Summertime

(With my Class 2. I particularly like the poster on the back wall with the communist party flag and rainbow. The two boys in front despise school, but now they sit very attentively in the front row of my class everyday!)
(Crazy picture, I suppose).


Well, summer's here, folks! We have been told that Nanchang has only two seasons: summer and winter. Winter has suddenly turned into summer overnight, it seems. It has been raining a lot, so now it is just hot and muggy. Everything is damp and smells like a shower. Even my watch has water under the glass.

I took a shower this morning, and I left for school with my hair nice and dry and puffy. Ten hours later, it is a limp little sponge. Oh, Nanchang!

This weekend was very blessed, since it was my first Easter in China. On Sunday we went to fellowship, and then ate lunch at a "fancy" Chinese restaurant all together. It ended up being 24 kuai per person, which is twice as much as most restaurants. It cost a whole $3.50.

Today was a good day. My students are giving presentations on Chinese culture. Many of the topics include Chinese clothes, traditional music, national dances, etc. One group did a Chinese version of "Oprah," which was clever. Another group sang Peking Opera at the top of their lungs. It was really intense. Another group discussed dumplings, or "jiaozi." Here is their recipe to make dumplings:

1.) Mix the flour and the water.
2.) Make into some round and thin shapes.
3.) Prepare some meat and make into mince.
4.) Put the meat in the middle of the shapes.
5.) Put the dumplings into the boiling water.
6.) Just wait, you'll eat the delicious food.

Doesn't that make your mouth water, dear readers?

Anyway, I also went to lunch at one of the cafeterias with two of my students I spend a lot of time with. We ate rice in little bamboo logs and greasy carrots and potatoes, which I managed to dump on my shirt. We also had good conversations. For example, they were very concerned about my "love life," which doesn't exist. Why, they inquired, do I not have a boyfriend? I am already 22 and don't have a guy. They are worried about this, and want to try to find me a suitable Chinese boyfriend. They think he must be "traditional," "wealthy," and at least "1.9 meters tall." I have no clue how tall 1.9 meters is, but it must be tall, because they suggested I should look in northern China for such a guy.

So I tried explaining that I'm not really very old, I can't date anybody right now, I probably couldn't marry a Chinese guy for millions of reasons, and I like to be independent. They were even more confused about this, and continue to insist that they will find me somebody.

Then one of the girls asked me to go with her to her hometown for May holiday soon. I said "yes" before I found out she has a brother my age, and that her parents own a restaurant specializing in German Shepherd meat. That will be an adventure!

Now I just got back from outside. I played catch with a football with some of my teammates and random Chinese people. Then I ran a mile. Now I'm coated in sweat. Time to take a shower, write some lessons, and forage for food. Have a great Monday!