An average day.... in the life of Sammy

I just got back from my 1:1 class (the public health professor). Another pretty interesting class – we spent an hour discussing AIDS and prevention methods, how migrant workers receive and use information, who the waitresses are and where they’re from… etc. It appears that just like America a wide range of birth-control practices are used and condom use (which is the only method that protects against disease) is high is some populations. As I said earlier the cost of condoms is often prohibiting as is the use of other birth-control methods, but the fact that condoms are sold at pubic locations is also prohibiting, especially for people from more traditional societies (as is the case of workers from rural areas). Even when given away free, as is done during AIDS information sessions, servers/workers shy away from taking any. My professor also doesn’t seem to know which birth-control method is used by the waiters/waitresses that she surveys (I would think that would be part of her survey). She suspects that if a waitress becomes pregnant and is not married she secretly has an abortion. So maybe little birth-control is used? I’ll have to look for a study on this. After discussing these issues for a while we went to a tea shop for the second hour of our class. I’m really beginning to enjoy her, in all her quirkiness – for instance she has false teeth and often plays with these with her tongue, and has a very interesting/ slightly wicked laugh. So after all my complaints I’m beginning to like her and she is beginning to like me. She even gave me some Chinese herbal medicine that I think is helping my sneezing fits that plague me every morning. There must be something in the air – I think it’s just dirt because one day of no dusting leaves a layer of dust/dirt on my desk, computer, etc.
It’s also suddenly become cold here, sweater/jacket weather. Cold enough to get you sniffing. I’ll have to buy a specially made goose-feather coat!
I have little else to say… I did find an organization that does some community volunteering so hopefully that will give me a good opportunity to get a deeper look into the Chinese life-style/ society and also give me Chinese practice!
Going to work the rest of the night on some homework and maybe some ping-pong if time allows!