I just checked my email and a Jehovah's Witness in South Carolina emailed me. Huh? It's okay, he told me they have a Spanish congregation (he must have heard about my Latino love affair!...If you don't follow this, read the previous blog post). The JW email part is true. And, I have no idea.
This morning I ate a lovely breakfast buffet spread for one of our last remaining days at the hotel and then ventured to Taipa with Ray, another of the ETAs, to attend church again. After church, Ray and I went wandering through home stores and supermarkets looking at pricing for cups, bowls, etc., since all of us will be moving in this week. The bad thing about Taipa is that we have to get it back to the other island if we buy it there. Yikes-a-bee. Ray has the apartment next door to the girls (he really has it made since he has about 2/3 the space we do, but doesn't have any room mates. ...so we're making him cook for us and teach us Beyonce dances....and life is fair again.)
While venturing in Taipa and through the weekly Portuguese flea market, it began to rain. Most of the showers that we have experienced here have been short lived. This one was not. Unfortunately that meant a beautiful, free Sunday afternoon turned into trapped inside since we did not have umbrellas. You'll never guess where we ended up (Cuppacoffee!). So we sat chatting near the miniature toy store in the mezzanine about his life in NYC and L.A. and my different levels of drama in KY. Voila.
When we arrived back in Macau mid-afternoon, I laid down for a nap, but mostly ended up thinking about the apartment. I'm beginning to realize these are my last few days with constant A/C, someone to clean, and a free breakfast at my living quarters. When we move in 2 days, we will be walking a half hour to work versus the current 10 to 15 minute walk. Oh, life's little luxuries.
The evening brought us back to Cafe E.S.Kimo--the cheap place we eat at allllll the time. Then we ventured off to find an art display for 9/11. It was by an artist named James Chu. Apparently he attempted to do this display in the U.S. over the past 10 years at some point and was never allowed. So, up on the roof top (click, click, click...down through the chimney old St. Nick)...oh, darn, wrong season. So up on the roof top of a 10 story building, we saw an incense burning of art resembling the Twin Towers. It's always difficult to describe art, so I hope to post pictures in the future that do it a little more justice.
The artist also had 2 paintings and 2,977 bells hung up around the border of the roof that blew in the wind and represented each person lost in the attacks. It was deep and affecting, especially when the first tower of incense fell over. It was like reliving the moment a little bit. James Chu said that the point of his exhibit was to show that people all over should forgive and not harbor resentment for 10 years. He has a good point on forgiveness. It can be hard with loss and bitterness to do so, but we must.
Oh, and the most exciting story line of the evening: I got locked in my work building last night. Haha. Yeah. So the story being what you read last night and the guy knew I was in there, but didn't come tell me when he locked up. I closed out the blog and walked to the front of the building, only to find all the doors were locked. Great. I tried calling Ray (couldn't get through), texted Ray, called Lauren (couldn't get through), called my boss (couldn't get through)...hmmm. I kind of chuckled. Either way, I would have been fine, I had A/C in my office, water, snacks, a bathroom, and they'd come open it in the morning. The idea of sleeping in there kind of stunk though. I called the 'In Case of Emergency' number that was on the desk where the man who saw me walk in had been. The person on the other end spoke Cantonese....'Do you speak English?'...Cantonese response..."Ying mon? (the Cantonese pronunciation for English)...response in Cantonese containing the word "Ying mon"...he hangs up phone. Aye aye aye! So I went to the other side of the building. There was a girl student outside. I banged on the door, waved, etc. until she saw me. She went to get a security guard, who unlocked the door. Hooray! He said sorry (though he wasn't the one that locked me in). It really was my fault, but I went out praising God and thanking the student. ...and that's how the west was won. Haha.
I'm running out of time as I am NOT in my office at midnight, I'm on the hotel computer. Here I must close. In other news, I wandered Macau and found alternate routes to the apartment. I had no map and no street names. I was very glad to see that if I am diligent enough, I will find whatever I am looking for eventually. Once again, I am thankful for my father's sense of direction. (We have maps for brains).
Now, what shall we get into tomorrow? Oh, the suspense.
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