October 22-Lice...

I just realized that I wrote about these days but never sent them to you, so here are my last "journal" entries (there will be lots more soon, when I have time to write):

October 22:I haven't washed my hair in four days as a preventative measure for a lice break out in my group and I've been sick for 19 days, so today when my little student, Lucy, said to me, "Teacher, you are beautiful" it meant the whole world to me. It is times like these when I am reminded how wonderful it is to simply be alive--and how grateful I am to be spending part of my life with adorable kids in China.

October 26:

Maren, Kaylee and I went to Big World today—it’s called Hua Lian Shang Chang in Chinese. We had noticed these awesome street shops the week before but hadn’t had time to check them out; therefore, we decided to explore them today. There are four or five alleys filled with these shops; the shops are various-sized with a single room, like walk-in closets. Some are so small only two or three people can fit at a time. A few of the shops sold rinky dink toys or traditional jewelry, though most of them sold clothes. A lot of the clothes were actually super cute and some were even American sizes—what Westerners would consider Large and Extra Large, though the Chinese would consider them Huge and Gigantic—and we went crazy. We found a shop that had clothes from Forever 21—at least the tag said so. They were legit F21 styles, though—the Chinese are pro con artists.

I found and bought a ridiculously cute vintage/classic-style dress with detachable shoulder cape; a green striped cardigan; a cream…shawl/shrug. It wraps around my arms unusually and it’s kind of confusing, but it’s super Chinese and super cute. I love the items here that simply scream, “China!” Typically, the items are what you would consider odd and tacky, but they grow on you and if you can find a way to pull them off, they’re the awesomest things ever.

I bought street food for lunch: a wrap-like thing. The man took a dough ball and rolled it out thin, then dropped it on a skillet. After it fried for a few seconds, he opened up the middle, like a pocket, and cracked an egg inside, then flipped it over to seal the hole. He proceeded to remove it from the skillet and spread a red sauce on it, piled on chives and lettuce, and stuck in a hot-dog looking meat stick. He wrapped it up and handed it to me. I paid him 4 yuan for one of the best lunches/meals I’ve had in China—and it didn’t make me sick, so score! I’m so going back for more.

I can’t remember if I mentioned this already, but there’s been a lice breakout in my group—about fifteen of us got it. I didn’t, and don’t, have it. I’m not sure why not, because we figure the origin is the kids and I hug my kids more than anyone else, besides Cami. The lice started breaking out in various cliques, not within a single clique, so that’s why we figure our students gave it to us, probably from us hugging them and being at hair-height with them when we teach. I figure I’m simply lucky, plus I have the world’s most amazing mother, who happens to know everything about natural remedies and who happened to send me to China with a bottle of lavender oil, which repels lice (and other insects), but was initially intended to help make my room smell decent and not like China.

I told Mom about the lice epidemic and she sent me lots of information on preventative measures and how to cure the infection. Although Maren and Abi have lice, and I spend lots of time with them, I have not contracted lice.

I haven’t showered in four days (lice don’t like dirty hair—go figure) and I apply lavender oil on my neck and behind my ears and spray my bedding multiple times a day in hopes of keeping the little buggers outta my hair.