So we are experiencing our first snow day. Wow who would've thought. Hang Lei told me yesterday that it has been 15 years since this happened but Mark is reading on CNN.com that it has been 25 years since China has experienced this. Needless to say they don't have a clue how to handle it. Yesterday, I witnessed some Chinese using straw brooms, shovels that were made to dig dirt (because that's the only kind they have) and a window cleaning squeege to remove snow from our streets within our complex. The taxi drivers are moving the slowest I have even seen and the busses have even slowed down a bit.
Yesterday, one of my friends witnessed a man on his moped and the wheels lost their grip in all of the slush (you know it would take a lot of chinese to use straw brooms and squeege's to clean off the many many roads in Shanghai) and she said he slid across 4 lanes of traffic. Apparently it wasn't his day or hour because every vehicle was able to stop on time.
Since it is almost Chinese New Year, the stores have been incredibly packed. Just imagine Walmart on the day after Thanksgiving, multiply the intensity, the pushing, and the cart bumping by a few and you have Carrefour around CNY. But yesterday, with all of the snow I walked in and could see all the way down the middle aisle to the end. I was in and checked out and on my way home in less than 15 minutes. It was a beautiful thing.
The kids had a snowball fight last night with some of their friends who also live in Green Court. They had a good time and were thrilled that they didn't even have to wear snowpants or boots because we were told we didn't need them here.
We don't know how long this will last around here, but it will be slow moving until it warms up. They just close the highways when the weather gets bad and so Mark has no way to get back and forth from work. Plus they don't have salt to melt the ice on the roads(and yes it would take a lot of chinese and squeege's...) Nor does he really want to get stuck up there where it is common for the power to go out. They don't think it's much of a big deal when the power goes out because they don't have heat in their houses anyway. Since there is no heat, it is wasteful to use electricity for a refrigerator when the house is cold enough to keep the food cold. So, needless to say when Mark did lose power up their once no one felt sorry for him (except me)because he was cold!!!!!
We have posted 3 times in the last two days, so be sure to scroll down far enough to read them all.
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2 comments:
When we lived in Romeo years ago, we had some Chinese neighbors across the street. I remember we got a bad snowstorm once, and the street crews never came to dig us out. Our Chinese neighbors' kids shoveled out their driveway, our driveway, the neighbor's driveway, and then proceeded to shovel out the whole cul-de-sac and street. They did a fabulous job, with their simple shovels and their cheerful determination!
I think it's pretty funny that no sooner do the Michiganders come to China, that they get a major snowfall! Was this your gift to your host country? :-)
Thanks for posting--you're fun to read.
Betsy
Loving the blogs, and all the stories! I laughed and laughed at Mark's entry. He is definitely too skinny. Ha! Scott ate a turtle head once when he was in China a couple years ago! Or should I say that it was in his pile of food. He never did say if he ate it or not - but apparently it was good luck to get that in your pile. Mmmm - tasty. I wonder what getting chicken feet means?
Yeah for Scott and Angie! Looks like you guys got a Skype - technology is amazing isn't it?
Hey Bergies - hope you have a great week. Is all the snow gone now?
love and hugs to all,
Beth
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