I want to know right now what will it be

So it’s been about a week since we last posted and not too much has happened. I was struck down with a pretty bad head cold after we got back from Beijing. I spent three days in bed, never leaving the apartment. I was grateful that I didn’t have to work and could enjoy the down time. I clearly needed it.

However, we had a nice weekend once I was better. On Saturday night we went out with Molly (from EF) and her cousin, Ryan (whom we affectionately call ‘cousin’ to prevent the confusion), to the vegetarian restaurant that I love. It helps that both Molly and cousin are veggies too! We had a feast. Afterwards, they came over to our apartment and we hung out. The Ryans played DJ and Molly and I lounged on the couch. Ryan was excited to have people over and he broke out some cheap Italian wine and a block of Gruyere. It was so nice to have a little taste of Europe in China. With the blinds closed I could almost pretend that we were all meeting at a new apartment in France. We laughed a lot. I wished we’d had a fresh baguette.

The next day we met Molly and cousin again. We took them to the Hongqiao Pearl Market, a place that Molly actually hadn’t been to yet. We introduced her to Alice, our friend who gives great deals on all sorts of pearl jewelry. She was able to buy gifts for her family back home in Maine. I felt happy that I was able to show Molly, who has been in China for 4 years, something new! After that we went to a fabulous Indian restaurant on Hong Mei Lu and had another feast. It’s so fun to have vegetarian friends because I finally get to share dishes! It makes for such a fun and tasty dining experience. If I was able to do this all the time, I think I’d like food a lot more.

Next, cousin took us to a curio market downtown. We meandered through the stalls selling everything from Mao watches (a saluting arm is the second hand!) to old jade carvings to birdcages to jarred crickets. It was interesting to see the stuff that people had accumulated over the years and were now trying to sell. Markets like this always fascinate me, no matter what the country. I’m convinced that you can tell a lot about a culture by its junk!

Yesterday was a good day too. Ryan and I had an interesting lunch at Ajisen, the cheap Japanese ramen place a block away from our apartment. We talk almost every day about our life and China. We talk about how we’re feeling about the whole situation that day and what we would do if we could just forget it and spend the rest of our lives as nomads. Spend three months in Qatar learning Arabic. Work in a pub in England. Work on an organic farm in Australia. Write a book. Float. What wouldn’t I do to just take off and float? And really, what do we do next if China kicks us out? Should we go home? Should we try another country? I hate this waiting game. I have that Paula Cole song, “I Don’t Wanna Wait” playing over and over in my head. “I don’t wanna wait for our lives to be over. I want to know right now what will it be.”…stay or go?

After that we went to a foreign bookstore to pick up some Lonely Planets: Japan and Australia. We decided that since we have some time, we might as well read up. If we have to leave China, we need to have a plan. If we stay, we’ll just postpone the plan a year until after we finish working. It’s a fun diversion from the waiting game.

Next, we caught a cab down to the fabric market just before it closed. We need outfits for four black tie nights on the cruise. Ryan had two tuxedos made. One looks a lot like the tux that James Bond wore in Casino Royale. Matte black, pointed lapels with a plain white collared shirt. The second one is a more classic British look (or so I’m told) with rounded lapels in black silk with a ruffled white shirt. We got both the suits and the shirts for about $295 and they’re be fitted exactly to Ryan’s body. Then we got a recommendation from our usual tailor for a dressmaker. I had two silk evening gowns made from pictures of a Calvin Klein dress I printed. One is dark navy blue and the other is bullet gray. If they come out like the picture, I’ll be looking pretty nice next to Ryan in his tuxes. Altogether the tailor-made dresses cost me about $120. Absurd considering the dress I modeled it after cost $238 for one dress!

We walked back to the subway station, a bit in shock of how much money we just spent. Rather than taking a $7 cab, we opted for the 75-cent subway ride ten stops back to Zhongshan Park. It was a long and crowded ride. We were shoulder to shoulder with the rush hour crowd for 7 stops. But, we did have the Japan Lonely Planet to keep us occupied and in the end, I was happy to have saved a little money. Every little bit counts when you’re unemployed.

So this is what the rhythm of our days look like here. We wake up late, work out in the empty gym and read travel books. It’s not a bad life at all really. Until that question starts gnawing at us…

We’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, here are the links to the photos from Melanie's visit and Beijing:

Melanie and I explore the Yu Yuan Gardens in Shanghai:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2466906&l=b66bf&id=2209008
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2467008&l=b763d&id=2209008

The Great Wall Experience: (a favorite)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2467272&l=6006b&id=2209008

The Forbidden City, Tiananmen and the Olympic Park: (also a favorite)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2467500&l=2b5ba&id=2209008

Around Beijing:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2468586&l=88a75&id=2209008

Hutong (traditional Beijing neighborhood) Walking Tour:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2468954&l=ca22d&id=2209008