Bye Bye Beijing

Behind on posts as usual. We went to a middle school and played with kids. This is my favorite part. I brought Twister all the way across the world, and the kids really enjoyed playing. Keith and I read them a story and taught them some English. I met a woman at another lecture who is an international school teacher and she explained the process to me. I always seem to go back to the idea of teaching everytime I play with kids.



After dinner that night Josh Edek Krsten and I found a place outside the West Gate to hang out. They grabbed some beers and we had some AWESOME spicy kabobs. It was some of the best food I’ve had yet-street food of course. All the kabobs were soaking in a broth full of chili peppers. I had two different kind of noodles on sticks-a thick gelatinous noodle and a wheaty noodle. Noodles on sticks=good idea which should spread. I also had quail eggs which I’ve come to love. We saw a woman stomp on a mouse. On the way home we bought a bottle of wine called “China Wine”. This is like buying “American Beer”. Bad idea. GROSS wine-sorry Robin, I know I disappointed you.
Anne and I have been eating a lot of street food. We got noodles at a little booth with spicy sauce. We also drank a lot of bubble tea even though we can’t order the flavor we want. Less than a dollar means I’ll have any flavor they give me.

I already spoke about the best night ever that Anne and I had, but the same night our classmates went to the same club, though we never saw them, and got home really late and had a rough night. I was glad I got home early.

Anne and I took a Chelsea Reil recommendation and went to a Thai restaurant called “Serve the People”. It was in the Embassy district so we saw all kinds of people walking around. Elegantly dressed French people, a beautiful African woman in traditional garb, and Americans! Michael, a tour guide, recommended that I go to a place called Jenny Lou’s to get my cheese fix. It ended up being a great grocery store with every Western product imagineable. I got brie cheese, a baguette, a Hershey bar, and Oreos. Anne and I bought a bottle of Proseco which we split that night while eating the cheese and bread. It was excellent.

That afternoon we heard a lecture by Chris’s friend Carl who happened to be Michael’s brother. He was a white man who grew up in China and discussed doing business in China. His hoem was beautiful and I want to move in. He even found a cool cave which is now his wine cellar/basement.

That night was our “graduation ceremony” where we performed our Chinese skits and songs. The Chnese students bought us al presents. I wore a Chinese dress that I bought here. The dean offered us full scholarships for grad school if we learn Chinese. I wish.
Our group, the students, and our Chinese teachers all went to dinner. After we were all exhausted and hung out. I crashed early.

Our last class was in the monigng (I got a B+) and we went to the park. I joined a fitness class with old Chinese women.
Then we packed up and it was goodbye Beijing.