Sep 2008

Those who know me, know may relationship with licorice. Well I have done a personal best. Upon my return from my Hohhot I was greeted with a little package. My Mum had sent me 3 bags of licorice. Yippee!!! Added to this another foreign teacher had been to Australia for the summer break and he also had bought me a packet of licorice. So I had 4 packets in total.

Now 4 packets if I was lucky would last me 4 days. However, I restricted myself with the help of Barbara. Barbara took the licorice out of my sight. I had to ask for it. I also had to tell her when I could have my next packet. She wouldn't relinquish the next package before that date.

Under this strict control my licorice lasted me until the 11 September. I finished early because my mother sent me a message to tell me there was another parcel on its way with more licorice. Now I just need to hold out until the 22 September for that parcel to arrive!

AARRGGHH!!! Shopping in China is difficult. The sizing is all wrong and nothing is made for the western women. Occasionally you are lucky. I found this top in Shanghai. I liked it. It was a good fit. I bought it. The problem was I need a strapless bra and didn't bring one with me.

Who knows what I was thinking. I have problems in Australia buying bras, why did I think I could buy one in China. I have been to every lingerie shop in Tai'an, Shanghai, Harbin, Hohhot and Xian. No can't buy one. The things they show me as a strapless bra I skipped them in my teens. One of my boobs wouldn't fit in.

Anyway I've come up with a solution. I wear a singlet underneath. Layering is in, so I can get away with it and I just have straps upon straps, upon straps. Little like filo pastry really.

On my recent trip to Harbin and Hohhot I went through various airport security checks. In China you go through security checks on the bus and trains so this was something I was quite accustomed to. I had not been stopped at anytime up until this trip.

I got from Tai'an to Jinan with no trouble. Jinan to Harbin with no trouble. However leaving Harbin and going to Hohhot I was stopped. Firstly I was stopped for an explosive test. This is quite normal and has happened to me on several times even leaving Australia. They choose you randomly.

I checked in my luggage at Harbin for my journey to Hohhot. The scan your luggage again at check in. I was called over. They were questioning my luggage. I was anxious in the waiting but knew all was good.

It was a quick process and hey they are just doing their jobs.

Badminton was a name of a sport I had heard of but knew nothing about it. Barbara asked me if I would like to play with her as she needed to do some form of exercise. I agreed to play with her on her understanding that I had never played. Nothing was ever organised.

Andrew arrived from Canada and was keen to do some exercise but didn't want a gym membership. He asked about Badminton. So I played my first Badminton game. I was woeful. However by the end I was told by Maggie that I had improved.

I will be interested in going to see the endocrinologist on my return and doing a stress test. Before I left he rated my fitness level as 8/10. I reckon I could run marathons now.

I've been in enough change rooms in my life to understand the western etiquette. That is, do what you have to do without watching others. In China though it's a totally different situation.

Generally I go to the gym in the morning and have the change room all to myself. Other times I have to go in the afternoon or at night due to my teaching schedule. On my first occasion at this time slot I found I was sharing the change room with 20 other women. Now this does not bother me at home but the situation here is very different.

First I struggled to understand why all these women were naked and having a general conversation. I just ignored it and went about doing my own thing. Until, one naked Chinese woman came to speak with me. Now I don't speak Chinese and she didn't speak English. This was not the real concern. My real concern was she was totally naked. Who knows what I was shrugging my shoulders at.

Anyway going about my own business it later dawned on me that these people don't have showers or baths at home and they are accustomed to having communal baths and showers that they are not as body conscious as we are. To them this is natural as they wait for their turn in the communal bath/shower.

With this new found understanding I was cool with this. Until, one day I was at the gym and sharing it with 2 other Chinese women. One of the Chinese women was getting dressed and she had her knickers pulled have way up. She than waddled like this to her locker. I thought 'oh no, I know what she is going to do.' Yep insert a tampon. Now I don't think this is acceptable in any country.