So today was the first day I didn’t have any work or classes!! I’m so happy to actually be able to take some time to get some things done.
Moved some furniture around to leave more room for walking, moped the floors with my brand new mop like swiffer thingy, and I also went out and bought some bread, body wash and tape. But upon walking out of my room I became very sad. The guy at the beginning of our hall had left a huge mess in the cigarette ash tray thingy, and had left tons of beer bottles all around the hall. It was insanely disgusting. Now I understand people are allowed to smoke indoors here, that’s fine, but having a MOUNTAIN of cigarette butts lying around and on the floor was just too much.
When I came back the poor cleaning lady had to clean it all up and wash the trashcan. I got so mad that I went back to my room and typed out a really nasty letter. And by nasty I mean I crammed so many cusswords into the document that the little Microsoft Paperclip guy popped up and said “Damn son you need to chill out.” After Antoine and Clement had translated I went and posted it to his door. I knew it might not change anything but at least I felt better about it. It should be noted for those people that don’t know me very well that this is very against my nature, I’m hardly ever confrontational, but when someone shows such disrespect for others my temper flares. There’s also been some other… problems with him and some of the girls but we’ll leave that for another time. So basically you combine lack of respect and messing with my friends and even I will get a little hot headed.
We’ll come back to that later.
Well after studying Marketing for a couple of hours (we have a test tomorrow) the group called me up and we went to eat at a new canteen. Let’s just say I stuck with the rice. Also got a call from the people that hosted the party at the club we went to last weekend, apparently I won free yoga lessons… whoopee! I’ll offer it to one of the girls.
Of course afterward it was tea time! A nifty invention I must say. But anyways I had popped up to my room to drop off my stuff and get my glass and found a note attached to Antoine’s door. Well it was written on the reminisce of my note I had left Mr. Chain Smoker Who Leaves His Trash Everywhere So That The Poor Overworked Chinese Woman Can Clean Up It Up. Whatwoo.
Apparently since I had the note translated to French (which is his native language, hey know one said I hadn’t been culturally considerate) he thought one of the French kids had posted it and apparently Antoine was his prime suspect. The note apparently was about as adequately put as mine was and directed at Antoine. While I had meant to invoke a response, I certainly didn’t want it directed towards Antoine.
I went up to my room and wrote a new note telling him that it wasn’t Antoine and that even though my note had been a little too harsh all we really wanted was for him to show some respect for us and the people that worked here. But when I asked Clement to translate, he advised me too talk to him in person, and that the situation was in danger of over escalating. Well I like to think that I am man enough to admit when I am wrong and this seemed to be one of those times. So I agreed to talk to him but he wasn’t in his room.
It’ll continue in a moment.
In the mean time I went with Cam and joined Nina, Ping Pong, and Sophie (French, haven’t seen the Chinese girl since the club) clothes shopping. I really wasn’t interested in the shopping truth be told but I figured I would at least go cause the only other thing I had to do was just sit in front of my computer and quite honestly I think I’ve done enough of that in my life and I certainly don’t need to be doing it in Shanghai. Over all I was glad that I went, the girls are fun to be with and they asked my opinion from time to time. I also was able to pick up a much needed rug and I finally got a hoodie! I had fun haggling for it too. I started with 35, she was like NO 120, I then countered with 50 and she said “100 low price” and then handed her the hoodie took back my calculator and left. She was then like “ok ok 80!” I was like “no no 100 LOW price!!” She just laughed awkwardly and I pondered for a bit and then eventually said 70 and it was agreed, which translates to about $10.20. Which hey, for a hoodie I’m happy with that. Quite honestly though, she still probably got the better end of the bargain, but I’m just beginning and she’s a haggling expert.
At this point I’ve realized I haven’t posted any Engrish which is a huge let down I’m sure well the tag on my hoodie is just a beautiful example:
“feries of quick regular bus leisure dress
Product of quick regular bus system
dress in Guangdong
Very the you thank producting make
choice of purchase our company, for m
ake the product more perfect,
such as to the product or the service
of our company contain any opinion,
and please contact with our company.”
That’s a direct quote in its exact format. Pure awesome. The photos of what I bought are at the end of this post.
After grabbing some dinner and learning the phrase “Megabite a faim” which umm well it means I’m hungry… sort of. O and I also vowed I would teach Cam how to belch the ABCs (all of the girls are pretty awesome). Sandra and I also shared a meal of dumplings and rice which was a lot of fun, if a bit messy but was way too much food. Clement and I went back to our floor and low behold the trash guy was home.
DUN DUN DUN!!!!!!!!
With Clements help translating I apologized for writing such a harsh note and took full responsibility, he explained why he had so much trash (people over or some bull shit) which I took as a “I’m so sorry how irresponsible of me I’ll make sure I never do it again.” He’ll do it again, I’m almost sure of it, but at least peace has been restored for the moment and Antoine is no longer involved. Some might also say that I pussyed out and eh, that might be true but you have to realize that the rift now no longer just was between the guy and me. It now included my friends and they politely asked me to settle it, as I saw it peace and respecting my friends far out weighed my personal pride and the desire to teach this guy a lesson. Anyways it went over well enough and I’m glad Clement is better at conflict management then I am.
Later tonight I might go see a movie with the Frenchies, depends on whether or not they get their homework done or not. I also better go tell Antoine what happened (he’s been at work since after I gave him the counter-note, and I wouldn’t want another conflict arising just because I didn’t tell him what had happened).
Life lessons being learned.
Pictures of the things I bought today:
No comments:
Post a Comment