Some Things I Saw Today...

A beautiful big purple orchid in the foyer of my apartment building.

A Taiwanese girl and her boyfriend, across from me at the table where I am studying. She lays out all her accounting textbooks and starts studying. It looks like he is there just to escort her. He keeps showing her affection, putting his hand on her shoulder and kissing her head. But she pushes him away. She doesn't look at him. He is obviously disturbing her. He gets up and leaves, looking a little sad.

A young couple sitting in front of the library. They are American students who study with me at the Chinese Center. I ask them what they are up to and they tell me they are getting ready to take a bus to the teahouses in Muzha. They don't know which bus, so I tell them. It looks like they are in love.

An unopened bottle of oolong tea in my backpack, given to me yesterday on campus. There was some kind of fair for prospective students and they were giving all kinds of free stuff. I also got a nice indigo water bottle, which will replace my other one which is getting pretty moldy. I figure I need to give away the tea because I won't drink it and it is also adding weight to my already heavy backpack. On the bridge to Muzha, an older couple is walking toward me, and the man eyes the drink. "Would you like some tea?" I ask in Chinese. He smiles and me and takes it, thanking me.

A children's bookstore. I walk by and something tells me to go in. I see there are school supplies in the back and I pick up some flashcards. You always need flashcards if you are studying Chinese. There are three racks in the middle of the store, and one side of one of the racks is full of "Doraemon"-related products. Everyone loves Doraemon ("22nd Century Cat-like Robot"). A young girl who works at the store walks up to me and says in almost perfect English, "Can I help you find anything?" I tell her I am looking for gifts for some friends. We talk and then I decide to buy some Doraemon pens. I will give them to some friends this week. If you want one, just ask me.

I am walking up the mountain to go home and I see Mr. Gaoque hosing down the front of his teahouse. I say hi. The moon is full, and you can see it, even though it is cloudy. "Look at the moon!" I say. His wife comes out of the teahouse. "If you have time, come by and have some tea," she says.