The Almost Birthday Girl!

Oh Wednesday! Half way through the week..and I can’t say I am complaining. I am just tired of being COLD. I miss being warm.

Breakfast was interesting this morning. We had a scrambled egg patty thing that wasn’t too bad except it was VERY oily. We also had a “mystery dish”. It was these white things (we think dumplings) in a milk broth. But it was GROSS! Whatever the white things were..they were like chewy and gluey and NOT a pleasant texture at all!

The day continued on..and it snowed for most of the morning. Snow is better than rain though. We cleaned out the cages and did the morning feedings without too much to report. It is funny to start and see the Panda’s personalities. For instance, when Mason get’s fed he turns his back against the bars of the cage and eats like that. Lu-Lu is very gentle when taking food from you, but chews VERY loudly (kinda like you Dad!) Lu-Lu is funny because if he is eating a Panda Cake and you go to put a carrot or apple on the ground he will take it with his free hand and have a bite of Panda Cake and then a bite of apple and so on. She-She is very aggressive when taking her food and then moves to the wall to sort of lay down to eat. Looks relaxing to me!

We came back for lunch, nothing too exciting. After lunch and before work, Carrie, Jason, Amy and I went to the “shops”..although there was only one little stand. Carrie and Jason said when the weather was better there were a lot more. But it was fun to see ALL the Panda stuff they have!

We went back in the afternoon, which is a bit boring. The feeding part is fun, but since it’s only done about once an hour there is a lot of downtime (which I really wasn’t expecting). I wish the weather was nicer because I would love to walk around and explore.

After work I was able to check my emails..which REALLY make my day. It’s fine here, but it’s definitely hard with NOTHING around, nothing to do, never being warm, etc. So it is soo nice to get emails from home!

I came back and took a shower (which is a miracle in itself) AND shaved. I don’t know HOW I did it (or why because my legs..well WHOLE body is always covered) but I did. I cannot wait to 1) take a real shower and 2) do laundry! I haven’t felt clean since I arrived so it will be so nice to have clean things!

Dinner was cold as always, but I CANNOT imagine what I would do if the 6 others weren’t here (well, I would probably cry myself to sleep like I did Sunday night). But really, it is so nice to all vent about how cold we are, how the accommodations are awful, what our Panda’s poo was like, the best way to use the squat toilet, etc.

Today, I woke up to find we don’t have any water, and it’s really not ok. No hot water, no tepid water, no cold water. Nada.

This really threw off my morning routine..and I stood in the bathroom for a good 5 minutes trying to figure out how to remedy the situation. I came up with nothing - squat (kinda like the toilet, ha). I did however, try another room since the door was open and that room didn’t have water either, so it wasn’t as if I was being punished for something.

Breakfast wasn’t as good because we didn’t have any hot tea, just some rolls. We made it to the Pandas and even the PANDAS had water (they haven’t for the past 2 days..) so who knows, maybe we take turns with the Pandas.

Clean up was per usual except for the fact that since they had water we washed down the walls and floors again. Is it awful I wanted to bathe in the arctic water just because it was, well, water?

The days have gotten a bit monotonous. On my first day I had asked Carrie if she got bored, but she said she liked it because you got to know the Pandas well, which I agree with, but I think you can get the gist in a few days.

Anyway after the last feed we were off to lunch! This is usually when my toes freeze the most to the point that it becomes painful. Everyone else brought work boots, which I don’t think I was told that would be a good idea and I really didn’t have room for them for only one week. But since it is either raining or snowing my sneakers aren’t holding up so well, so, my socks get wet, my feet get cold, and I am not happy. I usually am the first one to leave mostly because I am too cold to stay there! My favorite place here is my bed, only because it gets rid of the pain from the cold. At night (whenever I wake up and it’s after 2am) I am NOT freezing and I love it! Although that only lasts for 5 hours out of my day, but I’ll take it!

Since I don’t do anything in the afternoon really (feeding and some bamboo stuff) I asked my master if I could “take the afternoon off” to do some exploring. It is not snowing or raining today, and since I leave Saturday (wahooo!) I figured I better take advantage of the “nice” (it’s all relative) day!

It really is beautiful here because it’s in the mountains and there are nice trails.

After lunch I came back to warm up a bit and change my wet socks and sneakers to dry, new ones! I headed off to the trail nearest my room and it started off well. It was well marked by a path of cement slats, but when looking ahead I was a bit confused. The slats seem to disappear, but I thought maybe it was a bend around a corner or something. I got to the “edge” and looked to see my “path” half way down the cliff. It looked..well no it WAS a mudslide and half the path got taken out. Was it roped off? No! Warnings? Nope! Only in China! I QUICKLY turned around since I decided sliding down a mountain was not what I wanted to do.

I ventured on to the Welcome Center and saw Will. He invited me to the next feeding, so I checked my email before heading up to his Pandas. The area was roped off (to tourists and I am a Panda helper, ha!) so I continued on until I saw two panicked Chinese Panda Master’s NOT happy I was there. The man came out with his hand raised (the universal sign for STOP) and I tried to wave my volunteer badge. Finally, I just said, “Is Will here?” Luckily Will came to my rescue but the guy STILL wasn’t happy I was visiting. Will said he is like that, very protective of “HIS” Pandas, and doesn’t seem to like volunteers. It was great to see other Pandas, but I decided I should be on my way. I continued on to a trail through the woods and by the lake and it really was beautiful. It was very slippery and not well maintained, but no mudslides so I considered myself lucky!

I am ALWAYS eating here..so much for trying to lose some weight! I think I figure if I am full it’s more insulation, at least that’s what I am telling myself!!! Dinner was good. It is always hot for about five minutes so I know I eat WAY to fast, but you gotta do what you gotta do!

I have been having a big debate with myself; Would I rather be cold or hot? Before this week I would have told you cold -- hands down! You can always put on more layers and there is only so much you can remove if you are hot. However, I have realized you can wear everything you own and still be FREEZING. Now I can’t remember what it feels like to be warm, BUT I will find out on Sunday. Then, I will let you know my decision.

Hugs and kisses from the almost birthday girl!