Volunteering, bathrooms and knock-offs

We got back to our dorm room about 9:30 a.m. on Saturday night, and I had a cup of hot tea and a cookie that Susan bought in town. Then we were busy checking email and preparing to pack for three days out to another town. The bus leaves this morning at 8:30 and it should be about an hour an a half drive. Two temples, some other things...and other things...and a hotel for two nights that is supposed to be better than the last one.  Here's the Saturday recap.

The Migrant Worker Children's Camp: [Editor's note: Linda's group did a community service project at an educational center for migrant workers' children.]  The day today was fun - long, hot, sweaty, busy, but a good experience. Lots of little kids (at least 100 kids+) ranging from toddlers to fourth grade sisters, who were taking care of the toddlers. 

We drew, sang songs, played games, practiced English, and fed them. Half of our team did teaching and games, and the other half cooked and served food that we all donated money for and the cooking team went out and bought yesterday. We had hot dogs, hamburgers, and chicken wings with chips and cookies and watermelon. The first wave of kids went through, and before we finished serving the last wave, the first group was back in line for more food. I think some of them went through three times.  Basically we gave out food until it was all gone. 

These are kids who parents came from one of the western provinces for work (hence the migrant worker status). Kids are allowed to go to the public school in the area where their parents are working (Shanghai)  up until 6th grade.  Then, if they continue in school, they have to go back to their province and leave their parents or one parent returns with them. 

While Shanghai and some other cities are developed and have work, there is little if any work out in the more desolate areas, which is why families come into the city in the first place. They do have apartments, not the greatest by any means, and apparently many people are living together.  They come to this Catholic church for classes on Saturday and are learning English and maybe having some place to stay on Saturday while their parents work. It was a little overwhelming to think of and see poverty up close. We were told the school is funded by a group of expatriates who are concerned about the treatment of the migrant workers.

  

Our subway adventure:  We left the kids about 1:30 p.m. and headed into Shanghai.  We got on the subway with our Chinese counselors as guides. I took a lot of short videos as we made our way through the subway station and onto the trains--on and off three times--with one photo op to prove we were at mid-point. It was not bad, but those doors do close quickly. Emma, our group's Chinese counselor and a wonderful person and graduate student, told us that during morning and afternoon rush hours there are other passengers outside the doors who really do PUSH people in so they can pack as many as possible before the doors close. Whew!  Glad we were a Saturday afternoon ride.

In general: I think there are some things I'm still absorbing and filtering out.  Many of the smells and sights still don't quite register. They seem quite sensational if one writes them down, so I'm waiting to think about them a little more. 

I am including a photo of the squatty potty.  This is a UPSCALE one. 

Funny how before we eat or drink anything now, we look at the schedule for the day and try to plan around potential bus stops.

I am doing great. A little tired, but so are the 22 year olds!  I'm trying to buy small gifts for everyone, but we keep being cautioned about packing. There is a lot for sale here, but there is a lot one wouldn't want to buy. My bartering skills have improved hundred-fold from what I had in the states.  Part of the fun is trying to get prices from 480 RBM to 50 RMB and having the buyer and seller are happy. 

And, no, I'm not falling into the trap of buying knock-offs. These folks make everything.  Well, they try to copy it and change one letter or one word.  We see "Tony Jeans" instead of "Tommy Jeans."  The Tom's shoes are the hot item among the kids. The shoes are not what you would want, though, as they are made with a little cardboard and a lot of sale's pitch. I don't know how they will get all those shoes into their suitcases.