Bedlam at 698 (China)- Chapter 5- People

Chapter 5- People

Saturday, A day off work. And again im woken by the thunder and lighting outside. I make a plan for the day, To find a supermarket and buy some food. North of the river in Nanchang, where I am is all in blocks and I walk around for ages trying to find a shop and around every corner is a complete different story, One min im walking along a busy road the next im in the dumps, where I am actually scared for my life. Now I don’t know if people are staring at me because of my skin colour or if they want to rob me. But I eventually find this dream of a super market, where is it? Well if I looked out my window right now and looked straight down I would be looking on the roof of it. I have walked passed it about ten times and never knew what it was. Well I knew it was a shop, I thought for clothes and perfume as that’s what’s on the ground floor but up stairs is a massive supermarket. I try and get what I need from there and have a look around but as soon as someone starts looking at me I turn the corner. Everyone was so fascinated about what was in my basket. There would be a lot more in there if you fuckers would let me shop in peace! I get enough food so I can eat for the next couple of days and make my exit. 

I decide to have a look around the whole place to see what else ive been missing out on. And out the corner of my eye I see a box of Marlboro reds. I haven’t found any smokes that I like here yet, not like a pack of reds. I point through the glass case and ask for one of them. The shop assistant writes me a reseat and points to me where I have to pay, £18 I think some things wrong at this point but I don’t want to look like a foreign jack ass. I then pointed back to the counter where I asked for the smokes and give them my now paid for reseat and they give me this black and gold packet of smokes that was next to the reds. Here a packet of fags cost between 50p and now I guess £18, usual price being around £1.30- £1.50. Now I do look like a royal ass. And I have to explane that I want the reds and that I want a refund and im sweating and it feels like im back in that class room with all the kids starring at me. The confusion is sorted out and they apologise to me. Now that’s very British of them. I leave and go back home make some food, think about how I am going to find this Escape bar and my plans for the night, I then watch some TV and guess what. Yep this sucker falls asleep…. Two nights in a row, Now I must wait until next Friday for any chance of meting an expat who might be able to speak English and making some friends. Gutted, truly gutted. 

Day 7- Everything at school has been looking better day by day. I’m getting into a routine and the kids are starting to come around to seeing a white mans face. Even one of the parents spoke to me yesterday, she asked me what my name was. I know to most people that might seam like nothing. But being here I’m different and it seams like people don’t like. People are scared of me or look at me like im not human. I’m finding it hard to understand there thoughts. So far I’ve kept myself to the two blocks from my house to work. Due to my thinking it was a good idea just to jump in at the deep end and go to the city centre on my second day here. Not expecting how people would react around me. Looking out of my window I can see so many light, one of which is what I call the fake London eye, I don’t think that needs an explanation why. But it was actually built after the success of the London eye, and another is the river. As its been the first warmish day since I arrived here in Nanchang I decide to go for a short walk. See what the place looks like after sunset. I walk one block to the river. My god, This what I thought to be discussing, boring, mono toned place is beautiful. If I look right I can see Nanchang bridge, Covered in lights changing from colour to colour. Then if I look left I see Bayi Bridge. A bigger more impressive structure, yet apparently not the finest bridge in Nanchang. And between the two bridges, Nanchang city, I sat on the bank and just look at the amazing sceptical of skyscrapers and lights reflected in the river. 

I get up and take no more than 10 steps towards home and a girl around 14 years old come up to me and says ‘hello’, I replied, then she said ‘good evening’ again I just replied. She then ran back to her father. It might not sound like much, but this was so refreshing to me. This is the first person that has chosen to speak to me out of work without trying to get me to buy something or scaring me. Things are starting to look up on what I use to call an adventure. I don’t see that as the right words any more, An adventure to me is a game. Its took me a while to realise, this isn’t a game. This is my life. I just wish, I just  I just want someone to be here to share this with.......