On the Street Where I Live

My favorite part of the day is walking home from work at nighttime. The weather in Guiyang has warmed considerably in the last week, which makes the evenings quite pleasant. Also I enjoy having a bit of solitude time after teaching energetic Chinese kids all day.

Guiyang is known for it's nightlife. And it's fun because I live right in the center of the city. There are tons of night markets and little vendors selling food that line the street where I live. I've been quickly reminded why I came home from my last excursion to China a vegetarian. You can have any part of any animal you want to eat, and it's all just sitting out on trays under the florescent bulbs that light the tents, hoping to allure you. 

The Japanese eggplants are more my style, and last night a vendor near the school was selling the most beautiful cherry tomatoes. I have loved cherry tomatoes since I was a little girl when my father used to grow them in our vegetable garden in the back yard. I would follow him around, picking the fruit right off the vine and munching on them as he worked. 

I am incredibly cautious to wash all my produce, and of course I washed my tomatoes after buying them. Apparently not well enough, as they have been reeking havoc on my stomach all day long. I have been so sick I couldn't work tonight.

Street food always looks so inviting. I like the idea of buying produce off the street rather than the grocery, especially because I want to be a part of the vibrant atmosphere that is taking place right outside my door. But I need to come up with a better system for cleaning this produce because I don't want to have to endure another day like today.