Post the Second

Hi, it's me again, posting from the Internet, well, cafe of sorts. It costs 2 yuan an hour to use the net at this place (we're waiting on our net to be switched on in the dorm, which will happen "sometime next week" apparently), but since 2 yuan is about 25 cents, it's really no big deal at all. Some other crazy sample prices: I have a cell phone here with a monthy fee of 24 yuan ($3), which includes 150 free text messages and free calls within China and free incoming international calls, I bought a huge bath towel, chopsticks, Diet Coke, and an enormous thing of body wash at an expensive store for 90 yuan (about $11), my laundry detergent cost 2 yuan (25 cents), and my meals yesterday cost, together, a whopping 10 yuan ($1.30). The only thing I did get ripped off on was my cell phone, which is very old and has no real functions but cost 280 yuan ($38). However, I think I can afford it given the slightness of the rest of my purchases here, and since I really needed a phone that could handle a Chinese SIM card (my American phone could not, sadly).

Today is going much better than yesterday; well, to be more specific, the last half of yesterday and first half of today is going much better than the first half of yesterday did. I spent a lot of time with some of the other international students yesterday, which was a great deal of fun, and today I started making Chinese friends, despite the ridiculously poor nature of my own Chinese. I am feeling much better than I did yesterday, and I managed to find food that will not kill my stomach, so all is well in Melissa land!

That said, I have free incoming international calling, so if anybody wants my number, please leave me a note in the comments with your e-mail address!

I'll write more later or tomorrow, most likely. Thanks to all of you who commented on my last entry. It made checking my e-mail excellent!