One day in Changsha we were downtown getting Zoe a haircut. There was a salon about a five minute walk off the main road and decided we might as well go for it. When I first walked inside and the eight or nine male hair dressers saw my curly hair they got very excited but then I pointed to Zoe who had something even better: blonde hair.
They moved Zoe to the back so quickly I did not even notice when she left my side. They took my bag and locked it in a box and then sat me down at one of four computers in the waiting area. At each of the six or so haircutting stations there was a different movie playing for the customers to watch something during their "boring haircut."
After about ten or fifteen minutes or so I began to wonder where Zoe had gone off to. Surely someone could not wash someone's hair for ten or fifteen minutes? I made my way to the back room where I found Zoe lying down getting her hair washed by a man chattering away in Chinese. When Zoe looked up at me she said, "I don't understand!?!?" in that sort of fashion. Aparently the man talked to her the entire time even though she did not respond.
About another five minutes later she emmerged from getting her hair washed and a different man began cutting her hair right away. It did not take long as it was just a trim but the results were amazing. It was obvious that Zoe felt so much better too. It was crazy because the whole thing took about 40 minutes and it cost 39 Yaun or about $6.
Afterwards we went to a movie. It was the first movie we have seen on this trip. We saw "Sucker Punch" in IMAX, which cost the same as in the States, sad. We were two out of four people watching the movie, probably because it was in English. Also, it was SO hot in that theater, mid-90's at least. We sat and sweated. The movie was goofy; each time I am reintroduced back to American culture is seems crazier and crazier.
After the movie Lanny called us and said there was a police officer waiting at the house to question us, so we hurried back. We were both more confused than nervous. As far as Changsha went we were following all the rules nobody follows.
In fact, the day before we went on a wild goose chase all over the city to four different police stations and a public security office to get registered. That was probably one of the worst days on the trip. While it was possible to get a visa extension, which was our original goal, it no longer seemed worth it. We would have to prove that we had three grand either by bringing it in or bringing a statement letter and all the traveling rules would get tighter and tighter. Registering at a police station within 24 hours becomes very serious.
Lanny had our story straighter than we had it ourselves. So while the police officer waited for us to return, I thought she must be filling him in exactly on what dates we arrived, which based upon when we registered rather than when we actually got there.
When we arrived at the apartment, the police man was talking to Lanny and showing her pictures of his vacation in Tongdao. Suddenly I knew things were going to be fine. He immediately began talking to us and the first thing he said was: "What is your SAT score?"
Now Lanny was actually translating what he said, but he could speak a couple of English words and he used them. We communicated that we were freshmen, or going to be I hope, and accepted to college. He told us that his son was in the midst of the college application process, which, if you're in China, is complete hell compared to in the states. His son had applied to a lot of Ivy League schools as I understood it and had not done so well so far. In Asia it really is you either go to a school in the top 10 or you don't go anywhere.
What I did really approve of was how much the father wanted his son to study abroad. He put Zoe on the phone with his son pretty quickly and they talked for about 2 hours while I talked with the father. He finally asked us when we were leaving; we replied tomorrow in the evening. He invited us to dinner, then offered to drop us off at the train station afterwards, which seemed awesome, but we didn't really believe it. We did not agree on a set time.
The following day we were out again and heard nothing from the policeman. We assumed nothing was going to happen. Then, once again, while we were downtown we got a call from Lanny saying that the policeman was here to pick us up and go to dinner. Whoops! We ran back and got moderately ripped off by a taxi driver, but hey, we got there. After a lot of confusion we finally located Lanny, the policeman, and his entire family.
He drove us to Lanny's house, where we grabbed our stuff, and then took us to a fancy restaurant where we joined three of his guy friends for the nicest dinner I have had on this trip so far. We got a private room and were immediately handed menus and told to order whatever we wanted. They started ordering the most expensive items: entire duck, fish, and "nature items," as the son put it. I almost ordered "innereds." Zoe and I were desperately looking for something mostly vegetable.
Left to right: the policeman's wife, Lanny, the policeman's son (Xiaoxiao,) Zoe, and me.
Dish after dish after dish arrived and was set on the giant revolving table. I sat next to the policeman, who, by the way, was extremely friendly if you have not picked up on that already. As the table turned and all the foods went by, the policeman kept putting stuff on my plate that I could not identify but obediently ate and enjoyed. The son talked almost the entire time about his experience in school and his choices with colleges. It was very interesting to hear, but mostly I am glad I was not born in China! Although I am sure they would say they are glad they weren't born in the US.
Afterwards, they dropped us off at the train station about 20 minutes away. The father put on his police uniform, took us all the way to the train, and waited 20 minutes until it left. We chatted with the son for the last few minutes, said our goodbyes, and boarded the train.
What was really strange about this experience is that culturally, the Chinese (and this is from what the son was telling us) are really in predestination stuff. The father was so happy that we registered at the police station because our names came up on a list of an area he was patrolling, and he took the initiative to meet us. He said most Chinese families would do this too, which I found strange but I definitely believe.
So whether we believe in predestination or not, we ran into this family. We will probably cross paths with the son again hopefully, if he goes to school in New England or just visits us. He is certainly welcome to stay with us. The policeman made it clear that they would show us around the next time we came to China. Due to policy, we cannot stay with them because of the father and mother being police officers, but they really want us to come back. I hope we can.
They moved Zoe to the back so quickly I did not even notice when she left my side. They took my bag and locked it in a box and then sat me down at one of four computers in the waiting area. At each of the six or so haircutting stations there was a different movie playing for the customers to watch something during their "boring haircut."
After about ten or fifteen minutes or so I began to wonder where Zoe had gone off to. Surely someone could not wash someone's hair for ten or fifteen minutes? I made my way to the back room where I found Zoe lying down getting her hair washed by a man chattering away in Chinese. When Zoe looked up at me she said, "I don't understand!?!?" in that sort of fashion. Aparently the man talked to her the entire time even though she did not respond.
About another five minutes later she emmerged from getting her hair washed and a different man began cutting her hair right away. It did not take long as it was just a trim but the results were amazing. It was obvious that Zoe felt so much better too. It was crazy because the whole thing took about 40 minutes and it cost 39 Yaun or about $6.
Afterwards we went to a movie. It was the first movie we have seen on this trip. We saw "Sucker Punch" in IMAX, which cost the same as in the States, sad. We were two out of four people watching the movie, probably because it was in English. Also, it was SO hot in that theater, mid-90's at least. We sat and sweated. The movie was goofy; each time I am reintroduced back to American culture is seems crazier and crazier.
After the movie Lanny called us and said there was a police officer waiting at the house to question us, so we hurried back. We were both more confused than nervous. As far as Changsha went we were following all the rules nobody follows.
In fact, the day before we went on a wild goose chase all over the city to four different police stations and a public security office to get registered. That was probably one of the worst days on the trip. While it was possible to get a visa extension, which was our original goal, it no longer seemed worth it. We would have to prove that we had three grand either by bringing it in or bringing a statement letter and all the traveling rules would get tighter and tighter. Registering at a police station within 24 hours becomes very serious.
Lanny had our story straighter than we had it ourselves. So while the police officer waited for us to return, I thought she must be filling him in exactly on what dates we arrived, which based upon when we registered rather than when we actually got there.
When we arrived at the apartment, the police man was talking to Lanny and showing her pictures of his vacation in Tongdao. Suddenly I knew things were going to be fine. He immediately began talking to us and the first thing he said was: "What is your SAT score?"
Now Lanny was actually translating what he said, but he could speak a couple of English words and he used them. We communicated that we were freshmen, or going to be I hope, and accepted to college. He told us that his son was in the midst of the college application process, which, if you're in China, is complete hell compared to in the states. His son had applied to a lot of Ivy League schools as I understood it and had not done so well so far. In Asia it really is you either go to a school in the top 10 or you don't go anywhere.
What I did really approve of was how much the father wanted his son to study abroad. He put Zoe on the phone with his son pretty quickly and they talked for about 2 hours while I talked with the father. He finally asked us when we were leaving; we replied tomorrow in the evening. He invited us to dinner, then offered to drop us off at the train station afterwards, which seemed awesome, but we didn't really believe it. We did not agree on a set time.
The following day we were out again and heard nothing from the policeman. We assumed nothing was going to happen. Then, once again, while we were downtown we got a call from Lanny saying that the policeman was here to pick us up and go to dinner. Whoops! We ran back and got moderately ripped off by a taxi driver, but hey, we got there. After a lot of confusion we finally located Lanny, the policeman, and his entire family.
He drove us to Lanny's house, where we grabbed our stuff, and then took us to a fancy restaurant where we joined three of his guy friends for the nicest dinner I have had on this trip so far. We got a private room and were immediately handed menus and told to order whatever we wanted. They started ordering the most expensive items: entire duck, fish, and "nature items," as the son put it. I almost ordered "innereds." Zoe and I were desperately looking for something mostly vegetable.
Left to right: the policeman's wife, Lanny, the policeman's son (Xiaoxiao,) Zoe, and me.
Dish after dish after dish arrived and was set on the giant revolving table. I sat next to the policeman, who, by the way, was extremely friendly if you have not picked up on that already. As the table turned and all the foods went by, the policeman kept putting stuff on my plate that I could not identify but obediently ate and enjoyed. The son talked almost the entire time about his experience in school and his choices with colleges. It was very interesting to hear, but mostly I am glad I was not born in China! Although I am sure they would say they are glad they weren't born in the US.
Afterwards, they dropped us off at the train station about 20 minutes away. The father put on his police uniform, took us all the way to the train, and waited 20 minutes until it left. We chatted with the son for the last few minutes, said our goodbyes, and boarded the train.
What was really strange about this experience is that culturally, the Chinese (and this is from what the son was telling us) are really in predestination stuff. The father was so happy that we registered at the police station because our names came up on a list of an area he was patrolling, and he took the initiative to meet us. He said most Chinese families would do this too, which I found strange but I definitely believe.
So whether we believe in predestination or not, we ran into this family. We will probably cross paths with the son again hopefully, if he goes to school in New England or just visits us. He is certainly welcome to stay with us. The policeman made it clear that they would show us around the next time we came to China. Due to policy, we cannot stay with them because of the father and mother being police officers, but they really want us to come back. I hope we can.
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