crossing paths

every week, i brave twice walking diagonally off my living block to a student's house for dinner. when i say diagonally, i mean, walking diagonally through the intersection to her block. i had never walked across like this in jincheng. apparently it's quite common in this city to do so. there is even a green arrow for people to do just this. every time i cross, i cross with her, arm in arm. can you believe it? it's a little crazy, i think. in the west, it's so unheard of, at least in canada. so yes, when there is a green light arrow, we walk diagonally left, cars turn left. they have their own rules and such. i guess, perhaps they do this also because the streets are sometimes just too wide and it would be tedious for people to wait for two lights or something. i haven't figured it out, but that is my guess.

i went for a walk. it was good. i discovered that ingze road doesn't become any more busy, as busy as i hoped. but, from what remember, and realized, was it was the next street east that was. i found the street that i remember from the week that richard visited and his friend drove through it (syntax?). i saw a mcdonalds. i'm a little relieved, but am more excited about the fact that it is there. i had enough in beijing when i went that week in september :S. in any case, there are lots of kfc's, which i'd prefer, but try to stay away from anyway.

so i discovered that the streets in taiyuan are not as gridlike as i thought most chinese cities would be. there was a road. it had some shops on a street that went on a little tangent. i was at points where i was swear i thought i'd be lost. so yes, small shops. i was half looking for a yarn shop. i saw one that sold scarves, but no yarn. there was a tibetan jewelry shop, that i totally must visit again. i didn't stay too long, 'cause then i'd want something. my bargaining skills are okay, but i'm not so confident with my chinese, and i can wait until when i could go with a friend. excuses.

just across there was two stalls selling muslim food. god, i love muslim food. it made me think of my eating buddy in Jincheng. here, i have to cook on my own. i got no new friends here. just, really, one student from Jincheng college that doesn't eat too much. it.. doesn't work with me.

so, for the exploring and going up to foreign folks and networking, i decided not to do it anymore. i did that once, and the person was only visiting on business for a few days. today, i saw a young [white] foreigner, with her asian friend. i held back and just walked on. i guess, i didn't want to be disappointed again. she probably was a teacher, and whatever. i'm fine i think. i think. it bothers me a bit that i don't have any more contacts here, but i'm not too bummed. i'm pestering people on the net, and somewhat keeping myself busy. it seems that other foreign teachers are plenty here anyway. in two months, i've bumped into one every one or two weeks. i'm not dying. i got my movies.. i need to implode somehow.. onto another subject, get my creative juices flowing. generic. how lovely. that's writing, by the way.

went to meet-all supermarket. got more movies. and!! tao zhe's new cd. i love his voice. unburnt, that's the best part.