TIC ... but not.

First I would like to show you these new views from our new apartment. Finally I have discovered where the rest of Beilun is. Beilun used to be nothing but farm country. Everything out this view is "old" Beilun. It was built between 6-10 years ago (so I'm told by the people who have lived here that long). You can also see the islands, and if you look closely, the port. Everything behind our apartment (not pictured) has been built in the last 2 years (as witnessed by me). It's quite impressive what China can do in such a short amount of time ... Also, quite scary!

 

And then, you know .... the next day you look out the same window, and you're in the clouds! 

TIC ... but not.
Anyways, I had a couple of TIC moments Tuesday morning. But unfortunately, my sentiments at the time were GO AWAY CHINA. I was riding to school, and as mentioned above, pretty much everything on my way to school is under construction as it has been built or is being built in the last year or so. (Actually I watched my current apartment building being built last year from my old apartment window). That means a road wide enough for 5 cars going various directions is often reduced to one lane of zipping traffic because of cranes and dump trucks and such. As I pulled up to a light, I deliberately positioned my bike in a place where I wouldn't get rear-ended, when along comes some dingbat, honking up a storm on her E-bike, nearly running me over. I nearly turned and through my coffee at her (which is saying something as I place high value on my coffee). This was a classic TIC moment ... but not. It was Robbie, my silly librarian, always playing tricks on me. I busted out laughing when I realized it was just her.

Then after I arrived at school, I saw a nice stream line of liquid falling from the breezeway bridge. "AW HECK NO!" went through my mind, as we've had a lot of construction workers at school lately, and I was positive that one was taking a leak from the second floor. This is also a very TIC moment, happens all the time. I marched up the stairs to find an ayi draining a small hose. TIC ... but not. This breezeway is right next to the library, so when Robbie came out, I told her about my misassumptions. She just shook her head and said, "You need to chill out, you really should have gone somewhere for break! Relax!" She is so right.

Maybe it's just the end of my time here, maybe I've been here too long ... but so many Chinese mannerisms come off as rude to me that I just expected the worst on Tuesday morning. Which is really, really bad. I was doing some re-evaluating of my interactions with the Chinese, and how I keep assuming the worst .... as my POS bike that has literally been falling to pieces after the car accident suddenly gets a piece of the metal chain guard stuck in the chain. This happens every other day. I pull to the side, as a friendly Chinese pulls over too. In a fantastic Chinese accent he says, "Are you okay?" Fine thank you, I replied, and he went on his merry way. Now, though it is very uncommon for a Chinese person to stop to help a stranger, I was still touched, and I have to remember even if Chinese culture doesn't say it, the people here are still kind, they have loved ones, they have hearts. Even if I do feel like they're trying to run me over 98.4% of the time.