A Pauper No More

As my mother prepared to pack her bags for China, I gave her strict instructions to pack lightly in a small backpacker's pack so that it would be easy for us to travel using the public buses, trains, and ox-carts. She did quite well, and when she arrived at the airport, she had a bright red pack full of all her daily needs.

However, rolling right behind her was bag number two, a big black rolling bag clearly weighed down and bulging slightly on the sides. Some would have expected me to scold her gluttonous packing, but instead she received kisses and many thanks as I tore into the suitcase packed with items I had requested from home. Aside from chips and salsa, I haven't really felt homesick for anything "American" so far. However, when I realized that my mom could literally bring me anything I wanted, I think I went a bit overboard in my requests.

Upon unpacking and sorting these 50+ American items, the net volume of my personal possessions and clothing increased by at least 100%. Let's just say that I'm ecstatic about my recent acquisitions:

1. I finally have shoes that fit, long pants, machine washable sweaters, sports bras, and shirts that come past my belly button (I'm apparently both fat and have a long torso according to Chinese standards).
2. Thin, hose-like socks weren't cutting it for my afternoon jogs in the park, so I had my mom bring a dozen pair of hanes plain athletic socks - my feet feel like they are resting on pillows.
3. I relocated my eyes and cheekbones after the arrival of my make-up bag and have honestly noticed a difference today in the number of people who stop to take my picture (is it just me, or is taking a point blank picture of a stranger a bit rude?). I, and everyone around me, are very excited about what a little blush, eyeliner, and powder can do.
4. We're lucky no one searched my mother's bags in customs lest they accuse her of plans to open a tampon dispensary in Beijing - a girlfriend and I had put in orders for a year's supply. Though you can sometimes find Playtex at a specialty import store, at a price of $11.00 USD per 20 tampon pack, this is an expensive monthly habit in Beijing.
5. Yes, it's Wal-mart crap, but to me, it's American-made gold: degree deoderant, a bottle of peppermint tums, another bottle of tums, unisom, ginger pills, burt's bees wax, wall putty, a pocket calender planner, and vitamins with a label I can read.
6. Those of you who know my sweet tooth, know that I couldn't resist an opportunity to receive homemade baked goods. My mother made her special brownies with butterscotch chips which I have been eating for breakfast everyday. Don't worry, my thighs could use a bit of extra padding after SE Asia.

I no longer have to do laundry every six days and finally have antacid for post-chinese meals. I wear make-up, jewelry, and have fashionable shoes. I think the daily stares I receive have gone from "that poor poor girl" to "did she win the lottery and have some sort of surgery?" Needless to say, I'm one happy American.

My mom and I will head out to backpack in and around Guilin, China tomorrow, so for tonight I'll slide on my new Reefs, grab my plain no sequin sweater from express, and head back to my newly Americanized abode to finish off the last of the brownies - I certainly couldn't let them go to waste.