Brookline High School in China

China 32: Pudgy Crushes

Staff Restructuring: The maid who cleaned the apartment and cooked for my family apparently was fired. I walked in yesterday to find some woman who acted like she knew me making dinner. I thought I was going insane. "She does look like her, but she acts like her...?" Anyway, I was disappointed. I liked our old maid she was nice.
Procrastination Technique #42: Write on your blog whenever you should be working on your paper. Honestly I have some really good ideas for my paper, but I'm yet to articulate them on paper. I've never written a 10 page paper before. I wonder how long it takes?

Yesterday, LeYang's (the student I hosted in America) mom came over to give me gifts to give to my American parents when I go to see my dad in Hong Kong this Saturday. She gave me more stuff than I think I'll be able to fit in my bag. It's gonna be a choice between clothes and presents. I'm constantly amazed by the freaky amounts of hospitality the Chinese offer. (Then again I'm beginning to think it's a signal of how much they truly know you. The more gifts they give the less they know you.) She brought a wrist watch that plays MP3's, an inflated soccer ball (which, knowing soccer, runs for a good $45 in the states), a cashmere sweater, a book, another book, and pictures. (This isn't including the presents my own host family has given me to give.)

The pictures are of the groups expedition to the peach blossoms on the mountain. Upon inspection of my lovely pink-trimmed flowery photo, I realized that I've gained weight. This was not entirely unexpected, but I didn't expect to see signs of it in my bulging cheeks. I'm exagerating, but after comparing a photo of me playing soccer last fall and this picture of me lounging with flowers I appear to have gained a good deal of wait. I might be able to classify myself as pudgy now.

I blame me family; my mom constantly demands that I "dou chi dianr" (eat a little more) at dinner, so when I get home my mom will be "so happy that her little 'hai zi' has 'pang yi pang'ed (fattened up). I guess the Chinese and American versions of weight gain are drastically different. I'm embarrassed to admit how I was almost deathly afraid that I'd gained a unloseable amount of weight, and it can't've been more than 10 lbs. I'm so brainwashed by the media.

Anyway, if you're wondering about the rest of the group. I have to say, except for Isaiah (who actually lost literally 10 lbs. when he was sick) and Gaelen (who's lunch card is still full), all of us seem to have gained a decent amount of pudginess. Once again I apoligize for not having pictures of our faces and pink mountains, but then again I'm not too sure anyone would appreciate me posting their pictures after saying they gained weight. Once again, the american media.

Moving on, I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet, but Isaiah set up a kind of "English Corner" every Thursday night at Northwest University. (His host cousin goes to the university so she asked Isaiah to help out) He's been going three weeks now, and I joined him after the first week. It's truly an amazing experience to be surrounded by thirty people all asking you questions. It's also weird how I like hanging out w/ these college kids a lot more than the 10th graders at Gao Xin, maybe because they're closer to our age and Chinese kids seem to be a little less socially mature than their age suggests. Anyway, on the first visit we were greeted by Isaiah's cousin and her friend at the gate of the university. Both were pretty cute. (once again no pictures)

The next visit Celine, Edna, and Christina came too, and they stole all of us men's attention. This left me talking to Isaiah's cousin and her roomate/friend, Emily(that's her english name, there's no way I can remember her chinese name. I'm sorry about that). Anyway, by the end of the night I had developed a minor crush on Emily and we even exchanged numbers. Today, the next Thursday, English Corner was canceled so I'm here at this internet bar I found writing this blog. But I digress, Emily called me a few times and I've called her in about 20 second conversations. I originally invited her to join the group at karaoke this Saturday, but I realized that I'm going to Hong Kong. Anyway, it's just a pudgy crush who's purpose is more of a fun story than love. It provides great discussions for the group. I hope we do get to hang out w/ Emily and Isaiah's cousin before we leave though. We don't have much time in Xi'an left!

I'm off to research college. What does the world think: Pomona, Carleton, or Davidson?

posted by dAVID @ 8:05 AM