My Birthday and Some Other Stuff

Alright. So. I haven’t updated in a little while. I have a lot of readings for classes. I’ve been doing my best to keep up.

Dannie texted me and told me that there was an event at the volleyball courts in which every club would have a table. I rode my bike through the rain for 10 minutes to find out that they cancelled due to rain. Sweet.

The next day I went back. Fortunately, they were actually there that time. Instantly I was bombarded with people shoving flyers in my hand and yelling “Welcome to (insert random name) Club!!!” Within moments I had over 25 pieces of paper in my hand. After a little struggling, I found a few clubs of interest.

I signed up for “Language Partner.” This is where some random Chinese student is assigned to hang out with me and practice English for half the time and Chinese for the other half of our appointments. I haven’t had one scheduled yet, but it should prove to be one awkward and lame (but necessary) blind-date-ish situation.

I also signed up for Running Club!! Basically some people meet at the track every night and go for an easy run. They also have races occasionally. Saturday they had a 3,000 competition involving over 100 people from around the city. I was ceded in the fastest heat. Although my best time is 9:25, because of my injury and lack of hard training lately I only signed up as a 10 flat. I then struggled in the heat and sucked up the track. I finished third overall (first for the college students) with a time so appallingly terrible that I will not write it here. Anyway, my Achilles felt fine so I’m easing back into training.

After the race, a few of us went to some professor’s apartment and had tea. (Drinking tea is the way that everyone hangs out here, I guess haha). Most of them can’t speak English well, but they all try. I honestly don’t want them to try, though. If they could just simplify their Chinese and speak slower I would be much happier because I’d at least be learning while I am left out of the conversation.

The president of the running club whose English name is Angeline has invited me to go running with her a few times since then. She is pretty slow, but I haven’t been flying around lately anyway.

The running club was the best idea ever because I’ve met a bunch of locals who call me to hang out. We played cards the other night, which is perfect because I practice numbers and colors haha. I feel like a kindergartener. They all speak really fast.

HEY! It was my birthday the other day! Thanks to everyone who sent me messages! Unfortunately I can’t reply on Facebook, but rumor has it that the PRC will unblock it in October! We’ll see.

So I’m 21 now. Holy crap... old. Everyone has some crazy stories about their 21st birthday. I can tell people that on my 21st my friends took me to a Mexican restaurant in Shanghai, China. They all bought me my meal and some drinks. Subsequently, I ended up dancing to loud music virtually by myself while my friends watched and took pictures. Pretty cool haha.

I’m still trying to schedule a trip to Beijing and Xi’an. My understanding is that during the National Day holiday Beijing will be cracking down on foreign visitors because they don’t want any terrorist activity. What that means is that getting a hotel may be really hard.

The Communism here is becoming more and more apparent to me. I was walking home late from running club and had to stop to have the police check my ID at 2 different gate checkpoints. They are friendly about it, but it still really bothers us Americans to have to “check in” with the government if we want to go somewhere after dark.

Also, I saw a weasel jump out of a garbage can last night.