Garlic

Today was another small adventure. Both Eagles parents decided to take me on a little sight seeing trip. Lai Si was the only one with a camera and all the pictures she took were of me only.


The first place we had gone to today was, what they called, the hotel they owned, but this was no hotel, it was a motel, which had about 15 rooms at the most and was occupied by only one couple at the time. The rooms were about as large as my bathroom and each had two small beds and two very small desks at each bed. There was a little window in each room, but barely any light came in because of all the scum. Lai Si watered all the little plants around the building that she had put there to make it look prettier, and I couldn't say it was beautiful, but it was a very unique place to keep a business going, and I admired it. After we had stayed a while to water all the many plants, we crawled back into the three wheeled car and attempted to squeeze through the small entrance to leave. I turned to her and told her that in English, it was not a hotel but it was called a motel. I said this in half Chinese. I explained that Xiou (which is small) was Motel, and Da (which is big) was Hotel. She was very happy she learned something new, so, the whole rest of the sight seeing, she repeated, "motel motel motel," until it stuck in her head.


Our second destination was at a large building. They took me to see it from across the street, but we didn't ever go inside. They tried to explain to me that next Sunday, this is where my LDS branch would meet. I was glad I was able to communicate this to them and now I know how far it is from the apartment.


It is difficult to understand the language, and sometimes it is frustrating not knowing what I am told, but that is part of this kind of adventure, and I accepted it from the first day I came.

The third place we drove to, was a university, and this is where my Grandma and Grandpa Arnoldsen had taught English to the Chinese. Lai Si and I were very excited about it. She wanted to tell me everything about what goes on here and what happened when my Grandparents had come, so she tried her best to speak but she couldn't tell me, so she started trying to look for anybody who could translate. She must have asked about 15 people before she gave up. I wish I could have known. I was standing in the exact spot my Grandparents had been when they had come to Jinan. I was only about 5 years old at that time.

When we were done looking around the city, we did some shopping. We bought some apples and peaches off the street. I tasted a sample of the peach. Even thought the peaches here look unripe and hard to bite through, they are actually very good and I told the seller immediately after I took a bite "hou che, hou che," which meant very yummy, so Lai Si bought two bags of peaches. When I thought we were going to go home, both Lai Si and her husband motioned for me to come in the small building not far from where we bought the apples and peaches. They wanted to visit a friend that had a small business on that street. I still don't know what the business was, but we went inside for a while, and while we did, I heard my age said again and I nodded to comfirm what had bean told. The business owner gave me a coke to drink and I sat down listening to them while petting the owners small dog.

All the time I hear my age said in the Chinese language when Lai Si introduces me and tells of the reason I am here, so when she stops to talk a while and I hear those words over and over, that is how I know they are still talking about me.


When we finally left the building, I hopped back into the car. Lai Si had then dropped her glasses and a lens fell out. The owner saw this and then pointed down the street shouting something. While me and Lai Si's husband drove slowly down the street, Lai si walked beside the small car to a glasses shop to get it fixed immediately. They told me to wait in the car across the street from the shop, and I didn't mind, but I wondered why they wanted me to stay in the car. For about 15 minutes I waited. I could hear them in the shop. Men were talking to both Lai Si and her husband and I (once again) heard my age being said (ta shi shi liu sui). When I heard this, I looked over and saw all their faces. They couldn't believe how young I was and how I could do this on my own.


We stopped to have lunch in a small restraunt near the gate that led to the apartment buildings. I had rice and noodles with a lot of garlic. They make everything with garlic, nothing is without it. Sometimes they even give you this whole thing of it so you can choose how much you want on your meal. Lai Si's husband showed me how to eat the food there. He took a bite of the garlic and then snatched some rice in his mouth. I did the same, but I didn't think it was a Chinese thing to do, it was just what he does. I feel like everyday I sweat garlic, and eating it alone was a little too much. Even wen I see garlic in the kitchen, I think of my dad and how he dreads garlic. He said he would rather take a bite of dung. I understand what he actually meant, he not only dreads it, he doesn't even consider it to be edible, and I think I finally agree with him about that.


When our bellies were full, me and Lai Si decided to walk it off instead of getting back in the little car, and I was glad to, that car is really just a motorcycle with a shield around it. I think I should buy a helmet while I'm here.


The day went a lot better then yesterday, when I didn't eat a thing because I was fasting and I stayed in the apartment all day with complete silence and awkwardness, but that is just another little adventure yet to be told.

Mattie :)