trip to chengdu

i figured, since i didn't i have class until 2 that i would go into chengdu and pick up some groceries (peanut butter, bread) and a yoga mat to help with the old ankle. while i was shopping i spotted a nice plant that i purchased soon after.

so to get back to school i need to take the 54 bus, and figuring since it was the middle of a weekday it wouldn't be too crowded. so as i approached the bus stop, a 54 pulled away that was almost empty. right afterwards, there was another 54, but it was packed. i figured since there were two 54s right in a row, there would be more soon. wrong. unfortunately, i had to wait another 15 minutes for another. which had more people than the second one.

all the while people were staring at my purchases and laughing. now it does not bother me when chinese people laugh when i'm trying to speak chinese. that makes sense. but when i'm sitting quietly holding my purchases it begins to get to me. i like to purchase things that should be understandable to people across cultures.

at first i thought they were laughing at my yoga mat. it featured a western woman bending over in trikonasana, which could be interpreted in any number of ways. but instead, i think they were laughing at my plant. i couldn't understand why...but my hypothesis is they were thinking why would anyone travel so far into the city to buy a plant. but i really have no idea. they could have been thinking who buys a plant at a grocery store? who buys a plant at all? who knows?

so i was getting frosted, as i stood there with my box with a bent over woman on it in one hand, pb and bread and plant in the other. after i sat down, i began to take refuge in my plant, and try to send it some good vibes. it helped a little bit. it also helped when people lost interest in me. i relaxed, and enjoyed the wind in my face from the open window, and before i knew it, i was back in the high tech zone (west).

i returned home to find another tile had dropped from my ceiling.

sometimes, you just can't win.