December 11, 2011
I pulled into the station this morning relieved that one: yesterday I successfully transported myself, my bulging backpack, one bulky large suitcase, and one smaller slightly less cumbersome suitcase from Beijing Normal University to West Beijing Train Station despite Dennis’ wrong directions, and two: I woke up in time to get off at my stop. With the help of many sympathetic Beijing citizens (I was quite surprised that every staircase I crossed came with a helping hand) I arrived in Jiaozuo. By the time that I pulled myself across the finish line, I was so relieved and exhausted that I barely comprehended the “Ni shi Havard xuesheng ma? (Are you the Harvard student?) After a confused moment, I nodded my head vigorously and the stranger grabbed the large suitcase and took off towards the van.
The first thing I noticed about Jiaozuo was the darkness. In Beijing, and even more so in Shanghai, the buildings are covered in bright lights and shining advertisements. The city never sleeps. However, in Jiaozuo, though I could see the dark, gloomy outlines of buildings, I could only make out the street in front of me. Dawn would not be for another hour, and it was eerily quiet.
We arrived at the orphanage in under fifteen minutes. I was taken to my room, shown the bathroom, told that breakfast was at seven (or so I thought I was told) and he left before I realized I didn’t know who he was.
My room contained six beds and after a moment of deliberation, I choose the one closest to the door.
I tried to sleep for a couple of minutes, but decided I couldn’t and spent the next forty-five minutes unpacking and organizing. At seven, I went downstairs, and after a few wrong turns, found the cafeteria. However, I noticed that it was closed, so I went back finish unpacking. After thirty minutes, a woman came and told me it was time for breakfast (I guess the driver said seven thirty, oops). She led me to the cafeteria and gave me my own stainless steel lunch box along with some corn zhou, two eggs, cauliflower and a mantou. I ate quietly and afterward washed up my dish. I thanked the cooks and went back upstairs and took an hour-long nap.
When I woke up, I finished unpacking, and then decided to do laundry. I was halfway through when two women, one older and one younger, knocked on my door. They told me today was my day off and asked if I needed anything. I half mimed and half told them I needed a bath towel. I told them I didn’t think I needed anything else and gave them the gifts I brought. I told them they were for Director Li, and they left. I don’t know where the gifts went.
A few minutes later the younger women returned. I found her very friendly, and we chatted while I finished up my laundry and then went down to the second floor to the older lady’s office where the older lady and a boy, who I assumed was her son, waited. The older lady then took me to a storage room where she gave me a fluffy, a pair of dishwasher’s gloves, dish soap, a washcloth, and steel wool. We couldn’t find a bath towel so she told me that after lunch she would take me to buy one.
We chatted in the office for a long time, about my school, her daughter, etc., and then I left to put the items in my room. I put up my decorations and by twelve thirty I was hungry enough to go downstairs to eat. I knocked on the older lady’s door and told her I was going to eat now, but she informed me that lunch was over. She told me that she would instead take me to eat outside, and so we walked to Jiazuo University, which was conveniently close by. We met her daughter outside of the cafeteria, who reminded me of Amanda, and after introductions went inside.
“Pa la de ma? (Are you afraid of spicy?),” she asked. I told her I liked spicy food and she returned with some soupy glass noodles. Her mom kept pestering her about practicing her English with me, and we had a long, awkward conversation, in which I could only understand half. (They spoke so fast!) Half way through her daughter gave me some delicious zhou to drink, and after I was finished we went to the super market to find a bath towel. Unsuccessful, we then went to a China Telecom to see if I could get a new SIM card, also unsuccessful, and the older lady and I returned to the orphanage.
I was a little frustrated that the trip was for nothing. However, the older lady pointed me to the boiled water and then we tried, again unsuccessfully, to find the showers. I tried the computer room, but found the key I had didn't work, and when I got in, that the internet would not respond with my computer.
So I went to bed without a shower or internet, which meant little communication to the outside world. I was getting worried.
December 12, 2011
Today I was determined for things to go right. I woke up around 6:50 and slowly got ready, going over the day in my head. I ate breakfast and afterward went to meet with the assistant director. He told me (I think) that I would work with the third and second floor and asked how long I would stay here for, etc. I told him I needed the 24th through the 28th off. Afterward he told the girl to show me around.
We wandered around the different rooms and stopped at one of the babies’ room. One, looking no older than two, was throwing his bottle around. When he threw it out of the crib he would start to cry. Another baby had a cleft palate.
Afterward I went back to my room. For an hour I kept myself busy and then decided to see if I couldn’t find a shower. I went to the sixth floor, unsuccessful, and then made my way up to the seventh, eighth, ninth, and then tenth, where I ran into the lady who spoke to me in English over the phone on Friday. Apparently, there was a separate foster program on the tenth floor run by an American!! She showed me around and I was ecstatic that I finally found English speakers and even an American. Not only that, but I glimpsed a microwave, and saw a shower. The lady, Louhuan allowed me to use it, for which I was entirely grateful. I had no idea what a nice shower can do for your spirits, or maybe it was just that I found an English speaker.
The younger woman and I then went to go eat. Lunch was delicious, green beans with beef (yay my first meat!), sweet potato, and rice. After lunch I was given a new key to the computer room and the younger woman and I left the orphanage to go to the super market.
Our mode of transportation turned out to be an electric scooter bike. We were forbidden to use these during the FSP, but I was no longer on the FSP. The ride was refreshing, and I only feared slightly for my safety, since the roads were mainly empty. At the super market I finally found the things I needed and we even got a new SIM card for my phone. Side note: if the number has a 4 in it, you pay less! I never thought that lesson from class would be relevant. We ended our trip with a visit to the mall, where she found one of her friends and started gossiping while I aimlessly wandered close by. She bought me an ice cream to before we left, and we returned to the orphanage without troubles.
I then went back to my room till 5ish, where I raced off to the cafeteria, apparently too late (I arrived around 5:15). The food was already gone. But the cafeteria lady took pity on me and made me some eggs quickly, reminding me to come on time tomorrow.
After eating, I tried once again to open the computer room. To my dismay the key still didn’t work. I knew I should have tried it out as soon as she gave it to me. I’ll just have to get the real one tomorrow. Third time’s the charm. I tried the sixth floor to see if anyone was still there, and then the tenth on the off chance that Louhuan was still there. She was, but she was leaving. I talked to the children while I waited for her to finish talking to other people. The children were very curious and very friendly. It gave me a small taste of tomorrow.
Not everything went perfectly today, but I’m excited about tomorrow. I’ll finally get to work. I think I’ll feel better about the whole situation once I busy myself with what I came here to do. I’m nervous, but tomorrow will be fun.
December 13, 2011
Today was a whirlwind of emotions. Starting with boredom (I sat in the nursery trying to keep babies from crying/ trying to look busy, while the nannies ignored my attempts to help them and just sat and talked with each other), then frustration (I went up to the third floor after lunch and they completely ignored me. I thought I would be stuck here doing nothing), then inspiration (I finally went up to the fifth floor where the older kids were. I spent the next two hours playing with them and by the end they were crawling all over me), finally more frustrations and accomplishment (I struggled with the internet and finally got it working.)
By the middle of the day I was ready to give up and go home, but by the end of the day I feel like I have a little bit more resolve. Everyone is telling me I can do it, I just need to believe it too.
December 14, 15, 16, 2011
I went through two days of boredom and frustration. I all I did was sit and watch babies cry while the nannies ignored me. I was unable to do anything. On the 15th, I did get Louhuan to help me talk to the Director and he told me he would better communicate with the nannies. When I got back things were a little better (at least the nannies didn't ignore me) but I still wasn't doing much. Unfortunately the next day wasn't any better. This is not what I came here to do. It's really frustrating.
December 17, 2011
Spent a productive morning doing chores, and went to the super market in the afternoon. The pollution here is really bad, and I was feeling it in my chest when I got back. Also, the city is pretty dirty. I wonder if there’s a nicer part of the city. I don’t know where I could find out where it is.
December 18, 2011
I finally felt like I was doing what I came here to do. I arrived on the tenth floor to a flurry of laughing children and excited a yis. The a yis were putting on a dance for the children. I somehow got pulled in and ended up learning this ribbon dance.
Afterwards, I had Xiali, one of the older children, read to me. She definitely didn’t want to read, but after 30 minutes of her reading to me, she finally got to draw. We also played dollhouse.
For lunch I went out with Louhuan and her best friend to lunch. We met up with their respective husbands and Louhuan’s daughter and mother and law. The meal was quite delicious, as it was my first outside the orphanage. We had this beef with peppers, sweet corn and pine nuts (my favorite of the dishes), two different kinds of soup, and this baicai with noodles. Yum!
Afterwards, the children and I watched this anime-turned-live-action series. It was really strange. At 3:30 we went outside to practice relays.
When we were all done I was beat, but feeling like I was really getting to know the kids. I haven’t even learned all their names yet, but they already want to be my best friend (what I love about kids).
Sorry for the long post!!! I doubt the rest of them will be quite as detailed as this weeks, just jotting stuff down so I remember it.....
