A Typical Morning

School has been in session here for about 2 weeks and I have found myself enjoying getting into my daily rituals. From greeting familiar faces on the city bus or the bakery to passing by the same pond every day, it is these daily activities that transform me from a tourist to a resident of this new country.

6:45 am – Our alarm goes off. This is quite the change from the 5:30 am wakeup call that we had back in St. Paul. Some days, we even get to sleep in until about 7:30, depending on when our first class starts.

7:15ish – We head out the door. Making our way slowly towards the elevator we usually stand in morning silence until the elevator car arrives. Once we get out the building we meander our way through our complex’s gardens. I love how there is not a straight path to any of the main entry points. Instead it was almost designed to slow you down and allow you to wake up slowly.

7:20 – We walk past butt-slappers. Yes, you read that right, butt-slappers. Sometimes they are shoulder-slappers, other times upper thigh-slappers, but often they are butt-slappers. Perhaps it is due to some belief or understanding that this increases circulation. Or, perhaps it is just to help wake them up and transition into their day. Whatever it is, everyday I see people inflicting this pain upon themselves. From young men in their 20’s to grandmothers in their 80’s, they all do this with a large smile and a ni hao!

7:25 – We leave our complex’s gates. As we step out onto the sidewalk we are usually greeted one of the many friendly security guards. They know little to no English, which is fine since I no little to no Chinese, so we great each other with a smile. If Nikolai and I are lucky, they will even hold the gate open for us as we usually struggle to find our key cards every morning.

7:30 – We get breakfast at the bakery. The first time I saw this place my eyes lit up! From cakes to muffins to egg custard tarts I thought I was in heaven. I got a mini muffin ignoring other ex-pats warnings of “the cake always looks better than it tastes.” To my disappointment, the first bite was followed by a wrinkle of the nose and choking down of something that tasted like straight corn syrup with a few blueberries in it. I have, however, learned to enjoy pastries filled with a red bean paste as well as blueberry buns.

7:35 – We walk to the bus stop. This is by far the most dangerous part of the morning as we have to cross a large parking area/walking area (yes, they are the same here in China) and a 6-lane road. I know I will have more posts about traffic control (or lack thereof) here in China but it is important to point out that this is a big part of my morning. Crossing the street here in China is a BIG event, one that has rules, that no one really follows, and a lot of loud horns. I think my favorite road crossing experience has been when a person on a moped honked at Nikolai and I to get out of the way when we were in the crosswalk (with the right of way sign on) and they were driving down the wrong side of the road, in the bikes only lane. When their horn blared I jumped back onto the curb and had to laugh. Only in China!

7:45 – We get on the bus. Back in the US, I am used to driving my car wherever and whenever I like. We (myself included) tend to think of owning a car as having freedom. Over the short time that I have been here, I have enjoyed taking the bus. Yes, you have to add on a few minutes to your commute, and yes, you have to deal with getting stared at by all the locals who cannot stop looking at your big eyes and bigger feet and how tall you are compared to them, but it sure beats trying to drive in Chinese traffic. J

7:50 – We get off at our bus stop. Yes, a 5min bus ride in which we go about 2.5 miles. I suppose when the weather is not 90 degrees before 8am, I might actually walk this, but for now I will take the bus.

7:55 – We get to the office and start the day. Sometimes, rituals like these can seem mundane. However, they can often bring comfort when life shifts drastically.