Today I had my first experience with contemporary Chinese medicine. There are no "private practice" doctors in China, if you have a problem, you go to the Emergency Room. If it's minor (in my case, the above allergic reaction to a bug bite...the marker around it is to gauge size) you go to a "pharmacy" where a man/woman with a stethoscope around their neck will look at it, think for a moment, and then prescribe some unknown substance. I got a black pill that you smash up and mix with "not so hot, not so cold" water and then rub onto the bug bite. I'll keep you updated on the progress. :) If it doesn't get better in the next day or two, I will be going to the ER. This is the 5th day since the bite and it is only getting bigger and purpler every day...
I'm scared!

I recently returned from an incredible (and spontaneous) adventure to Fenghuang. Twelve of us decided about 3 hours before the train left to buy a ticket and hop on. We took a 10 hour overnight train into Jishou and a 1.5 hour bus ride through beautiful mountain countryside to a river town called Fenghuang. After an incredible day and night exploring the town, we hopped two busses to get to Dehang, a tiny minority village in the middle of a national park.
Most of my memories of this trip weren't captured with a camera (its strange how art school will do that to you). One particular memory I will keep with me forever is the night we spent in Dehang (last photo). It was such a sleepy little village, hardly any people, and at night ALL the lights turned out and from the balcony of our hotel you could occasionally see villagers using flashlights to navigate to and from their homes. Ten of us sat on the balcony with the only other tourists in town: a honeymooning couple from England. We talked and laughed, drinking and snacking and listening to the rain fall. Everything was dark and you could make out the karst formations through the twilight in the distance (karst=second to last photo, the view from the balcony at dawn). I realized in that moment that I was living the vision I'd been longing for my whole life, the vision of my "dream life." Friends, adventure, beautiful scenery, laughter, happy and content. The only thing that was missing was Mikey, and I saved a little space for him there in my heart. After everyone headed to bed, I asked the lao ban (boss) if I could borrow his flashlight and took a walk in the rain. I sat down near the bridge and closed my eyes, soaking in the sounds and the smells and the cool rain on my skin. I sent a little prayer of gratitude out to the night sky and upon opening my eyes laughed out loud at the beauty/absurdity of the moment. Me, wet, in a minority village, in the middle of nowhere China, listening to croaking frogs and crickets.

Living room, the left door leads to the kitchen, the right to the bathroom...behind me is the TV with DVD player.Bathroom with washer...there is definitely a leak somewhere and they forgot to run a pipe to the washer when they renovated so I have to wait a little longer before doing laundry...

Bedroom with mom's treasure/homesick quilt she made just for me (with Amber's help!) :)

Kitchen, probably wont be using this much. No oven! Mini Fridge with mini freezer behind me.

Night time view from my bedroom window...there were stars out tonight!

I can't believe I'm going to be living here for a year...reality still hasnt hit me yet. Will it ever? Maybe when classes start?

Today is the last day of Orientation. Tomorrow I, Tim, and Chris will be picked up by WaiGuoYou (our school), sign the legal documents, and taken to our new apartments. I can't BELIEVE how fast that went by. I spent almost all of Orientation experiencing, and not documenting so I apologize for the lack of photos and writing. Every day here is different. Some days are like a melody, catchy and free. Other days are a strange black and white scifi movie with a soundtrack that consists mainly of screeching violins. Some days I embrace the consistant absurdity that is China, other days I resist and resist wishing for something familiar and comfortable. Overall, I am so happy and proud to be here and am having SO much fun. The above photo is me with my Chinese class (plus Dana, my teacher) after our group presentation/play/musical where we were all tigers. Classes start September 1st!

In my English Salon group a couple nights ago I taught the students how to play "Do you love your neighbor?" Whatever student was caught in the middle had to do a song or a dance for the whole group. I had a girl sing Chinese opera, another sing all verses and chorus of a Backstreet Boys song, and, my favorite, an on the spot English translation of a Chinese children's song Two Tigers, sung to the tune of Frere Jacques:
"Two tigers, two tigers
Running fast, running fast,
One has no ears,
The other has no ass,
Very strange, very strange"

(Lost in translation: "Ass" should have been "tail") Very strange indeed!
All performances were very impressive, but it was my headstand that stole the show!

Also, today in class we had a boy named Fack. We made him change it, so now he is called Black.
We asked who their heroes are and a student said Optimus Prime. We asked if they could have one superpower what would it be and a student said all of his hands would be guns so he could kill all the thieves and bad guys to help the police. Awesome.

A girl named "Kiss Me" might lure you into her authentic Chinese dress shop and doll you up. Then she might take you to a small mirror down the hall to show you how "very beautiful" you are and then let you take pictures with her friend! Hao3 wan2!


*after this adventure we did go to the market with all the weird meats...however what I wasnt aware of was that all of the animals are slaughtered on site and are alive at the market. I got about 10 feet in when I saw a woman killing a snake and had to turn around. So, sorry, no weird meat photos. Apparently there were turtles, snakes, rabbits, chickens, goats, catfish, crawdads, and some already slaughtered dog. :(
On a lighter note I found a new favorite Chinese treat! Dried rose! It is absolutely delicious, I am eating it right now. I don't think its the same rose as we have in america, but that was the closest translation I could get.
I'm off to prepare Monday's lesson!

SO, my website is blocked in China. I can post to it but I can't view it to respond to comments. So if you are leaving comments and I'm not responding, its not personal! In response to some of my more recent comments:

Jen: Thanks SO much for all your comments! It makes a hard day much better when you come home to a full inbox. :) The weirdest meat I've seen with my own eyes is duck neck and chicken feet but I'm on my way out the door to go to a market where its rumored they have all the crazy meats. I will hold my breath and bring my camera. I am really far from Beijing, much closer to Hong Kong. I did get to go watch the opening ceremony at a karaoke bar last night. It was incredible. No one was out on the streets, everyone was huddled over any TV they could find. China is very very proud to be hosting the olympics. Yesterday a little boy ran up to me and said HELLO! Welcome to China!! I think the weather here is similar to the "deep south," today it is 95 degrees and about 90% humidity. I sweat. A lot.

Sammy: Wo ai ni is one of my favorite Chinese phrases! :)

I finally had a little extra time to go to Martyrs Park, which is the big park in Changsha across from my hotel. Around 6am the whole city comes here to do Tai Chi and practice calligraphy and do other various aerobics and dancing. Kite flying is also a big thing. I will be definitely be back when the light is better and the people are out! The women here use umbrellas in the sun to protect themselves from the UV rays. Light skin is much more desirable here, and almost all lotions have a "whitening cream" in them.

Phrases I know in Chinese (without looking):

I want green tea with ice.
I am an English teacher.
I am American.
I love you.
I like Chinese food.
I like American food.
I want chicken meat.
Goodbye!
Morning!
Start class!
Too expensive!
It is super hot!
It is super spicy!
I understand or I don't understand.
I don't speak Chinese or I speak a little Chinese.
I'm full.
I'm hungry!
My name is Maria, and you?
That band is awesome!
What's that?
What's this?
How much is that?
How much is this?
Hello little friend!
I'd like one bottle of cold water.

And actually a lot more. I have to stop and think for a while, and my pronunciation is slow and horribly wrong but every conversation I've had thus far with a Chinese person has been successful! A conversation yesterday:

M: I'd like some green tea with...um...that! (ice)
CP: You want green tea? You don't want milk tea?
M: No no not milk tea, yeah, green tea.
CP: 2 kuai. Are you a teacher?
M: Yes I'm an English teacher.
CP: Cool.
M: Thanks!

All of my classes and studying have made it really hard to do anything but wake up/learn/sleep/repeat. Visited the river near my apartment tonight and saw large groups of men doing karaoke from a mini dvd player (one of my friends sang a Beatles song for them), loud dramatic reenactments of Chinese history through opera, and got stared, pointed and laughed at by thousands of people. Its pretty crazy here. I may be dying my hair. :)

Me and Ashley before our $6/hour massage at the "Massage Hospital." Most of the masseuses are blind or partially blind.

Big festival for the opening of the new tunnel outside our hotel.

Fireworks for the tunnel opening.

Dinner tonight, northern food. Very yummy!

Orientation games.
These are what the public restrooms look like in China. They're called pit toilets. I thought this one was bad, but the one I used today makes this one look luxurious. Really.

I also lost my wallet yesterday at the local "western" grocery store and was with a group of people who didn't speak Chinese...wow what an ordeal. Our field directors finally met up with us in the "VIP" room with the Police and we filed a report. As I was canceling my credit cards I got a knock on the door saying they found my wallet! Apparently a woman's son picked it up and took it home and when she found it she called the Police. It was truly a miracle.
Today we did a scavenger through the city with 100 kuai (about 15 dollars). It was really fun! We got to bargain (got a mao plate for 30 kuai when she wanted 200), make new chinese friends, learn where to get english newspapers, buy chicken feet and stinky tofu, and lots and lots of other fun stuff. I am exhausted.

Chinese phrases I have learned so far:
Numbers 1-10
"What is that?"
"Hello"
"Thank you"
"Go team"
"Do you bargain?"
"Pearl milk tea"
"Beer"