Everyone in China is freaked out about the swine flu, and rightly so. China is crowded and dirty. Several people live together in apartments the size of some U.S. families’ living rooms. Many apartment buildings have shared bathrooms that are, needless to say, filthy. And friends share food and drinks all the time.
Universities are especially concerned. Students are housed six or eight people per tiny dorm room. Libraries, dining halls, and classrooms are all crowded and thousands of people use them every day.
The number one in Chinese is “yi” so everyone says H-yi-N-yi, which I find very funny. If they say “H” and “N” (not Chinese) can’t they also say “one”? Actually, I’m wondering what other countries say in their languages… for example in Russian, what looks like an “H” says “N” and they don’t go around translating the name of the swine flu into н-один-N-один. No, no one does that. H-uno-N-uno, H-eins-N-eins, H-un-N-un? Anyone?
But back on topic, last week I entered Zhuan Jia Lou - where I live - and the desk workers stopped me and checked my temperature. Beside my name and room number they carefully recorded my temperature to the thousandths decimal place.
And just today, all the international students met in an auditorium, and the police talked to us about safely and sanitation. (I’m not sure why it was the police who came… that doesn’t really make sense, does it?) Then they gave everyone a fairly large bottle of disinfecting solution. As soon as I had hot water tonight, I cleaned everything in my room. I’m not so worried about getting the swine flu; I just like to clean things, especially in China.
I would also like to mention that the cleaning solution they gave us was produced and bottled in Lanzhou, by the Lanzhou Numerous Sterilization Products Company. It’s “galloping horse” brand, and is called 84. Impressive.
15 October 2009
Water
Water has such a huge impact on the way I live my life in China. First of all, I have to boil water before I can drink it. There is no such thing as clean water here. I try not to think about the things that are killed when it’s boiled…
Not only that, but I only have hot water from the faucet certain hours per day: 7-8:30 am and 9-11 pm. Unfortunately, since I live on the top floor of the building, I don’t get water until about 30 minutes after it’s supposed to start. And I can’t take a shower in the morning because I’ll be late for class. Every evening I eat a late dinner with my friends; we keep a close eye on the clock and leave to take showers around 10:30. Sometimes we all come back to hang out some more after 11.
A few times there has been no water at all, hot or cold. On these days, I wash my face in bottled water. I think about how ridiculous this is to both extremes. On one hand, I feel spoiled to be using bottled water, like those people who give their pets bottled water to drink, or who water their plants with it. Seriously, guys? But on the other hand, I’m in freaking China and I don’t have a single drop of water from the faucet, and if I did it would be contaminated. So either way I look at it, I can’t believe I wash with bottled water…
Anyway, I’m used to washing my hands, etc., in cold water now, but showers are another matter. I’ve had my share of cold showers this semester. I thought I was getting pretty tough, until I realized that every time I get a cold, it’s the day after a freezing shower. Wives tales? Listen to them.
Not only that, but I only have hot water from the faucet certain hours per day: 7-8:30 am and 9-11 pm. Unfortunately, since I live on the top floor of the building, I don’t get water until about 30 minutes after it’s supposed to start. And I can’t take a shower in the morning because I’ll be late for class. Every evening I eat a late dinner with my friends; we keep a close eye on the clock and leave to take showers around 10:30. Sometimes we all come back to hang out some more after 11.
A few times there has been no water at all, hot or cold. On these days, I wash my face in bottled water. I think about how ridiculous this is to both extremes. On one hand, I feel spoiled to be using bottled water, like those people who give their pets bottled water to drink, or who water their plants with it. Seriously, guys? But on the other hand, I’m in freaking China and I don’t have a single drop of water from the faucet, and if I did it would be contaminated. So either way I look at it, I can’t believe I wash with bottled water…
Anyway, I’m used to washing my hands, etc., in cold water now, but showers are another matter. I’ve had my share of cold showers this semester. I thought I was getting pretty tough, until I realized that every time I get a cold, it’s the day after a freezing shower. Wives tales? Listen to them.
Islam
My friend from Uzbekistan, Rustam, is teaching me about Islam. I’ve taken two classes on Islam at Muskingum, and I’ve read several books and numerous articles dealing with the religion, but seeing how one Muslim lives his life every day is a whole different matter.
Rustam prays five times every day. He knows the Koran well. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He’s not allowed to hug or kiss a girl. One time Rustam told me, “I am human. Of course I want to do these things. But living my life the way that I know is right is the most important thing.”
I know many other Muslims who are not so strict about their lifestyles. I appreciate learning about Islam from someone who is not only a close friend, but is someone who knows what he believes, why he believes it, and lives accordingly.
We have talked about what Christians think of Islam, and what Muslims think of Christianity. Basically, one simply has to decide which teachings to believe. Both sides think the other started out correct, but then went down the wrong path.
I can’t stop thinking about one thing… Both Christianity and Islam cannot be right. If what I’ve been taught my whole life is true, does God not hear Rustam’s prayers? Why would God listen to me, a horrible person, and not Rustam, who is so pure and sincere in his faith? My heart hurts when I think about this, and I have to believe that God does listen.
Rustam prays five times every day. He knows the Koran well. He doesn’t drink or smoke. He’s not allowed to hug or kiss a girl. One time Rustam told me, “I am human. Of course I want to do these things. But living my life the way that I know is right is the most important thing.”
I know many other Muslims who are not so strict about their lifestyles. I appreciate learning about Islam from someone who is not only a close friend, but is someone who knows what he believes, why he believes it, and lives accordingly.
We have talked about what Christians think of Islam, and what Muslims think of Christianity. Basically, one simply has to decide which teachings to believe. Both sides think the other started out correct, but then went down the wrong path.
I can’t stop thinking about one thing… Both Christianity and Islam cannot be right. If what I’ve been taught my whole life is true, does God not hear Rustam’s prayers? Why would God listen to me, a horrible person, and not Rustam, who is so pure and sincere in his faith? My heart hurts when I think about this, and I have to believe that God does listen.
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