blood suckers

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So if there is anything I hate in China it is the damn mosquitoes that NEVER GO AWAY. There are nights that I literally don't sleep because of the biting and the itching and the buzzing in my ear. I have taken up being a mosquito hunter by day, trying to creep up on them as they rest on my walls. But those suckers are fast! They're smart. Probably from sucking the blood of their fellow smart country dwellers, the Chinese. The first two days I was here, I had 17 bites just on my arms alone. Now, I can't even count. And yes, we got bug spray and mosquito zappers, but nothing seems to ease the situation for long. Because of this reason alone, I cannot wait for it to get cold here. The nights have gotten a bit cooler, but not cool enough. For now, all I can do is continue my hunting in daylight and hope I get them all before dark.

I've realized that I have taken this idea of being a resident too literal. I have not explored Benxi nearly as much as I should! Therefore, we should be going to the water caves this weekend and maybe the zoo sometime soon. Everyone says it's a legit zoo and I'm curious. In October, we get a whole week off and plan on making a trip to Beijing to see dun dun dun - the Great Wall. Until then, I have taken up taking photos of flowers because they remind me of my sister, the flower doctor. So Julie, these pics are for you.

Oh yeah, and one day, I was feeling adventurous so I suggested we go somewhere we hadn't been before. Of course it would be my idea, right? So we walk into this restaurant which apparently was Sezchuan style. We picked stuff from a menu without the slightest idea of what we were getting since everything was in Chinese. We ended up with what we think was beef and lamb (though originally, we thought we were getting bacon), eggs, cabbage, and noodles. We threw everything into a boiling pot to cook and were less than satisfied to say the least. That's what happens when you just...go for it.

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Photos

1
outside our apartment

2
are all these

3
pretty flowers.

4
I don't know

5
what kind

6
any of them are.

huh
we see shirts like this ALL the time.

ktv2
nice girls

me and friend 2
chillin

me and friend
again

more friends!
they love this stuff.

restaurant cooking
this was the setup

raw...everything
imagine how that turned out...

Comments

[Julie]

Flowers
Aww yay! They are so pretty =) Thanks for taking those! I haven't taken any photos of flowers since I house sat for Sally, but we are going to have Fall colors here pretty soon. That will make for awesome photos-which I will take for you! I took many photos at BM and Michelle and I were talking about how when you come back (if?) you should come with us, though it might be hectic trying to arrange for it right after you get back (but totally worth it!)... I told her my first day out there was for you. I wore some of your clothes for interesting outfits... You would have loved the art and I hope you'll go someday. As for me, I'm there every year if I can make it happen and it would be awesome if you could join me!

[Ron-dizzle]

dude, i think mosquitoes like you cuz you taste like beans and rice. boom roasted! why are you not naming your friends and just numbering them? i don't think they'd appreciate it... i'm excited for you to be an explorer! you're right, slow down on thinking resident and enjoy being a tourist until you feel that you could not explore anymore (which might be impossible since China's a pretty big place but hey, you know what I'm trying to say). still appreciate the food pictures. and it may just be me, but when i notice what you're wearing and recognize it, i miss you more? i'm weird.