The things I'm starting to get used to

School was good again today, no class, more meetings, more emails and documents to go through just when I think I've finally gotten everything straight.  Got home around 5, ran some errands to give myself a break from thinking, ate some leftovers and spent the last 3 hours lesson planning.  I'm sure someday I'll be faster.  Here are a few shots from my errand running, and these are what the title refers to:


Lesson 1: Plastic is unavoidable.  First, I picked up my laundry.  This is how it comes, all clean and neatly folded and in a plastic bag.  (Getting spoiled!)  Even though I always bring it in a cloth bag, they wash that bag and put it in this plastic one.  I suppose they don't want to mess up their system.  But I'm beginning to feel defeated on the plastic front.  I still try to bring my own bags when I can, but it's an uphill battle for sure.

 

Lesson 2: They make the most of their space.  The Chinese would have no trouble living on a sailboat, I can tell you that for a fact.  Every nook and cranny of every store is packed to overflowing.  This is probably because every shop is tiny, no matter what operation is inside - from food vendors to mechanics to office/school supply stores like this one.  Those colorful things (wrapped in plastic) are all school bags of different types.  This is the tiny upstairs - I snuck up for a minute to escape the total chaos below of students buying pens and notebooks and folders and the other thousand products they have crammed onto the shelves.  But I did manage to snag a couple new folders and pens for myself.

Lesson 3: I can't like everything.  This big spiky fruit is called durian.   To put it simply, it stinks.  I have known about the reputation of the unfortunate durian for some time.  They sell it in the Bay Area. (Berkeley Bowl!)  Prior to coming here, I have heard people describe the smell as rotting flesh.  I do not think that is an accurate accusation, but it does smell bad and you can smell it from quite a distance.  However, in our first week, Beth decided to try one.  I agreed to do the same.  My policy thus far has been to try everything at least once.  (I made an exception for the chopped up black legs in our soup the first week.)  We tried it.  It also tastes bad.  Beth is very good at analyzing and describing the tastes of new items and we decided it was like a cross between a raw onion (which I don't like), something nutty, and something sweet.  I think also the smell influenced the taste in a negative way.  So although I do still notice this stinky fruit every time I walk past it in the markets, I am getting more used to it.