Holy Lightening & Thunder, and a pain in my side.
This past Sunday night was the start of another weather front, with the usual lightening and thunder that kicks of a heavy downpour... Last night was different. It was like being in a disco with strobe lights going off, as sheet lightening occurred for more 6+ hours, followed by rolling thunder and flash rain so heavy that it sounded like hail hitting the windows. Early in the morning I went into the bathroom, where the window is partly open, and was seriously scared out of my wits when one of these super bolts crashed near by, as the light and sound went off instantaneously. The open window had let the full volume be heard and felt. I ran back into bed and pull the covers over my head... forgetting the need to go to the loo. Both J and I tried to fall back asleep after that one, but it was a fitful sleep as we would keep getting woken up by the sounds over top of our air con's fan. By mid morning the lightening started to become more singular bolts, crashing so loud that the thunder would sound like giant multiple explosives going off. I turned on the news and saw that it was a 'code Yellow' for both thunder and heavy rain, not surprising of course. Lucky we didn't have to go anywhere today, it would have been unpleasant.... inevitibly bringing back bad memories from a big slip and fall I had earlier this week due to heavy rains and poor design of public building's outdoor pathways. 5 words: slippery as hell when wet.
I badly bruised the back of my hip and got whiplash, in addition to a peer into the social psyche of the local Chinese. I was bumped coming down the steps out of a shop, where the covered hallway was packed with locals afraid of the rain (good grief, you'd think they'd be used to this weather). In that instant I lost my extreme concentration for balance while cautiously stepping down onto the next step and slipped falling heavy onto the step. It knocked the wind out of me. I was sprawled out on the steps in the heavy rain, umbrella having fallen out of my hand. I sat there for a few moments to gather my head to make a mental diagnosis to before moving to make sure I was okay to do so. I was slow to get up, as I felt light headed and already hurting. During those long moments, no a single person asked if I was okay, nor came to help me get up. By the time I got myself up, I was half soaked, and really upset and pissed. All the accounts I've heard from expats about their negative behaviour was becoming true to me now. It angered me. How can human decency not be a part of of every person's values?! I as finally stood up fully, I finally heard someone making a loud disapproving remark, "Aiya, what's she doing?", which made me all the more angrier. I went on with my outing, though limping slightly, headache building to a roar, and stewing in outrage. By the time I got home I was nursing a nauseating headache, which lasted for 2 and a half days. I still can't sleep on my back, but C'est la vie so to speak.
Due to the experience, I had come to realize with unfortunate clarity that I am not enchanted by China's average people, esp. in cities with the Special Economic Zone designations. Their disregard for human life and earth's creature is mind boggling to me, though I sort of understand it, as it's a country that is overly crowded in cities, I am not use to and hope to never get use to their worker ant, survival of the fittest, dog eat dog mentality, which is the reality for those that venture out to these cities have to face. Cheating people anyway you can is still practiced by lots of folks, they are desperate and become greedy to prey on the weak. Foreigners are a target for higher prices, or out of the route taxi rides; honest freshly immigrated country side folks get swindled with every day life dealings, such as rent, investing, buying items that turn out to be fakes deeming the items completely useless. Cruelty to animals and non-mammals alike are visible and the average folk don't think twice about their actions. It will take a long time for them to change and be educated.
I've always highly respected honesty, decency, compassion, common sense, and conscientiousness, never having to go far to experience this in Canada and many other countries I've visited. Here, it's harder to come by, though it does once in a while when you least expect it. When it does, I make a point of telling the person, as they bring a smile to my heart and soul. Thank you to those who made me smile around this world of ours.
I badly bruised the back of my hip and got whiplash, in addition to a peer into the social psyche of the local Chinese. I was bumped coming down the steps out of a shop, where the covered hallway was packed with locals afraid of the rain (good grief, you'd think they'd be used to this weather). In that instant I lost my extreme concentration for balance while cautiously stepping down onto the next step and slipped falling heavy onto the step. It knocked the wind out of me. I was sprawled out on the steps in the heavy rain, umbrella having fallen out of my hand. I sat there for a few moments to gather my head to make a mental diagnosis to before moving to make sure I was okay to do so. I was slow to get up, as I felt light headed and already hurting. During those long moments, no a single person asked if I was okay, nor came to help me get up. By the time I got myself up, I was half soaked, and really upset and pissed. All the accounts I've heard from expats about their negative behaviour was becoming true to me now. It angered me. How can human decency not be a part of of every person's values?! I as finally stood up fully, I finally heard someone making a loud disapproving remark, "Aiya, what's she doing?", which made me all the more angrier. I went on with my outing, though limping slightly, headache building to a roar, and stewing in outrage. By the time I got home I was nursing a nauseating headache, which lasted for 2 and a half days. I still can't sleep on my back, but C'est la vie so to speak.
Due to the experience, I had come to realize with unfortunate clarity that I am not enchanted by China's average people, esp. in cities with the Special Economic Zone designations. Their disregard for human life and earth's creature is mind boggling to me, though I sort of understand it, as it's a country that is overly crowded in cities, I am not use to and hope to never get use to their worker ant, survival of the fittest, dog eat dog mentality, which is the reality for those that venture out to these cities have to face. Cheating people anyway you can is still practiced by lots of folks, they are desperate and become greedy to prey on the weak. Foreigners are a target for higher prices, or out of the route taxi rides; honest freshly immigrated country side folks get swindled with every day life dealings, such as rent, investing, buying items that turn out to be fakes deeming the items completely useless. Cruelty to animals and non-mammals alike are visible and the average folk don't think twice about their actions. It will take a long time for them to change and be educated.
I've always highly respected honesty, decency, compassion, common sense, and conscientiousness, never having to go far to experience this in Canada and many other countries I've visited. Here, it's harder to come by, though it does once in a while when you least expect it. When it does, I make a point of telling the person, as they bring a smile to my heart and soul. Thank you to those who made me smile around this world of ours.
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