Back on track with the Asian Adventures: J and I had a meeting with some possible vendors, and we were excited to meet them. We were picked up in a taxi and whooshed (is that a word?) away! I was crammed in the back of our tiny cab with 2 others, and our driver thought he was in a Nascar race. Amid many horrified moments I endured was when the girl next to me decided that she was car sick and needed to vomit. Those of you who know me understand that I am totally, emphatically and undeniably freaked out by this natural occurrence. My immediate response was to insist that I be let out of the car immediately. Well, the driver laughed, while everyone searched for plastic bags, as we were going about Mach 2 in heavy traffic. I did not care that I had no idea where I was, that I was in the middle of the road with cars hurtling by us on both sides; I only knew that our bodies were practically enmeshed together and I would end up wearing it. I freaked her out so badly that she managed to contain it! I think I really impressed them...
Hours later, we wrapped up sketches for casting settings and cubic zirconia cuttings, and they were going to treat us to dinner. Oh boy! I was starving.
We walked to the restaurant, a mere few blocks away. Imagine my surprise to find our dinner options outside the door! Yummy frogs, snakes, etc. happily wiggling away.
I decided that maybe I wasn't very hungry, after all. Plain white rice, please! Our gracious hosts were determined to order a feast, and I had my very own "A Christmas Story" experience. They brought out a rooster, cooked, head and all-including that little wiggly red part! I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing. (Now, I don't mean any disrespect at all-just coming from America these things were outside of my normal existence.) Everyone looked at me, and I explained to J why I was laughing. She told them, and again, just like the movie, someone came over and whacked off the head, right there at the table. "Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra, ra, ra..." kept circling in my warped head!
Then I really, really expressed my professionalism. I broke down in tears at the table. Yes, I did. I was just so outside of my element, and felt so undeniably weak. I missed my husband and sons terribly, was in a land on the other side of the world where I couldn't speak the language and stomach the food. I had an all out "Pity Party," right there at the table. (At least it wasn't wailing, just a stream of tears that I couldn't shut off.) I just told J to explain to them that I was homesick and excused myself.
After a few minutes, I pulled myself together and came back to the table. I guess I just needed a meltdown, because after that, and a few Pearl River Beers, things began looking up! All in all, I think I did America proud! (NOT)
