.

I have discovered….. CORN! It comes in a vacuum sealed pouch:

But it’s amazing. I don’t know why it’s black. I’ve seen it in the grocery store before, but I always thought it was soaked in soy sauce or something so I stayed away from it. If it weren’t for Xi Shuang Ban Na, I would have never tried it. It tastes the same as regular corn, but it’s chewier and it comes off the cob so much easier than the corn in America. No more getting pieces of kernel stuck in my teeth! Yay!

Here’s a picture of Smudgie looking like an amputee:

And here he is after I gave him a haircut!