Chance Meeting, Work Meeting

Tuesday: another 8 AM class, this one in the opposite direction at Renmin University. I left a bit late but made it on time, as I had figured out a more efficient way to get there. It was interesting, although I have found the specific edition of the book that they're using. I brought my own version, but the page numbers of course are not the same. Also, I have to work extra hard to copy down the professor's Powerpoint notes before he changes them--I just don't write very fast. Probably I don't need to copy them, but I like to have something to mull over afterwards. Too often, when thinking in a foreign language, my thoughts will be there one moment and gone the next.

Anyway, after class I went up to him and introduced myself so he would stop staring curiously at me. He asked if I could understand his lectures and I said that he could. He seemed skeptical, probably because he'd noticed me busily copying notes at times when he was discussing parts of the texts that weren't in my version of the book. But ah well. It doesn't really matter what he thinks of me. And professors are always a little bit pleased if you come to listen to them lecture anyway. So no worries.

After the class, I went home and worked busily on the material for my meeting with LGs. He had asked me to make a big chart, and I managed (barely) to finish it. Then I headed in and had lunch, printed out the stack of stuff that needed printing out. After lunch, I was just idly browsing some books for sale out on the sidewalk when all of a sudden, I heard by name in English. Who here knows me by my English name!?

It turned out to be ZY, my classmate from home, here on a brief post-generals celebratory visit--first to Beijing to clear up some visa stuff, then back to her home-town. I had managed to run into her on her very last day here! She was staying with friends in their dorm-room, which I was able to inspect. Four people, two bunk beds, one utterly tiny room (in case you can't tell from the picture), no electricity after midnight, showers in the public bathhouse afternoons only! She confided in me that it would be hard to go back to living like that, sad though that is. She's been spoiled by our really quite decent graduate housing.

We only chatted briefly, as I was on my way to my meeting and she was packing to go home. But I am happy I ran into her.

Here is a mule I saw on my way to LGs's house. It looks tired and stubborn. But it was better off than most mules because instead of a cartful of bricks, it was pulling a cartful of fruit.

My meeting with LGs was pleasant as always. He gave me an article I had been thinking of translating for him, and outlined the book he thought could be made out of it. He said he is too old to write it and has other projects, but I should seriously consider doing it, he would make a present of it to me and give me a sense of direction and all the needed sources. Too bad it's not all as easy as he makes it seem, but it may be worth a shot as a post-dissertation project. We chatted some more about the main project, which has a close relationship to my current dissertation, and exchanged various articles and pieces of data. Collaboration is strange, but I really like it a lot. It gives me a feeling of excitement about working, and the sense of not being lost in it and all alone.

I think LGs's wife ZWx likes me again. She was a bit suspicious of me, I think, being worried that I would tire LGs out. But I told her she was the boss, and since then have kept our meetings to her declared time-limit. And this time she was very warm and friendly to me.

Afterwards, I went to the great bookstore that is practically in their backyard. I bought a whole stack of books, more than $20 worth! They have a lot of stuff that other places don't have, that's for sure. Also, the place has a really pleasant atmosphere. Here are the pumpkins lined up along the stairs inside the store. Boy did I love the look of those pumpkins. I can't help it, pumpkins just make me happy.