TIC (That is China)‏

Hi,

I know that I have complained sometimes about the lack of heat here. My apartment is ok. Maybe 15-18C. I was chatting with some students last night on MSN and they were wanting to visit me. They have no heat and it was -8C and they were freezing. All 6 of of them could have slept in my king-sized bed; they are not very big! That would have been interesting; and would probably get me fired!

But there is no heat on the campus except for our apartments. Even the Dean's office or the classrooms have no heat so the students and teachers have about 4 or 5 layers of clothes and they sleep that way too; well, maybe they will take their coat off. Shower once a week, sometimes just a stand-up sponge bath. It is too cold for them to shower. Even in my warm apartment, when I take a shower I feel cold for a little while after I turn off the nice hot water. They don't have hot water. They have to buy it. They have these big thermoses and they put them by the road and they are filled with hot water. They will pay for that. Not much but then they can have some tea or instant noodles or wash their clothes or themselves.

The students have limited electricity. They are allowed a fan in the summer because it can be suffocatingly hot, enough power for the lights in the room (which go out at 11pm), and their laptops. There is one classroom in each building that has lights so if you want to study or sleep you can go to those rooms. No hair dryers; no kettles. No extra electrical appliances of any kind. So even if they bought a heater, they couldn't use it. They would blow the breaker. One girl had an electrical hand warmer and it blew the breaker.

Maybe they feel that it is a test of their desire to fit in. I don't know. If you want a shower then you will be with 50 others in the same room. No modesty is needed. And they are lined up waiting for the shower. I go to markets and I want to try a shirt or pants and they put up a blanket and then I can try it on. I have seen many girls do that and guys. So I can see you! Hello? No one cares. But China is conservative in so many ways but when it comes to being naked then they don't care. Not in public, mind you. But with their friends or family it is not important.

They do not have an easy life but the school is easy for them. In my courses a Grade 6 kid could pass even if they didn't come to class. I had one failure in Negotiations; She never attended a class and blew the exam. But I had others who never attended and passed.

I think it is a fascinating country. If you ever have a chance to visit, then you should do so. Put it on your list of 100 things I will do before I die. It is fascinating. I can't say that it is all good, but it is so interesting. I have lived with a Chinese family, I have visited with others, and they are such good people. i have learned so much. It has been a life-altering experience.

I think 2010 will be a good year. I hope it is for you.

TIC (That is China)

Don