Here's what my schedule looks like, by the way

Hey, for a real update this time I'm going to let you know formally what classes I'm teaching on what days.

Tuesdays: Survey of English Speaking Countries. Minsheng College Transfer Juniors, Class 3. About 45 students. 14:30-16:20.

Wednesdays: Business English Conversation. Eurasia College Freshman, Class...? About 25 students. 10:10-12:00.

Audio-Visual Comprehension. Foreign Language College Juniors, Class 2. 31 students. 14:30-16:20.

Thursdays: Audio-Visual Comprehension. Foreign Language College Juniors, Class 1. 32 people. 8:00-9:50.

Fridays: Audio-Visual Comprehension. Foreign Language College Juniors, Class 3. 32 students. 8-9:50

Audio Visual Comprehension. Foreign Language College Juniors, Class 4. 32 students. 10:10-12:00.

Survey of English Speaking Countries. Minsheng College Transfer Juniors, Classes 1 and 2. 90-100 students, probably. I've never counted. 14:30-16:20.

I'll go in depth about these different classes and structures tomorrow.

Right now, remember this: Eurasia college < Minsheng College < Foreign Language College.

That's how the acceptance goes, anyway.

Also:

Freshman < Sophomores < Juniors < Seniors < Grad School Students (equal or less than) Foreign teachers < Regular teachers < College Senior staff < College Vice Dean

A letter I've been meaning to write

Dear Jon-Michael,

Who are you?

That's a strange way to start the letter. But sometimes, Jon-Michael, I'm afraid. I'm afraid that you and I are actually the same person. I'm afraid that when you left China you never actually left, and that I was reborn to be the replacement English teacher for the next year. So when you hopped on the plane, your soul was transplanted into my awaiting body, because everyone knows there's no lands outside China. It's all an illusion.

I have inherited your apartment. What happened to the apartment, Jon-Michael? It was so dusty, but now I know that wasn't your fault. You did leave a lot of assignments in a drawer, though. That was a lot of paper to throw away. You also left a few glasses, and a bucket for which I am thankful. But you also left a broken heater (maybe you also did not know how to use it?) and wax on the floor.

Where did the wax come from, Jon-Michael? Were you making candles? Were you making soap? I can't imagine why on earth there is red/brownish wax on my floor. At least I was informed that the lizard skeleton and the writing on the walls was not you.

Did the writing bother you too? Did it whisper to you, our soul from three years ago, a message? I imagine it actually says to me, "Hello!" and "This is a cool place to go!" and "All who inherit this apartment are actually the same person!"

Do you know what else I have inherited from you, Jon-Michael?

Your students.

They talk about you. All the time. As if I should know you. As if I should be you. Constantly they remind me of how we should be the same. I inherited your apartment, after all.

This is no more evident than today, when I translated a Japanese speaker from a news story. Our students, our awesome students, they said, "Oh, you speak Japanese! Just like Jon-Michael!"

I then explained that I'd lived in Japan for a year and a half, which is why I understood Japanese.

"Oh! Just like Jon-Michael! He lived in Japan too! He was also a very fun teacher!"

Who are you? Why do you haunt me at every turn? You and I, we speak Japanese, we have the same apartment, but we're not alike, right?

Right?

Oh wait.

Our birthdays.

I'm a day older than you. Officially.

Somehow I do not find this comforting. Somehow this theory of mine, that I am your reincarnated soul in China, it holds more water with this fact.

So I've tried to learn about you, but there's only so much I can learn from people. I know you were a vegan. I know you liked drinking. I know you were a lot of fun, and that your students love you even now and have not forgotten you. You were everything I am not; shorter, skinny, vegan, and a man.

Why do you haunt me so? Why do you fill my thoughts, making me everyday wonder about what sort of person you are?

Wait.

I remember.

You named your wireless "The Poopery".

...

WHO DOES THAT?

With much love,

The person who inherited your apartment, students, and cannot figure you out for the life of me but I'm pretty sure you're a cool guy,

Eaaf

PS ALSO WE TOLD THE SAME HALLOWEEN STORY NOES

Trick or Treat

Today was Halloween. Not really, but I explained Halloween to my conversation class. I'd ask them what they would be. One girl said Sailor Moon. One girl said a teacher, but I didn't think she understood the question, so I asked again. She said fairy. Among my favorites were Iron Man and fish.

Then I took them trick or treating, going to Will's class first. We had candy, and then we left (I'll bring some to Will's class next week since they didn't get any candy), and we went to Adam's class for more trick-or-treating. Adam's class was last, and since there was extra, we tossed it out to the students so they could fight over it. My class wanted to keep going trick-or-treating, but I had run out of treats. I told them on Halloween, anyone who comes to my house will be able to get candy. :)

They liked the trick-or-treating very much.

Movie in the Survey Class

This afternoon my survey class was ahead of the other (they were at a meeting), so I showed them the movie Blow Dry to get a taste of what English countryside life is like.

There were dead people (in China they cremate their loved ones), there was high fashion, there were small town jokes, a lot more seriousness than I remembered, and, oh yes, lesbians.

I forgot for a moment that might ick some people out. Right. Sorry class, better get used to the foreigners okay with sleeping with people of the same gender. Not everyone is okay with it, but society has come to accept it, no matter how grudgingly, and it shows up in our media. Whoops.

They enjoyed the lack of quiz, though.

And there were sheep! It's always fun to see sheep.

Other than that, remember the student who I explained sex to? Well, she asked me questions today about the female anatomy. She'd never seen a picture of a uterus before, let alone know what all the different parts were. Nor did she know why women had their period before, either. So I showed her lots of pictures of diagrams, uterus, clitoris, penis, and baby diagrams (I will say I like the baby ones the best). I explained how giving birth works ("It's so big! How can it fit?").

She says she's afraid of being dumb, or sounding stupid. But she's not stupid. Not by a long shot. She's curious, and wants to know, and smart about so many things, so when I explain to her I feel like I'm explaining how to construct a sentence in English. She asks a lot of questions and we go into each one. It takes time to learn this stuff.

I don't mind explaining. I rather like finding out what schools do and don't teach you in China, and I enjoy informing people. I try to do it in a way that they don't feel awkward, either, and I don't beat around the bush. I'd rather give her some sex education, because I feel that that's necessary to have safe sex. She was telling me of classmates that didn't know about condoms existing, got pregnant, and ended up having back-door abortions that left them unable to have children. Oh, and the guys left them. None of that should happen. They should have been informed and given the tools to make safe sex choices. (Because, when it's said in done, those that want to have sex will have sex, and I'd rather make it safe that not acknowledge what they're going to do).

So I had fun with that.

Then I went to English Corner, had cake, had more cake. I also somehow managed to steal William's hat, so now I have a green hat. (If a man in China wears a green hat, it means his wife/girlfriend is cheating on him). Granted, the hat is not mine for keeps, but whatevs. I will have it for today, and will probably give it back in the morning. But it makes for a neat social custom story, so it's justified.

Adam's Birthday

Posting pictures tomorrow.

Had tickets to a few parks, so I went with Ann, Will, Tamir, and a student named Viola to a park about a female soldier. It was pretty cool; I also got a fight taped after it. (I only had 5 tickets, and as I went outside to invite people I ran into 4 other people, and they were the ones who came with me).

Then we went to Lazy Cat Pizza, with really good pizza and we ate a bunch for Adam’s birthday!

While we were on our way there, we almost got hit by a bus. The driving in Kaifeng is bad, and I always think there will be an accident, but this one the bus was a couple of centimeters away after it stopped from our rickshaw, and there was nowhere to jump out. We all passively looked at the bus, and thought, “Well, possible we’ll get hit by that bus, not much we can do”. The driving in Kaifeng is really bad, like I said, and there are a lot of almost accidents I’ve been in- far too many for USA driving standards- but this one was pretty bad. When we’re in a rickshaw, there is really nothing keeping the bus from us.

So that was a bit scary. Though I’m partially telling you this story because often when you are in a rickshaw or taxi or car, you will have far too many close calls for you to keep caring about each individual one- scary as the bus was, I’ll have forgotten it, I’m sure, in a week.

Current Event Time

If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you’re aware that there’s been a girl in China who was run over by two vans, and passed by many people on the street until someone, a street sweeper, called for help and rescued her. This event has sparked a lot of controversy, as many people talk about how China needs to re-embrace its moral code and how people need to help one another. (The girl died if you have not heard that new part of information).

Today a student came by, J, and helped explain it to me. J had some extra tickets she wanted to give me, so I accepted them. I can now get into a few parks for free sooner, and not just after Nov. 1rst, when I originally thought I would! (I was going to attempt a Monday update about a new park I visited once that arrived).

J said a year ago, there was a similar incident, except it involved an old woman. The old woman was hit by a car in Nanjing (according to her), and a man rushed over to help. The old woman ended up suing the man and took the case to one of the highest courts. The old woman won.

So now nobody wants to help people in China. She asked me if I would, and my response was naturally, “of course!” but then I took a moment to think. Would I help someone I saw in the street? And the answer in China is no, I would not. I don’t know enough Chinese to rush to anyone’s rescue, I don’t know how to flag help (I can't even call for it), and also, I am aware foreigners get blamed a lot for any accident they show up in, helpful or not. Does this make me a bad person?

….

Last night the Beloit Professors left. I got to thank Betsy for helping me get the job in Kaifeng, mentioned I was leaning toward two years here (I say this with a grain of salt, but yeah, I can see myself here for another year), sang at karaoke. With a Peking Duck restaurant, it was really quite delicious!

Awkward Question Time

Today I started class as I normally do, which is ask about their week. I’m teaching TV and listening, so I figure conversation isn’t going to ruin the entire syllabus. The students of my Thursday class are aware that I sleep late and enjoy waking up past 6am (why China, do you get up so early), so they asked what time I woke up. I told them the truth, which was 7:30. Then someone asked about what I did for breakfast, and I told them I had no breakfast.

They all gasped and told me that was unhealthy, and then they asked if I was ever hungry. And I said no, and if I don’t feel hungry I don’t go eat, and sometimes I miss lunch, too.

This created more gasps and someone asked me if I had an eating disorder, and aren’t those popular in America?

I laughed and said that I eat when I’m hungry and I’m a fan of eating as I patted my stomach. But then we started talking about anorexia and bulimia and how and why people have these disorders in the states.

These questions may seem strange, but actually, I welcome them. They’re so different from the questions I normally get (every day at English Corner, it’s “Where are you from?” “When did you get to China?” “Why did you come here?” “How old are you?”). But this was not the most amusing question of the day.

Tonight, to celebrate the Chrysanthemum festival this week (Kaifeng’s special festival), there was a concert put on by the students. I went for a little while, but then I went to English Corner, where I was the only teacher there. So 40-some students gathered around me, some left afterwards, but I told them to ask me anything at all. We talked about Mac computers, about life in the states and buying a house, etc.

It gets better.

Adam had gone to the festival, and when he came back he brought with him 4 teachers; Morgan, from Alaska/Seattle/California (not sure where exactly), Tim, from Australia (not sure where), and Toby, from Germany (also not sure where).

Toby is strange, new and exciting to the students, so they asked him to introduce himself. He said “Mein Name ist Toby” (I think, that’s what it sounded like, anyway). The students laughed and asked him to say it again, but in German. I laughed and explained that he was speaking German, and long ago, English and German were the same language, so sometimes they sound the same (but it’s important to remember that the grammar is vastly, vastly different).

So then the most interesting question of today was asked. “Do you like Hitler?” one student asked Toby. He asked me first (apparently I was a translator for fast speech or politically correctness, and I continued to translate when Adam and Toby started talking to each other quickly (Tim was doing things on his own, bein’ awesome like that)). Toby took the question in stride, with a few jokes, too, and explained that no, he did not like Hitler and Germany was very strict about not liking Hitler, to the point, he thought, that they focused on it a little too much. He’s a history teacher normally, so he thinks the history books focus too much on Hitler and could be focused on something else. He explained how the German flag is rarely shown, and how the German government cracks down on anything that might be related to the Nazi party.

There was no awkwardness, really. Just like in class earlier this morning- it’s good to answer questions as we explain our cultures, and it’s nice to have questions that are not “where are you from?”

No matter how shocking they may seem.

After Conversation Class today:

Finished with my conversation class. They’re so cute and tiny. Not all of them, but they’re young, and energetic. One student, Young, didn’t show up today- well, if he doesn’t show up, then he gets no attendance points. Several students did not do their homework so I reminded the class that they are graded on the homework and it is part of their final grade.

That scared a few.

Oh well. We did an example telephone conversation at the beginning of class. I was going to originally cover two chapters, but then I had the students read the Request and Offer dialogue out loud. It covered important things, like “tips”, and I noticed many people rushed through the words and took unnatural pauses, and emphasized the wrong words. So I taught them, with chalk and use of the flat line, how to emphasize “oh my god” correctly (you don’t say that phrase flat, guys). We talked about tips, I asked how we could tell about a request or an offer through script (could you, would you, can you, if you don’t mind, I can, I would, etc.)

Then we talked about pauses, and I made them pause and raise their voice for a question. We talked about how to make the word “cat” a question (raising your voice), and we talked about how different inflections mean different things. I used the sentence “I didn’t steal the cookie this morning”, and how by stressing a different word, the sentence has a different meaning. It was a lot of fun. Especially the pauses, they really make someone sound native or not native, I think.

Update for the suicide stuffs

So the update on the suicide thing. I asked Jackie about what happened and what’s going on, if as a foreigner it’s being not talked about in front of me. Jackie was very honest and said that everyone knows, but nobody talks about it. Every year, he said, 5 to 6 students kill themselves, and the college never talks about it openly. The parents are mad, but nobody wants to mention it.

Tonight as I was rounding down English corner, a girl came to talk to me. She was in my class on Friday. My Friday afternoon class has been cancelled since they all have a meeting. She was upset that she wouldn’t be able to make it up, and she told me she really wanted to study Queen Victoria (who shows up next lesson), and if we made the class up on Saturday or Sunday. She’s leaving for the weekend, because she was on the first floor and the girl fell underneath her window, and she needs to get away. We talked a little bit about if she could talk to people, why she didn’t feel she could, that everyone feels guilty, and I hugged her three times. Then I told her I’d be online for her if she needed me, and we’re talking on qq messenger right now.

Adam also talked to her, but he didn’t feel comfortable hugging her- in the states, no problem, but in China, there’s all sorts of questions that rise in your head for culture. But I hugged her, as being a woman, it was less of a problem for me to hug a female student.

So for next week, I’ll cancel Tuesday’s class. For Friday, they have a meeting instead of class, so there is no class, and that’s not something I can change. I won’t try to make it up, either. I planned for an extra week in case things went wrong.

Suicide in University Dorm

Today I went into class, started with a quiz (they liked this one better, it was multiple choice), talked about the second half of British History (it was from Civil War to the end of World War Two. I know I've rushed it, but I've got five countries in one semester so we're just rushing through everything. Britain has enough history to get two classes).

At the end of class, I was informed that my students were going back to the dorms. They no longer think I speak fast, but now that they know they are not graded on what I say (these are transfer students who come from many different walks of oral English, and I didn't think it fair for those who have not been exposed to oral English before). I walked back with a few to where I get out, and they told me that maybe I heard from Ben or Adam, but there had been a suicide last night. They only knew that the girl had jumped from the top of the dormitory, many people could not sleep because they were afraid, and that the girl called her friends and said "I want to die" but the roommates thought she was joking.

I told them if they wanted to talk, please talk to me. And I thought back to all the times I've seen or heard people I know tell me about how they'd attempted suicide. I so wish nobody had attempted. But the reality was, I did have many friends who'd attempted suicide, though they all told me well after the fact (mostly they tell me a few years after the fact, when they have recovered from those feelings, and it takes me by surprise when I realize I had no idea at the time). Not one friend, but a handful of friends. And that feeling showed up again and apparently was obvious on my face ("I didn't mean to make you sad! I'm sorry!")

My heart went out to the girl. I wondered what sort of pressure she must have felt. I talked about it with Adam, and he expressed concern about if there were any mental facilities for people to go to. So we took initiative and told our students at English Corner if they need someone to talk to, we're available. The students who live in the dorm are shared by Adam and I, but the girl was not one of our students. She was a media-communications major at the Art College.

At English Corner, I learned a few more things- the girl had pressure from a romance (this is how it was worded), and felt pressure from a grad school exam coming up. I also learned that the students in my Friday Survey Class will be excused, as a therapist is coming to talk to all the people who were in the building.

As far as the campus goes, it's been kept very hushed. This is the second college student suicide in Kaifeng recently (a student somewhere else ate fertilizer and then set themselves on fire). Nobody talks about it unless you bring it up, but sometimes, students in the other areas don't know. Nobody's telling them, and they continue their very carefree lives, unsaddened and unthinking about what has occurred because they don't know. So for those who do know, it's a very eerie feeling.

Ben knew this morning from some students, but Adam and I were told. Adam was told right before class, so I'm kind of glad I was told after class. It's such a sad thing, a somber thing to have happen. It weighs on you, and I'm glad the students will be talked to. But they'll be talked to in a mass conversation, and I'm not sure if that will be enough?

Then again, I'm not really sure what mental facilities are available, though I'm not sure there are many.

Teachers have come back!

So, the teacher that I met this first week of being in China, Daniel is back. It was a little surreal meeting him again. He was really tired, having flown in last night, but I remember thinking that I hadn't seen him in a while. It certainly made sense to see him, as I had seen him in China and have my memories of what he is like as a person, or his impressions on me, in China. Still, it was kinda strange.

What would I tell him, if I were his student? I'm not, but still... Well, I can order things on my own now. I prefer groups to go out still, but when needed I can go order my own food. I'm comfortable eating stall food, and probably should- it's not as much food but I find I'm full anyway. I'm getting around the city via bus- still like being with people. The people, group security is a tough thing to crack. But it will crack. The more I go out on my own, the more I feel comfy in leaving the group to do my own thing.

My Chinese is... still basic, but at least I can speak what I know with confidence. I can hear and tell when I'm getting ripped off, I can understand numbers and money, and I can say whether or not I want something spicy. I can mime things and I can point to things and say "this!", and I can read whether or not I'm getting chicken or peppers or eggplant. My favorite dish is one that sounds familiar "Meat and potatoes". I can at least say that in its entirety. That sounds good, actually, I might have some of that tomorrow. So I'm definitely learning.

I'll talk about the teaching tomorrow. The ESL teacher wants to see how we teach and if we do it effectively, or I dunno. She wants to talk to us about our teachings.

I can say I do like teaching, at least right now, but I don't feel like a real teacher. I feel like a tutor. And most foreign teachers here are unlike the Chinese ones, in which we are closer friends with our students.

October 16th

This weekend there was a Sports Festival and a Talent show all day today. Normally, I can sleep on weekends, but in Kaifeng everyone gets up around 7 and that’s when the incoming noise starts.

There isn’t that much sleeping in the morning.

The Talent Show and the Sports Festival make it worse.

So it’s best to drag yourself out to see these things. The sports festival was all day, but my movie class was involved.

The talent show started with dancing, roller skaters jumping over each other, more dancing and ended with singing.

Not a bad day.

October 15th blog

So. I never thought my major in music would really be useful for anything. I know that’s horrible, but I got it because I would have the classes for it, and I did like music a lot. Even if by the end of the major I felt that I wasn’t good, or that I really wouldn’t be able to do anything, it had been a fun trip.

Well, it turns out having a music major has suddenly enabled me to meet a community of people I wouldn’t otherwise.

Last night at English corner, a trumpeter introduced me to his teacher, who teaches singing. She sang a traditional Chinese song about picking grapes. She was so good, and it was delightful to meet her. She gave me her e-mail address, too. It’s strange, but fun that suddenly I have found people in music in China, not just the English majors that I thought I would meet.

Then today, I helped a girl pronounce Italian and English for her singing. She doesn’t go to this college, but she is old friends with someone who does. So I gave her an idea of how Italian sounded (it wasn’t anything far beyond what I had pronounced before), and English I was okay with (both pieces were Handel, for anyone who is interested). As I looked through the pieces I kept wanted to be singing again, to be learning the piece of music. I don’t really care about performing it, but I wanted to sound it out against a piano as I listened and counted.

That was more fun than I anticipated! Maybe I could get a job helping music majors pronounce English?

Things I would have brought with me if I knew beforehand:

Conditioner. I think I can’t read it, but I haven’t seen any conditioner where I live. Just body soaps and shampoos. Realistically, I don’t need conditioner, but I’m so used to it!

Tampons. Guess what? Tampons came to China…and failed. There are no tampons where I live, and no one has heard or seen of one in Kaifeng. No one. I’m guessing they’re unavailable most places, too. (I brought some, but I’ll run out before the year is over. This is more to anyone in the future who wants to come). It's a fun reaction when someone asks if I have a lady product and I hand them a tampon, because they look at it and have two reactions: How does it work? Why is it so small?

Cheese is also worth considering, if only for having a small bit in very tense moments. I think it is worse when everyone else mentions wanting cheese around me, though. Parmesan cheese would have been pretty nice.

That's all I have for now.

What I did when Will and Ann returned

October 9th

Luckily Will and Ann returned the next day. They were tired. Due to it being National Week, everybody was on a train. Even though their train took them 7 hours to get back, several other people had to stand! This is not uncommon, apparently.

We had dinner. I guess this is pretty common.

My computer has been shared with Ann a bit- hers died, making mine the only Mac left. To be fair, her computer is about 8 years old. Mine is only 5.

…It has served me well, done well being dropped, so say what you will about it. It was a good choice of computer for me.

Yesterday and Saturday were spent creating scripts and e-mailing students. Tomorrow will be my Survey of English Speaking Countries Class, covering British History. I’m going to have Saxons, Vikings, and Normans. Then I’m going to have Kings and Queens line up.

And some videos. Anything that spices up the monotony of having a black board or power point. I know power points are overdone, but considering most people can read but not understand me, it doesn’t seem like a bad way to do things right now. I need them to understand what I’m saying, have pictures to recognize, more than I need freedom outside of power-point. Overdone, but I hope I have more visual aid (though one of my screens makes that fail each time), especially with the help of videos, and hands-on activities will, I hope, make things more lively.

Back!

There were some issues with my vpn for a week, so I'm sorry I wasn't able to be on and update. But I am back now.

Things of importance this week: I had my class split into Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans to illustrate the history of the British Isles. The first time was awkward, but the second time, the Vikings and Anglo-Saxons fought, which is what I wanted to happen. I appointed someone King Alfred, King Harold, and William the Conquerer. They were all female kings, but you know, I work with what I have. I also added in Horrible Histories! That's my favorite part, when I can break up a very tedious power point to have video.

We've gone back to English Corner. Each night we all have about 20-25 students, if not more, and we try to have conversations. But with groups that big, it's really hard. I think there's only one English corner I missed- I know I went even after the really big dinner. But sometimes foreign teachers don't show up, and that's always difficult. It's not our job, just for fun, but it's so big it's difficult to manage.

This week, and especially this weekend, I'll be missing my family a lot. But I'm thinking of you guys, just as you're thinking of me. (hugs).

I'll post more updates of things I wrote while waiting for the servers to work!

What I did the week Will and Ann left me: Day 5/Day 6

Pretty bum. Yesterday hung out with the other teachers, had a group dinner. Today I spent the time inside, working on scripts and lesson plans.

Because I can.

(yes, sorry there was nothing to this post and also sorry that I've not yet touched on the big, fancy dinner I was called to).

What I did the week Will and Ann left me: Day 4

Today I made toast.

Today I went to West Gate for dinner.

Today I went afterwards downtown on a random but effective cheese run.

Today I bought a giant fan that is half the size of me. It kinda looks like a very flat bat.

What I did the week Will and Ann left me: Day 3

We got a $5 dinner. USD dollars.

We dressed up, went to the crazy part of town in Kaifeng that has money (we live in the poorer part), and went to dinner. Then we wanted dessert, so we took another bus to McDonalds and traveled through the night market, finally returning home. I'm more pleased there's so much to do this week with the teachers. :)

Oh. Right. Here are some photos to let you know more of what I saw.

(We had too many people so we had to split up. We could have eaten together but it would have been another 100 Yuan, or $15 USD and we wanted to be cheap).

I hope you guys have enjoyed these images. And now, for some videos! We were in a rickshaw, or a three-wheel cart, at night so the quality is a little poor.

What I did the week Will and Ann left me: Day 2

Right. So today, no Will and no Ann. At all. All of Ann's sage wisdom must now wallow in my head. All of Will's indifference....

Will be promptly ignored. Really Will, better be givin' some sage advice other than "you can annoy other people". You should start saying things like "respect your elders" or "Don't lick my window." Anything other than the occasional glance up, eyebrow raise, and return to your book.

So I've been missing...that, I guess.

But not to worry! I have been hanging out with the other teachers + Chinese students! Today the other teachers went to get lunch, and got what we call an egg pita. It's a bread sliced open with cooked cabbage, bean sprouts, oil, some onions and carrots, some spices, and an egg stuffed inside it. It really doesn't look like it'll hold anything, but it does. And it's tasty.

And for those teachers who were able to buy cheese.... (I was not), they managed to bring some cheese to help them eat it.

Then we decided pizza night was happening tonight. At five we went to buy only the giant pita breads, someone had bought Italian pizza sauce and cheese in Zhenzhou, and garlic in the supermarket yesterday, I had bought the margarine, so we all had home-made pizzas and garlic bread. It was okay. Everyone else liked it very much, better than a local pizza chain but to be honest, I like the chain pizza better. However, this one had the benefits of making it in a group.

So yes. For the first night since being in China, I helped make a homemade meal. Even if my system is now going "CHEESE WHERE DID THIS COME FROM OH NO WE WERE CAUGHT UNAWARES".

Tomorrow I'm going to try and make toast. In my microwave that doubles as an oven.

I'll let you know how it goes.

What I did the week Will and Ann left me: Day 1

(Side note: I'm pretty sure Will is okay with having a break from me, and encourages me to spend my attention on other targ- people).

Today I went to a five-story grocery store. It was very exciting. On the fifth floor, there is a gym, so we did not go there. In the fourth floor, many “other” grocery store items, like fitness materials, cds, books, paper, toys, and cooking ware. On the third floor, there were juices, milk, alcohol, oil, and candy. The second floor was then all not-produce or bakery goods, and the first floor was raw goods, frozen goods, and a bakery.

We had gone to find a huge grocery store in case we should ever have a need for one bigger than Samo, (Samm-ow), but we discovered most of the things we wanted to buy were back in either local markets nearby or in the local grocery store.

It was a twenty minute bus-ride to the grocery store. Before we left the store we stopped to have some chicken sandwiches (They serve chicken nuggets with chicken sandwiches to make sure you have all your chicken needs). Even though I had frozen items (a fun, cheap dinner), it still was a good idea.

Because the bus ride back was an hour and 15 minutes. No joke. The traffic was that bad.

It was good to be home.