New Eyes

I meant to mention this in my blog post yesterday, but one thing that was interesting with having Max here was seeing China like new again.  Even though I've only been here two months, many of the things which shocked me on first arriving have become common place now, so it was interesting to get a new little shock when Max exclaimed about them.  The ubiquitous TVs on all the public transportation…the dump hidden from the road by a sheet metal wall…the nasty smell in many areas…the smog…fruit stands everywhere…how new and efficient the metro is…yummy street food everywhere…   

He also noticed things which were new to me, such as: how short everything is - he hit his head perhaps once a day while visiting as everything is just made for shorter people.  He could see all the way down the metro train because he was a good head taller than anyone else on the train!  At the lantern festival we went to, he noticed that the bumper cars were not run by an electric net on the roof like at home, but by a grid of varying electrical charge on the ground.  Apparently very dangerous if anyone fell out - and I would never have noticed!  He also discovered that my bicycle folds in half - who knew!  My epic voyage home on the bus with the new bike was totally in vain - I could have just folded it and gotten on the metro!    On the whole, it was very interesting having him here, it was like moving to China all over again for a week!

Adam and I have just arrived in Shanxi Province, to a small city called Yangcheng, where we will participate in (mostly observe) the investigators' meeting and beginning of a cervical cancer screening trial called START-UP.  On Sunday I might get to pilot my study.  So far, we have eaten enormous amounts of yummy food and now we are staying at a ridiculously nice hotel.  Probably nicer than any hotel I've stayed in at home - there's free bath robes, and complimentary water, flashlight, coffee, tea, hair dryer, couch, internet, etc etc.  I hope the day tomorrow goes as well!