Okay really just off to see Western China but hey to most here that is the extent of the world. I’ll be away from a computer for the next 15 days so no guilt trips for not updating!

June 30: Qingdao → Xi’an

July3: Xi’an → Chengdu

July 4: Leshan

July 5: Chendu → Lahasa

July 6: Lahasa

July 7: Shigaze

July 8: Lahasa

July 9: Lahasa → Lijiang

July 10: Lijiang

July 11: Lijiang → Dali

July 12: Dali

July 13: Dali – Qingdao

So after the 15th you may all start badgering me to update my blog but not a day before!

Summer is here, therefore the oh so glorious, much sought after in the west, tanning rays of the sun. But to an impressionable young Chinese girl summer does not bring the hope of a splendid, hair hiding, leg lengthening tan but the never ending battle of Sun vs Parasol.

My students are always oh so horrified when they see me in shorts, cap sleeved shirts and sunglasses. I am most obviously missing the most essential summer accessory my Parasol! While I am trying desperately to get back my usual summer tan my students run from shade spot to shade spot precociously angling their parasols for the most shade coverage. Don’t get me started on the number of girls who where tights in this sweltering heat.

Beauty is relative to where you live. In America thin, tanned, well curved girls are the standards to which we strive while here in China it’s the anorex, white, flat as a board girls who get the attention. Humm how well do you think I’m fitting in.

I promise to add pictures of more Parasol sporting girls but for now the following will have to suffice.

While Katie, like myself, is trying to accomplish the western chore of a even natural glow Thomas has taken a more Chinese approach to his summer.

Oh Thomas...

At one time it was Katie’s yellow purse that I looked for in a crowd but now Thomas’s Purple Parasol, a good three feet above the rest, is so much easier to spot.

Okay after two successful phone calls its time to blog about.

It all began way back at the beginning of the semester when I confided in James this semester would be different. This semester I would make an honest effort to learn Chinese. I had two goals set to accomplish by the end of the semester

1. Be able to introduce myself.

2. Order my own water for the apartment.

Although I can say I have accomplished both it is not exactly with the ease or fluency with which I had hoped.

But I have now ordered my own water successfully twice. I will for the sake of honesty admit I still have to read from the email James sent me but hey I’m still the one that makes the call at the end of the day right. So for now I will bask in the glory of the little achievements which hopefully someday, and someday soon will add up to larger ones.

Here’s my script

ni4 hao3, wo3 shi4 qing1 nian2 jiao4 shi1 gong1 yu4 202 fang2 jian1 de1 mei3 guo2 lao3 shi1, wo3 xiang3 yao4 yi1 tong3 shui3, xiexie.

你好，我是青年教师公寓202房间的美国老师，我想要一桶水，谢谢

So I’m in love! Yes you read that correctly, Kayte Reagan has fallen and fallen hard. The object of my affection is a gift of the gods, the ultimate in take out food and the one thing I shall spend the rest of my life craving. The direct translation is Fire Hand!

The woman who started it all...

Yumm street food, just thinking about it makes me hungry. Hou Shou 火手is a sandwich of sorts that comes in a myriad of varieties. My two favorites, egg & pork and beef & chilies.  The filling is stuffed in a pita like bread that has been warmed.

I'd devoured half before I thought of taking a picture.

Outside of the middle school I teach at on Monday and Tuesday is the most delicious Huo Shou 火手. The woman is there every morning with here cart that is attached to her scooter. She fires up the grill and we’re in business. Plenty of grease, a herb mix to die for and a I”m in heaven. For Y2 really can you ask for anything more?

I few few weeks ago I decided to branch out and try a new variety. I think it might have eclipsed my love for egg and pork. It is juicier and the bread is always fresh rather than rewarmed.

Okay now I want one...bad.

The beef and chili is sold by the vendor next to the other woman but I’m pretty sure their related so no hard feelings for the switch.

At lunch they are not there so I go for a deep fried chicken version, smack, delicious. Oh yes, I’m in love.

The Qingdao Beer Company had a three week mini festival outside of Jusco this month. Kelly and I finaly went to check out the festivities, come to find out, on the last night. Now I know and boy am I looking forward to next year, I’ll be there everynight! The BBQ is amazing and cheap!

The entire area in front of Jusco was taken up by a massive stage and surrounding stalls.

Kelly tried her hand at darts!

The stage - the tables were packed

There were a variety of performances, from the alto clarinet to very very bad karaoke.

At one point the MC turned into a auctioner, the scrolls were beautiful.

My new found past time of watching football does not seem to be sanctioned by the gods. Up until now the games have been played at 7:30pm, 10:00pm and 2:30am. One game during each time slot. Now there are two games at 10pm and 2 at 2:30am. Last night England played Slovenia and the USA played Algeria. So which game do you suppose they aired? England of course. I spent 30min online trying to find a live stream. I finally gave up and went to bed praying they would play the Germany vs Ghana game.

At 2:15 I woke up and headed to the living room. I settled in for the game and was thrilled when the German teamed lined up. I figured I’d get the game going then check the score for the American game. Just as they were about to kick off the TV shut off! I wanted to scream you’ve got to be kidding me!

I ran to the landing to be sure, yup sure enough our power had run out. Of all times! No game and I still was clueless as to the outcome of the US game.

 So utilities here in China are metered by cards. When you run out you recharge your box with a card. I knew where the water card was but had no clue for the electric! As much as I wanted to, I refrained from calling James at 2:30 am. So no game for me. Back to bed, I was fuming. At exactly 7:30 I texted James asking him to stop by on his way to work.

To my horror it turns out the electric card is in the same spot as the water! Oh well I got more sleep than expected last night, that was a plus. And both teams won! I still can’t believe the USA will advance to the next round.

For the past semester I’ve been tutoring a small group of children every Monday night. It has been a rewarding challenge some evenings to say the least.

Last semester I taught a group of teachers children twice a week. This semester Mrs. Li Qing approached me asking if I’d be willing to teach again. I had declined the larger tutoring group but agreed to a smaller group here at the apartment.

The children this semester were different as their parents were not teachers but family friends of Mrs. Li. Emily was my only returning student.

 Although I’m happy to have my Monday nights free I’ll miss the energy they bring.

Anna, Vanessa, Me, Addison, front - Emily, Jake

Vanessa and her Mother

Emily and Mrs. Li Qing

Mrs. Li Qing has been my parent liaison for both my tutoring classes, this semester and last. Her English is limited but compared to my Chinese she’s fluent. I’ve appreciated all her help. She is a teacher her at the college.

Emily & Addison

They had the best English by far. I wish I could continue tutoring Addison as I know he will go far with his fluency if he keeps up his hard work.

Good Food and Excellent Company

During the summer, BBQ restaurants pop up all across town. Wendy had told me, Peter and she loved the BBQs along Shui Ke Lu. Kelly and I joined them for dinner and had a wonderful time. The BBQ restaurants are really just huge tiled areas with low tables and folding stools out front. They are a cultural phenomenon. When the evenings cool off people head to the BBQs to socialize and eat, sometimes for hours. Wendy said a single restaurant can clear over ¥50,000 a summer.

The BBQ here is delicious, skewers of thin slices of meat, vegetables and tofu. Most of the BBQ’s come from the north western province of Xinjiang. The spices are an earthy herb mixture with plenty of kick. The meat is typically mutton or goat as Xinjiang has a high Muslim population.

The game in the background.

I was shocked to find the extreme enthusiasm for soccer in China. You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a screen playing the games at night. It seems like I’m back in Argentina. The BBQ place had a projector out front and the tables were full with engrossed fans. Peter and I stumbled through a Chinglish conversation about of favorite teams. We both agreed on Argentina!

To be on the safe side I brought to China: two pairs of glasses, a pair of prescription sunglasses and a backup pair from three years ago. I never thought I’d actually get to the backup pair but sure enough boy was I glad I brought those. I missed placed my second pair, the screw fell out of the first pair (to be fair, I’ve never owned a small screwdriver for glasses) and sunglasses indoors is not exactly politely. Which brings me to today.

Janey - One of my top students.

Katie has been glasses shopping before but we heard the Small Goods Market had better deals. I asked a student to come along to translate and we headed to the Eye Doctors. Turns out most places can give you an eye exam right there on the spot or for us not so trusting foreigners you can hand over your glasses they analyze the prescription then copy it there in the store.

It took about an hour for the four of us to each select our glasses and haggle a price. I lucked out with the cheapest presecription at ¥50 and my frames were only ¥80. So a total of ¥130 or about $20USD.

After we selected our frames and got our prescription read it was on to the fitting.

Measuring for the frames

The Lens Cutter

I have to admit the fact that my glasses were finished and ready in less than an hour when it usually takes three weeks really makes me question the quality but hey no complaints on the price.

The final product

I’m really quite pleased with my glasses and so far they’ve been excellent for my vision. I think I’ll get another spare made and pick up a few more before heading back to the States.

I know this is breaking at least a dozen health codes but hey why do I care?

While waiting for our glasses to be finished I talked everyone into McDonald’s for lunch, mind you I’d eaten there for breakfast. Yeah, yeah can’t get much unhealthier than that. I’m determined to get a complete set of World Cup glass cups!  

Our wishes - mine was slightly selfish "I wish to travel the world!"

We went in and were debating what to order when two employees approached Katie and asked if she would be willing to participate in a craft corner. We were a little confused about the request but figured we didn’t have anything else planned for the afternoon. We sat down at a long table and we were given strips of construction paper. After writing down a wish we were instructed how to fold the paper into the shape of a ‘zong zi’ (a rice tamale of sorts). Today is Dragon Boat Festival, traditionally zong zi is eaten today. 

Our finished wishes all neatly folded

There were three Chinese girls who joined the party. They wrote their wish in Chinese of course but with the exception of two words “Short-Hair”. I have no idea what that was about. 

Once we finished the craft they asked if we had eaten. We said no and then asked a rather puzzling question. 

“Would you like to make your own Big Mac?” . . . Seriously. Again we didn’t really know what we were getting into but said yes. 

We were soon ushered back into the kitchen and proceeded to make our own Big Macs. 

Washed and gloved, ready for action.

The assembly line.

Now for the best part - two beef patties!

A job well done and oh so delicious.

Almost complete I need 2 more cups.

You really are treated so differently as a foreigner, anything goes it seems. They asked us to tell our friends and invited us to return to once again make our own meal. Humm fun experience once yes, but I’ve never wanted to work fast food for a reason, I prefer to pay someone else to make my food. Rather than pay a restaurant to allow me to make my food. 

But for the books, who can say they’ve made their own Big Mac while never being employed by McDonalds?