Tuesday, July 17, 2007
ANOTHER HOSPITAL AND A HOMESTAY
I got sick again and went to the hospital in Kunming. This one was much better than the last. It was faster, cheaper and even though the last clinic in Shanghai was for foreigners, more people spoke English. After 2 days of IVs I am feeling better.
On the second day, I was in a room with three beds. To the right of me was this 80 year old woman who looked near death but every time I looked over she grinned at me, so I did the same. To my left was a woman who was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Her brother-in-law was there as well and started speaking to me in English. It turns out that he was the head of Kunming's police force for 17 years because of his English and Kungfu skills. He is now retired and is teaching English at a high school here. He told me of growing up in the countryside with both parents as farmers and said if I had food poisoning, instead of going to the hospital I should drink hot water with salt and sugar and then run a lot. The first part would make sense for rehydration, if I could have kept it down, but I'm not so sure the running would have made me any better.
I asked them if they preferred a boy or girl and he told me "Kunming is very civilized, we do not care if it is a boy or a girl." The old woman agreed and he translated an old proverb she said: "son is like a wolf, daughter is like a bank, grandson is like a leech." I inquired further into daughter as a bank and was told that people in Kunming like girls because a boy must pay their family money to marry her - hence, daughter is like a bank. I guess its civilized compared to drowning the baby girs at birth. Progress comes in small spurts.
I am now staying with my old homestay family. They are doing well and it was good to see them. I'm in the same room I was in last time. The only difference is now they have a 2 year old Golden Retriever - in Chinese jin mao (gold hair,) who lives on the balcony and in the bathroom. I moved in there last night. Will write more as it comes up.
This morning I had some lasagna and garlic bread at Pizza Da Rocco, a nice reprieve from Chinese food.
I will be here another week. The nicest thing about having no fixed plans is that I can do whatever I want. As of now, it's nothing, just staying in Kunming, hanging out and visiting friends.
I got sick again and went to the hospital in Kunming. This one was much better than the last. It was faster, cheaper and even though the last clinic in Shanghai was for foreigners, more people spoke English. After 2 days of IVs I am feeling better.
On the second day, I was in a room with three beds. To the right of me was this 80 year old woman who looked near death but every time I looked over she grinned at me, so I did the same. To my left was a woman who was 8 1/2 months pregnant. Her brother-in-law was there as well and started speaking to me in English. It turns out that he was the head of Kunming's police force for 17 years because of his English and Kungfu skills. He is now retired and is teaching English at a high school here. He told me of growing up in the countryside with both parents as farmers and said if I had food poisoning, instead of going to the hospital I should drink hot water with salt and sugar and then run a lot. The first part would make sense for rehydration, if I could have kept it down, but I'm not so sure the running would have made me any better.
I asked them if they preferred a boy or girl and he told me "Kunming is very civilized, we do not care if it is a boy or a girl." The old woman agreed and he translated an old proverb she said: "son is like a wolf, daughter is like a bank, grandson is like a leech." I inquired further into daughter as a bank and was told that people in Kunming like girls because a boy must pay their family money to marry her - hence, daughter is like a bank. I guess its civilized compared to drowning the baby girs at birth. Progress comes in small spurts.
I am now staying with my old homestay family. They are doing well and it was good to see them. I'm in the same room I was in last time. The only difference is now they have a 2 year old Golden Retriever - in Chinese jin mao (gold hair,) who lives on the balcony and in the bathroom. I moved in there last night. Will write more as it comes up.
This morning I had some lasagna and garlic bread at Pizza Da Rocco, a nice reprieve from Chinese food.
I will be here another week. The nicest thing about having no fixed plans is that I can do whatever I want. As of now, it's nothing, just staying in Kunming, hanging out and visiting friends.
Labels: chinese medicine, civil society, girls, homestay, hospital, kunming, lasagna
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Hi Ben,
I actually understood the girl is like a bank -- as a parent, you give her lots of your money -- but explain wolf and leech, please!
Love,
Mom
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I actually understood the girl is like a bank -- as a parent, you give her lots of your money -- but explain wolf and leech, please!
Love,
Mom
# posted by 
: 7/17/2007 8:29 PM
: 7/17/2007 8:29 PM << Home
