Ni Hao!

Where to begin?! I LOVE CHINA!! Never before have I feel very important and very "at home" in a surreal-sort of way. It's a weird feeling and a weird place and I couldn't ask for a better placement at this moment in my life. This will probably be one of the longest posts I'll create, mainly because I want to catch everyone up with what has taken place so far so please bare with me and read this when you have time. :) I'll break this into segments because so many wonderful/crazy/fun/exciting/exotic things have taken place!

San Francisco: I spent June 28^th-June 30^th in San Francisco doing Peace Corps staging. That was a blast, way empowering, and way exhausting. We spent an average of 12+ hours p/day learning about Peace Corps, Peace Corps policies, and things we need to know before entering China in order to comply with these policies. At staging I instantly connected with people and forged some great friendships. We ate in fun Middle Eastern/Moroccan restaurants, explored the Golden Gate Bridge, stumbled upon the Palace of Fine Arts, walked around and got lost in the city, partied in hotel rooms, etc. It was a blast. :) At staging, I discovered that I am, contrary to some of my apprehensions, very needed in China and am super empowered to do the best job teaching possible.

(<- Tasha, Dustin, Me, Nikki, Kara at Moroccan restaurant)

After staging, we flew to Beijing, followed by the beautiful and mysterious Chengdu, Sichuan.

Life in Chengdu: Crazy! China is a constant wonder! Every day we spend hours in the classroom learning Mandarin. . . sometimes I think I'm excelling at it . . . .other days I cannot wrap my mind around another tone and can't stand the thought of hearing any more Mandarin because I'm simply doing so poorly at picking it up. On these days I walk outside of the teahouse where we're learn ing and am bombarded with Mandarin by thousands of people bustling around me and I'm reminded that English cannot be a clutch for me like it was in any other country I've been to. Hardly no one that I've encountered (literally, no one) outside of PC knows more than 3 words of English so it's been a challenge to communicate (especially at restaurants!). Food here is also a challenge! The "hot food" I heard and was warned so much about has really been wonderful so far (knock on wood) and that hasn't been a problem since I love spice. The types of food eaten here, however, is quite a different matter: rabbit heads, fish heads, chicken feet, cockroach-bug-things, squirmy sea urchins, rat, dog, cat, pig snout . . . you name it, I'll find it. ;)

(<-rabbit head)

(<- Pig Snout)

The scariest thing I've had so far was a sea creature that slimed down my throat and some other weird part of a fish which I'd rather not try to figure out. People here have really unique fashion. Everyone dresses like a 14 year old girl in the 80s/90s would have dressed: glitter, lace, bows, clunky high heals (even with track outfits), big eye shadow, etc. I plan to integrate fully into this glorious fashion and be a ku (cool) lou sha (teacher) in no time. ;) Toilets! In Chengdu they have squattie potties (or so they have been referred to) which are quite fun! You walk into what appears to be a western-style restroom, save for the porcelain hole on the floor where you're supposed to squat to empty yourself. I've only peed on myself once.

Friends: I have made the greatest of friends! I am really close with two people in particular, Nikki and Jake. I know I didn't join PC to make friends with Americans ("wagoren!

" = "foreigner!"), but it's difficult when surrounded by such great people with similar souls and passions. So far we've gone on many fun adventures, such as riding stuffed animal go-carts, dance with 150 synchronized Chinese women in a public square, ride a bus to a happening part of Chengdu, sing karaoke with a Chinese boy Jake met at a karaoke bar (which is like nothing you can imagine: they escort you to a private room where you sing, drink, eat with friends for HOURS with no audience but yourselves---our friend paid for us to sing for 6 hrs.!!!), and done other fun things like try Chinese peanut butter (grrrrrrroooosssssssssssss!!!). Everything we do here is an adventure. :)

(<-Tasha, Me, Jake on animal carts)

("Kyle" --Jake's Chendgu friend--, Jake, Me, & Nikki at Karaoke Bar ->)

Tomorrow: Tomorrow is a big day. So far I've been living in a pretty posh hotel which has been great. Tomorrow, however, I'm being separated from the 65 Americans (including Nikki and Jake) and being broken off into a group of only 19 to go study at Sichuan Normal University East Campus for the next 3 months. I'll be living with a host family, whom I know nothing about except that they are a married couple who is 20+ years old . . . . I think they may be one of the youngest host families PC provides. I'm way excited to do this, especially since this is one of the major components as to making my decision to join PC along with making the integrating/language learning much easier, but I'm SO sad to leave my good friends behind. They will both be at Sichuan Normal University Campus which is over an hour away by bus, meaning I will, in all practicality, not see them. :(

There is still sooo much more to report that I'm shortchanging because I'm exhausted, have to be quick with my internet use (I can't get my laptop to work and feel like a burden bugging other volunteers for their computers . . . Jake is my victim this time), and have an early morning. Oh! I had a Japanese Encephalitis vaccination today . . . . that was SOO painful. Bring on the shots! Bring on the host family! Bring on more China!

Until next time: Zaijian!