Honda Boxes

As I rounded the corner of the largest building on the campus where we study, I began to wonder if we would have a package in the mail room. You see, the mail system in China can sometimes be a little difficult, because it is not always uniform. We always have our mail from America, which is the only mail that we get, sent to the school. If we had it sent to our home we would receive a notice in Chinese telling us that we had a package and we could go down to the main post office, stand in line for a very long time, show our identification, and finally bring the package back home. This sounded like a lot of work, not to mention the time it would take (probably about an hour and a half). So we decided to have it delivered to the school, which we go to practically everyday. Now back to the story.

So I walked into the mail room at the school, and was greeted by two forty year old women friends who work there. They had a big smile on their face, which meant that they had a package that had English on it. My two friends, who do not speak English and I don't expect them to, only know me by my Chinese name...so when we get packages they rarely know if they are ours or not because they can't read English. So I rounded the counter and go back to where they are working and I begin to smile. HONDA. I saw a Honda Engine box and that could only mean one thing, my mom sent us some gifts from America. You see my mom works at a lawn mower business which is overflowing with Honda boxes that they get parts in. I didn't have to show my two friends my ID since they know my Chinese name and wouldn't even be able to read it and know that I am the person who the package was sent to. Then I throw it over my shoulder, tell the ladies thank you and their response is always "bu yong xie" which literally means no need to thank, or your welcome.

Then April and I carry the box home and by this time I know that my birthday presents are in it, and I know that as soon as I get home I am going to open it even though my birthday isn't for another week. Who is going to stop me? It is not like it was when I was a little kid and couldn't open my presents until the day of my birthday and even then not until it was the right time in the party. Or even before Christmas when the presents were sitting under the tree just tempting me to open them early. (which by the way I only did once, and then re-wrapped them) Sorry mom. So I opened up all my birthday presents a week before my birthday. I'm sure I'll get a comment on how now I will not have anything to open up on my birthday, but oh well. At least I can wear the new clothes that I got for my birthday on my birthday, oh yea, and eat the ENCHILADAS that we get to make (she sent us the ingredients to make our favorite enchiladas!) Fiesta! (which is a Spanish word...not a Chinese word)