Operation Mad Shopper

Alright, so last time I posted the airlines had 'found' my bag and it was being sent to Dallas via Philadelphia. Well after about ten more hours of being on the phone with USAirways (9.95 hours of listening to the elevator-type hold music and .05 hours talking to someone with questionable competance) it was concluded that no one knows where my bag is, so all of my pants, jewelry shoes and shirts that were in there now must be replaced in four days. Sitting here reading this you're probably thinking, gee, what fun, a shopping spree that will be backed by claim checks from the airlines and the credit card the ticket was purchased on. Oh wait, no it's not fun. Adam and I spent all day yesterday looking for stuff and and much to my dismay, did not find very much that will replace the lost items. I am finding it difficult to go out and try to buy all of my clothes over again in 48 hours. I had been collecting that stuff for years and there were new things that I had just gotten and never even worn from the store I worked at in NC.

After being sad for a long time, I began to realize that what I lost is just 'stuff.' I am still the same person with or without the quirky earrings and fun clothes. Thus....bring on the shopping. (I have always hated shopping in general; at the end of all this, I am going to despise it). However I wouldn't have gotten through the last few days without my dad and Adam being the rational ones. What I am going to do without the 'men' in my life? Hmmm, a survey would probably conclude that I would become more self-reliant. We'll see if that happens over the next year.

I've got to get presents for the principal and head teacher of my school in Shenzhen. Someone suggested a themed gift based upon where you're from.....so what do we think, a lasso and a cowboy had maybe...I think international aviation law might have a problem with me bringing to sets of spurs with me, so scratch the addendum to the costume.

Bah, time to get up...the workmen are here pounding away at the additiont to the house already...good thing I never sleep late or I might have been redused to tossing water balloons at them from out the window in an effort to stifle the noise.

Dallas...trouble

Well gee....I can't even get out of the United States without losing luggage. I already was having major qualms about leaving the island (b/c hey it's an island) but upon arrival in Dallas, only one of my suitcases arrived. The giant brown rolling suitcase (which now seems to have a proclivity for losing itself) was not there. This is incidently the same case that was sent to South Korea last summer when it was supposed to arrive with me in Beijing. Tsk tsk. I am seriously considering this to be a message from a higher power that the brown suitcase is not to go with me to China.

The airlines has really been less than than competent in helping me get my bag back. Alex, the electronic voice for the USAirways lost baggage line and I are pretty tight right now. I called him about 20 times yesterday and in all his automated glory he did not tell me where my bag was. Finally I got to talking to a real person (though I have a sneaking suspicion that USAirways outsources their tech services calls to people in India (but that is neither here nor there) and finally this fella tells me that my bag is coming in from Philadelphia on a 9pm flight....so darnit it better be here today, b/c I don't have any shirts and I desperately need underwear.

I went to the dentist today....I abhor the dentist. Actually going to the dentist is fine so long as they don't take pictures of the teeth. That's when they always find a cavity for me. They weren't going to take pictures yesterday, but stupid me said that I was leaving for China for a year and wouldn't be gettting my teeth cleaned for a year, so welp they snapped the photos and guess what...I've got to go back today and get a cavity filled. Boooooo....hisss....

In other news, I might be on Walmart's watch-list for nutty people. I bought a gajillion kinds of medicine today for China and I think the lady thought I was going to peddle them to people. Then I explained I was moving to China....so I think now she just assumes I'm a pathological liar, because hey...who would want to move to China. Well lady...I WANT TO. So there.

Getting it started

Welp, for being one of the world's most unsavvy computer users I think i've finally got this blog up and running. I only hope that it will actually work in China (that's kinda the point). I cannot possibly keep up in lengthy email contact with everyone I know while in China for the next year, so I figure everyone can come here and find out what life is throwing at me while I'm in my favorite country of the moment, China! of course.

I can't believe that I leave America in less that three weeks; it's more like 2.5 now. I've got so much to do. I am working here on BHI for another week attempting with all my strength to keep from buying clothes I don't need from the store that I work at. Basically I must stay away from the dry-clean only section and anything white, unless I plan on not wearing for my year in China. We Americans really must not take for granted the great quality of water the US has to offer......I mean for real, white clothes don't turn grey here.

Ever since graduation I have been looking forward to the beginning of July and seeing Adam. That is what got me through the lonely part of June where I was living here by myself and pretty much working all day every day. Well I can't believe that my time with Adam has come and gone. Upon his departure I analyzed the following changes: while he was here I was happier, I laughed more, I bicycled more and I most certainly became much tanner. All in all the most wonderful two weeks of the summer.

On to another random thought: I am going to miss my family gobs and gobs. We are so close and get along so well and I rely on them for advice all the time. In Shenzhen, I am going to have to rely on myself.

Wilmington, NC

A glimpse into the perfection of the beginning of July