It's the Final Countdown

So in 1 week and 1 day from now, I will be en route to New Jersey.

How does this make me feel? Sad.

It's hard, I really came into this just expecting to be OK being here for 1 semester. I thought China was still going to suck, I wouldn't really be into it, but I'd learn the language, make some friends, and be able to come back for business.

Well, uh, I guess things didn't really turn out like that. Of course I made friends, and I learned the language (to the best of my ability - hey, I bet I can speak Chinese better than the majority of you reading this blog). But put it this way: I don't want to come back for business, I want to live here and do business. I love China.

I know. It's a shocker.

I don't want to live in China forever. But I really think I want to live here in Beijing, at least for a couple of years. Going to Shanghai really made me grateful for choosing to study in Beijing, and as much as I gripe about the pollution or the toilets, I really like living here. I enjoy being able to speak Chinese; to most people, it comes to no surprise that I speak French. But Chinese, that is a skill. And I love surprising people when I speak it.

I love surprising myself when I speak it. It is becoming more and more often that I can eavesdrop on people's conversations on the bus, overhear teachers in the hallways, listen to my roommate on the phone and actually get the gist of what they are saying. I surprise myself when I can berate a cabbie for taking me the long way back to campus, or when I can speak to a vendor about the benefits of speaking Chinese (haggling is the number 1 benefit, obvi).

I am going to France next semester, as most of you know. Am I looking forward to it? I guess so. I'll continue to take Chinese - in French, that'll be fun...- and get my French back to fluency that I once had (China's kinda taken my French to shit). And I'll get to travel and see Amberle and Ali and just have a great time, without being scared of saying something in the wrong tone.

There will never be another time abroad like the one I am having right now. Even if I came back next semester to IES, it wouldn't be the same as this semester. But as I finally hit my stride, as I finally look around my classroom and realize how much I enjoy my Chinese class, and how our Chinese has finally gotten good enough to let our personalities show through, it is now time to pack up and leave.

I'm happy I've had this experience here; I'm happy I let myself admit that I did want to study here and not just in France; I'm happy I'm happy.

I will be ready to leave China next week. But after a month at home, I'll be ready to come back here. And knowing that that isn't an option for atleast another 5 months will be a hard to swallow.

The Newer, Better Model

So after my first roommate left, I got Nini, who has been a joy to live with (even if only for 3 weeks). Today I spent time with her and her family. She is an only child (like everyone else my age in China - thanks 1 Child Act!), but her cousin (who she calls MeiMei - younger sister) was there too, along with Nini's parents.
This was the view from the temple we went to - very pretty. The sky was blue, the birds were singing...so maybe not that last part, but it was very pretty and peaceful. If the weather was better, we would've seen Beijing down in the valley.Happy Buddha! Many Buddhas are not as happy as this one - and not many of they are this fat, either. Behind him are good wishes from visitors - you write your name on one of the prayer flags, then tie it behind him.

Oh please, don't tell me you're surprised.MeiMei got into it too. Side Note: MeiMei was a lot of fun - speaking to kids is the best way to know if you are speaking the language properly or not, because they will honestly tell you if they don't understand. Yes - we ran into a few bumps, but all went well. MeiMei also told me that I looked like Snow White. Hey, who doesn't like being compared to a Disney princess? ...although my hair is totally the wrong color...)

After the temple we went to lunch (hot pot) and then after lunch we went back to Nini's house (they live in suburb-Beijing - I didn't know it existed either) where they promptly told me to take a nap. And I did.

In the evening, we went to NiuNiu and YeYe's house (that's Nini's father's parents - the names for grandparents change depending on whose side they are on. It's the biggest pain EVER.) where we made jiaozi (dumplings). Below is the video.

The ugly, misshapen ones are mine...

But as my grandmother says (My LaoLao - she is my mother's mother): they all come out the same end!

Finally!

So yesterday, while Skyping with everyone at the Thanksgiving table, I read my Chinese essay that was the basis for yesterday's oral examination. (It was about how technology doesn't always bring people closer together.) While I was reading, I realized how much better I sounded.

So, after speaking to everyone, I went back upstairs to complete the oral and debate w/ Emily about technology.

At the end of the debate, Lu Laoshi turns to me and goes (in Chinese, obvi) "Mingxin (my Chinese name) your pronounciation has made so much progress!"

I swear to God I came out of that room feeling sooo much lighter and happier and just thrilled! It's so nice that the time I spend wanting to die in pronounciation class actually pays off!!

GanAnJie

So several weeks ago, a wrote to a friend asking if she thought it was possible to make turkey without an over (there are no ovens in the dorm). The response: "What drugs are you doing over there, Michelle?"

(Thanks, Heather)

No need to worry, IES had a Thanksgiving dinner for us, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie (not as good as the pumpkin cheesecake you bring, David), stuffing and more - and price tag of 135 RMB (that's A TON OF MONEY, by the way). As tasty as home? No. But it was nice to have a celebration here, although I'd obviously rather be home.

So, Happy Thanksgiving from my side of the world to yours.

Emily and Michelle Do Shanghai: A Photo Montage

Well known landmark - its the TV tower, if its a nice day out you can get great views. Despite the photo, it was really disgusting out when we were there.
Looking at Puxia from Pudong, across the Bund.
Soup dumplings. Sooo good and so insanely expensive.
Eating soup dumplings. Jealous yet, parents?
Standard.
Shanghai is hosting the World Expo, which is kinda of the consolation prize for Beijing getting the Olympics. What's a trip without me posing with some type of mascot?
Fook. Hehehe
A form of soup dumplings...yummy...Cathy and Frank took us out to them. (More that below)
That's chicken blood, congealed in a soup form. It was eh.
This is Frank, Emily, Myself and Cathy. Cathy has been one of my mother's friends since Cathy translated for my mother at one of the Shanghai candy shows. I was very excited to meet her and her husband Frank, and a great time was had by all.

Yea, I guess there are no photos of Emily. Oops.

Anyway, it was a really nice trip, the hotel was amazing and the breakfast was to DIE for. I am happy I live in Beijing though, more stuff to do and see.

Less than 3 weeks left...oh my goodness...

Off to See the Wizard

Leaving tomorrow for Shanghai, just a head's up to those who don't know.

Other news:
Got a new roommate yesterday evening and she seems pretty legit.
Zhong Laoshi told me that she and Gao have both noticed improvement in my speaking. (woo-hoo!)
Should probably start studying for tomorrow's test....

So, life's dull for the moment, here in Beijing...will update once I'm back from Shanghai!

Someone has the case of the Giggles!

And that someone would be me. 2 times, in 2 weeks.

The first time, we had to tell an awkward story about someone else in our class. So I told one of Emily's awkward stories, and she told the class one of time.

Her story went off without a hitch.

Mine on the other hand, not so much.
I managed to draw this photo:


And I was done. Emily's story wasn't even that funny. I just lost it. Zhong laoshi took it pretty well.

Then then the giggles hit again today.

For those who have not experiences, Michelle had the Giggles, it's kinda funny and awkward at the same time. Funny, because when one person laughs, everyone else has to laugh too. Awkward because when I laugh, I don't stop. And I start choking too. I'm just that cool.

Gao didn't take it too well today. It wasn't even that anything was funny...I was just tired and fed up with class and I was talking about the world's greatest inventions so I started naming things like manicures and dryers (which there are none of in China, thanks very much). Ehhh...it was awkward.

I just had to share...