catching up

In China, the days are long. People are in their shops and foodstands from when I go out in the morning to when I go out at night. That means fourteen hour days. When the children are not at school, they're at work with the rest of the family, waiting tables, unpacking bikes, working the register. I swear a five year old took my money yesterday. They are learning a trade before they hit double digits. In a job like teaching, where the family can’t be there, the grandparents take care of the children. Everywhere you see grandmothers and grandfathers pushing happy children in little car like vehicles with steering wheels and gadgets to play with, and a little handle for the grandparent to hang on to. It is a great system. There is no daycare to send your children off to—at least not out here—there is no need. Here the family takes care of itself.

So this is the second day without internet, and I’m beginning to see how much I rely on it. My whole communication is shut down. I could use the phone, but I’m afraid it might destroy my salary too quickly. So I sit in silence, on a lonely machine, hoping someone will call, or that the internet will magically come back. Please Internet, come back.