Thursday is the beginning of our 2-week holiday for spring festival. Spring festival is the biggest Chinese holiday and marks their traditional New Year. For me the holiday begins right after our noon meeting since I am normally off Tues afternoon and Wednesdays. On Monday I will fly to Thailand for 5 days. Hopefully, I will come back with many pictures and interesting things to say. As it is, not too much has happened here in Taiyuan other than me being swamped with school work (both my school and the Chinese school).
I broke down and bought a space heater for my apartment to fight off the cold since heating in my apartment is insufficient and all the cold seeps through the marble-like floors.
The Chinese are busy decorating their homes and places of work with red banners and other decorations for the festival. Stands have suddenly appeared out of nowhere touting fireworks, a perpetual necessity in China, and brightly colored paper decorations. The University students have been leaving campus in droves rolling big suitcases. The campus is nearly empty. This morning none of the elderly people were out doing Tai Chi this morning. Usually at least a few are exercising together in the morning when I come to school. 80-year olds have no fear of exercising in 10 degree weather here. One can sometimes see groups dancing as well. The campus is a popular place for exercise since it has at least two, maybe three, large courtyards. Dogs like it here too. One morning I think I counted 15 small dogs as I was walking from the bus stop to my school. The Chinese love small dogs and let them run freely about without collars or anything. I know that one must get a permit to have a pet and pay for the requisite shots, but there seems to be no control over keeping pets restrained or worry about them getting hit. It is amazing given the traffic situation here that I have not once seen a dead dog, but often see them crossing very busy roads. Naturally, they will play in the garbage as long as no cats are there.
I have made friends with the cat in the massage shop. I often stop to pet her and her offspring if he/she is around when I pass by. Sometimes she walks around the shop meowing wandering from table to table perhaps hoping for attention or maybe a treat. One time she came up under my table and let me pet her as I was getting massaged.The Chinese also have no qualms about letting animals in restaurants and some restaurant owners have a cat or two right in the kitchen with them. What would US Health Inspectors do with that?
It’s supposed to snow Thursday, which is just fine with me as I do not have to go anywhere. So far the gods are really cooperating with my wish not to have to get to school in a death trap under very hazardous conditions. We had one day of snow, but it was only an inch (maybe less) and the morning it occurred was still a holiday for many people so there were amazingly few people at the bus stop and little traffic. I hope my luck holds out!
Until next time。。。。
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