the title of my blog

Today at work, I got something in my eye. Well, I don't exactly know what the deal was, but it was itchy and watering and driving me crazy. (that feeling is, in my book, one of life's most annoying occurrences) So I left the office and went to the bathroom to see if I could figure out the problem. This lady who works in the PR department and who I've hung out with some happened to be in there at the same time. She asked what was wrong and I told her that I thought something was in my eye. She said she would help me. I thought she was going to look in my eye. No. What did she do? SHE LICKED MY EYEBALL!!!! I am not even kidding. Before I even knew what was coming she held my eye open, stuck out her tongue and LICKED my eye! Full contact between her tongue and my eye. Has anyone ever heard of this method of stuff-in-the-eye removal before?

This is a prime example of why I chose the title I did for this blog. Sometimes, there is absolutely no other way to respond to what life throws at you other than to shrug your shoulders and go back to the office and finish making the "English Weekly" bulletin board. How else are you supposed to respond to someone licking your eye?

my birthday month

Well, I'm officially 27. It doesn't feel any different than 26. One thing that was different about this year was that I got to celebrate for almost three weeks. It was great! The last of my birthday parites was on Friday so I am just now posting the pictures.
I want to dedicate the rest of the post to showcasing some of the gifts I received. I truly did appreciate each gift, and wish I could list them all, but here's a sampling:
1. earrings-I got these great earrings from a girl who works in the reservation dept. I told her how much I liked them and she said, "I got them for you because I thought Jill is a very ____ person, so I think she would like these." (the ____ being a word I didn't know the meaning of). I said, "what does ____ mean?" She said, how about _____? Again, I don't it. OK, how about _____? Still nothing. How about jiao ao. This one I know. Prideful. hmm. I know the original word was 4 degrees from prideful, but still! I got these earrings for you because I think you're so prideful. I don't care the reason. They really are great.
2. a haircut. One of the American girls cut my hair. This was an especially great gift because it meant I didn't have to attempt to explain hair cutting terms in Chinese. (blue shirt is pre-haircut...black sweater is after the cut.)
3. pig wine bottle holders. It will be the year of the pig in just a few weeks, so you can find pig everything here. I am now the proud owner of pig wine bottle holders. (see picture) the bottle would rest on their hands across their little backs and head :)
4. flowers! they were beautiful!
5. jump rope. It has a counter on the handle so you don't have to count in your head. This is useful because it's too cold to do anything outside and sometimes the hotel takes the equipment out of the gym to use it for a meeting room. It drives me crazy actually, but what can you do? Having to jump rope so much was one of the reasons I quit basketball in high school. And, I also think it's been long enough since college tennis practice that I'm somewhat over my aversion to the jump rope. I'm going to give it another try. It will be different since I will choose when and for how long, as opposed to my previous experiences.
6. a personalized birthday greeting video. very funny stuff. One of the American guys made it. I can't explain. You'll just have to see it someday.
7. a pass to go swimming at the 5 star hotel. I used that already (see above about not having gym access). It was the best swim I had in a VERY long time. It was warm and not overly-chlorinated.I had the whole pool and locker room to myself. Locker rooms...some day that topic will be a merit a whole post, but not today.
8. lunch at my FAVORITE restaurant...You Mian Da Wang. You should come here and try it.
9. lots of other really great things...it was a wonderful 3 weeks of birthday goodness!

further reflection on getting hit by a bus

I didn’t mean to sound so tough or like I thought it wasn’t a big deal. It was a big deal and I am still amazed that I got up and walked away with a single scratch or bruise after being hit by a bus. All praise to Him! I also did call an American friend here who is a nurse and ask her opinion about going to the hospital. I am trying to take care of myself so please don't be worried.

I couldn't sleep much that night. I'm not sure if it was the replaying of the incident over and over again or caffeine induced because I spent the afternoon at the home of a Mongol family drinking my weight in milk tea. Either way, it gave me a lot of time to think about how grateful I was to stand up and walk away.

Of course getting hit by a bus was not a good experience, but there were so many circumstances that made it not a bad experience.

Many of my foreign friends have stories of falling (into manholes, off their bike on the ice, etc) and no one comes to help them. The lady and daughter who were walking across the street with me were truly kind and helpful. They helped me collect my things and even offered to take me to the pharmacy or hospital. I also sort of dreaded the driver coming over because I wasn’t sure if he was going to yell at me or what. He too was so kind and apologetic.

I also knew that when I got home and opened my bag, my computer was going to be broken, but not a single thing was wrong with it either.

I also know, I don't want to EVER get hit by a bus again and I have been extra-extra cautious when crossing the street these days.

I don't make this stuff up...

Preface: The following events are true, with no exaggerations or embellishment. Also, please don’t freak out. I really am ok.

Today I was hit by a bus. I had been out and about all day and was finally on my way home at about 7:30. I was less than half a mile from my house, crossing the last big intersection before my house. (walking, not on my bike) I happened to be crossing at the same time as a mother with her teenage daughter. We crossed to middle and were waiting for a car to turn left. Next thing I know, I feel a pain in my left side and my head hitting the concrete.

It wasn’t like one of those falls where it seems like it takes forever and you have all kinds of thoughts in that short moment…I didn’t see it coming so I had no time to prepare or think about anything. After it passed, I just remember thinking…I have to get up fast or something else might hit me. My next thoughts were, “Crap. My computer is in my backpack," "I really could have died," and "I think I'm ok," but I'm not sure in which order.

The mother and daughter helped me up and made sure there was no visible damage. I think they were shaken up too as they were standing right next to me and were almost hit as well. The bus driver pulled over and came running over to see if I was ok. He was apologizing profusely saying that he had swerved left (out of his lane) to avoid a taxi on his right (also probably not driving in his lane), but instead hit me.

He asked if I needed to go to the hospital to be checked out or if I wanted his contact info and bus number. I mean, it hurt, but I was able to stand to my feet, nothing was bleeding, and nothing felt overly damaged. My hat was a few feet away, the strap of my backpack was broken, and I was just shaken up more than anything. In that moment, I just wanted to get out of the middle of the street and the thought of the Chinese hospital was a little scarier than the thought of something being hurt. So I told him I was fine and continued on my way home.

The mother and daughter had crossed the road, but waited for me. The mom was so kind and told me that she would take me to the hospital. I said nothing was hurt and that i was going to be ok. She said, "At least let me take you to the pharmacy to get some medicine, because you may hurt tomorrow." I agree with her here. I’m pretty sure my entire left side will hurt like hell tomorrow, as it’s already a little sore today. I was, after all, HIT BY A BUS! I thanked her for her kindness but said that I had medicine at home. We walked a little way together just chatting and making small talk as if it were normal and we weren't strangers. She and the daughter turned at the next street and I continued home. I stopped for a moment to collect myself and call an American friend to relay my near death experience.

I’m now glad to be safely home. A big THANK YOU to whoever was praying for my safety today. In Him we live and move and have our being…

abroad friends receive

Tuesday as I was leaving for work, I found a letter on my door. The envelope said in English, "abroad friends receive." I'm sure it will lose some of its cuteness and humor after translation, but here's what the letter said:

Foreign friend, hello:

To the older brothers and sisters who came to China, welcome. Maybe you have many Chinese friends, but I don’t have even one foreign friend. Even though the difference in our age is very great, I would still like to be friends with you.

Where are you from? What is your purpose in coming to China? How many of you are there? I have many questions I want to know the answer to. I would like to be your young Chinese friend. Even though I am only 13, I really want to study your country’s language, but I really want to know what country you come from…America, England, or Russia? Today I have my final exams. This is very important for me so I need to review.

Ok. If you want to be friends with me, you can put the letter on the middle door downstairs from you. I can see it when I come home. But please don’t come to look for me. I can’t wait to meet you.

I really want to be friends with you,

the young boy downstairs

Chivalry

Riding the bus to and from work is now a very "normal" thing for me. The stares, overhearing people talking about me, having no personal space, checking my pockets and bag at every stop to make sure no one stole any of my things...It's all become routine.
This bus ride had two anomalies. First, it was not very crowded. I mean, every seat was full and the aisles had folks standing, but there wasn't full body contact on all sides with strangers, so I was enjoying the extra space.
One thing that often gets on my nerves as an American who grew up under the influence of the culture of the South, is that men never give up their seats on the bus. On a rare occasion, if there's a really elderly lady they will, but I take the buses all the time and I can count the number of times I have seen this happen on one hand. Able-bodied young men chilling in a seat while grannies, ladies with kids, and elderly men standing in the aisles...it just makes me roll my eyes.
An American girl commented the other day that "chivalry somehow didn't make it to China." Normally I agree, but it showed up on Friday. Back to the bus...not so crowded but every seat taken...I make my way to the back and grab on to the rail. I see this man stand up, tap me on the shoulder and very politely motion to his seat. I couldn't believe it. I stood there in shock for a moment, but wanting to honor this rare moment in history I inched toward the chair. Too late. An elementary school boy about 8 years old had just squeezed in from the guy's other side and sat in the chair. The gentlemen and I both just glanced at each other and smiled, and continued standing in the aisle.

pictures

Christmas pictures....weeks late. This is the hat and scarf this great lady in my neighborhood knit for me.
And the others are pics with friends during the Christmas season.