My Host Family. My host father especially, Duan Yi Qiang, was super cool. He was really enthusiastic and supportive about me practicing my Chinese. It was neat being able to teach each other our own languages. He also helped our group plan events like the Earthquake benefit dinner and trip to Dujiangyan He grew up in Kang Ding county, near Tibert, so he knows a lot about their culture...and the food. Tibetan food is great! They have some of the best tea in the world...and you will never want to eat plain old steak again once you try yak! :p We have also been dreaming up how cool it would be to open my own coffee house in Chengdu. We've planned it out already: "ShaSha's (莎莎） Coffeehouse" and it will be near a college campus, open 24 hours, with free wi-fi, really comfy couches, and acoustic open-mic nights. Awesome. And it will be cheaper and better than Starbucks! ;) Since I'm really not that interested in business, Yi Qiang (and John??) can manage it, while I just make the best coffee in China. In 10 years, people here will have forgotten all about tea...well probably not but they will drink more coffee at least!
My Chinese Friends. So I have a few friends in particular that I'll miss. Both American and Chinese. My Chinese friend, Joe is one. He's a big guy (the tall guy in my last blog entry). He's really into American pop culture and basketball. I think he knows more than me! But he works really hard at his English and I hope to see him again when he comes to the U.S. for school. Gong Tang is my other friend. During this whole trip, he's probably been on of my best friends. I met him at English Corner and I helped him with his grad school applications to America. He's going for computer science. He's applying to like 20 different grad school, and I think he's going to get into all of them. He's very smart. I was also surprised by how much he cared about little things, which was nice. Like he always made sure I had hot water for tea in my dorm and that I had warm enough clothes. Those were some cool things about him. But he never let me pay for any meal. He said I can treat him when he comes to America...I'm not sure he'll hold to his word. But today we went to Karaoke and dinner. It was sad, but it was a good way to spend my last night in Chengdu.
English Corner. So tonight was the last night I went to English Corner. I had made a bunch of postcards of Washington State that said "I was very happy to have met you"--only in Chinese-- and I taped on the back a Northwest blend of tea. It was nice being able to give all my English corner friends a little gift from home, but it was sad at the same time, being because it was the last time I was going to see many of them. :(
I definitely won't miss finals and I am excited for J-Term and Spring semester at PLU. I am taking a philosophy class called Creationism vs. Evolutionism which I'm psyched about! I am also going to concentrate more on my other major, Communication, although I am also going to take an Asian anthropology class and the last semester of Chinese language.
Now its good-bye to Chengdu, hello to Beijing. We are planning on visiting the Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square, the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Ming Tombs as well as watch some prtty sweet shows like the Beijing Acrobats and the Beijing Opera...among other things! I'm totally pumped! Cannot wait! What a great way to end this semester. I will try to blog everyday for the next few days because I think too much will happen everyday, so if I try to cram it all into one blog, it wouldn't be as good. So ya...that's all for now! I'll keep you posted! Zaijian! ;)
Bible Verse of the Day
Hebrews 13:1&2 "Let mutual love continue. 2Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it."
Chinese Word(s) of the Day
Ji de mei yi jian shi 记得每一件事 “Remember Everything"
Sweet blog and I mean that in the old fashion sense of the word. I'm so glad you had this experience and were able to embrace the culture and people you were surrounded by. I have to admit that I can't wait until you get home! A mix of sadness and anticipation. That is a good way to transition back home. I love you!
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