Life is Awesome!

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After deciding not to go for a run today as I had been planning, I bummed around in my room for a while and ate breakfast. At eleven forty-five I got sick of waiting for people to get over their post-clubbing sleep-ins and hiked upstairs to find people to go out with.

Clare and Audrey were still in their pajamas, so I hiked up another flight of stairs to visit Jane and Maria. They were all set to go out for Japanese food, so I got in on that action. We took two taxis, because Malia (from Japan), Moppy (from South America???), and Victoria (from England) came too.

The restaurant was up behind a hotel and had a bridge, and screens, and seating areas with low tables and floor mats. There was a pit under the table to put our feet in if we couldn't deal with sitting Japanese style. It seemed pretty good. We ordered and waited. And waited. And waited.

Each dish came twenty minutes after the one before. It was ridiculous. We chatted for a while. We discussed the fact that Americans talk a lot more than other nationalities, and talk over each other and loudly. We ran out of things to talk about.

I was starting to get worried because I told Jhanica we would be back by three to go with a group to get bikes, but it was getting closer and closer to three and they still had to serve our chicken. I texted her to leave without us, but they said they would wait. So that made me feel worse. Finally we paid at three. 50 yuan each. Ridiculous!! That is what PLU gives us per day.

At least we got a taxi pretty quickly, and Maria and I made it back to join the group going to get bikes.

Rocky and another Chinese kid led us across a bridge to a sketchy back alley type place. A lady with an umbrella led us into it. The bikes were in a dark, stone room behind someone's kitchen. And people were going about their daily lives back there, but also selling obviously stolen bikes.

I got my bike first. Rocky and friend bargained them down from 280 to 180 for me. Best deal. My bike is bright green, so it is awesome. I waited out in the dirt alley for the rest of the group. Sara(h) got hers, but everyone else was unimpressed. They were picky. Jhanica said she wasn't even going to get one.

They didn't like us waiting in the alley, so we went out onto the sidewalk. But they didn't like us waiting there either. They sent us across the street. Eventually Ryan came out with his bike. And after another long while, the rest appeared. Jhanica had a bike-- bright orange-- even though she said she wouldn't buy one. Maria had one too. Apparently hers is better, but I can't tell the difference. It still looks grungy to me. But it does have a basket. Ben refrained from buying any of them. He couldn't find one he liked.

We went back to the dorm and chilled for a bit. I decided not to go out tonight, so went around to recruit people to eat dinner with me. Sara(h), Maria, Jeff and I took bikes to the South gate and found a hotpot restaurant. We had a bit of difficulty communicating with the waiters and waitresses, but got what we wanted in the end. And washed it all down with peanut milk, of course, but my nose was still running all over the place.

Back in Jeff's room, we all played poker with Nick, Jeff's roommate, using mao... Chinese cents. One mao equals a couple of pennies I think. I made fifteen kuai, because we raised the stakes a few times. I also made off with Jeff's 2 mao bill, which Maria really wanted. We all laughed a lot, and had fun trying to kill all of the mosquitoes in their room.

We went back to our rooms a little after eleven. I checked my email and found out that I have been chosen to join the Pamplin Society of Fellows this year. Only seven sophomores are chosen a year! So I am psyched. I won't be able to go to the induction ceremony, but it is all good. I am in China.

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Comments

[Heather Greenberg]

Howdy
Laura, congratulation on being a Pamplin SCholar--that is awesome and impresive. It is also another thing for me to tell Maddie and Rayna about--glad they have so many female cousins who are doing so well in school that they can look up to. Maddie says she misses you and really really wants to see you. Love you, Heather

[lauralisonash]

Thank you!
Tell Maddie I miss her too! But she probably wouldn't like China too much. She would have to eat chicken feet instead of chicken strips.

[Heather Greenberg]

I know how to spell impressive, I was just testing you in my previous comment. You failed! ;)

[Deidre Tarkany]

Congrats on the Pamplin scholarship, and time to get a mosquito net!