Daily Life Part I: Makin' Copies, Makin' Friends

I thought maybe a little glimpse into the daily life of China might be interesting. These posts will involve lots of pictures. The idea is to let you "see" what it is like to live in my part of China. If it isn't interesting, no worries, I won't keep it going. (Click pictures to enlarge.)

First, the local copy shop. When I need anything xeroxed or printed, this is where I go. You can make 70 copies or 35 printed pages for the equivalent of $1.00 USD. The lady who always helps me wasn't there today, and she is ALWAYS there, so now I am worried about here. I'll go back tomorrow to check on her. She doesn't speak Mandarin, she only speaks the local dialect, so I have a hard time talking with her, but she is very nice and we are friendly with each other. This is the front door of the shop.

Inside view. They might have Kinko's-style copy places in the East, but not out here. It's empty right now because most students are done with classes. During the school year it gets quite crowded in there!

This lady sells fried veggie dumplings and potatoes everyday on the sidewalk outside my gate, and is also someone I am friendly with. (She was shy about having her picture taken.) She prefers speaking the local dialect, but she understands Mandarin. We always smile and say hello when I walk by, even when I am not buying anything. One thing about being a foreigner, everyone remembers you! The carts of fruit you see next to her usually sell some seasonal fruits, so their product changes all year round. In the background is a small shop selling school supplies.

This little fruit stand is just outside the gate of my school. They also recognize me and know I always buy three bananas and three apples, which are available year round. It's good to buy from the same sellers because they get to know you and it helps their business if you shop there. (Locals want to shop where foreigners shop.) On the corner you can see a little stand selling bottled drinks and cigarettes. These little stands/stalls are located about every hundred feet. There is no excuse for going thirsty or smokeless in China!