Personal space

I mentioned before that I am now riding the bus both to and from school every day. Riding the bus during rush hour is an adventure. At first I thought I might get a chance to practice Chinese, but people are really just not into talking in the morning. Driving to the campus (in a car) takes about 25 minutes, and on the way home when traffic is not too bad the bus only takes 35 minutes. But on the way to school in the morning, my ride is usually close to an hour (and has been as long as 1 hour 15 minutes, not that I was counting). With my iPod to keep me company, I make that trek to and from school each day. Today the bus was a bit late (though I am still figuring out the schedule). When it did arrive, I realized why it was so late. The bus was PACKED. It was so full that the driver was having people put their money in the front and get on in the back. I climbed aboard and was jammed into a mass of humanity. Now I really have let go of a lot of my personal space needs upon our time here in China. Today made me realize just how much I have relaxed in that area. At one point, I couldn't reach to hold on, but with all of the people around me there was no need.... I was held securely in place by all the people around me. A classmate of mine from the university was on the bus and commented how crowded the bus was and how it bothered her. I stopped to think about that statement for a moment and realized that I wasn't really bothered. I just looked upon it as just another reality of life in China. Not to say that things don't bother me or confuse me about this country. And I am sure that it would have bothered me a lot more if I was trying to keep track of our kids in that crowd. But it was just another day in a city of 7 million. Though I am looking forward to the day when the subway is completed. . . but I guess then I will be packed into a subway and not a bus! ;-)