Time is running out fast. We lost electricity again, so our electricity box was beeping, so the neighbours came out again to see what is going on. They must think we are idiots – this is the third time this has happened.And the beeping alarm is an annoying sound that ricochets through your head – everyone can hear it. first night we managed candles – which was fine, but its getting pretty cold now. The problem is we need to know how to cash up the electricity card, and then the office closes, so your out of electricity until they open. Apparantly there is only a certain ‘zone’ office you can go to. We lost it on Saturday, so all was closed till monday. We were told we use ‘too much electricity’, which is probably true, but it is three of us in the apartment, not one person – and I want to keep my son warm, and I am paying for it, so I don’t mind using it right now. I was then told I should let them know before it runs out – and this would be great – if someone told me how to read the electricity box so I would know that it was about to run out! Sometimes I find myself getting frustrated not knowing how things are done. The constant learning, the adapting is both wonderful and tiring. Pablo handled it well, he usually doesn’t like the dark, but he didn’t complained and enjoyed the candles.
Anyway, I lost a few days to no electricity and we hung out in the Moons’ cafes, drinking tea and using the internet, trying to warm up, but no one really uses heaters here. We don’t really have the right clothes for the cold. Anyway, we then put heaps of cash on the card, so I don’t think it will run out for a while.
Losing electricity made me think its time to head south, to the warmer climates. We are thinking of moving onto Guanxi, searching for warmer weather and see a bit of China. It will be sad to leave chongqing – we have felt at home here, we have loved the food, we have met some great people.
I did a talk to Organhaus, after a shaky start with the projector not liking my computer, it went OK, I tried to keep it simple as she, translated the talk. The discussion afterwards went for a couple hours, so that was interesting. i met some artists that I wish I had meet a month ago. Well, I wish I had done this talk a month ago, but its hard to know how thing work here – the timings of when things get done are a bit different, and I am still trying to work out the rhythms and by zen about it. Organhaus starts work at 5pm, so its been difficult to sit down with Nikun, the curator and discuss ideas. However, she has made herself available – she has been really wonderful.
I still have some more tanslations to do as well – I hope we can fit them in. She has been fantastic, i will miss her. This is the problem with residencies, you make friends, you feel like you live here and then you leave. It all falls in to a memory, an ‘experience’, that you will probably realize the importance of years later.
As the weather has been cold, we have been frequently having ‘hotpots’ for lunch – a big boiling soup like dish filled ot the brim with chillies and oil. We then add vegetabels and meat. This is accompanied by beers to cool down the chillie. Its been pretty wonderful, however matt got really really sick – he was up all night, vomiting for hours the poor guy. I thought I might be next, but I seemed fine. Matt thinks the beer he drank might have been off.
We told the girls at Moon bar we will be leaving soon – oh, they got so upset about Pablo, our son leaving! Oh no! they cried, more chocolates came out, and he loves it.Oh, we should have free tea, free beer’ they say. I am left stumped again by the constant generosity.
