Tuesday, July 14

If I were in the US now, it would be almost noon. When I wake up in the morning, the All*Star game will be on. Right? This morning I unpacked, Skyped with Kath, and then went out to lunch with Ying and Duo at DIO Coffee, a rather elegant restaurant near where her father (who speaks no English) works. He has assisted Ying (his only child--she calls her cousin Duo her "brother" but that's because the extended family is so close. The grandparents have six children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Ying and Duo have talked about the party the family will have to meet me--and I assume Kacie, my co-teacher, when she gets here next Monday.)

We met Ying's father because he, the Assistant Minister of Something, has been instrumental in helping Ying and Yongli develop this summer program. The apartment Kacie and I have belongs to one of his friends, and Father had to give the deed and his friend's Beijing ID to Duo/Ying to take to the Police Station today when I would register. Besides the regular Visiting Alien Not Residing in a Hotel or Guesthouse form at the police station, there were other papers to be filled out: the Alien Living in a Chinese Neighborhood in Property Where There Are No Other Aliens forms. Father stayed only to greet us and hand over the papers we needed, and then went back to work. We ate (seems there is always another many-coursed meal) and then went to the Police Station.

As I have noticed previously in China, when Ying started to explain to the young Alien Registration Officer why she was there and who I am (I did recognize the word "teacher," laoshi; the informal word for stranger is similar, laowi) they started yelling at each other. I don't think they were angry, but they did raise their voices. Ying was told we might as well leave and she was to call back, after 2 PM, because the Supervisor of the young Alien Registration Officer was out and they had to speak.We returned to the apartment for water and to plan the next few days. Ying called the Supervisor and learned that there are more forms to be filled out. I don't know what they are, but they did entail Duo having to take time this afternoon to go to Ying's father's office. The Supervisor did say that I would not be fined for not filling out the Visiting Alien Not Residing in a Hotel or Guesthouse form within 24 hours of my arrival because I did appear at the station and the young Alien Registration Officer saw me, so the authorities know my intentions are honorable. We will go back in one or two days, when the other papers have been completed.

We discussed the next few days: what we will do on our own and what we will wait to do with the others. Apparently some of the students we will teach are coming to Beijing for the first time (first-year college students coming early for this chance to learn Conversational English) and their parents are accompanying them. There might be many of us touring around. Anyway, we will go to the Zoo, some Art Museums, Silk Road, and perhaps the Lama Buddhist Temple during the next few days. Ying and I will also get manicures and foot massages. (Did I already tell you manicures cost 2 RMB, about 29¢? No tax, no tipping.)

They left so I could rest. I read a few more pages in American Shaolin and fell fast asleep. I woke up once, hearing Nico cry, and went bounding into the living room, where I remembered I was in Beijing, not Belmont, and it couldn't have been Nico that I heard. I fell asleep for another hour, awoken by Duo's calling me at 5:30 to tell me he was at the gate to pick me up.

We went shopping to Carrefour's, a Wal*Mart-like French chain--pictures attached show what it's like. This is what I bought: a French coffee press (129 RMB, $18.90); four pretty China plates (@ 2 RMB or 29¢; an iron (159 = $23.27); two bath towels (19.9 = $2.90); two 16 oz. Cokes (@ 2.25 = 32¢);a pack of Wrigley's Cappuccino Flavor Coffee Gum (1.4 = 20¢) and a pair of hot pink plastic house slippers (7.90 = $1.16.) I later bought 8.8 ounces of Starbucks ground coffee for my new press: 85 RMB = $12.44.

"Welcome to our store!"

Duo going up escalator

Not a tourist shop...