A perfect evening

I have no idea where half of my group is as I just walked in and apparently they just walked out.

Annie and I had the best night ever.

Today I was in the elevator after dropping my laundry off, and a cute guy (John Paul) walks in. I asked if he was American and where he was from. (Harrisburg PA)

It turned out that he had already met a few girls from our trip. He's here to do some research for the summer-he spent a semester (year?) in China last year and is working on a project.  He told me about this "great" pizza place ( I was skeptical) and a club next door.

Our group said they were down to go.

Only Annie and I ended up going a few hours later. The pizza at the Krow's Nest was AWESOME and huge. Bigger than Cappy's slices for all you Boston folk.  pictures to follow. Annie finally got the beer she had been hankering and was thrilled thereafter.  We spoke for a few hours over pizza and beers. They even has mozzerella sticks-good to know if I spend more time in Beijing. The place is owned by a Pittsburgh man, according to John Paul.  

John Paul in truly interesting-he is going to school (Shippensburg)  for finance and something international.  He speaks Chinese much better than we do and even reads and writes!  He opened doors all night for Annie and I and was a very good guide.

Next door to dinner was Vic's-a club that I can only describe as "straight out of Entourage" .  It was the kind of place that I feel like celebrities go to so I couldn't take pictures because I would seem nerdy.  Ladies night=free entry and free drinks. We have a Chinese exam/skit in the morning so I had one Tequila Sunrise.  John Paul introduced us to his very cute female Chinese friend. We all danced with a couple of strangers. John Paul convinced me to dance on stage with him and then left me so I looked stupid alone. Whatever-I stayed up there for awhile.  

I don't know where anyone is. I just saw 3 people in the hall, everyone else is apparently out. Oh I just saw Grace and Diana wasted with some really unattractive kid who Diana keeps telling me is sexy. Oh dear, I left that situation fast. 

It was a lovely evening.  

If my life was a movie John Paul and I would be getting married one day and move to China.

But I leave Beijing Friday :( :( :( and probably won't see him again.

Except, tomorrow he is taking us to a club called Propaganda.  The irony of a club with that name in Communist China is more than I can handle.

H

Laziness=Short Update

Tuesday

We went to a migrant school for girls
Great speaker. Don't feel like elaborating.
British version of Wheels on the Bus>American version
Dumplings for dinner. Massage after already mentioned.

Farms and Rivers and Swine, Oh My

Sunday
We had to leave by 7 a.m.
It's weird that the weekdays when we wake up at 7:30 we consider it sleeping in.

We went for a 5K walk around a river. We saw where water used to be but is now dry. I didn't know there was such a water crisis. Li Yan told us that in 2 years Beijing may run out of water and that in as little as 10 years the capital may have to be moved because of that fact. That's crazy. I also found out that the Chinese River Dolphins I wrote a report on haven't been seen since 2007. So much for my grand plan to see them at the Yangtze. Connie and Dave chased sheep. Dujan complained about walking. We crossed a river of human waste.
We were promised bagels and as Jew who is used to a good bagel, I was very skeptical. We arrived at a farm and took a tour. The farm was organic. There was a giant pig named Rupert or Fe Fe (fatty in Chinese). I listened to my doctor and didn't pet him. Grace pet him. We told her she's going to get swine flu. (Swine flu has hit China and I'm sure we will now get banned from even more places.)

We walked into the alleged bagel place for lunch. All my skepticism melted. The bagel stand I had pictured in my head was a bright building where food had been laid out as if for royalty. We ate. And ate. And ate.
There were DELICIOUS bagels, pizza bagels, ham (presumably from the brothers and sisters of Rupert but it was so good I didn't feel bad), fresh salad, vegetables, INCREDIBLE mint tea, the best lemonade ever, THE BEST AND MOST FRESH glass of milk I've ever tasted, the sweetest strawberries ever, BROWNIES! (I am desperate for chocolate) and almond cookies with centers that are supposedly illegal in America. I'll get more details on this.

The woman who started the farm was raised in NY and married a Chinese man. She runs the organic farm. The bagels come from the fact that she couldn't find a good bagel in China.

We also heard a woman speak. She was an environmentalist who has published books that aren't allowed in the China.


Annie Grace and I went to the Olympic Park to see the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube. Both are must sees. I never imagined a year ago when I watched the Olympics on tv that I would soon be in China at the same spot.





After that was dinner and the aforementioned Rooster Incident. Scroll down and read that entry if you haven't


Sorry I'm so far behind!
H

Thoughts on Health and Homesickness

First off:
I am healthy
I am not homesick

Everyone else in my group seems to be ill. Tom had pneumonia and has stayed in for a few days, about three kids have gone to the doctor/hospital, people keep missing lectures, classes, and tours to sleep. Half the group seemed to be missing for today's lecture. No swine flu, thought it has made it to China, causing us to be banned from a few places we were supposed to visit.

The rapidness that this flu is spreading with is incredible. I am watching globalization occur in real time. Chris talked to us today about SARS a few years ago and how they didn't deal with it well, so they are taking precautions for swine. We heard announcements on a loud speaker today telling the students that China had been exposed. I have my mask (thanks mom).
I hope this doesn't affect my after China travel plans. If so, I can just stay in China and go hug pandas with some friends that are going, but because we came to China early enough, we can prove that we are not infected and all should be well, according to Chris.

We constantly share germs here-we always eat off lazy susans that stick our chopsticks in the same dish. My immune system is awesome, luckily, and the worst symptom I have is a dry nose and runny eyes due to the pollen. I don't want to have to visit a Chinese hospital while I am here unless it is for an educational tour. I need to sleep more-I am exhausted and exhaustion often leads to illness.
If you are a believer, feel free to send a a message up to the big man upstairs for my health. If like me you are not, just send me some tissues, nasal spray (which I can't get here!) and eye drops.




I am not homesick either. My dad was nice enough to let me see my house on video chat.

H

I <3 Exchange Rates

I just got an hour long massage for $9 US. 60 yuan for 60 minutes.
My masseuse was a blind woman and she was great. I was clenching my toes because I was in pain, but it felt fantastic.
She kept asking "Too much?"
I may have to get one more before I leave

We just saw the weirdest thing in a liquor store...

We were walking to dinner and Grace was reaching for something in the store WHICH ALSO HAD CHEESECAKE FLAVORED ICE CREAM POPS! She stepped over a bag when something inside the bag moved. Grace freaked. We peered in the bag and inside were two live roosters. We booked it, except for Joe who was intent on making his purchase. Apparently the owner's baby daughter started to cry and the owner asked Joe to watch her for a moment. Joe went behind the counter and saw a person sleeping in a crate underneath. Joe doesn't know if was a man or a woman, or a child. He said, and I quote, "All I saw was a hand a bowl cut. So I said 'fuck this' and left."

Only in China.

The West Pizza

pictures I promised: