As C and I sat in the backseat of the car speeding down the darkened and newly opened highway with two men I had just met and who couldn't speak any english, I couldn't help but think that this was the perfect ending to a crazy weekend.
Friday afternoon
 |
| This is me and Nancy mid-skate |
I had arranged to go with several of my students to do something that they enjoy....rollerskating. Yes, I am serious and in case you were wondering, another yes, I had to get boy skates for my gargantuan feet. It was a blast, we skated for about 3 hours and Chinese roller rinks are very similar to ones in America, with absurd techno music and several boys who insist upon being complete nuisances and trying to skate as fast as possible around the girls. I fell on my butt at least 5 times, but its was great to do something fun with them.
Saturday afternoon
 |
| Our students, showing us how KTV is done |
KTV. Three simple letters and they mean so much to so many of my students. In fact right after the, 'Do you know how to use chopsticks?' usually is 'Do you like KTV?!' So my answer is, typically no, I dont like karaoke, but I have always wanted to try it in China. So off we trek on Saturday with the same students we played soccer with. Once we got there, they had reserved a room (already much better than embarrassing myself in front of mulititudes of strangers) and brought snacks, which included, sugared dried plums, spiced and preserved tofu, peanuts and sunflower seeds, and tons of candy. Sounds like a great time right?! Well it was, I sang Selena Gomez with some students and poured out some of my pepsi for Molly as a tribute, Celine Dion (My heart will go on) and a stirring rendition of Backstreet Boys 'I want it that way' with my fellow foreigners.
 |
| I dont sing but I will mime dance the words |
Sunday:
There is a saying in China that plans can't keep up with changes. Well during our team meeting time Sunday, C gets a call from someone who knows enough english to say 'Soccer game at 4 on new campus, you and your wife want to come?' It was 3:30pm and the new campus is about 45 minutes away. Apparently another english teacher had passed our names along to this person. So, we change clothes, hop in a taxi, and head to new campus, not sure if we will play or watch. Turns out the teachers have a team and they were playing a game against the varsity women's team. They asked us to join them and play with them (I think) during a tournament in October. It was great, the team is made up of teachers and administrators and should be a great way to be involved with people who had never met the foreign teachers before. Which brings me to the car speeding down the dark highway.....
One of the teachers offered us a ride back to the old campus where we live and then put us in this car. Once we finally get back to somewhere I recognize, I realize we passed the school gate where we should get out. Oh well, I figured we could walk from whereever we park since they were nice enough to give us a ride home. Not so fast, as I said, 'plans can't keep up with changes,' so as C and I get out of the car and begin to walk back to the school, we realized there was a crowd of people standing outside a restaurant motioning for us to come in. When I looked closer, it was our new team, except they had all changed into nice clothes. So we go in muddy and sweaty and sit down to have a nice meal with everyone. It was the best meal I have had at a real restaurant in China so far.
The fish was good, the company was excellent, and I especially enjoyed this one mushroom-looking dish until they motioned to me and let me know it was actually pig kidney. huh, not sure how I feel about that still.
No comments:
Post a Comment