Now A Geezer: China Journal 6/2/06

Woke before the others. Wrote in my journal and after a light breakfast we left the apartment to spend the day at Xiao Yee's apartment. We were greeted at the door by a tiny girl who is Xiao Yun and Da Ping's daughter. I became confused and thought she was Xiao Yee's daughter. Took awhile to wade through all the Chinese but by mid morning I realized my mistake. It was consoling to think that everybody else was confused by my English too! The girl probably doesn't weigh 90 lbs.. She looks much like her father and has a shy way of bringing her hand to her mouth when she laughs. She and Nathan were playmates as kids. She is a college student now studying "instruction"- working hard on her English.
It was a long, long day. I was tired trying to stay awake though all the Chinese conversation. I did enjoy watching Xiao Yee prepare our meals rice, fresh vegetables from the nearby market, a bit of pork. She made me soy milk warmed with sugar for breakfast. She and Xiao Jing did my laundry. Michael tells me that the last time he was here it was all done by hand. Now Xiao Yee has an electric wash machine. Much smaller than any I've seen. We put all my laundry in there and I thought a dryer must be near by . Later I mentioned the laundry and realized the girls had forgotten about it. They rushed it downstairs in their arms and hung it outside to dry. It was 8 pm when they brought it back to me almost dry. During dinner I glanced at my watch. 9 pm!
Shar Chen had put up the ironing board for me. Xiao Jing had offered to iron the slacks but I insisted on doing it. Finally I had something to do! After hours of sitting and fielding questions about my reactions to what I'd seen and experienced coming to China.
Renee, Xiao Ping's daughter, had taken quite an interest in me and sat nearby as I ironed all my slacks. She told me that she does her own ironing. She asked questions about my childhood and I having been raised one of 4 siblings realized how hard it must be to be an only child. X had told me that parents in "higher levels of government
are allowed to have more than one child.
During the day Xiao Jing's brother rushes in from a lunch meeting to explain to us his plans for our week long trip to the minority countries He opens a map on the coffee table (all in
Chinese of course) showing our route. Michael says this will be an excursion impossible for other tourists. "Back door" agreements among those in high government positions are what make such trips possible. Xiao Jing's brother is in a branch of security that even she doesn't fully understand. He explains that there will be road tolls and "certain fees" that we will have to pay. Michael later says this will put a crunch on our finances. I wish I'd brought more money. Michael again curses himself that he's an unpaid husband and a lackey for the University of the Pacific. The upshot is that Xiao Jing and Michael feel compelled to accept the invitation to take the trip and we will wait for Nathan's return next week to leave.
It is 10 pm when Xiao Yun, Xiao Jing and I are discussing HIV at the dinner table. She says that her hospital is working with a hospital in Boston to collaborate on installing a full service HIV/pediatric department. I'm impressed. It occurs to me that in spite of the Cultural Revolution this family was able to survive and build on their ancestors' plan for them and for China.
10:30. We leave. Renee and her mom leave for home. We three and Xiao Yee start the walk back to our apartment. Michael carries his back pack full of the laundry (his dirty, mine clean). I carry my newly ironed slacks . Xiao Jing insists that I stop to rest at each of the eight flights of stairs. They again remind me of the elevation here. We have been together for 12 hours now. Although Michael has reminded me to "get used to" the Chinese concept of hospitality I am desperate for my room and "a little space". I am also aware that Xiao Yee must also be anxious for some time to herself. We sit together on the couch and I ask about her Qi Gong practice. "17 years", she says. I mention how interesting that one sister practices Chinese medicine and the other practices Western medicine. She smiles at me. She also admits she's not been sleeping well. She is menopausal.
To bed finally around midnight.

1. Writing in my journal first thing. Xiao Jing took this pic.

2,3. Xiao Yee reciting the calligrapher's scroll.

4. Xiao Yee & Xiao Jing reading the calligrapher's scroll of Mao Tse Tung's poem.

5. Renee and me doing the ironing.

6. Doing the laundry, a family affair.

6. Xiao Jing and Nathan hanging the laundry. Pretty environmentally conscientious. Definitely country wide. Just look up. There's laundry hanging in many surprising places!