Duo Shou Qian? (How much money?)

9/2/08

Lianyungang, Day 2

Nothing is convenient. The idea of convenience seems foreign. When it comes to the Chinese, convenience and expedience always take a back seat to the economic bottom line. How much does it cost? This is the question.

My living quarters are modern, although they are somewhat cramped. I don’t need space, because I don’t have many material trappings. I have everything I need, fundamentally speaking. I still lack some cooking utensils that would make life more convenient, but until I scrape together more cash to purchase cookware I have to settle for the miscellaneous items I found in the kitchen. I’m also missing some personal grooming effects, namely nail trimmers. You would think that I might have had the presence of mind to pack such a thing along with me; but it must have slipped my mind. Had I known how inconvenient it would prove to buy nail clippers in China, especially when you don’t know the mandarin word for “nail clippers,” I probably would’ve taken more care to pack some with me. Oh well, I suppose I can keep my nails trim by steadily digging a tunnel back to America.

They drive me into town in an old limousine. The black sedan has a peculiar hood ornament. A long, cherry-red fin protrudes from the hood. Apparently this denotes the limousine as an old-fashioned governmental transport. They were used for carrying VIPs. It’s a bit flattering, I suppose. However, riding about in the red-flag limo is one of the only times I feel conspicuous. Perhaps conspicuous isn’t the right term...I’m always conspicuous in this country, it’s true. But when I walk along the crowded streets and pathways of Lianyungang, I feel invisible. There is simply too much going on to notice one awkward American. And I do my best to downplay my greenness. But as soon as I utter a word to any person, there it is: that helpless gaze that returns my imploring looks as I butcher the language and wave my hands about in futility. But I smile nonetheless, even when my attempts at communication fail utterly.