you can't take the country out of the girl. Or something like that. Things are great here in China! I've been eating lots of new foods, learning and experiencing a lot of new things, meeting some amazing people, and staying out of my comfort zone! I feel like staying out of my comfort zone is great for so many reasons but I have been feeling sick and worn out a lot. I think this is the result of a few different things: lack of protein, lots of public transportation and being around LOTS of people, and, well, being in a completely new and different place. I've been having extremely vivid dreams since i've been here. One of the volunteers at the house said something along the lines of "You're in one of the most ancient cities in the world, of COURSE that energy is gonna rub off on you." It still seems surreal being here. However, I DO feel like i've been getting the hang of things here for the most part. I know some of the bus routes and where to go when I need certain things, I've been getting better with the chopsticks, I'm aggressive and I fight for my spot on the overcrowded buses, and I know how to bargain down prices at the Muslim Quarter.
UPDATE: I'm in Beijing! Me and Jeff flew to HuanHuan's parent's house and will be staying here for the whole week! So far we have seen the Forbidden City, the Beijing Zoo, the Bird's Nest and other olympic sites, the Hutongs, and Tiananmen Square. We plan to go to the Great Wall this Thursday and see a bunch of other fun stuff. We have been doing a LOT of walking/catching buses/using the subway, but I'm determined to see as much as possible before flying back to Xi'an. I have been missing Xi'an and the people at the house though!
FOOD: I have realized my love for chinese food! It's NOTHING like the Americanized-Chinese food in the U.S. "Momma" makes this delicious sugar bread with bean milk at the house that I crave CONSTANTLY. DUMPLINGS! Lots of rice dishes with veggies and tiny pieces of meat. I think part of the reason i've been getting sick is due to the lack of protein because they don't normally eat large amounts of meat here. Which is why...I love Hotpot. It's this place where everyone has their own bowl of boiling water and they bring out a bunch of really thin, raw meat that you boil and cook yourself. YUM! Also, while I rarely eat Oreos at home, I constantly crave them here. Weird, right? I've also ate out at a Mcdonald's and a Burger King once, but for some reason there are, like, a MILLION KFCs here. They're EVERYWHERE. I don't get it.
NEW LOVES: Jasmine milk bubble tea, Thai massages, Hotpot, Chinese architecture, PANDAS!, and more!
DISLIKES: Everyone staring at me like i'm an animal in the zoo, asian toilets/holes in the ground, public transportation, and being homesick.
Well, that's all for now. Stay tuned!!
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