Midterm Excursion Part I

SLAM!

So Friday after my group's skit rehearsal we all planned to take the 33 to Auchan. I went up to my room and decided it has started to smell like two dudes, so for the first time, I turned off my friend the air conditioner and opened the windows and the doors to air it out. Soon after, the director came in with a care package from my awesomest sister, who had wrapped it in Christmas paper. Yay! Some of my shirts, some American beef jerky, my Japanese pens, and some sugar-free candy! Also, some sugary candy for my roommate, who likes it, by the way. Anyway, I go to put the chocolate in the fridge, because it's freaking hot in here. When I get to the kitchen, I stop to talk to someone, and I hear my door slam behind me.

The front desk won't give me a key (don't ask me why) so I intercept my friends on their way to Auchan and I ask to use their cell phone. Very confusing conversation in Chinese. I call my roommate, and he says he'll be right up, and I tell them I'm not going to Auchan.

Disarmed

Once back in my room, I'm packing the smallest bag I have, which is my carry-on luggage. Slightly big for a two-night trip. Screw it. My roommate comments, but then I tell him it's his bag, and that I'm just helping him with it. I've found that Chinese people are very easily disarmed by false accusations. He of course had an almost empty back pack. I read the itinerary and to-bring list to him, and he kept having to add things to his almost empty back pack, and by the time we were ready, it had turned into a half empty back pack.

On our way to the buses, we stopped to help our friends down the hall. I told her, such a large bag! And when she saw my bag, I said, no it's my roommate's, I'm helping him carry it. Laughter ensues.

Crotchless

Walking through the heat of the night two blocks to the bus was enough to have my shirt soaking with sweat. The bus ride to the train station was slightly giddy, and then at the waiting room it got typically American crazy. Not teenage crazy, but close. We chose to sit far from the group, who were making a scene with impromptu volleyball, dance performances, and catching food in their mouths like a seal.

I sat across from the door to the waiting room for mothers with small children. I did my best to rehearse my lines for my skit and ignore the Americans laughter and cheering across the enormous waiting room. I saw a toddler push his way out the door of the waiting room for mothers with small children... who is watching this kid? better keep an eye on him. By the way, not an especially cute baby.

Next thing I know, baby squats down. His crotchless pants split open to reveal his patutin, and he pees on the waiting room floor. When he's finished he pushes his way back into the waiting room for mothers with small children.

I'm in a room full of people, am I the only one seeing this?

Except in the cities, Chinese kids don't wear diapers. Their mamas can sense when they want to go, and then take them to an appropriate place to relieve themselves. Once the kids can walk, they get the crotchless pants that split open when they squat, and that's how they take care of it. They get real pants as soon as they're potty trained.

So now I'm watching people and babies walk in and out of this pool of not-cute baby pee, and I can't concentrate on rehearsing my lines. I'm horrified by this piss pool, but I can't take my eyes off it. What's worse is that the baby comes back later to flirt with the people sitting next to me, who just find him adoreable.

I wonder how many baby puddles I've walked through in this country? No shoes on the furniture folks.