China 2011: Day 13

It's Thursday, Sept. 15 and we are just getting ready to start a new day. We got the go ahead last night on some of the big projects and so we will hit the road running today getting stuff going. It will be fun to see the changes start to happen. First on the list: go to buy the paint for the entry. Now that we know where to go and what we can get, it will (maybe) be easier. Here's how it went the other day when we went back to the paint store, this time with Huang Shan who speaks Chinese. First time we went we got no where on our own. Lots of people trying to help but the language barrier was just too great. So, the 3 of us go into the store and in order to do so we had to climb over people mixing paint on the steps. That should have been our first clue. Then, we try to find a paint color that is close to what I have chosen from the fandex I brought from home. The color choices here are so limited compared to what we have at home and they can not do color matching. So, we find a color somewhat close to what I've picked and tell them we just want a quart for a sample test. After much discussion, the young man leaves the store and goes to another store to get it mixed. We, in the mean time have paid for this paint, which we've now learned not to pay until we see the finished product. So, the paint comes back and of course I want to see it to make sure it's the right color. The can gets opened and it's 2/3 full! Our mouths just dropped open. "Why is it only 2/3 full" we ask. "Because that's how it is", they answer."" But the color will not be correct with so little paint, we say. " Of course it will", they answer. But of course it wasn't. So, after MUCH discussion we get our money back(apparently that never happens) and off we go to another paint store. And so it goes trying to buy or order what we need here.

On a personal note Bob and I are doing great. It's like a big family here at the Mac. There are a lot of staff here during the day and many staff families live here also. Everyone has been so kind and welcoming and we have really enjoyed getting to know them. Our apartment is really nice with 3 bedrooms (Brad and Chris will occupy one) and it is overlooking the garden. We can walk to restaurants and markets and parks and if we are going far we can just hail a taxi out the main gate. We have been healthy and feel great now that our jetlag is over. My acupuncture treatment really seemed to help so I think I'll get another treatment today or tomorrow. We'd love to hear from you and get some news from the states so don't hesitate to write.