Initiative, go!

Last week I met a grad student from Arkansas! She's doing public policy research in China, and interviewing lots of art galleries. She mentioned that her translator recently bailed on her, and so on a whim a few days later I shot her an e-mail offering to translation for her interviews. This way I could practice translating, get exposure to her research, ask some questions of my own, and make a friend! It worked well. She was really glad to have someone to go with (she doesn't speak any Chinese), so on Thursday we went exploring. We found a charming, isolated district hidden in the middle of the city, with grassy hills and implausibly large sculptures. We interviewed and interviewed and got into some juicy topics that I hope to use in my senior thesis, like differences between China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan on issues of art and globalization. Then we had a jolly time touring galleries (including one interior design gallery with only kitchens on display). It'll be fun to see what else we'll get ourselves into next week. It amazes me, though, how many awesome opportunities are just waiting out there to be grabbed, with an e-mail or a phone call. Initiative, go!

In other news: Will, Andi and I finally went to the fabric market, and it was as good as could be expected. I got fitted for a suit (for a nice square 50 USD!), and am having a couple of linen ties custom-made. I get to pick them up in a week. Like always, barganing was a crazy, acting-heavy game. Will, Andi and I are all Psych/CogSci majors, so we enjoyed analyzing the emotional games the professional-grade shopkeepers will put you through to get you to pay more. One even took fifteen minutes to explain the process of how ties were made, from the way the fabric is cut, to the taylor specifications and everything. Overall, an experience worth paying money for in and of itself.

All that, and starting to run far.