"Ummm.... was that our stop?"

"Uh... yeah. Yeah that was our stop." So this week so don't have school but we are still going to the school to do lesson plans and today we took a different bus, actually no. We took the same bus but we were supposed to get off on a later stop today...one we had not gotten off on yet. Ha. And, well... turns out we missed it. And it was actually a really big deal because the next stop was definitely across the freeway a ways, it wasn't just down the street at the next stop. So... we got off on the next stop at 9:00 which is when we were supposed to be at the school. But our trusty head teacher, Jillian... who had a skype date at 9 had an easy solution to the problem; speed walk/jog to the school. It really was great fun, and we just laughed about missing it. As soon as we passed the stop, one of the girls said, “Umm, was that our stop?” and another one responds, “Uh... yeah, Yeah that was our stop.” and then we all just kind of looked around at each other and started laughing. There were a couple of the girls that weren't doing as much of the laughing because they were the ones who said we should have gotten off. Ha, but it was way funny, a great experience and hey! We got a mean workout in, and I had a nice chat with Jillian. I was walking up with Jillian because I had a skype date as well and she was really haulin' it because she was already late for hers and it was way funny... so we're speed walking, so really fast and we look ridiculous I'm sure and this ancient little chinese man sitting on his bicycle on the street whistles at us. My response went a little like this... “. . . . . umm. . . . . . Jilly, that cute old man just whistled at us” and she says, “Shoot. We'll take what we can get right?” ha. I thought that was funny.

So, false alarm... it is NOT Monsoon season. We just got a taste of it yesterday and a little this morning... but for the most part, the rain faded, and today greeted us with sunshine and warmer weather. By the time we get back from Beijing, it should be nice and hot, and sticky, and sweaty and everything else we want it to be. Oh I just can't wait! {There was a touch of sarcasm there}

China is a playground for aspiring photographers! not that I am a photographer, I'm not... but I sure love it and I would love to develop it, and what a better way than to take pictures! Anyways... this morning we were on the bus and there was a wall. A WALL! It was totally … ummm, what's the word... tacky for lack of better term... you know! It was just faded, all the paint was gone it was … OLD!!!! yes. Old is the word I am searching so hard for. ha. That was weird. So... the point I am trying to make is... it such a great wall for a backdrop. It was old, and yellow and blue, and faded, and unique and I LOVED IT! I just loved it.

Tonight we went to dinner with ALL of the Bond teachers. We also met Jane, who is married to John, they reside in Canada... and together they own all the Bond Schools. She flew into town today for the New Year and was so sweet and she took us all to dinner to celebrate! She is very sweet, and automatically became a favorite of mine today after she presented us all with a piece of Almond Roca, which happens to be my absolute favorite thing... oh they are so yummy but they are just so expensive here so I have not spent the money. I have withheld :) Anyways, so that was a special treat. The food at restaurants is SOOOO delicious. My goodness. Every time we go out to dinner the food is so yummy. The crazy dish of the night that we all so bravely tried was... (drumroll).... pigs feet. They were literally pigs feet. And they were, again, SOOO good. We were way surprised that we loved it so much but we did. So glad we tried it. My favorite dish was the sweet and sour fish. Mmmmm.

On the bus ride home from dinner, I sat with a little Chinese lady named Vicki. Whoa! Imagine that. I sat down after she so kindly scooted over for me because I was standing in the aisle... and I said “Ni hao.” and she smiled and responded in English. She said, “oh so do you speak lots of Chinese?” I told her in Chinese that I speak very little and I asked her if she spoke lots of English and she said yes, that she learned in school and so we began chatting. She really did speak English very well. So we were talking and she asked about my family and it came up that I have a large family and she said, “Oh yes, so do I.” and I'm thinking... okay you live in China... you can't have that large of a family, ha. Ya know? So I ask her and she tells me that she has SEVEN sisters! That is a huge size for a family living in China. She was born and raised in China and her parents had Eight daughters. I loved it. I asked her if she had ever been to America or if she wanted to which of course she did, everyone here wants to go to America. So before she got off, we exchanged emails and she told me she would invite us to go to their parties and do Karaoke and I told her to email me if she ever comes to America and she can come stay with me, ha. It was so fun. I love those kinds of experiences. I just love em! There was also a little mom and her daughter on the bus as well, sitting across from us and they joined our conversation about mid way. They were Chinese but they moved to Korea after she got a job at a University teaching Chinese and so they got Korean citizenship. Her English was very good as well because she had spent a great deal of time in Britain. Her little daughter was about 6 and she was adorable. I was asking her name and she was very shy... so her mother told me that she had given herself an English name and it was Butterfly Princess. ha. Isn't that so cute? So I also gave Butterfly Princess and her mother my email address so that if they ever come to the States, they can have a contact. It's so interesting because you look at these random people that you meet and realize that they are your brothers and sisters. And I love it.

The dying cat has migrated to another neighborhood thank goodness, but with the warmer weather new sounds have arrived. We lay in bed at night listening to what we think are (well we haven't seen them but the way they sound they must be quite big) huge toads croaking in very quick, low beats. It is really something else... and will be hard to get used to. But I'm sure in no time, it will be like a lullaby... almost like waking up to the serenading of the birds :)

*A couple things to add on to my list...
10) Squat. Whenever you are waiting, do not stand or sit, squat on your hind legs...butt nearly touching the ground. I can't quite do it yet with me knee, but the girls have tried it, and evidently it is really quite comfortable.
11) Push your way to the front of the line; any line. Whether it be getting on the bus, ordering food, just get to the front. If you wait in line, you will either be there forever, or you will be last :)

Oh yes. One more thing noteworthy about my day. . . I a.l.m.o.s.t. d.i.e.d. Yes. That is all I will say, just know that the driving in China is outrageous.

Wan an.