Out with the girls

Wednesday evening we were heading out to a friend's house for tea, when we noticed about half a dozen cows inside a tent by the side of the road, where some road workers sleep. The road workers were nowhere to be seen and the cows were happily munching away at their food supplies and straw mattresses. At first we were laughing, but then realised it would probably not be quite as funny to the roadworkers. So Mum found a big stick and ran around chasing the cows and shouting until they all ran off down the hill.

Made our way to the friends house and sat while they slaughtered a chicken and some fish and then prepared them in our honour. At dinner we were treated to a few glasses of "Mother's" home made rice wine. Mum's glass was refilled a few times and then we set off home before it got dark. As we passed the road worker's tent, we saw that one man had come back and was sitting out the front of the tent cooking his dinner. Mum was about 50 metres ahead of Connie and I, and decided she wanted to convey to the man what had happened. Much to his astonishment, she walked up to him and began doing a cow impersonation, before grabbing a stick and running around waving it. The cigarette nearly fell out of the side of his mouth. He looked so astonished at this mad, blonde, Western woman who was holding her fingers to her head like horns and making mooing noises. I must remember to give Mum rice wine next time I want her to play charades. I got there and explained to the man what had happened, at which point he nodded and thanked mum (Connie was still doubled over with laughter). After a few more beers in the village, Mum skipped home singing Mosuo songs.

Friday we went back into Yongning to see a few more friends- Mum and Connie bought matching stripy hats. Caught a taxi to Luoshui, where we went for a boat ride out to the island- Gorgeous weather. That evening we went and had Mosuo bbq, cooking little strips of meat, potato, capsicum, fish and tofu.

Saturday it was back onto the bus to Lijiang. First we caught a minibus to Ninglang. Maniac driver. From there we changed buses and arrived in Lijiang at around 4.30pm. In the evening we went to Prague cafe and watched a dvd on the couch.

Sunday we caught up on a lot of shopping. Exhausting. In the afternoon we finished off the last of the cheese from Australia along with a couple of bottles of Dali beer on the balcony and in the evening went out to a restaurant on the square for some cold and stodgy noodles. Didn't think there were any Chinese people who didn't know how to make fried noodles.

Monday morning it was an early start. Packed small packs and jumped on a public bus to Qiaotou, from there a taxi into Tiger Leaping Gorge. Got to our guesthouse in Walnut grove, got rooms and ordered lunch, planning to begin a long hike into the middle gorge after lunch. Just as we finished lunch, two drops of rain fell so we went inside to have a nap till the rain finished. Woke at 5.30pm- oops. Went for a little walk around the area and had a pleasant evening talking to some guests.

Tuesday morning- another early start- but this time to go for our hike. A guy called Ron, whom we'd met the night before, decided to join us, so we set off around 8.30 with a guide we had hired. He was very friendly and patient and told me lots of stories which I translated for the others. I was a bit worried about my ankle- still a bit sore- and had to take it very slowly. The walk was difficult and steep, but spectacular. Fantastic experience. It was four very tired hikers who emerged from the gorge four hours later. The guy was still running around- and was planning to take someone else down later that afternoon!

In the afternoon we had a very relaxing lunch at Seans guesthouse. Then caught a taxi back to Lijiang. I got some take away pizza which we munched in our rooms before collapsing on our beds.

This is our last day in Lijiang. Tomorrow- on to Kunming.

Thanks to everyone who has sent their congratulations. Jesse- I don't actually have your email address, would you be able to send it? Brooke- any chance you can get down to Melbourne in July?

Ma and Yima (Mother and Mother one / Aunty)

Well, Mum and Aunty Connie arrived at Lijiang airport on Saturday night. We got a taxi into town and dumped all their stuff in our room, before going for a walk around old town. They were very excited to experience their first evening in China, and we strolled through the crowded streets while they poked their heads into souvenir shops and took photos and talked and giggled a lot. Then we sat down in a little restaurant called Hakuna Matata for some Chinese food and I told her my news. Scott was down in Mordialloc the same night telling his mother the same news. That was quite exciting.

Sunday morning we took the wine and cheese that I had talked mum into carrying on the plane, and went down to Black Dragon Park. Wandered around for a bit - Mum paid five yuan and got to hold a monkey in her hand while we took a photo. Then we hired a little rowboat, rowed out to a pagoda in the middle of the lake there, tied up and sat down and enjoyed our wine and cheese.

Monday we did a bit more shopping (can't keep them out of the shops) and then climbed up the hill in old town to visit a large tower on top. Walked around there a bit and relaxed and enjoyed the spectacular view over Lijiang. In the evening Mum and Connie got dressed up and went out to the Naxi orchestra. More shopping (especially window shopping) before and after- Mum's quote for the day: "I like a bit of sensuality in statues".

Tuesday, we had an early start, packed our bags, bought some mantou (steamed buns) and then jumped on a bus up to Lugu lake. That was an interesting experience for them and they spent a lot of time trying to take photos out the window of plunging gorges, rustic villages and cows, goats and pigs crossing the road in front of us. The squat toilets with metre high barriers and no doors were quite a talking point. I think they were a little nervous on some of the single-lane, hairpin-bend, unmade-road, oncoming-truck sections. Can't imagine why.

I think the view of the lake made up for it though. In the evening we went to watch (and join in) some Mosuo dancing in the village of Lige. Aunty Connie met a handsome young Mosuo man called Erche and suddenly started asking lots of questions about walking marriage...

Wednesday we went to Zhudi, where I have spent quite a bit of time. Joined the family for lunch. They were very warm and friendly. We took lots of photos and the mother took Mum and Connie out into the barn to feed the pigs. They had a little of her homemade rice wine to drink too! Had to take Mum and Connie out into the backyard to have a pee. Mum was heard to say "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd look forward to a squat toilet". As you can see, they are adapting very quickly.

In the afternoon we went into Yongning so I could introduce them to my latest conquest: the lama at the monastery. Then, visited another friend and wandered through the markets. Went back to the guesthouse for dinner and a Dali beer.

This morning my Norwegian friend talked me into getting up at 5.30am and climbing a mountain so we could go to a village to see another Mosuo funeral. Similar to last time, except they also gave us lollies. Were home by 8.45 and starving (poor foot was aching). Had a relaxing day sitting around the courtyard and chatting. Just had noodles and a beer for lunch. They are bargaining for handmade scarves and we are going out to tea tonight with friends.

Important Announcement.

As you have all been following my life via the blog in the last few months I don't see how this should be any different. But for once I'm going to take a back seat and let Scott post on my blog. Well, I'm going to copy one of his recent emails to me into this blog anyway...

G'day again Sweetness

Just realised something with all this talk of
weddings.

Will you marry me? Are you willing to share the rest of your
life with me?

I think asking by email is the only method I had not tried
yet. I have done it in person, in bed, on a plane, in a car, over the phone and in a letter.

Just thought I would get that out of the way. Now that I have tried all of these different methods. I can start drafting a proper proposal.

Feeling relatively sure you will answer in the positive and this is not an elaborate hoax to keep me occupied.

Miss you

Love you
Come home soon
Scott the fiancee

Yep, we're engaged. So if you happen to be a close friend or family member you had better put our names down in your diary for the 9th of July. This year. Having finally decided that we wanted to get married, we also decided we couldn't wait. There won't be an engagement party (won't be time). The church, reception and honeymoon are booked. (We've actually been planning this since February.) Now Scott just has to get around to proposing.... properly. He has been very wonderful doing lots of running around and booking things, while I sit here in China and email him "don't forget to..." etc.

We are quite possibly insane, as we will have a bare month after I get back to do a lot of shopping. Now I would like to receive lots of comments telling me your response to this blog and online proposal.

Scott,
I love you.
Thanks for doing so much work
and for being such a wonderful support while I've been here in China. See you in
six weeks!
love Laura xxx

'Engagement blog' decorations courtesy of Danielle McCredden, blog administrator extraordinaire.

swept off my feet

I've had a strangely eventful- and at the same time uneventful, week. Monday I went back to my village, as planned, did some interviews that evening and was then invited to join the family planting rice the next day.

I was quite excited about becoming an honorary peasant, not to mention doing something physical. And it wouldn't be the first time I've done farm work. Then next morning we set off through the village, me with a basket on my back and a couple of hoes slung over my shoulder. We got to the fields, to one side of the village and I stepped on a piece of very slightly uneven dirt.... and my ankle gave way and I lay sprawled inelegantly in the dirt under my basket and hoes. Not the first time I've sprained my ankle, hence ankle is weak and sometimes gets sprained for no apparent reason.

I sat in the dirt for a while, hoping it would get better, while occasionally a local (the whole village saw me topple into the dirt) would come around and look at my ankle and then try to rotate it vigorously... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH.

I sat around for about an hour, and it didn't improve so I hobbled back to the house. There 'mum' applied some oily stuff from an eyedropper to my ankle, rotated it again and made me sit with it in the sun. They all thought I was very strange to be asking for ice, especially as no one in the village has a fridge.

In the evening they offered to get the doctor for me. I asked if he had ice. "No, but he will give you an injection (I assume to remove the swelling). I vehemently declined. I then had another problem to consider. I was sleeping in a room on the first floor (which was becoming increasingly difficult to navigate to), not to mention that I would at some point need to climb the mountain out the back to go to the toilet (you can use the backyard for a wee, but not...) and climbing the mountain was no longer in the range of possibility.

One of my brothers there offered to get me ice from Lige- as he has a motorbike which is very convenient, as he likes to mention frequently. I convinced him to put me on the back of the motorbike instead and take me back to Lige, where I could take a nice ground floor room and hobble out the back to the toilet as well as get regular ice. He drove me back very slowly and carefully, avoiding all the bumps (and there are many). Thanks Erche!

Spent the last few days convalescing and applying ice and smelly oil to my big puffy foot. Got the bus to Lijiang today and find myself able to walk quite well. Just a little swelling still. My mum and Aunty will be arriving tomorrow. Looking forward to that.

On the bus was a cardboard box with three chooks in it. They kept sticking their heads out of the box and escaping. I took a couple of photos. That kept me amused for a while.

return to the village

Just a quick note to let you all know I'm going back to my old village of Zhudi for a couple of days. Expect to be back in Yongning by Thursday, and will leave from there on Friday to go to Lijiang. My Mum and my Aunty will be arriving on Saturday night in Lijiang, when we will all have a couple of weeks holiday, before I head into the slog of the final month (primarily translating!)

Adventures with Lamas

On Friday I went down to the local lamasery to try to interview one of the buddhist lamas I've met there a couple of times. He was sitting outside a cafe nearby, in his long red robes, drinking a pepsi while his pet goat frolicked nearby. We walked into the lamasery, but then a group of tourists came so he had to show them around.

He took me to his room where I could do the interview without interruption. No problem. Interview complete, we chatted for a while. He was curious as to whether I had a boyfriend and whether I had had a walking marriage since I'd been here. He told me he was 38 and had always been celibate, stringently denying that lamas in this area had walking marriages (a rumour I've heard from various sources).

Changing the topic, he told me I was too tall and that my thighs were too fat (pulling a disgusted face). I was more surprised than offended. I'm quite accustomed to being considered tall and fat here. Then he said he had something to give me and showed me to another room where he put a white translucent scarf around my neck.

I was thanking him and he started to give me a hug. I thought, wow, that's really very friendly behaviour from a lama. Then he tried to kiss me and squeeze my bum. This was distinctly unwelcome (not to mention unlamalike) behaviour and I pulled away shaking my head, too surprised to say much. We said goodbye and I walked off.

Felt somewhat confused that a supposedly celibate lama chose the day of my visit to experiment with women, and more particularly, that he thought that telling me I have fat thighs was a good way to seduce me! Very odd day.

For next time you're feeling overworked and sorry for yourself...

I've been spending a lot of time in the last few days at the middle school (equivalent to the first three years of high school). Interviewed some teachers and the principal, assisted in an English class, etc. One of the things I did was to make a copy of the student's timetable, which I will reproduce here.

6.30am Get up
6.40-7.00 Morning exercise
7.00-7.20 Breakfast
7.20-8.00 Supervised reading
8.10-8.55 1st period
9.05-9.50 2nd period
9.50-10.20 Eye exercises and physical exercises or dancing
10.20-11.05 3rd period
11.15-12.00 4th period
12.00-1.00 Lunch break
1.00- 1.40 Supervised sleep / rest in classrooms
1.50- Prepare
2.00-2.45 5th period
2.55-3.40 6th period
3.50-4.35 7th period
4.45-5.30 8th period
5.30 Dinner
6.30-7.15 Supervised reading
7.25-7.35 Assembly
7.35-8.25 1st evening period
8.35-9.20 2nd evening period
9.30-10.20 3rd evening period
10.30 Sleep

Only the students in their 3rd year of high school attend the last period from 9.30 - 10.20, the 1st and 2nd years finish at 9.20. Apart from that, everyone attends every class, there are no free periods. Most students don't live on campus and will have breakfast, lunch and dinner at home, in between classes. The students are usually aged between 12 and 16. They have very little time to play- oh did I mention that this timetable applies 7 days a week... Every so often they have Sunday off and if their family lives in another village they can go home Saturday night and come back Sunday afternoon (as long as they don't live too far away and their family can afford the fare).

I actually think it is quite a good school and in terms of its schedule is probably no different to most middle schools across China. But for the kids it is a pretty gruelling lifestyle.

So next time you're feeling overworked and sorry for yourself...

life around Yongning

Well I'm back living in the English teacher's house for a few days. The chickens seem to have calmed down and haven't been trying to escape but there is a new complication. A brand new little yellowish puppy who is very friendly and bouncy and instead keeps trying to escape into the chicken's pen every time I have to go to the toilet!

It has been lovely sunny weather today and yesterday, so I handwashed clothes yesterday, and my hair in a tub in the courtyard this morning.

Keeping busy. Not much to report.

Oh there was some excitement in town a couple of days ago. I was sitting in a cafe slurping my noodles when the person standing in the doorway said excitedly 'There's a black person walking down the street?' I said 'What?' She said 'A black man, a black, black man'. The 'black, black man' had gone by the time I left the cafe, but I think I saw him later, on the back of a truck with a heap of Yi people (a local minority) heading out of town. I thought this was a little strange as usually I am the only foreigner who occasionally travels on the back of a truck around here.

The lady who just wears plastic bags and hessian sacks is still around and has apparently survived the winter. She seems to have acquired a pair of socks in the last few days though.

I went to this foul smelling place yesterday, kind of a warehouse where they had these corn kernels spread out on an enormous table with high sides and they were kind of cooking them. The girl I was with bought a huge basketfull which she carried home on her back. They were very hot, so she didn't enjoy the walk home much. I was kind of mystified as to why she was buying it until she heaved the whole basket into the tub where the chickens feed.

Yongning

Back in Yongning at the English teacher's home. Nice to see them again. I don't actually have a lot to write today except that this morning I discovered a new way of washing potatoes. Put a heap of potatoes in a cane basket (like the kind people use in Australia for putting all their shoes in or their dirty washing); grip the basket tightly by the top edge and submerge in the stream and allow it to fill with water through the holes in the basket. Then as you lift it up and the water streams out, shake it rapidly to clean potatoes.

I hope I have enriched your life and helped to make food preparation just that little bit easier.

Cultural experiences

I've had an interesting couple of days. I was about to go to Yongning two days ago, when Lance told me there was an American coming who was a friend of a friend and couldn't speak Chinese and could I hang around a bit longer... I said 'sure' and a few hours later the 'friend' showed up- except that he was actually English.

We got talking and it turns out he is here because he's interested in making a kind of radio documentary about the Mosuo. Like myself, he was also interested in researching and writing a book about Mosuo people and culture. So after some discussion we decided that we might like to write the book together. This would be separate from my thesis, just another project I'd been thinking about.

Yesterday, we decided we wanted to go out to a village to do some recording together and got Lance to take us. We were just leaving when he found out that someone had died in a nearby village and asked whether we would like to go to the funeral. We were very interested as the funeral is the major event in the lives of Mosuo people. It is about the most important ceremony they have.

We drove to the village and went to the family home. The family was receiving guests- lots of them. We gave a small gift and sat in the living area. A shrine with candles and decorations was all set up there. Upstairs there is a 'buddhist' room with lots of decoration, and yesterday it was full of lamas, who chant constantly for a full day (24 hrs) prior to cremation. We watched them chanting and then were served a huge meal downstairs in the courtyard along with the other guests. As we were leaving, the people from the house next door invited us in, so we had to go in and have lunch again! When someone dies here, the whole village participates in the affair.

Then we went to see the lamasery in Yongning and then back to Lige.

This morning we were up at 6am, because we were going to see the cremation which is the high point of the whole process. Drove back to the village and got there around 7am. We saw people standing outside of their front doors burning little bundles of pine leaves on the pavement. Within minutes of arriving, we heard fire crackers and the procession started to pass. First came men carrying long pine branches, men banging drums, a man carrying a stick that was on fire and then men carrying a box containing the body. I'm not sure how it fit in the box as it was kind of square and didn't look nearly long enough. It was highly decorated though. That was followed by the women who all wailed loudly as they ran along behind.

We followed at the end of the line and power-walked out of the village and up the hill. On the hill were two rows of lamas in full ceremonial garb and a high pile of logs, stacked and criss-crossed neatly to make a square platform that rose off the ground (I think I've described this poorly). If you can imagine a square log cabin where the logs intersect and overlap at the corners, and then imagine it was about a metre square, then that might make more sense. The coffin was already on top of the logs, the monks were still chanting (presumably since yesterday morning) and many people were kowtowing. The women were still wailing, but it became possible to identify who were the close family members of the deceased woman. Several young women were prostrate and wailing near the front. Other women gathered around them and began to undo the plaits in their hair and others held their arms.

It was in striking contrast to a Western funeral. No-one except the monks was dressed up, and many people were kowtowing or kneeling in the dust.

One of the young women actually passed out or fainted. Suddenly everyone was gathered around her and one of the older men kept yelling her name. When she came to, a couple of people helped her to her feet and led her back to the village.

The monks started chanting louder and then they used the large sticks that were already ablaze to set fire to the bottom of the platform. Some people scattered what looked like milk and lumps of bread or rice cake around the pyre. As soon as the fire was started everyone began to walk back to the village. Only the monks stayed and continued there chanting as more fire crackers went off.

It was an amazing experience. We were back at the motel by 8.30am and well and truly ready for breakfast. I'm honestly not sure what they thought of two Westerners observing the funeral. Still, it was Lance (a Mosuo man) who had suggested we go, and nobody seemed to pay much attention to us so I don't think it was too big an intrusion. We stood quietly towards the back and tried to melt into the scenery as much as possible! I felt a bit uncomfortable being present at what is (at least for the family members) very personal, but I'm glad I didn't miss it.

My English friend has gone walking around the lake now and I won't get to see him again this trip, but we will keep in contact and hopefully something will come of this book.