Having a Monday Off

To begin my blogging journey, I thought I'd show the highlights of my weekend and relish these free moments of my Monday sans classes.

This Saturday, I was supposed to wake up and go see a student named Lea in her room around 9:30am.  Originally, she wanted me to come at 8:30am, when I asked if she was serious about that time, she said, "Oh, is that too late?" I said, Lea, it's Saturday morning...can we do it a little later.  "Oh, how about 9:30?" Well, I agreed to that time, even though when 9:30am rolled around that Saturday morning, I had a terrible time making myself get up.  Could've been do to the fact that I'd taken 2 Benadryl the night previous to knock myself out.  I texted her and asked if I could come around 10, which I still wasn't sure I could do.  She did me one better and said 11.  As I was walking up the stairs to her dorm on the sixth floor, she texted me at 11:01 asking where I was.  I assured her I was in the middle of the long trek to her room and I'd be there in a moment.  I was greeted by Lea and another student, one of her 5 roommates named Kelsie.  They ushered me to her bed to have a seat.  I was given a bowl of Lea's red bean soup that she made on her illegal hot plate in her dorm room.  I was handed a spoon and repeatedly to "have a taste."  I did have a try and have a taste and...well...it was interesting.  I stayed in the room about an hour and a half, as Lea showed me all her Sex in the City, Prison Break, and Lost DVD's that they frequently watch on her mini-DVD player.

I left and returned to my room to really get dressed for the day and made plans to meet one of my students, Frances, who had promised to cook for me that day.  We finally met around 3pm and on our way to the grocery store, stopped off at a corner store to try to get change.  We'd gotten some big bills from our bosses to use when going to the internet bars, and we wanted them in smaller bills. I was about half-way successful in that I could change only 1 of the 100rmb notes.  Then Frances and I entered the GuanYuan and bought broccoli, potatoes, green beans, chicken, and seasonings.  I also picked up some necessary items for my apartment and off we went.  

A little while later, Frances--accompanied by other students--Christina, Elsie, and Strawberry came to our shared kitchen to begin the cooking process.  I was not allowed to help.

About an hour or so later...we had a great meal to share between the five of us, that soon became six, when another student from my Applied English 602, Maggie, joined us.

And as the proverbial Mama, I sit at the head of the table, of course.


After we ate and talked for a long time, we walked across the hall to my room to eat gooey chocolate chip cookies and watch what has become in my opinion a favorite for all Chinese students, Hook.  I think it's the American children that play such big roles in the story that really gets their attention.
 


They wondered for a long time if the actor who plays Rufio was Chinese, I did not think so, but I did not dash all their hopes, perhaps he is--a bit.  I have since researched and found out that Dante Basco is of Fillipino descent.  I neglected to tell them a little self-trivia that I have actually dated two men in my life who are often mistaken for this actor and whose friends call them Rufio on a regular basis.  The first was half Puerto Rican, a quarter African American, and a quarter Korean and the second half Korean and half African American--I figured they could do without that knowledge.

A little after 10pm, 5 very stuffed, very smiley girls filed out of my room and repeated their "thank you's" down the stairwell.  I was very thankful that we had decide to wash dishes as we cooked and directly after we ate.  I did a little facebook stalking and then retired to my room for the night.  

I woke up later than I wanted to and threw some clothes together.  All the teachers were gathering this Sunday morning to meet and sing and then join other students to go downtown to hand out food and love to the poor of our city.  I am not in the self-de-briefing process yet to write a smart enough re-cap of that day, so please refer to Hannah's post for that story.

Hannah, Kara, and a student from NanDaiHe, Heather, followed me back to my school and spent some time in my room. Sci-Tech (my university) then shared a family dinner which consisted of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, not exactly my first choice for a dinner, or a choice at all. I'm not really a fan.  After watching 2 episodes of Seinfeld with Blayzer, I again retired to my room alone for the night.

Finally, we are caught up to today.  We have off today because of the Tomb Sweeping holiday of China where people remember the dead and honor them.  I had high hopes to sleep until at least 10am, which were dashed by the boys I live with around 750am.  Thankfully they woke me up, because a few minutes later, Linda, one of my most popular students (my campus standards), called me frantically screaming something about the 2nd round of a competition that she's in this morning and she can't do her make-up.  I told her to calm down and assured her she could come to my room and I'd do it for her.  She came and I guessed what would be the right colors and design, I've never done make-up for such an exotic, Asian girl before.

My flash made it look a little weird, but I promise she looked pretty.  Yes, that is Michael Scott in the background on my TV screen.  I sprayed her with couple shots of my Chanel perfume to add to her confidence and she ran out my door to have her hair done.  I rewarded my servanthood by eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  I found a book in our library that I started reading and am more than overjoyed to have a diversion other than The Office.

Perhaps this is not very insightful, forgive me for my first post not being full to the brim with wit, but the majority of this was written while on the phone...