My crushes

Happy 3 month anniversary to me! I've been back in America for 3 whole months now, which seems like such a short time, but also an eternity! Yesterday I was talking to a Chinese person, which I do about once a day, but I realized my Chinese has gotten a lot worse. I'm already forgetting a lot. It's hard to prioritize: spend time studying Chinese or studying for my crazy classes that I'm struggling in? At this point I feel like it's impossible to do both.

Today I worked all day, which I always enjoy much better than stuffy classrooms. I'm learning a lot, especially from the 3 people who sort of shepherd me. They have big hearts and a lot of practical skills. One of them reaffirmed my belief that this town is super cool, but also filled with hippies. He said, "In you hadn't noticed, most people around here think the calendar still says 1968." I've never lived in a place with so many hippies! Pretty interesting.

Again I got to visit some non-profit agencies. I went to a tiny homeless shelter that crams 30 people in there. The rooms looked pretty close to the crowded Chinese dormitories. I also had the longest chat with a guy at a mental health clinic who counsels homeless people who have mental illness. Talking to him I started to fear that I had a mental illness. When I left after a while, he shook my hand, half-bowed, looked me right in the eyes, and said, "It was such a pleasure." He says he counsels about 300 homeless a year. Apparently Bloomington, since it offers so many social services, is sort of a mecca for the area homeless. It's always a humbling experience to visit these places.

In other news, I have decided that many American boys are very nice looking. Is that okay to admit? I've never had a boyfriend, so I wouldn't exactly say I'm boy-crazy, but I do like boys. In China I couldn't date, and probably wouldn't date the lovely Chinese boys. For one, I was much too tall for them, my hair was shorter than theirs, and my clothes were less frilly than theirs.

So here in America I get along with all types of boys just swell. I can be friends with them, which I'm good at. If they like me, I'll hide, but that doesn't mean I don't have little crushes, all of them which would never work out, but are still fun. Here are some examples:

1.) One of the city bus drivers. He wears aviator sunglasses and shouts "Eigenmann Hall!" in such a dignified, manly voice.

2.) A guy I'll call "Steve." I met him at math camp when I first noticed his good head of hair, handsome face, and retro glasses. He was the 1950s guy for me. And as a rugged, recent Peace Corps volunteer, the girls are smitten. He told my friend that I have "amazing hair." So now I get all flustered and talk to him in a tiny Muppet voice.

3.) Another guy I'll call "Tim." He's a very nice guy who is ridiculously funny, a sharp dresser, and easy to get along with. We're classmates and work at the same place. We talk to each other a lot. But our conversations seem to get interrupted by his boyfriend appearing out of nowhere...

4.) There's the fruit guy at Kroger's. One time I asked him where the lemons were, and he just gazed right into my eyes. :) Now, he tries to talk to me whenever I'm buying fruit. Sigh... it must be my hair!

So there you have it--why I like American guys but will somehow never manage to actually date one. Enjoy your awesome weekend!