HEBEI

These stunning photos of Hebei Province, China were taken by my good friend Alison, a talented photographer: reproduced by permission: enjoy!

HEALTH

After my dinner with my neighbours I get stomach cramps in the night, which wake me up. I put this down to indigestion but it persists the next day. I go through the day thinking about constipation, and mild food poisoning, but surely not from vegetables and tea? After the third day I begin to get worried and talk to colleagues at work, but carry on as normal. Some of the cramps get quite painful. I start looking online and come up with things like Crohn's, colitis and other unpleasant bowel disorders. Finally on the fourth day when it settles in my lower right side and begins to look like appendicitis, I arrange a visit to a local clinic, but keep kidding myself and taking laxatives etc. At last on the 5th day I arrange to go to a hospital for diagnosis: a full medical reveals chronic appendicitis.The good news is I don't need surgery. But I do need intravenous antibiotics and this means 2 visits day to the city hospital for three hours in the morning and an hour at night.

They suggest it may be a combination of a radical alteration in diet and the bitter cold in China during winter. I  am warned off street food and too many spices.

This whole experience is a challenge, however generally speaking the staff are very efficient. I do become exasperated from time to time as they tell me one thing on a particular day and a different thing another day. And send you to another department only to have that department send you back to the last one! The university sends a colleague with me to act as interpreter, so I wander around with this little Chinese lady trotting around after me and beaming with happiness all morning long, and she can't do enough for me! I feel well looked after but also very alone and a little scared at the prospect of having an operation in a strange land, where the thought of infection fills me with visions of septicaemia.

After the 5th day of treatment the symptoms seem largely to have subsided but they also seem to come and go, depending on what I eat. I decide to try fruit and water for a few days, so have to forgo pizza, beer and quiz night with the team.

CHINGLISH

A couple of bits of Chinglish on the university campus:

EXHIBITION II

This one really amazes me: however much it looks like a sculpture this effect is achieved with mere brush and paint!

EXHIBITION

I visited a graduation show at the art college on the campus: mental note to go again when there are more people about,:

DOWNTOWN

I found this charming bar in the centre of town: sadly at the time I was the only customer! For the time being as I can't travel due to teaching I'm confined to the local area! Hope to see more of China in the new year: the friendliness and generosity of the Chinese never ceases to amaze me though!

UPDATE

Since contracting chronic appendicitis I realise I've neglected this blog, Time for a few updates. My lovely neighbours invited me for dinner and I tried loads of tea in a simple ritual often performed in China:

THE APPROACH OF WINTER

It's getting much colder now, at times bitter and I need to get an extra coat: otherwise it's going to be hard to manage in this weather.I find a dead dog in the street that had been run over, heartrending sight. I deplore seeing animals like this. I start cooking for myself and it's a welcome relief from street food! Curry, pancakes, salad and seafood!
The cheesiness of local entertainment is something I can't stop being aware of: pastimes include line dancing outdoors to cheesy music and watching gaudy pop videos. Karaoke competitions are a vast industry in China filling huge auditoria. Waiting to be able to travel around a little more. Some local people get round in little electric taxis like these.