We Found a Piece of Soil

I put a lot of pressure on myself to do things on my own. I want to be able to take care of myself, but sometimes it's just more efficient to use my resources: my Chinese friends.

Today was one of those days. I needed to mail a package and put minutes on my cell phone, and I wasn't sure how to accomplish either of these tasks. My friend Bear, who was working at the school, said she could help me out. 

As we were leaving the post office, I told Bear that I had seen an English sign earlier that morning for something called Soil Cafe. I inquired as to what it was. Bear, being in the know, told me it was an American-run coffee shop and asked if I wanted to go. I already felt bad that she had left work to traipse across Guiyang with me, but she assured me it was not a problem.

"You work for Aston and you are new in town," Bear said. "So this is my work."

We walked several blocks to Soil Cafe, and I wasn't sure what to expect. Coffee culture is different in China than it is in the United States, and I didn't want to get my hopes up. 

But it's amazing. I knew it was a winner when they started playing The Weepies music. The Weepies in China! 

I'm confident this two-story hangout will serve as a great refuge in the months to come. The coffee tastes great, the atmosphere is pleasing and the natural sunlight is perfect for an afternoon of lesson planning or, like today, warm drinks with a friend.