There are moments when you discover little pockets of China that feel incredibly comforting, and then there are times when that comfort is absent. This instance happened to be one of those comfortable moments. The reason I spent such an extended period in China is that I would catch glimpses of independence and freedom beneath a veneer of strict authoritarianism. During my time in Nanjing, I seldom experienced that, which drove me a bit crazy. I became quite depressed, my knee started to fail me, and I gained weight—an unending loop of negativity. I relocated to Zhuhai in southern China to embrace something new and hopefully improve my mood and perceptions about myself and my surroundings. So far, it has proven beneficial. Upon my arrival at the hotel, a little tabby cat decided to adopt me. First of all, why am I in a hotel? I was informed that I wouldn’t be moving into my apartment until May, leading me to express my disappointment since the school had already broken the contract. This gives me a good reason to return to Canada and nursing school, wouldn’t you agree? Unbelievable, yet somehow believable.
Now, regarding the cat: This adorable cat, whom I named Pumpkin, started entering my room and meowing at me whenever he spotted me. He would follow me inside, and the moment I sat down, he would snuggle up on my lap. So, I bought him some food and left the door ajar for him. He visits me as often as I’m around, even meowing at me from street corners, surprising me by jumping out of the bushes and trailing me home. I took him to the vet for vaccinations, and I learned he's already neutered, so I'll do my best to bring him back to Canada with me.
As for my whereabouts in Chaozhou, I’m not entirely sure. I adore Mr. Pumpkin, but neither of us intends to restrain the other! I submitted my passport to the immigration office for 10 days and received a receipt to prove my legal right to stay in China. The school administrator responsible for my visa processing claimed she would retain it, but I disagreed—it's mine to keep. I insisted on holding it and promised to return on the day I collect my passport, February 20. She argued that there was no need to hold it and that I couldn’t leave the city with just that receipt; I needed my passport. I firmly took it back from her and departed the city.
I reached Chaozhou in the early evening, enjoyed dinner, then went to bed. The next morning, I explored the town, which took me back to my Guangdong days. The south of China has always been my favorite region, so it's wonderful to revisit. Since I’ll be in Canada for at least three years, I wish to spend more time in my favorite area of the country. Upon waking up, I felt a rush of excitement, reminiscing about the laid-back atmosphere of southern China. Street vendors were selling goods—less than before, but still significantly more than in Nanjing. Whenever I see them, I feel hopeful and make an effort to buy from those operating on the fringes. It's tough to survive in a challenging environment like China, so I believe these free spirits are the bravest among us. Sadly, I can't depend on them any longer, which is disheartening. I encountered several in Zhuhai as well, which inexplicably filled me with happiness.
Anyway, I overextended myself; I visited West Lake, quickly walked around it, and attempted to locate a couple of buildings listed in Lonely Planet. However, the first one was closed, so I didn't pursue the second. Then, I strolled to Guangji Bridge, a bridge made of boats. It’s said that the boats are disassembled every night, but I’m skeptical. Perhaps I should investigate that one evening, although my hotel is quite far for a return trip. On my way there, I sought out some tea because there’s a tea set in my hotel room. I forgot to pack my own, so I inquired about the price from the first tea vendor I encountered. She handed me a few sample bags and said they were free! What a city!
From there, I made my way to the bridge, crossed it, and found out I had to pay again to return, which I wasn’t willing to do. I waited quite a while for a bus to take me across the car bridge, chatting with a lady from Beijing who spoke excellent English. After that, I visited two temples—both ordinary, but one featured lovely wood carvings. Then, I went to the Ming city walls, which were also typical. By 2 p.m., I was quite hungry and sought out oyster omelettes, which I enjoyed. The woman in the restaurant spoke English fairly well and offered me some vegetables. She only mentioned that she would
There are moments when you encounter small pieces of China that feel extremely cozy, and there are times when that is not the case. This was one of those cozy moments.
