In the midst of this widespread deception, and in line of what I'm learning to be true of the local culture, the following conversation surely must have taken place here recently:
Scene: an office somewhere on our university campus.
Head honcho: Wow, it's cold in here! Would somebody close the window!?
Lackey Number One: Actually, the window is closed, boss. Remember that we decided to install the extra-cheap, too small windows in all the buildings?
Lacky Number Two: We're in southern China, and it never gets cold! Didn't you tell us that, boss? You're so smart.
Head honcho: Of course! Well in that case, crank up the space heater. Now, on a completely unrelated note: the international student dorm’s electric bill is going through the roof! Those foreigners are using too much electricity. We must cut back on energy usage there.
Lackeys: Yes, yes, boss! We couldn’t agree more! You are so intelligent to observe this! Only you could have figured out a solution to this dilemma!
Lackey Number One: Boss, I will undertake a campaign to cut back on energy usage. Southern China never gets too cold—that is why we do not have central heating! We will ban all heaters in the international student dorm! And while we're at it, let's ban all kitchen appliances, too! With our wonderful and nutritious dining halls, they have no need to cook in their rooms!
Lackey Number Two: I will order a sweep of all students’ rooms when they least expect it to see what appliances they have in their rooms. Those students always cause us so much stress with their hair dryers, rice cookers, heaters, and electric soybean milk machines. Bah! None of that! We will remove them from the dorm, boss, so you do not have to worry about them anymore!
Head Honcho: Great job, comrades. That should solve our problem. Now one last thing: we've just finished the expansion to the student grocery store right next to the international student dorm. We need to decide what to put in the extra space. I was thinking we could make a nice appliance section. Hairdryers, rice cookers, electric soybean milk machines (since everyone has those nowadays), space heaters, that kind of thing. What do you think?
Lackeys: Excellent idea, boss!
So you can picture for yourself what this conversation has meant for Brian and me. I will leave it to your imagination to flesh out the bewilderment and frustration we felt not only on Monday afternoon when we learned about this ban through an oh-so-friendly note glued to our door, but also on Tuesday morning when one of these lackeys burst into our room unannounced. And simultaneous with all of this energy brew-ha-ha, the on-campus grocery store began selling these very same banned appliance. What a strange coincidence: appliances confiscated in one campus building are being sold in another!
We now have to find creative ways to heat ourselves. Fortunately, we have discovered ways to do so. One exercise I am undertaking is to focus on why I enjoy this country so I can overlook the reasons why life here can also be infuriating. I am grateful that we have had some cherished moments that bring some warmth to our hearts.
So, without further ado, here are additions to my earlier blog post of enjoyable aspects of life here:
1) Passing ridiculously cute, fluffy dogs (mostly poodles or breeds of similar ilk) that wealthy Chinese have for pets.
2) Meeting people from all over the world who can share their cultures with me (i.e. baking cookies with a German woman using a German language recipe), and I with them (i.e. introducing Mexican food and the movie “Elf” to our British friend).
3) Walking along West Lake and other beautiful canals here.
4) Learning to live with less (though this isn’t always enjoyable, it does ultimately mean I am a better person because of it).
5) Hearing a street musician playing a beautiful song on an erhu (traditional stringed instrument).
6) Seeing bank employees dancing with paper fans on their lunch break.
7) Glimpsing red lanterns hanging on street posts around town.
8) Eating amazing grilled duck at a lovely restaurant along a canal.
9) Drinking Tsingtao stout (one of the best dark beers I’ve ever had!).
10) Growing in faith in ways I never previously experienced in the comforts of familiar US living.
I’m also grateful that Brian and I can join my parents, brother, and sister-in-law in Sydney, Australia for Christmas this year! It’ll be a much-needed break from the chaos of China living, and we very much look forward to seeing them! At the very least, Brian and I already have plenty of crazy stories to share. And there are many more on the horizon, I’m sure!