Day 4

I’m sorry I did not post last night. My internet wasn’t working yet, but let me tell you about my day anyways. Meera and I got up pretty early to eat breakfast with Bing, our graduate student, because she had to leave early for a meeting. After breakfast, we went back to our room and packed up our things, so we would be ready to leave. We didn’t know what time we were going to be picked up yet though. We basically killed time all morning because there was nothing to do and it was a torrential downpour outside for most of the day. About noon we started to get hungry, but we didn’t want to leave our room unattended just in case someone called or came to get us. Therefore, we decided to go separately downstairs to get lunch. Meera went first and met Bing in the lobby as she was coming back. When they got back, Bing took me to KFC in our hotel. It was delicious I might add. Then, we went back up to our rooms to eat, and then Bing ordered a taxi to take us to our universities. She dropped me off first at China Agricultural University.
A graduate student named Alex came to get me from the taxi and take me to my room. I was told I would have an apartment, but I would consider it a dorm with a private bathroom. It is very nice and clean though. I have two beds, a tv, a couple of desks, several cabinets, and even a balcony with picture windows looking out to it. I would like to point out that I am on the fourth floor with no elevator, so I will be getting my exercise. The bathroom leaves something to be desired though. It is very small. So small, in fact, that there was not room for a shower so someone installed a handheld shower head into the wall above the counter and sink. There is a curtain, but it doesn’t stop the water from spraying everywhere. There is a small drain in the floor, but it is not at the lowest point, and I have the feeling that it will be constantly wet. However, I am very thankful that I at least have my own bathroom.
I had posted earlier that I hoped I hadn’t made a huge mistake in forgetting essential things, but I was lucky. I have many nice towels and bed linens. I did take for granted that this university would have laundry services like those provided in the states, meaning washers and dryers. I was wrong. Apparently I will be doing my laundry in the tiny bathroom sink for the next eight weeks.
After I got settled in, Alex took me to meet the other graduate student “in charge” of me, Lily. She was also very nice. They took me to see Dr. Li, but it was graduation day here, and he was tied up taking pictures with the students. So instead, they showed me around the lab I will be working in. Then, they took me to get an adapter so I could plug in my foreign appliances, and to get dinner. The menu was totally in Chinese, so they ordered for me. I ended up eating cucumbers with garlic that were pretty good. I also tried some “soup” that had the consistency of and tasted like oatmeal. It was okay. I did not like the chicken stirfry they ordered for me because there were still bones and skin on it. In fact, that is what most of it was.
Alex and Lily are very friendly. They “argue” with one another in Chinese, and it is quite amusing. I know they are just joking around though. I helped them out on their English and taught them new words. They took me to the super market after we ate to get some breakfast items, water, laundry soap, and a few other things I needed. I picked up a package of muffins that looked pretty good. They, unlike most things, had the ingredients listed in English. I was lucky that I read it because they were made with pork. Instead, I ended up with some mini donuts, plain bread, and bananas. It was frustrating trying to find laundry soap because I needed a stain remover also because I always manage to spill on myself when I use chopsticks. The one that the sales lady gave me (after Lily translated) had the word “bleach” on it in English but that was the only word. Lily said that the saleswoman had said it would be safe on colors, but I grabbed another bottle of regular. I ended up getting both because the sales woman put it back in the cart.
Then, they brought me back to my room and Alex tried hooking up the internet while Lily wrote down their phone numbers and other important information. I guess I need an access id in order to get international internet here, so I have to wait until Dr. Li gives me one tomorrow. I will post again as soon as possible.