We still do not have electricity. We contacted our employers and they had one of our co-workers give us the information to receive electricity. Denny and I were on the bus to the “electricity place” when he was talking to a Chinese person to figure out where the place was located. The woman laughed when he asked where it was because at 8pm it wasn’t open. Denny was thinking electricity was similar to what it was in Tianjin, prepaying on a card at a convenience store. Sadly that wasn’t the case and as a woman, my biggest concern was our food in the fridge, especially the expensive meat. I brought this concern to Denny and suggested that we call a newly married couple, Michelle and Kevin, whom we had met in the hallway a day ago. I wanted to ask them if we could put our necessary items in their fridge temporarily.
I called Michelle and she said she wanted to speak to her husband and then she would call me back. Minutes later after sitting in our dark apartment we heard a hopeful knock at our door.
Michelle and Kevin said that they could pay for our electricity online using a Chinese debit card, and we could pay them in cash. WOW, what a blessing. Michelle had mentioned that she had seen a notice on the lobby floor that our apartment was close to no power. Good thing we know Mandarin to read the warning, right? Denny prefaced to them that in China we are like four year olds because we don’t know things like where to get electricity, water, gas and internet. Those quests are for another day and hopefully before they go out.
They invited us into their home while we were figuring out the logistics of the payment. Tea, giggles and conversations filled the evening. We were told we will be getting electricity within 24 hours. It’s a waiting game.
No electricity can be frustrating or an easy bug to complain about but also an opportunity to count blessings and have an imagination. I joked with my hubby that me getting ready for bed was like what I imagined it being for a woman in the late 1800’s by candlelight. We really don’t need that much light to survive but a candle because of surrounding big city lights of Qingdao, China. It’s an adventure and I am living my dream. Earlier tonight Denny had asked the Chinese couple what their dream was and it was to travel the world. Their answer is a copy-print of the many others who aspire this same dream. I am living it and I am living proof you can too. Yes, there are bumps, which can be looked at as tickle-me-tummy hills but it’s in this dream I befriended another culture, received love, and traveled time living by candlelight.
P.S. We woke the next morning with the electricity back on. Thank you God.
