LONG WEEKEND

Coincidentally, this weekend is also a long weekend in China, in celebration of the Dragon Boat Festival. Everyone is scurrying around buying up zongzi, sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves. They always have some kind of filling, depending on the region you're in. Here in Lanzhou, the filling is sweet. Apparently in the South, they make them best. I agree, the zongzi in Shanghai had preserved duck egg and meat filling- so much better! It is mandatory to buy them and give to all of your family and friends, people leave the store carrying boxes of them.

It has been a month since I arrived in Lanzhou, and this week I have been feeling slightly blue. According to International Business theory, this is all in accordance with the U Curve of cross-cultural adjustment, honeymoon over, I have hit culture shock. (see how that university education paid off??) So, after several days of lying in bed, watching pirated DVDs, and doing not a lot of anything, today I dragged myself out of bed, got a list of all sports facilities around Lanzhou (not a long list believe me) and set off.

It was tough going at first. My first stop was a gym, but once I got to the address, was informed that it had closed down over a year ago (stupid internet). The next one was better, I found a swimming pool, I can’t tell you what its like because they would not let me go and look unless I bought entry, the pictures on their wall were promising though so tomorrow I’ll try it out.  I decided to commit and have bought a swimsuit (size 2XL!), cap and goggles, so no excuse but to go everyday now.

Last stop was a yoga studio. This one I knew would be tricky as I had only the room and building number and an intersection it was nearby to go on. After what seemed like hours of wandering, (google maps put me wrong for the first time ever) and endless enquiries, I found it. I practically cried with happiness when the doorman told me this was it.  So I’ve now met with Teacher Ma and start class on Tuesday! I’ll keep you posted as to how it goes, I am notoriously inflexible (damn those Tatham genes!)

So I succeeded in getting myself out of the house and hopefully having some semblance of structure to my day will help me enjoy Lanzhou a bit more over the next two months. I’m never good when I have nothing to do, geek that I am, I’m actually looking forward to starting classes in September.