On the wonderful side, I’m sitting in a nice “bistro” (although that term doesn’t seem to fit here in China). Looks more like a fancy coffee shop with its pretty white booths and shiny bottles lined up along the wall. But bistro food, yes. The bread looks like it rivals that in Paris (or Whole Foods, LOL), although some of it has ingredients uncommon to the US, such as durian. The menu are includes gourmet pizzas, sandwhiches, teas, coffee, cakes, pasta and (really weird) burgers. The couple across from me is sharing half a lobster (how come lobster is not on my menu???) and a pizza. They offer plastic gloves for pizza eating, so your hands don’t get all stinky and greasy. Now I LOVE that!!!! At first I thought they gave me the English-version menu... but then I re-read it, and oh yes, there is lobster on my menu, too, LOL. Click "read more" to the right...
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Re: getting lost and needing help, and the awesome people of Chengdu.
I have prided myself in my navigational ability inland and at sea... not anymore! I have been lost so many times the past two weeks it's ridiculous! In Paris and here, in Chengdu! The phrase I silently repeat most often to myself is: "What can I control? What can I control? What can I control?" It has become a calming mantra for me as I get exasperated with wifi issues at home (5 minutes to load a page), inability to communicate, frustration at my stupid old POS iPhone not having wifi outside of home or school, difficulty in transportation, eating, buying groceries, my debit and credit cards not working here, inability to get all the apps that I need to survive here (everything is app-based)... ...Just the basics of moving to a foreign country where I don't speak the language and suffer from my own impatience at wanting everything to be finished in one week. The impatience stems from the urgent desire to feel SETTLED and SECURE. When I can't find my way out of a damn multi-level grocery store (which is in a multi-level mall) back to the street so that I can walk two blocks home (like last night!) -- that sinking feeling of helplessness creeps in and I begin to feel overwhelmed. Luckily, even in the angst, I remember--well, it takes some time, but eventually, I remember--to take deep breaths, be patient, and ask myself "What can I control?". After fleeing floor after floor, walking in circles, and starting to feel frustrated, tired, and anxious, I start looking for someone to ask. I pause mentally to remind myself that yes, I will eventually get out of this grocery store and get home... I will not have to move in to the store and live here... this present scene has its end... I am still trying to hold and accept that nothing will last forever (good or bad); the concept of forever has caused me pain the past! Yes, I am rambling; I need this outlet :-)) Please click on the "read more" link to the right... |
iGallivant......has studied Daoism, TCM, QiGong, and Taiji the past few years... good thing, since I moved to China!! Archives
October 2018
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