Bike Ponchos of Wuxi

Last Tuesday, June 14, was very wet.  While that was a bit unpleasant and inconvenient for me, it gave me the chance to take pictures of a subject that you might find interesting.  I would like to show you what my bus ride home looked like:

Typical Bike Poncho

E-bike riders wear them too.

The e-bike ponchos often have slits for mirrors, and a clear panel for the headlights.

This poncho has a front flap large enough to protect the basket.

Poncho Blowing in the Headwind

No raingear for this couple.  They're sitting under a viaduct, waiting for a break in traffic.  Presumably they have their love to keep them warm.

Cyclist with Umbrella

I have not yet attempted this technique.

Nor do I wish to try it.  It looks precarious.

Trike rider with an umbrella; somewhat more stable.

Frontal view of e-bike poncho in use.

Another Bike Poncho

The child sitting in the passenger seat (click for larger view) is also wearing a poncho.

Yet Another Bike Poncho

Some of them go pretty fast.

Two motorcycle taxis with special umbrellas fixed to their bikes, to protect the passenger as well as themselves.

Sea of umbrellas

See that motorcycle next to the bus, with the white boxes strapped on the top and side?  That's typical here, too.

A pink umbrella is better than nothing.

Even a pink ruffled umbrella.

And now, for variety, a pair of commercial trucks.

Commercial trucks apparently have to paint their license number on the tailgate.

Is the tailgate number more legible than the license plate?

Perhaps a little bit.

Can you read the tailgate number?

Two on an e-bike.  Apparently, a mom taking her daughter home from school.

One of the less-expensive e-bikes; still has a passenger seat.

I don't know how much a flapping poncho increases drag.  Apparently, not enough to make people adopt more aerodynamic rain-gear.  The relatively warm temperature might have something to do with it.

So, what does this say about China?  Riding bikes in the rain, wearing street clothes, is apparently so common that stores here sell a type of bicycle rain gear not found in the U.S., and this is the most common type of rain-gear used by those on bikes or e-bikes.  (BTW, I went to Carrefour on Saturday to purchase one of these ponchos myself, but they were sold out.)  This is not recreational riding; this is transportation.  I doubt people would be riding in the rain if they had a choice.  So, they must not be able to afford more comfortable transportation.

Now, some people in China can afford comfortable transportation.  One nice Chinese girl that I know, whose English is good enough to translate sermons, does have her own car, a fairly nice one.  She's given me a ride in it a few times.  I know that her last job involved translating between English and Chinese, and it probably paid pretty well.  Her current job, for a German company, apparently requires speaking English as well.  She is fairly young, and apparently in graduate school.  It seems that knowing English, more than anything else, allows access to the good jobs in China.

Knitting
Well, I may have located a source for knitting needles.  It's in the Chinese market I mentioned earlier.  Also, I showed my knitting to a Chinese friend (the girl mentioned above) when she was over at my apartment.  She apparently practices some kind of fiber craft (I don't quite understand what), and knows a store near where she lives with her parents; unfortunately on the other side of Wuxi.  She did, however, volunteer to buy things for me, whatever I needed.  I told her I'd see what I needed after my care package arrived.

Also, I'm in the process of binding off my brown cardigan.  I did have to rip out a small swatch (the smallest of three) to have enough yarn to finish the ribbed button band.  I'll take a photo when I finish, and when the lighting is good.  I'm starting to plan my button-shopping trip; hopefully I can take a Chinese friend along.

The cap of the helmetliner is finished; I only have the face ribbing to do, and it looks like I'll have plenty of yarn.

Also, I finally tested the thrift-store DPNs I bought against my needle gauge.  They are apparently not numbered in US, British, or Metric sizes.  I don't even remember what sizes they actually were, except that one of them was about a US #10½.  Apparently they are sized with some Chinese needle size system.  Well, I don't think I have any other DPNs in that size, so they may still be useful.  I would like to have a needle gauge that measures in mm and not just US sizes.

Prayer Requests
I'm starting to develop relationships outside of school.  Praise God for the body of believers, being able to gather together in fellowship!  Otherwise, it could be pretty lonely here.  I enjoyed eating supper with a Chinese girl at my apartment on Thursday.  She works in my neighborhood, and she offered to drive me to the fellowship at the apartment of a couple that participates in the international worship service.  She came to my apartment, and I served stir-fried rice before we left for the fellowship.  Then, on Sunday after church, we attended a Chinese wedding, and ate lunch there together.  She's pretty nice.  I hope I can get to know her better.

I had to deal with a discipline issue today.  It was the student I mentioned in the last post, the one who made the obscene gesture.  She apparently didn't really know what it meant.  I assigned her lines in English and Chinese.  I had to go to the school administration to get them to enforce it.  I was disappointed that my teaching assistant didn't back me up, but glad that the administration did support me.  Please pray for my relationships at school, with the students as well as with my colleagues and administration.

Also, tomorrow the students start taking their finals.  Please pray that they will try hard and remember what they have studied.

That about does it.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  God's blessings to you all.