Back in Changchun

Made it back ‘home’ this week after another flying adventure. Flying out of Chicago to Beijing means ½ of your flight crew is from Beijing and ½ is from Chicago. Now, normally folks from Chicago are known for their Midwestern charm, but these folks hadn’t gotten enough sleep or something. I was sitting a few rows behind the exit row where a petite little Chinese woman was sitting (this is mostly a redundant statement by the way). The woman from the flight staff was asking her if she could speak English in a not so friendly way. Turns out the answer was ‘no’, which got her all fired up. I offered to take the exit row seat (just cuz I’m that kind of selfless, giving sort of guy). The stewardess asked me if I spoke English (which I thought was a little funny) so I nodded yes. Apparently you need to say the words ‘yes I do’ in order for them to believe you. I now know, in no uncertain terms. So the plane takes off, I have a little meal and doze off. After waking up a few hours later, I discover that the entire electrical package in this seat is broken. No video, no lights, just me staring into the darkness for the next 9 hours. I complained. The stewardess told me she was sorry. I said that wasn’t sufficient. She said sorry again. (in case I missed it the first time). Of course then the story takes a markedly happier turn as the purser arrives and tells me to follow her to the front of the plane. Turns out first class is nicer than coach even on this really old Boeing 777. Surprisingly, I was able to fall asleep again after I could recline my seat to a completely flat bed. I guess there are worse ways to fly. I know this is not the first time this has ever happened to someone, but it was the first time it happened to me which makes it a story worth telling. After being back in CC for a week, I was ready for a Saturday morning bike ride (which turned into a Saturday mid-day bike ride after a little too much Kolsch Friday night with Markus and the boys. The bike ride was slow and uneventful except getting lost (as I normally do) and running across this giant new church being constructed in the middle of nowhere (including a complimentary 5 story office building). I couldn’t tell if it was protestant or catholic (and I haven’t learned those words in Chinese yet to ask), but there was a woman selling beer in the parking lot which gave me a hint. So I don’t know if the church community in CC is growing or whether the government just decided to build a big church just in case maybe someone would want to go in the future. Just another one of those moments that make you go ‘hmm’. Also an interesting coincidence that there was a large police office across the street from the church. Final picture was a billboard outside a new housing development. The Chinese are not always very subtle with their marketing campaigns. This housing development was going to capture the spirit of America from the ‘sort of white house’ on the left, the ‘statue of liberty’ on the right, and an ‘airplane on top of a skyscraper’ in the middle. Huh? I’m still trying to figure out if this is funny or offensive. Since there are very few Americans who are going to see it to be offended, I don’t know that it matters too much either way.