After having spent 10 weeks in a world far from home, you find life takes on certain new routines, some of which are more comfortable than others. I love our modern, “western”  apartment. Featuring large windows, it’s bright and…it has western toilets! (more about that later). I can walk barefoot without being concerned what I might step into. Our king size bed is comfortable even though it’s floor level; my aging bones protest a bit whenever I want to get up. The incentive to go to the bathroom at night is minimized knowing the kind of exercise that’s involved just getting out of bed, so I cut down on the amount of tea or wine before bedtime.

Our morning usually begins with Howard making us a lovely espresso using the legendary Yunnan coffee. That and some yogurt and fresh fruit makes for a great breakfast. The strawberry season is over, but the mangos are lovely right now. On the vegetable front, asparagus and mushrooms are especially good right now too!

We are grateful for markets that are close by, so most mornings we stroll there to pick up our daily supply of fresh fruit and vegetables.We are always mindful of how much we buy, because we do have to carry it up 5 flights of stairs. I must say that those 5 flights have become easier and easier, and a few times I have even found myself bounding all the way to the 6th floor!

Looking out of our 5th floor apartment

The streets are noisy with traffic and people out and about. Our particular street comes alive around 11 pm when all kinds of street vendors come out to sell their wares – everything from fake jewellery and handbags to long gowns and T-shirts. Regular shops close around 10 or 10:30.  But usually all is quiet by about 1:30 I think – I’m usually asleep by then, so I’m not quite sure what time things wind down. The other morning I awoke at 5 am, and looking out the window I noticed the garbage collectors, men with over-sized wheelbarrows collecting garbage from the streets. But what surprised me was all the little bonfires on the street. The garbage collectors were burning the garbage rather than filling their wagons. Shops don’t open early, not till 10 or 11 am, probably because they are open so late in  the evenings.

Of course there are always lessons and rehearsals to prepare. I find my 90 minute sessions with my eager English students really take it out of me! These students are so eager and full of questions; devising ways of having them answer their own questions (remember this is a conversational course for them, not for me) is a challenge!

Howard is enjoying his work, although the level of both the choir and the orchestra is considerably lower than he had anticipated. The chorus and soloists for the opera La Traviata are terrific, and, although at first he was asked just to rehearse and coach the singers, he has now been invited to conduct a concert performance of said opera on the 15th of June.  The concert for the Kunming Symphony Orchestra is slated for the 25th of May, and he’s very much looking forward to that experience.

We do keep meeting interesting expats, and last night  was no exception. We went to a jazz concert put on by a Swedish group. Really very good. Reminded us of the Jazz Room in Waterloo.

A significant factor to consider when going out is the use of bathroom facilities! In this particular department, I must say I envy the males among us! For us women it’s all so much more complicated. As you already know from my previous musings, there are no public “western” toilets, that is to say, the kind you sit on. The few I’ve seen had footprints on the seat!!  Obviously people don’t know how to use them! “Squatters” are de rigueur here, so appropriate attire is of prime importance – in China you dress for the bathroom! Wide pants? You best roll them up!  Tight pants? Be sure they’re stretchy! And, for heaven’s sake, try not to lose your balance or you may have to buy new shoes! How I wish I would have had more yoga, or even ballet lessons to help me in these matters. As for toilet paper or tissue, that’s easy –  there is none! I always go well prepared. A few times I wore clothes sans pockets, so I was reduced to stuffing tissues into my bra. I hadn’t done that since I was a teenager, although then as I recall the motivation was entirely different!

The weather here is consistently spectacular. It’s always sunny, and temperatures go up to the low 30’s during the day, but drop down to the mid teens at night. Most always there’s a breeze,so we open our windows and enjoy the lovely air. We do however wish for rain; this province has endured a serious drought issue for the past 3 years, so moisture is desperately needed. In spite of that, this is an exceedingly green city, with lots of trees and shrubs and flowers – very beautiful, and not plagued with the pollution that other Chinese cities face. The bougainvillia is in full bloom now and seems to grow every where. At the flower market we indulge in 20 champagne roses (20), and also a dozen gerbera – all for just under $4.00!

Bougainvillia are everywhere right now – quite beautiful!

Bougainvillia on campus

We tend to eat out quite a lot. Restaurants are relatively inexpensive and good. I do some cooking, but not having the best of cooking utensils, and not always knowing exactly what I’m buying in the supermarket, it’s easier to let someone else do the cooking. When we need western food we go to the French Cafe or Salvadors – a pub/restaurant just at the bottom of our steps!

Have a good week, everyone!

Maggie