Smiles are Universal :)

Subject: Smiles are Universal :)

I ventured out on my own today.  There is a supermarket that is pretty easy to find and not too far.  Just out the front doors, take a right, walk walk walk, take a left, walk walk walk, cross a busy (crazy street) and there I was.  They don't speak any English there, everything is in Chinese, but some things have 1 or 2 English words on them :) I was able to find containers of gum, I know this because the one English word on it was Wrigleys.  They also have different pictures of fruit on each...I think I got strawberry and a spearmint.  
It is very strange going out among the people here...I mean, I just don't fit in!  Not only am I white, but I'm sooo much taller than almost everyone and I'm BLONDE!!!  I get a lot of "LOOKS" and a lot of "Im not really looking at you looks".  Nothing like being a fish out of water haha!
I found bags of cashews and other nuts.  I knew what those were so I got some! :) I bought a pink backpack to pack stuff around in.  It's very nice.  I was a little nervous when I went through the checkout.  The gentleman rang my stuff up while I loaded it into my bag that I brought...you have to bring your own bags everywhere!  Then he said something and I kinda just stRess at him...I thought I had made his trip without a hitch, I thought he would say how much in numbers.  He said them in Chinese! There are even regular numbers ( you know, like 1 2 3 ) on the signs by the merchandise....I was thinking what to do...hand him what I thought it might be, but I hadn't kept track!!  I proceeded to lean over the counter to see if it showed numbers on the screen...to my relief it did...I get out the money, hand it to him and wait for my change.  I stead of getting me my change he starts saying something in Chinese and is pointing at the screen....I finally realize that he want to know if I have change!!  I'm thinking "Look Dude, I have know idea what each coin is even worth and I think I have maybe one coin in my pocket and I don't even know what it is".  I'm shaking my head...No, and he finally makes change for me.  I'm doing good to know what the value of regular bills are, now I have a few that are probably worth one penny!!!  I think there are some even worth a half cent!!  Well I made it back home ok with my nuts and gum...I may be accumulating a lot of nuts and gum!!  
I got a cell phone recently, it's a huge process to do anything like that here.  Our driver took us to a "little" place with heavy strips of plastic covering the entrance.  We parted it and entered a "huge". Department/electronic store.  Like a giant Sears.  I got my "pink" phone but not after a lot of hassle.  Our drive came in a took care of it all for us, but Darron and to show his passport and produce a business card ( he has some that are all in Chinese).  Our driver had to show his Chinese Citizen ID and talk to them for a long time before he got a credit card looking thing that we had to take to another desk in the store to pay then take that receipt back where we started, then they went somewhere "far away" to get the phone.  I think we finally got out of there about an hour or more later.  They really do things differently here, ha!
Yesterday we found out that we are not going to get the rest of our clothes, personal stuff, stuff we bought that you can't find here, ect., till late December or maybe even January or February!  Something about ConocoPhillips business permit needing renewed and that can't be done till Mid December.  China won't let our stuff into the country until after that.  The jokes just keep coming haha!  I have exactly 3 skirts for church and 5 pants, 4 being capri's....it gets cold here.  Not sure what we'll do about this one......we'll just keep pitting those cherries one at a time!
Oh, yay, the smile thing.  Andy gave me a shirt for my birthday that says," I smile because I have no idea what I'm doing". That has never been more true!  I have found though that if I smile at the people here enough, they always seem to crack a smile back....sometimes even burst out laughing.  IF THEY COULD ONLY READ MY SHIRT!!!  
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