After an interesting morning at the Special Olympics event, I was quite exhausted! WEll, not really, but the weather was nasty enough out that I could curl up on the couch and read a book and do a little work on my Chinese. However the evening brought quite the twist of events. We went out to dinner, however, it wasn't just anywhere we went. It was one of the most elaborate restaurants I had ever been to in China. Now if any of you have gone to a nice Chinese restaurant in the U.S. (I am not talking about that nasty fast food stuff!) you know that you can often be found sitting in your own area. WEll at this restaurant they actually have rooms, like with numbers and all, if you want to eat in that type of environment. Of course, my guest family was going for the real deal and we ate in room #13. I was a little nervous about the food they were going to order, because past memories have brought duck head floating in a bowl infront of me, and the entire fish and its body being torn apart at the table......Not my idea of a great appetite but I was open to the adventure! Besides there was always rice at the end of the meal.....
Upon arrival I successfully asked where the bathroom was and where I could find some water. I didnt even have to repeat myself!(I know this phrase has been mastered for years.....but not in Beijingnese!) Anyways, after returning I was given a menu that actually was the size of a yearbook, just the pages were a little thicker!! I was told to pick out what I wanted which obviously directed me to order something sweet and sour, because I know I love that. The rest I left up to the family. I at least knew there would be one thing on the table I would "enjoy" eating.
As the food started to come soon after that, I was overjoyed to see that the sweet and sour pork wasn't filled with bones like it had been one time when I ate it in Shanghai. HOwever there were some really nasty things being spun around on the lazy susan. I just picked at some of the stuff, choked on some and just avoided others. Jason(my guest father) was pretty funny because he would start calling me a chicken if I would try something....so by peer pressure I gave in at times, but He wasn't going to get me to ever the Tofu. I don't know how people gag on that. It smells so bad. You know that nice private room I mentioned in the beginning.....yeah it was ruined after that order arrived!!
As the dinner went on (some of you don't know that the Chinese can eat for ever) more dishes appeared. They did order Duck soup, which I ate, because it was very good. However this restaurant was so nice they just served you the soup and the bamboo, but I am pretty sure if I had gone and looked in the pot, I would have found a duck head somewhere. (I know...NASTY!) They also ordered a pork calf, as I understand the translation. It was actually delicious.
I am sure there were a million other things on that table I didn't try, but to my own surprise the dinner was pretty successful. Of course I got my rice at the end to hold me over till the next meal. (Dad you would be proud....I drank tons of tea and actually liked it!) I guess it isn't so bad to try things sometimes, but then again I was at a very nice restaurant which prepares things a little better then most places! I would be scared at some restaurants to touch any of the stuff I ate last night.
The rest of the evening wasn't that eventful, but I did pick up my key for my apartment. I was suppose to move in, but there was so much rain falling from the sky that is really wasn't worth it. I will move in later today(Sunday).
Today I was up at 4:45A.M. Don't even begin to ask why, because I have no idea. I tried watching a movie to fall back to sleep, but that didn't work. Around 6A.M., I was online and got a call from Matt! Of course he is 6 hours behind me and was just getting home from the bars in Prague(must me nice!) Lets just say he had drank quite a few! However I did get to meet his flatmates and I am pretty sure the next 90 mins of my life will be remembered for a long time. The best part is that Matt has a camera on the computer he is using so I could see everything going on. Technology is pretty sweet!
After finally getting out of bed around 8, I had breakfast with my guest family.......well sat at breakfast. I am pretty sure I have never seen anything more disgusting in a bowl. I will let you be the judge. What was served: Heated Rice Pudding with a fried egg in it. (Rice pudding is nasty enough cold.) I was glad there was fruit.
After breakfast I paid some service to the family and helped plant flowers for a few hours. We are having a barbeque at 4pm today, so we had to get ready for that. Around 10:30am I took off on a run around the area. The good news is the sun was out, and the sky was actually blue. The bad news is it was already about 100 degrees. I made it about 30 minutes before quitting and telling myself I would now run before 8am everyday!
It is now almost time for the barbeque and I am making a fruit salad.....American Style. It should be fun!
Tomorrow is my first official day at the Kindergarten. I am sure I will have lots of new things to tell you about!
Stay posted!
