May 14, 2006

so, just finished a really really long day. we did a water quality analysis lab from 8:30 - 4:30 .. with a half hour break for lunch.. and then a bunch of us guys played 3 on 3 on the outdoor courts on campus. the courts are soo nice!! they have two main outdoor courts... with about 20 nets at each place. they're always really packed too... we were lucky to find an empty court. anyways, it was good times... and then we had to come back to the lab to hear 2 more seminars tonight..

it was funny.. after the seminars, Yuxiang was briefing us on what was going to happen tomorrow for our flight to Wuhan... and then he started to talk about returning our room keys and bke keys. then he started to get really serious and told us NOT to sell our bikes.. because apparently, Charles (for those of you who go to Queen's, you probably know this guy) sold his bike for 20 RMB, the equivalent of 3 dollars... we couldn't stop laughing, but yuxiang was pretty mad because Zhejiang university paid like 250 RMB for each bike... and he just sold it. anyways, charles is quite the character... there's just tons of stories i could say... like the other day when we did a habitat assessment, for no reason, he just started throwing rocks/small boulders straight into the lake beneath him... and he did this for like 15 minutes.. Dr. Lougheed was going crazy. and then during our labs, he keeps touching things he shouldn't be touching and taking things that he shouldn't be taking... I find it hilarious, but other ppl are getting a bit impatient :P haha, here's my last story about charles... so we've had two 2-hour shopping times so far.. and we always walk as a big group.. but charles ALWAYS runs ahead of the group (like until we can't see him anymore)... and he runs from store to store.. and always comes back with tons of stuff. anyways, the other day he bought this pink t-shirt .. witha huge "v-neck".. that went down to like the middle of his chest... lol.. it's great!! and he wears it all the time.. it's so funny. all the chinese students keep asking if it's a girl's shirt... anyways, it's funnier than it actually sounds..

ok, so for the next 10 days.. we're going to be in Wuhan.. and at SouthWestern University.... doing different things.. going on a cruise boat (where i have to give my seminar!).. i'll try to keep this blog updated...

oh i just thought of something i should add (to remind myself of my experiences here..).. the washrooms here are generally pretty nice.. in most places, you'll be able to find a toilet seat.. but sometimes when we have to make a washroom break during our trips on the bus, we have to stop off at gas stations to go to the washroom... and the toilets are literally just troughs that you pee and poo in... the other day, i walked in.. and there was a guy right there pooing in front of me... i idn't know what to do.. but.. i just went to pee beside him anywyas..
ok that's it for now.