Happppyyyyy new yearrrrr....
Today was not very busy I tried to rest up and make my knees get better...if they aren't better soon I think I might have to go to the hospital.
I woke up lateish today (like 8:30) and putzed around on the comp for a bit and went up to my advising appointment. In addition to 320 I will be taking a Chinese film class that meets once a week on Mondays for 3 hours (buhhhh) and a Chinese literature class that meets on Tuesday and Thursday for 1.5 hours. No class on Wednesday...random...but good
After my appointment I was STARVING so I came back downstairs and saw Matt, Persephone and Jingo eating delicious looking thingies so me and Scott went down the street to what we call 'Food Alley' to get some Dian Bing which is like a crepe type dealie with eggs and scallions and hot sauce stuff--pretty much the yummiest breakfast thing ever and they make it right in front of you just like crepes! After we came back I started some laundry and putzed around a little more and tried to rest up.
It wasn't long before I got antsy and lonely so I went out to take some pictures of my local area before I got too accustomed to my surroundings and thought they weren't special anymore. So I walked around taking pictures and then came back and went out to lunch with some peeps. We didn't have much time before we were supposed to meet our host families for chinese new year so we just ate at this local restaurant called 'Stairway to Love'. It's a pretty western joint, and accordingly, the most expensive meal I've had here, even if it was only 6 bucks. I managed to order (IN CHINESE!) a chicken sandwich with french fries and a diet coke. It was a cute cafe place that has wireless access so I can definitely see myself sitting there studying and whatnot. After we finished up we came back to campus to quickly get change, grab gifts for the families and leave.
While waiting for the host family to pick us up (there were 4 of us, me, Sean (who actually lives with this family), Anya, and Dan) I witnessed probably the most scary thing I have ever seen. I'm kind of unclear about the details but all of a sudden I see this guy run over and literally tear a branch off a tree and start swinging at this other guy, yelling. The other guy was holding this woman in front of him, using her for protection while she was struggling to get away. I think something happend where like the tree-branch guy and the lady were husband and wife and the other dude had cheated them or something... I don't really know. In any case it was really scary. Sean's host dad picked us up in his Jag and drove us to his really nice apartment, all the while telling us the ways that China was better than America, and telling Dan that he should find a girlfriend in Harbin because they're tall just like he is.
New Years was probably the most fun I've had since I've been here. We ended up at this couple's house that is VERY dapper and probably nicer than most houses in the US. We talked for a bit (IN CHINESE), and looked at pictures and made Jiaozi (dumplings) because it is Chinese tradition. The Chinese couple was hilarious and the dad liked to make fun of america and say how China was much better in every way (at least I think he was joking). We ate and drank a LOT! The host dad got me, Dan and Sean pretty drunk with all their toasts over and over again. I ended up biting into a Jiaozi with a date inside which Aiyi (aunt or older woman) said meant that I would get a boyfriend this year (yessss). We had a really good time teaching them english phrases like 'Super Duper' and they had a fun time making fun of us because we were drunk. Sean went into his room and passed out and the rest of us slept on couches until midnight when the fireworks started going CRAZY!!!!! Literally, the fourth of july and new years do not even hold a candle (ha ha ha) to the amount of fireworks that go on during Chinese new year. We looked out of the window of the apartment and fireworks were literally going off all over the city, some not even 30 feet from our window...they're still going on as I type this. I have videos but they really will not do it justice. We even went outside to light some of our own, before Aiyi drove us home.
Somewhat fittingly, Aiyi drove us back to campus and as we got out a bum came up and approached us for money. No matter how well off some people may be by capitalizing on China's immense economic growth and development, some will always be left by the wayside.
Pictures--
- Beebles in China!
- The Food Alley where there's restaurants and fruit stands and whatnot.
- A sort of outdoor exercise pavilion. These things are all over. They kind of remind me of Curves...maybe I would use them if it weren't so cold outside.
- The neighborhood where I go grocery shopping.
- Fireworks over Beijing
- Naima Mora from America's Next Top Model?!?!
Today was not very busy I tried to rest up and make my knees get better...if they aren't better soon I think I might have to go to the hospital.
I woke up lateish today (like 8:30) and putzed around on the comp for a bit and went up to my advising appointment. In addition to 320 I will be taking a Chinese film class that meets once a week on Mondays for 3 hours (buhhhh) and a Chinese literature class that meets on Tuesday and Thursday for 1.5 hours. No class on Wednesday...random...but good
After my appointment I was STARVING so I came back downstairs and saw Matt, Persephone and Jingo eating delicious looking thingies so me and Scott went down the street to what we call 'Food Alley' to get some Dian Bing which is like a crepe type dealie with eggs and scallions and hot sauce stuff--pretty much the yummiest breakfast thing ever and they make it right in front of you just like crepes! After we came back I started some laundry and putzed around a little more and tried to rest up.
It wasn't long before I got antsy and lonely so I went out to take some pictures of my local area before I got too accustomed to my surroundings and thought they weren't special anymore. So I walked around taking pictures and then came back and went out to lunch with some peeps. We didn't have much time before we were supposed to meet our host families for chinese new year so we just ate at this local restaurant called 'Stairway to Love'. It's a pretty western joint, and accordingly, the most expensive meal I've had here, even if it was only 6 bucks. I managed to order (IN CHINESE!) a chicken sandwich with french fries and a diet coke. It was a cute cafe place that has wireless access so I can definitely see myself sitting there studying and whatnot. After we finished up we came back to campus to quickly get change, grab gifts for the families and leave.
While waiting for the host family to pick us up (there were 4 of us, me, Sean (who actually lives with this family), Anya, and Dan) I witnessed probably the most scary thing I have ever seen. I'm kind of unclear about the details but all of a sudden I see this guy run over and literally tear a branch off a tree and start swinging at this other guy, yelling. The other guy was holding this woman in front of him, using her for protection while she was struggling to get away. I think something happend where like the tree-branch guy and the lady were husband and wife and the other dude had cheated them or something... I don't really know. In any case it was really scary. Sean's host dad picked us up in his Jag and drove us to his really nice apartment, all the while telling us the ways that China was better than America, and telling Dan that he should find a girlfriend in Harbin because they're tall just like he is.
New Years was probably the most fun I've had since I've been here. We ended up at this couple's house that is VERY dapper and probably nicer than most houses in the US. We talked for a bit (IN CHINESE), and looked at pictures and made Jiaozi (dumplings) because it is Chinese tradition. The Chinese couple was hilarious and the dad liked to make fun of america and say how China was much better in every way (at least I think he was joking). We ate and drank a LOT! The host dad got me, Dan and Sean pretty drunk with all their toasts over and over again. I ended up biting into a Jiaozi with a date inside which Aiyi (aunt or older woman) said meant that I would get a boyfriend this year (yessss). We had a really good time teaching them english phrases like 'Super Duper' and they had a fun time making fun of us because we were drunk. Sean went into his room and passed out and the rest of us slept on couches until midnight when the fireworks started going CRAZY!!!!! Literally, the fourth of july and new years do not even hold a candle (ha ha ha) to the amount of fireworks that go on during Chinese new year. We looked out of the window of the apartment and fireworks were literally going off all over the city, some not even 30 feet from our window...they're still going on as I type this. I have videos but they really will not do it justice. We even went outside to light some of our own, before Aiyi drove us home.
Somewhat fittingly, Aiyi drove us back to campus and as we got out a bum came up and approached us for money. No matter how well off some people may be by capitalizing on China's immense economic growth and development, some will always be left by the wayside.
Pictures--
- Beebles in China!
- The Food Alley where there's restaurants and fruit stands and whatnot.
- A sort of outdoor exercise pavilion. These things are all over. They kind of remind me of Curves...maybe I would use them if it weren't so cold outside.
- The neighborhood where I go grocery shopping.
- Fireworks over Beijing
- Naima Mora from America's Next Top Model?!?!
2 comments:
Yay for a boyfriend this year!
Sounds like things are starting to improve. Yay hen duo!
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