I went to Shenzhen yesterday and it took and hour and a half to get there. We were picked up by a man who looked around 30 and seemed to know Qu Ping. I have given up trying to figure out how everyone is related. I gathered that his father grew up with Norman in the village, although he was about 8 years older. To my relief the man’s grandson (who’s Uncle had driven us) spoke English and so, for the first time in two weeks, I was able to discuss modern China. Apps and memes and fads and food, all very interesting stuff. They greeted us at the door and we went into their very modest apartment. I shook the Grandfather’s hand and it felt like holding a delicate frame of bone with a little soft cloth draped over the top. I was sad when we left, surely this would have to be the last time that my Uncle would see his friend.
They served tea and fruit and tried to feed me a mooncake with pork in it. They gave us gifts too. The boy’s English name was Neville. He had named himself after the Harry Potter character. I quite liked this.
The Uncle drove us to the Marriott hotel for dinner which irked me. It seemed a strange thing to do when they knew that my Uncle would pay for the meal. Stranger still when you consider that the quality of the food would probably be much the same, maybe even less tasty than if we had sat on the floor at a street restaurant. I know it was for the status and the decision probably derived from the fact that they assumed that money was nothing for my Aunt and Uncle. I know also that this would probably only irk a Western person. Still, knowing doesn’t stop it.
We must have been in the car back for around 2 hours. The poor Uncle had to drive all the way back to ShenZhen the same night. When I got into bed I was very tired but I tossed and turned until around 1am. At around 6am (I would guess) I began to slip into a nightmare. I was at a very light level of sleep, which I am sure that I could have woken myself from, but I was so tired that I consciously didn’t. I just endured. At 7:20 I looked at the time on my phone and my nightmare matured in my head whilst my eyes were open. No more sleep for me.
I didn’t eat much at breakfast as I stared off into the distance and we had to wait for an hour for the staff to be done cleaning our rooms. I would have much preferred a dirty room earlier. Once I slipped back into bed it was too late, I was wide awake so I had to read. I finished the book I started two days ago. It was not that nice but well written. All I want is to sleep but I can’t.
We are going on a night cruise on the river tonight to see the lights and my Uncle an Aunt are leaving early tomorrow morning. I am worried about returning back to St Andrews without enough data, I have not been proactive enough about interviews. But I also don’t want to do anymore. Making friends with old people is also sad, just waiting for them to not know you anymore as the years go by.
Kirsten
A little bit of a Hou 