April 9, 2011
This past week Austin, Crystal, and my dad came to visit me in China over their spring break. They got in late on Saturday night, so it was good that they were able to go straight to bed. Again, my host family, the Xu's, let them stay in the extra apartment, so that was a really awesome thing that they did for me.
Sunday morning we went to Haidian Church and listened to Pastor Bing preach. He is very passionate and has quite the sense of humor. After church we went to the Xu's and they took us all out for karaoke. KTV, as it is called, is really fun. We got a food allowance with the room that we bought, and we had a tough time using up all the money. We had SO much food, we were all so stuffed, but it just kept coming. I was glad when they let us get to-go boxes and take half of it home.
From Monday until Wednesday, we spent a lot of time just shopping and exploring different parts of Beijing. I took my family to Dashilar, Houhai, and my most favorite shopping place ever, Fuchengmen. I didn't really buy much since I am broke, but it was still fun to barter. I got a cute blue pair of shoes originally priced at 58元 for 15元！I was pretty impressed. I didn't even really want them that badly. Maybe that 's how I got them so cheap. I think the laoban, or saleslady, was a little bit upset. Wednesday night we met up with my friend, Yidan, who goes to PLU but was also home visiting Beijing on her spring break. We met her boyfriend and went out to "the best tasting spicy hotpot" (according to my dad) ever! It was quite delicious and we had a really good time. Now, the only words my dad knows in Chinese are 那个，那个，那个。。。不知道！Oh well…I suppose I can't ask too much!
Thursday we all went to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace. This is like my fourth time going. I think I could be the tour guide by now. Our tour guide's name was Justin. The "flag" he carried around was this pig (which he and my dad agreed to name 'Porky') on a stick that dangled from a string. It was pretty funny. He was a fun tour guide. Friday we went to the Great Wall. We almost didn't make it there because we got to the train station a little too late. Luckily, there was a "taxi driver" waiting to take us. We bargained him down to 450元 round-trip and we were on our way! I think Austin and my dad really like the Wall. My dad almost wimped out, but I convinced him to keep going. Good thing too because we were almost at the end anyways. My dad got a Great Wall shirt and we got some awesome souvenir mugs. Crystal and I got a pretty sweet jumping picture that we had put on our mugs. It was great!
There were a few things about China that I think surprised my dad and brother: 1) spitting, 2) crowded subways, 3) driving, and 4) how much merchants jack up prices for foreigners. These are pretty typical of most foreigners who first come to China. Overall, though, I think they had a lot of fun. Austin liked practicing his Chinese. I hope they will come back one day!
Chinese Word of the Day
Wu fa 无法： "unable", "incapable
Verse of the Day
John 2:23-35 "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person."
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