It’s been about a week since I’ve sat down to write anything. We (meaning everyone at the hospital) have been figuring out our new routines but now it all seems to have smoothed out. The staff have been moved to an apartment complex about a half hour walk from here, some have chosen to stay in Huaihua, about a half hour bus ride, so our morning routine starts a bit later, but I don’t mind that at all. One of the translators feels she needs to get a bike for her morning and evening commute to the apartment, Simon offered to help her choose one, because she has never ridden a bike before! This comes as a surprise but apparently she is not alone among adults here. This will seem like a huge cultural generalization, but I thought bikes were intrinsic to Chinese transportation! I guess I am wrong on that point. Speaking of which, I had promised the girls something special when we moved to the new hospital, and we’ve followed through…


Emily and Maddie are proud owners of a bike and a trike. They are ecstatic! Emily runs out the door as soon as she is finished breakfast to start riding, and rides until the sun sets (go girl!). We’ve decided to keep the training wheels on Em’s bike while she gets used to the hand brakes, and we don’t have a helmet for her yet. It’s on the list on the next shopping trip into Huaihua. Maddie likes zooming up and down the large hallways on her crazy-looking tricycle. Either that or they get pushed around on a wheelchair by their 14 year old friend, Nura. We are very happy to see them so excited to ride around, and to be able to get some much needed exercise; not so attainable in the middle of a busy downtown setting. Luckily the hospital has only 4 patients, including me, so the girls can ride around to their heart’s content and make lots of noise. The bonus for us…they cost, together, $40.