In the Market

We buy nonperishables in the supermarket which is a busride downtown, but most of our shopping is done in local markets. 

The vegies are grown locally and women seem to be the main sellers.

Since we're on the coast the fish is always fresh and you can even buy it live, as you can with chickens. Our fish lady does the basic cleaning and then Daniel takes over.

Buying chain for a new clothesline was more than we could manage ourselves, so our foreign affairs officer, Serena, did the translating.

Some food items, like pigeons and cats, we can do without.

And one of the highlights is always a visit with Mei, an English major who now has her own flower shop.

Teaching

We've had a busy week observing teaching in high schools around the city, as part of the education students' practicum.

Of course this week was International Women's Day, and here it's preceded by Girls' Day. Female teachers had a half day off, but Daniel continued to teach.

Daniel takes center stage with colleagues and students.

After several days we felt just like these students.

Westerners are a rarity in these rural areas, so there was lots of picture taking.

Maps here split the Atlantic Ocean, so China really is the Middle Kingdom. It gives a whole different perspective on the world.

Trip to the Capital

We recently went to the big city. Nanning, the provincial capital, is an hour and a half bus ride from our place.

Across from the capital building is a large electronic billboard with changing pictures of China's four chairmen: (L to R) Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zeman, and Hu Jintao. The Party is getting ready to appoint a new leader.

A visit to the Guangxi Provincial Museum included this building in the shape of a traditional bronze drum.

This pottery urn from 220 BC is decorated with hundreds of the Chinese character 米 (mi, meaning rice).

We were treated as special visitors by a group of children making paper cutouts, which they gave us as gifts.

We returned with our wallets empty and bags full of imported food. Ah, good stuff.

Country Walk

Qinzhou University is on the edge of the city so we recently took a walk around the surrounding fields and villages.

Construction, like elsewhere in China, is always present, but the gardens are thriving as well.

Playing in the front yard, he looks a bit skeptical of these foreigners.

We saw our first water buffalo close up, a beast of burden around here.

Farmer watering his garden.

We weren't the only ones taking a stroll.

And even traffic jams; bikes with the sidecarts are common here and haul everything from sugar cane to eggs.