tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28362620273424991732024-03-05T15:15:17.216-08:00Sometimes I Get It Right: My Travels AbroadChloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-60900356017712412072015-06-12T12:38:00.001-07:002015-06-12T12:38:35.430-07:00How Not to Use Chopsticks Hello readers! I'm sorry about the lack of posts. I have, unfortunately, been busy taking care of a very sick chinchilla. <br />
Have no fear! A post is here, and it's about using chopsticks!<br />
Or rather, how <i>I</i> use chopsticks.<br />
<br />
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It was one of the first days in Chengdu. We were settling in at our “dorm”
rooms—the dorm was actually a hotel, but they always put the PLU/LC students
there because they had more accommodations than the other foreign student
dorms, such as individual bathrooms. I think I can positively say that all of
us were happy to be in one place. We’d started in Beijing, and hit the ground
running—sightseeing mostly. <br />
Sichuan University had kindly assigned students to be our guides. After we’d
met and exchanged names—their English was very good, which I suppose was one of
the requirements—we’d decided to go out as a group for dinner. So, our PLU/LC
group and our four guides—Eason, Kiki, Jennifer, and Demi—walked together out
of the little north gate. They brought us to one of the many restaurants near
the campus. We snagged a round table outside and managed to squeeze all of us
around. Beer was ordered and toasts were exuberantly said. The beer glasses
were akin to shot glasses—short and small. The dishes—massive tureens of
steaming vegetables and noodles—were places in the middle, where everyone could
reach. At least, in theory. <br />
I’m short, with proportionately short arms. This is not a problem; it just
meant that I had to stand to reach the food. My chopstick skills, however, were
a problem, especially when it came to picking up the extremely slippery
noodles. In my defense, these noodles were not made of rice or wheat; they were
a potato noodle and were as slippery as black ice. <br />
There is also a technique that helps, which I was woefully ignorant of.
You’re <i>supposed</i> to pick up your personal bowl and get that as close as
possible to the communal bowl of noodles, and that way, just in case the
noodles slip, you can catch them before they slither onto the table. <br />
I know now, but at the time, I was regrettably naïve to the ways of
chopsticks. <br />
You know how it is. You’re in a new group of people and you want to make a
good impression. This is particularly true when you’re in a different country
and trying to represent your country in a respectable manner. <br />
I tried. Oh, did I try. <br />
For the majority of the night, it was fine. I got through a conversation
with Eason and Anna without making an ass of myself, and I’d handled my
chopsticks admirably. Then the noodles arrived. It was immediately obvious to
me that I may have met my match, and yet they were tasty and different and I
wanted to keep eating them. <br />
So, I stood, my chopsticks outstretched, and picked up a noodle. I carefully
levered myself back towards my seat and was about to sit down when the noodle
began to slip from my chopsticks. <br />
<i> Oh no</i>. <br />
It happened in slow motion and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. <br />
The noodle fell.<br />
Right into my beer glass. <br />
I sat, my hand still raised, and just looked sadly at my beer-sodden noodle.<br />
<i> Maybe no one saw that?</i> <br />
My eyes swept the table. Those who sat right next to me were oblivious, but
then I looked across the table at Eason, who, as a good host, was gallantly
trying to hide a smile. So much for making a good impression. I gave him
self-conscious smile. <br />
A laugh broke through my embarrassment. Martin was sitting on Eason’s right
and had also seen my failure. He had no compunction about laughing at me. It
was his laughter that made me shed my awkwardness and I grinned back at him—really,
if I had tried to get a noodle into my glass, I would have missed. Once Martin
started, a chuckle escaped from Eason, and I added my own rolling laughter to
theirs. <br />
Kiki got me another beer glass—I think the waiters were also amused by this
clumsy foreigner—and dinner continued. So, I didn’t give the first impression
that I wanted, but it was certainly the most genuine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TKjooW0Kyk0XJinLM-817sLMzFPKMQOQdeZToNEk1Kj5Ek7u4JjXUjbrHCubZWrwx80oJcFVnkSNu9cgGluwrjYP-nMB1P1TutbVUQGIbdLkIDzdr8Sy4eKhKLR-ICS2fqVCRJAiLZ_j/s1600/mmexport1434070810671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TKjooW0Kyk0XJinLM-817sLMzFPKMQOQdeZToNEk1Kj5Ek7u4JjXUjbrHCubZWrwx80oJcFVnkSNu9cgGluwrjYP-nMB1P1TutbVUQGIbdLkIDzdr8Sy4eKhKLR-ICS2fqVCRJAiLZ_j/s320/mmexport1434070810671.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-51936848216721902172015-05-22T12:27:00.000-07:002015-06-12T12:40:25.474-07:00A Little of This and a Little of That<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have so
many stories from my time in China, and some of them are short enough
that they can't be posts by themselves. So, here are four short
stories. I haven't decided if there is a common theme threading
through the stories; I'll leave you to decide that. I'm sharing them,
because, for me, it is in the quieter moments that our humanity reveals itself. It was during the late night conversations that I saw--saw and understood--my friends and the vulnerabilities that they are forced to hide because of their culture. The quick morning meal showed a lifetime of work and love. It was in the moments that I looked into a person's eyes and knew them--just for a moment. Even though we hardly spoke each others' language. <br />
<br />
But enough exposition. Here we go. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lived in
the dorm, which meant that I didn’t have a kitchen handy to make food. This was
fine, because in all honesty, I am lazy and there were plenty of places on the
walk to school where I could buy a ready-made meal for less than one U.S.
dollar. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My favorite
shop was run by an older woman, who had a craggy face and a full laugh. She
sold these delicious pastries which were like crepes with egg folded into a
package of deliciousness. From what I could tell—she had the thickest Sichuan
accent—these were called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">momos</i>. I
would unabashedly inhale a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">momo </i>for
breakfast every single day on my walk to school. She sold a yogurt drink
which I often bought too. The shop, by the way, was her apartment. She'd had one of the outside walls of her ground floor home taken out, and sold food which had been made right in her own kitchen. I would peek into the living room and see her husband or grandchildren watching TV. Her home always seemed full of people and chatter. <br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It wasn’t
long before she began expecting me in the morning, and when I walked up to her
stall, she would stop whatever it was she was doing and cry, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Momos!</i>”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To which I
would reply “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yes please!</i>”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Her voice matched
her appearance. It sounded the years of life and hard work she’d lived through.
It was rough and often broke, but when she laughed, it was glorious. Her
laughter would fly over the conversation and into the sky. It had a life of its
own and it was so totally unexpected from this small, tough woman. In the
privacy of my mind, I nicknamed her the Momo Mama. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I
would go for a run, she would sometimes give me an encouraging wave or shout
from her stall as I passed, sweating and tired. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I would
have kept going to her stall, but unfortunately all the food stalls and
makeshift restaurants were closed on that street about halfway through the
semester. They were technically unlicensed, I think, and the school had finally
gotten around to shutting them down. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I didn’t
see much of her after that, but when I did, I would give her a wave and a
smile.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">*** </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Often, I
walked over to InCoffee, a fancy coffee shop with good drinks and comfy
chairs. This coffee shop has three stories, by the way, and waiters to bring
your caffeinated beverages to your table. All the waiters wear impeccable white
shirts and black aprons. I usually went during the afternoon, which is a time
when few customers come through the double doors. Meaning, that the waiters have
little to do but stand around talking.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I leaned
back in the leather armchair, idly sipping my iced mocha, eyes wandering. This
was one of my first times at InCoffee, and I was fascinated by the décor. It
was deliberately eclectic, with reclaimed tables, which were made from old
doors, and a menagerie of chairs, which ranged from worn leather armchairs to
wooden deck chairs. Over each table was a chandelier, each one unique and
vibrant. On our table sat a purple teddy bear, which served as a reminder to
the servers that we had an order waiting. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of the
aforementioned servers approached our table, tray in hand. On the tray sat a
decadent coffee drink. Whipped cream and chocolate syrup glistened in the
chandelier-light. I raised my eyebrows. I’d thought my mocha was fancy with its
elegant, curving glass. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “Here’s your drink.” </i>The server said,
placing the coffee on our table with practiced grace. She looked to be about
our age, with short spiked hair and a thin face. Her movements and words were
well-worn, practiced enough to have become natural. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> “Thanks,”</i> Jeremiah replied. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I leaned
forward for a closer inspection. The chocolate swirls formed hearts on top of
the whipped cream. I sucked in a surprised breath. “Wow! That is a piece of
art!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The server,
who had been walking away, teddy bear under her arm, glanced over her shoulder
at my exclamation. A satisfied smile—one that was unscripted—appeared, and I
could tell, despite not knowing English, she’d understood my admiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
enveloping warmth of the monastery was welcoming after the frosty blue sky and
chill wind outside. The Tibetan monastery had been built solidly, enough to
keep the frigid weather at bay. We—my classmates, Professor Hamilton, and I—were visiting
the kitchen of one of the many monasteries on our trip to Tibet. It was a
working monastery—meaning that there were still monks who lived and worshipped
there. It wasn’t merely a tourist site. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The
weather, as I have already mentioned, was cold at best, and the clothes I had
brought were inadequate. The wool shawl I had gotten helped enormously and I
burrowed my chin into the rough fabric. The dark kitchen had giant pots—they
had to feed quite a lot of monks—and there were stacks of tea bricks lining the
back of the room. We wove through the pillars and cooking utensils, stopping
here and there to examine the decorations on the walls--the elegant curving Tibetan script. Hand-painted, obviously, and meticulously done. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two older
monks sat in the corner, wrapped in bright red robes. They silently watched us
with sable eyes. Our guide, Penba, gathered us near that corner and explained
how the cooking schedule worked when it clashed with prayer times. I listened
only vaguely—it was interesting to hear, but I was distracted by my
surroundings. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I accidentally
caught the eye of one monk. He had strand of prayer beads and was mouthing the
mantras under his breath. He had been watching Penba, but when I looked at him,
his eyes flicked to mine. For a moment, I was shy—he was so foreboding with his
heavily lined face and weathered skin—but then I smiled at him—I had learned
how to smile with my eyes, since my mouth was covered most of the time with my
gray shawl. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, I
smiled, and, after a moment of hesitation, the monk smiled back. His white
teeth gleamed and his eyes almost disappeared in folds of skin. It was a
surprised smile, I think, and it was like the sun coming out of storm clouds. I
got the impression that many tourists treat the monks as if they were part of
the monastery and therefore part of the site-seeing, but not really human. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hello” </i>I ventured. Penba had taught us
basic Tibetan.<br />
The monk chuckled, "<i>hello.</i>" </div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">*** </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “He
just wanted my young body, my youth.” My friend said, gesticulating with his
hands, hitting his knees. “He saw <i>nothing</i> on the inside. My personality,
my heart.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Our
gazes locked, and I saw the pain in his dark-chocolate eyes. I wanted to reach
over and hug him, but the realization that I couldn’t give him the comfort he
was looking for struggled out of my alcohol blurred brain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “He’d
just wanted to fuck, fuck, fuck. If I’d wanted that, I would have stayed home
and masturbated.” He shook his head and his gaze dropped to the ground. “During
sex, there should be communication between partners. There should be—“ he
leaned over and caressed my arm gently, “this. Words and touches.” I nodded in
understanding when he paused. His liquid brown eyes traveled back up to mine.
“He hurt me.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> His
words were vulnerable, but his tone was almost defiant. Like so many who had
experienced a damaging affair, he put up defenses around his memory, to prevent
further hurt from being done. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> My
friend did not prolong the moment. He took a sip of Rio and asked, “you
masturbate, right?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> My
cheeks burned and I giggled, the alcohol making me giddy. Seeing my flaming
face, he quickly added, “It shouldn’t be a shameful thing. This should be okay
to talk about. Don’t be ashamed." he said this earnestly, wanting me to believe it--despite all the shame both our cultures associate with sex. As if by saying this, we could change things for the better. He picked up his drink and said, "Girls here won’t talk about sex at all.” </span><br />
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> There was another pause in the conversation. My friend was gathering his thoughts. </span><br />
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> "There should just be more love."</span><br />
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> We
meandered off to other topics, as drunk people are often wont to do. At the end
of the night, when he walked me back to my dorm, I finally did give him a hug. He smelled, as always, of the kitchen--warm food and spices--and of the clean scent of soap. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> “Thanks.”</span></div>
Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-86548741995106860012015-04-09T15:51:00.000-07:002015-05-22T12:31:45.299-07:00Competition Day (Part 2)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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(A continuation of <a href="http://sometimesigetitright.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/competition-day-part-1.html" target="_blank">this post</a>)(and edited for spelling errors. Sorry about that!)<br />
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“Go in,” Chuanchao said “Get good seats!”<br />
"Good luck!" Simon and I chorused. He gave a grin and a thumbs up.<br />
The gymnasium was obviously new. The windows were shiny, the floors unscuffed, and it still had the peculiar smell which accompanies all construction sites. I wondered vaguely if this competition was the main reason for the creation of this gym. <br />
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We still had time, and there were plenty of seats still open, so Simon and I wandered through the different halls. For the students of this school, life was going on routinely. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPcCTdJ7prnr5nFd1oOrgNtjVPTK9zjJNVeNnDDhQvneOUa8ii24a2lBDJr0R_8HddWMIqMJnhtZmfZMYJYdVgldVg5cib4ZG2yBccptVO_kGKNL7wpKER3QEobN1WKmAxTCUxm55f2JL/s1600/DSCN1468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPcCTdJ7prnr5nFd1oOrgNtjVPTK9zjJNVeNnDDhQvneOUa8ii24a2lBDJr0R_8HddWMIqMJnhtZmfZMYJYdVgldVg5cib4ZG2yBccptVO_kGKNL7wpKER3QEobN1WKmAxTCUxm55f2JL/s1600/DSCN1468.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badminton is one of the more popular sports in China</td></tr>
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We even got a peek at the warm ups of the competitors. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR0OfW5kmv_oV8txPLd0UlyZram64WydDJIasDJnjwJy_al65Ndj3NsXwSdNuxalInvg4W1MkTbzrNRmJ1I5RzmwJ-Rw02P6jlRR6F_MFm-SmVPzG7t8hDgeh9SvPPROCSwW2bxlABh-B/s1600/DSCN1485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR0OfW5kmv_oV8txPLd0UlyZram64WydDJIasDJnjwJy_al65Ndj3NsXwSdNuxalInvg4W1MkTbzrNRmJ1I5RzmwJ-Rw02P6jlRR6F_MFm-SmVPzG7t8hDgeh9SvPPROCSwW2bxlABh-B/s1600/DSCN1485.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This young woman was part of Chuanchao's team. She would be competing in Chinese fencing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYUE1q0g817N-X0qRw_ZVgS6ZzbgZ-T5a_ERyLBuffFUJFhcnpnMh0Ce0S9dARikqBGkzzbzVysdK9a5XFzMC-u8Uf1tauh8lCzXwM9u7LB4h2mQ_ZnJs9dNp-fKj3_EKzXwKmx98ojAi/s1600/DSCN1486.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGYUE1q0g817N-X0qRw_ZVgS6ZzbgZ-T5a_ERyLBuffFUJFhcnpnMh0Ce0S9dARikqBGkzzbzVysdK9a5XFzMC-u8Uf1tauh8lCzXwM9u7LB4h2mQ_ZnJs9dNp-fKj3_EKzXwKmx98ojAi/s1600/DSCN1486.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For me, their uniforms were as fun to admire as their skills.</td></tr>
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Simon checked the thick watch on his wrist. "We should go get seats. The kungfu competition will start soon."<br />
I nodded and followed him to the main hall. As we ascended the stairs, I examined the arena. This competition was set up differently than the Taekwondo tournaments I had attended, which, in hindsight, made sense. The judging and performances were different. In the Taekwondo tournaments, we set up multiple smaller mats--we had more competitors and we usually had sparring matches. From what I could gather, this competition was a culmination of a series and therefore had less competitors, who would be performing their routines, but not sparring. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRG0YZAaatUVQmXVS1XRCs4cZ7ehxm_KvYN2b4bFmwiAM6iq_79Rf1GOxeeKp-QJJ37W8pXAmmMsyJ40NsU7sPLKFCBDjINVc4lW481OZ6dz4orBCZ3QbX5Q040TTMGSC-S6TzsG0x0A5/s1600/DSCN1488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdRG0YZAaatUVQmXVS1XRCs4cZ7ehxm_KvYN2b4bFmwiAM6iq_79Rf1GOxeeKp-QJJ37W8pXAmmMsyJ40NsU7sPLKFCBDjINVc4lW481OZ6dz4orBCZ3QbX5Q040TTMGSC-S6TzsG0x0A5/s1600/DSCN1488.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was nice to see that the athletes were polite to each other and allowed enough room for everyone to practice.</td></tr>
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Simon and I found seats in the fourth row. We settled ourselves--Simon had a fancy Cannon camera which made my indestructible Nikon seem so inelegant. On the mats, a few athletes practiced their routines. Even their warm-ups were impressive. <br />
By some silent signal, the mats cleared, and the judges, garbed in electric-blue jackets, marched out. They were introduced--of course I didn't understand most of what the announcer said, but Simon quietly translated, whispering into my ear, "most of the judges were top athletes or coaches. All have been practicing for years." <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0BZY-Apm1G4lJVVLHQdoZlzrUie6vG8AYFF9yRSklRD1rZYXgKzfq_8F_uActP5txG0Ha0uKvnapTvW3MZSO3Jn0tDu6md3B4kFzrYvH6dn856eo9Rhfto2O1yMmkp4B4eBew0NcdFBX/s1600/DSCN1492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF0BZY-Apm1G4lJVVLHQdoZlzrUie6vG8AYFF9yRSklRD1rZYXgKzfq_8F_uActP5txG0Ha0uKvnapTvW3MZSO3Jn0tDu6md3B4kFzrYvH6dn856eo9Rhfto2O1yMmkp4B4eBew0NcdFBX/s1600/DSCN1492.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A representative from each school was sent up to greet the judges.</td></tr>
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Once the judges and the competing schools were introduced--in what, I might add, was a thoroughly dignified ceremony--the competition began. I took approximately ten thousand photos (to be precise, it was actually closer to two hundred photos and a total of an hour of videos, which I can't post here because Blogger only likes short videos). I was working with a newer camera, and unfortunately, it simply couldn't keep up with the speed of the athletes' movements, but I did find some suitable photos.<br />
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The kungfu:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg8ehadutNoyQ4IHxdWm4wVBjzlVNMrcextE-8QmlNW_rHsKUgAGPrkTxOLnRxV9-kAqby7D1NV9KvRRq75XhFKY37eN_BS3cR_f9e2qSpACqIi7MgWY5FFkaK1msHOzxs2wh-f1_ehIC/s1600/DSCN1497+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTg8ehadutNoyQ4IHxdWm4wVBjzlVNMrcextE-8QmlNW_rHsKUgAGPrkTxOLnRxV9-kAqby7D1NV9KvRRq75XhFKY37eN_BS3cR_f9e2qSpACqIi7MgWY5FFkaK1msHOzxs2wh-f1_ehIC/s1600/DSCN1497+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first competitor had solid skills.</td></tr>
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Each competitor would walk onto the mat, salute the judges, and then precede with his routine. When he finished, he again saluted the judges. The judges would confer for scoring. Each had a stack of cards resting by their left hand. Once they were done conferring, the judges would hold up the card with their score on it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqJxlW7QsCfabgbaAa8qyqixABGf6AF2OFeSyaRQcUw51S9rH-dKMlG44HAeKbvuAN58Fh0djUIiHpjiqPHcT5PdAfxhl28hEWMAl6ebnDeMETKn65hyKxUdai4ykhuc8aJKAQpXdqDFB/s1600/DSCN1522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicqJxlW7QsCfabgbaAa8qyqixABGf6AF2OFeSyaRQcUw51S9rH-dKMlG44HAeKbvuAN58Fh0djUIiHpjiqPHcT5PdAfxhl28hEWMAl6ebnDeMETKn65hyKxUdai4ykhuc8aJKAQpXdqDFB/s1600/DSCN1522.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I liked this guy. At first, it was because his uniform was so sparkly.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoO6bjyHARfYnGcSH9FiqahyZANg-1cSgMUO8Y8_OQQodHTQav9IctitY8Wz3GBQxzN8irKPxK3Ud3f_UlDdxF5eVe2Rg7nzbwtTbqnX5GJuW332jnMVqtTKdkel6tFiBvwRvtmHbLOIRs/s1600/DSCN1526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoO6bjyHARfYnGcSH9FiqahyZANg-1cSgMUO8Y8_OQQodHTQav9IctitY8Wz3GBQxzN8irKPxK3Ud3f_UlDdxF5eVe2Rg7nzbwtTbqnX5GJuW332jnMVqtTKdkel6tFiBvwRvtmHbLOIRs/s1600/DSCN1526.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then he pulled this move. Multiple times. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlReuy40GH6470n1dyYsB022fBWspBidGZdqmVCiE1cZoVIKVGzAp36Kq9VoSYLp0FbS3Hy8SuxcEEJNTFjyquoP3Ur7NDfjX7U9J3r5hhq9WPn6R2izLF2q8tlAlvkJwJx6mtW0OUD_9_/s1600/DSCN1533+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlReuy40GH6470n1dyYsB022fBWspBidGZdqmVCiE1cZoVIKVGzAp36Kq9VoSYLp0FbS3Hy8SuxcEEJNTFjyquoP3Ur7NDfjX7U9J3r5hhq9WPn6R2izLF2q8tlAlvkJwJx6mtW0OUD_9_/s1600/DSCN1533+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This one hardly ever touched the ground.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRIcZS7gpehNQeXKkTg7_7Gom4quUdp39UOe85d3msO6exF2YZSEBBHqOK16YQupwSP-690TgXLhhJxGuucBYHQItjr6ZkdtHBPJwhQk3r85OTXXnRxgy6EHB72qai87hSK6QM0UtaYj9/s1600/DSCN1535+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRIcZS7gpehNQeXKkTg7_7Gom4quUdp39UOe85d3msO6exF2YZSEBBHqOK16YQupwSP-690TgXLhhJxGuucBYHQItjr6ZkdtHBPJwhQk3r85OTXXnRxgy6EHB72qai87hSK6QM0UtaYj9/s1600/DSCN1535+(2).JPG" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv38p3opIMmufqRsYDopEZay4Jtk497cE2zVUaYg57k9UOdG3olWEq4CmYzO2ZqYGrMTujydafJCRH6sOZtZ9Xe7RRdTOYFjbJsx24r2Gyy3M7Fo9Wa31qMG1nuJjXo9o1LCsuVa40cg7n/s1600/DSCN1537+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv38p3opIMmufqRsYDopEZay4Jtk497cE2zVUaYg57k9UOdG3olWEq4CmYzO2ZqYGrMTujydafJCRH6sOZtZ9Xe7RRdTOYFjbJsx24r2Gyy3M7Fo9Wa31qMG1nuJjXo9o1LCsuVa40cg7n/s1600/DSCN1537+(2).JPG" width="390" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaping and bounding, I tell you.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH91XCdoo5r2_-d_WqbRU1FCQl7EHz3g99aFxAW6ua3j9KYWsmmcu-0dhczRCUXBodWLPnQlH19v01YuMzQE5dn17E_rET346tghXaWBWWaWtIw6wGvEbS2wkiYoPlLKZuUwCdxhGU9yEl/s1600/DSCN1541+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH91XCdoo5r2_-d_WqbRU1FCQl7EHz3g99aFxAW6ua3j9KYWsmmcu-0dhczRCUXBodWLPnQlH19v01YuMzQE5dn17E_rET346tghXaWBWWaWtIw6wGvEbS2wkiYoPlLKZuUwCdxhGU9yEl/s1600/DSCN1541+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best color choice.</td></tr>
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I would like to note that while there were women in the competition, the majority of them were in the taichi section (although there was one boss woman who performed kungfu (Tiger style too. Lots of shouting.)).<br />
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Then came the taichi. The process was the same as the kungfu--salute, perform, salute, score.<br />
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OH HEY. Do these two look familiar?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCJn106YepS67v6513nfQg6dvyFXqX7vRc9EMsFHeR0yHR2FNLGXqYSMNfb2Dm-uCEB1u67AQqtcUlNSqELrM_afAFEh5wu_vMPJRZOlZFjN9qAL3yfcL08xP77c1Nwuy24sJAkEXR9Bg/s1600/DSCN1567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCJn106YepS67v6513nfQg6dvyFXqX7vRc9EMsFHeR0yHR2FNLGXqYSMNfb2Dm-uCEB1u67AQqtcUlNSqELrM_afAFEh5wu_vMPJRZOlZFjN9qAL3yfcL08xP77c1Nwuy24sJAkEXR9Bg/s1600/DSCN1567.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chillin'. Waiting their turns. </td></tr>
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Chinese fencing:<br />
They had swords. No, I don't think they were actually sharp, but it would probably hurt if they'd hit someone. Not that they'd try. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1auXR1AUDFZoTZ9GeePpdD6AD_9LeVFAwNtk-hKDoFkEaR-Bfo0u8MwjFFaYZZCcAcvf3PAgoydaJFbd3lPEUQOG5VHt41etThBY8N0GyRrseICVs4QvKSW7EzMR658zDtBmHUUX4jtqm/s1600/DSCN1579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1auXR1AUDFZoTZ9GeePpdD6AD_9LeVFAwNtk-hKDoFkEaR-Bfo0u8MwjFFaYZZCcAcvf3PAgoydaJFbd3lPEUQOG5VHt41etThBY8N0GyRrseICVs4QvKSW7EzMR658zDtBmHUUX4jtqm/s1600/DSCN1579.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again, nice color choice. I'm not biased at all.</td></tr>
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Here we go! The ones I came to see! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGl8ma1zQTyXHTGFcyy86m3x_-Oh03pu_oGP0zmdESc42Xgca4u1PAtzmvKxRIJphiC0w86UFvaO9zuTVX1kYdMMGcq4czd7HXRzvCmIEnDuqGz6Dl38XUFBZi5h50aOQZ1x8F1HELMOvb/s1600/DSCN1582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGl8ma1zQTyXHTGFcyy86m3x_-Oh03pu_oGP0zmdESc42Xgca4u1PAtzmvKxRIJphiC0w86UFvaO9zuTVX1kYdMMGcq4czd7HXRzvCmIEnDuqGz6Dl38XUFBZi5h50aOQZ1x8F1HELMOvb/s1600/DSCN1582.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would like to highlight her uniform. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTj5ZC_4mIyUMP2bw58DggGlohyphenhyphenyZs8pAk2u0UNTzQMLG9S8cnV23YIjRXZZKJnSew3pp8ACSno4uz5gbhZTDVBUCjUWYNbbx1g685lcXdX9u_JBZXxM3cqoKtGm_8ejzcU4MtMcRd7ZX/s1600/DSCN1583.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTj5ZC_4mIyUMP2bw58DggGlohyphenhyphenyZs8pAk2u0UNTzQMLG9S8cnV23YIjRXZZKJnSew3pp8ACSno4uz5gbhZTDVBUCjUWYNbbx1g685lcXdX9u_JBZXxM3cqoKtGm_8ejzcU4MtMcRd7ZX/s1600/DSCN1583.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First you think "Pink?" </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPb3AFhgV6phhY1V85i_ES5h7RU8gMV8D7qArJUQAlQCzChr5LFmLZdzWyG1lI0XEe_eP_CgHb8JC0KA_1QZAH2IAy6fV4-phmRM0L5G20O6q6VIzmwG6ROTnF_BtJocaUQnAsqrs7_X8/s1600/DSCN1590+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZPb3AFhgV6phhY1V85i_ES5h7RU8gMV8D7qArJUQAlQCzChr5LFmLZdzWyG1lI0XEe_eP_CgHb8JC0KA_1QZAH2IAy6fV4-phmRM0L5G20O6q6VIzmwG6ROTnF_BtJocaUQnAsqrs7_X8/s1600/DSCN1590+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then you see what she does with a sword.</td></tr>
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When Chuanchao stepped onto the grass-colored mat, my heart faltered. I was nervous for him, not because I thought he couldn't do it, but because it was a competition and sometimes people's nerves get the better of them, despite hours of training.<br />
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I shouldn't have worried. <br />
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The focus that Chuanchao --and all of the others--had reminded me of the focus I use when I run long distance. It's hard to put into words, but it's the focus that is complete blankness of the mind, yet simultaneously being aware of everything your body is doing. The things happening in your surroundings becomes peripheral--it is unimportant to the task at hand. <br />
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I might have whooped when he finished. A very thoroughly American thing to do. While there were a couple of cheers from other sections, my, er, enthusiastic yell definitely originated from a foreigner.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAIX8z-QjQnYbtwKzgYlaYT8lSeQq8CIqwKW9xRPYbcJq9j2aLDoPBw6J9kMMXrHVS4RaIKKU1Na2nbkANhcGvDwemxPXZV5clwmMRZIbKYYh6eKPI0DdwZDql9IJwAHyM2fO4dvnc38Q/s1600/DSCN1608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAIX8z-QjQnYbtwKzgYlaYT8lSeQq8CIqwKW9xRPYbcJq9j2aLDoPBw6J9kMMXrHVS4RaIKKU1Na2nbkANhcGvDwemxPXZV5clwmMRZIbKYYh6eKPI0DdwZDql9IJwAHyM2fO4dvnc38Q/s1600/DSCN1608.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awaiting his score.</td></tr>
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I was so proud, as if I had any claim to him. He was my friend, not my son, but I couldn't help it. It's gut-wrenching to perform and be judged on your skills. He'd been practicing for months. Of course I wanted him to do well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwtn0ytiPlY5mciW2gklPpw-4RyMHO0Fq3c_Q-TRCJYvUR5-TODN3bmrWwmhWl7DqAoJXO8adSNwMLku0ygdxrkNySdWtpzjdN3bCzPtisAvMafajGfWDJkAMcLYa31t6OaTcZzLE9pQ8/s1600/DSCN1613+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZwtn0ytiPlY5mciW2gklPpw-4RyMHO0Fq3c_Q-TRCJYvUR5-TODN3bmrWwmhWl7DqAoJXO8adSNwMLku0ygdxrkNySdWtpzjdN3bCzPtisAvMafajGfWDJkAMcLYa31t6OaTcZzLE9pQ8/s1600/DSCN1613+(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Sichuan Daxue student.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As to be expected, since she was from Sichuan Daxue, she was excellent.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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After the performances of the Sichuan University students, Simon and I walked down to the mats, to where they were grouped, hanging out. Simon walked like a normal, sane person, while I skipped, antsy, down the stairs.<br />
Chuanchao smiled as he saw us.<br />
"Good job!" I said, slightly breathless. "I knew you were good, but that was amazing!"<br />
He ducked his head in embarrassment. Then he distracted me by suggesting we take photos, first with me and Chuanchao, then him and Simon, and finally me and Simon--I should possibly ask for those photos. Simon has them somewhere.<br />
The required photo taking over, Chuanchao lead us over to the stage, where the his team rested. We sat in a circle on the stage, watching the competitors. Occasionally, an opinion about the current competitor would be quietly voiced. Mostly, we sat and joked and laughed. I was flustered at first, because of my Chinese.<br />
There was an initial testing of the waters with language. Once everyone had ascertained the language level of the others, we settled into a nice mixture of Chinese and English.<br />
<br />
"<i>I'm sorry my Chinese is so bad</i>," I murmured. "<i>I'm sorry</i>."<br />
They simply laughed and showed me how to hold the fencing sword.<br />
<br />
Conversations flowed around me. I was part of them, even though I understood little. The camaraderie between the students was blazingly clear. I suppose it would be impossible to train with someone for months, for hours each week, and not get close to them.<br />
<br />
At last, Simon checked his watch and said, regretfully, "we should go."<br />
I checked the time. Almost five. We should go back.<br />
We said our goodbyes. Simon jumped off the stage, and I was about to follow when I was stopped by a gentle touch to my elbow. It was one of the students, one I had hardly talked to. He held out his hand with something in it. I took the round object. It was a chocolate truffle. I blinked.<br />
"<i>Thank you</i>" I said, surprised. He grinned and said "<i>No problem</i>."<br />
<br />
I jumped off the stage and followed Simon. Chuanchao was with him.<br />
"Thanks for coming." Chuanchao said.<br />
I looked up at him and smiled. The chocolate was warm in my hand. "It was my pleasure." <br />
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Before I came to China, I was never a picky eater. I had some experience eating what most Westerners would consider weird (snakes and ants, anyone?). So, it was not a hard intention to make that while I studied in China, I would try as many new foods as possible. It is especially easy to make an intention such as this when I am at home with a bowl of cornflakes in front of me.<br />
It was not always smooth sailing. There were a couple of times I was confronted with a food that my brain screamed "don't put that in your mouth!" But then I did. People eat all kinds of things and they survive. Therefore, I can too.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Welcome to</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Eat All the Food</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Street Market version </span></div>
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We visited quite a few street markets in China and Tibet. Some where more touristy than others, but all had much hustling and bustling. The crush of people was overwhelming at first, but then, after a few panicked minutes, I gathered myself and hustled and bustled with the best of them.<br />
Now, before you think "Ach, another success story. I thought the title of this blog meant that she fails sometimes too!"<br />
There is at least one fail coming up in this post (and more in later posts).<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
First, let's look at the scene: the market. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance to a food market. What curiosities lay behind its gate?</td></tr>
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The first food market we visited was in Beijing. We had been told multiple times to go. A must-see, our guides said. So we did.<br />
The entrance to the market was heralded by a colorful gate. Once you were inside, the street narrowed. People pressed in on all sides. Tantalizing smells wafted from the stalls, and their vendors shouted offers to passersby. Children pointed to the decadent sweets. Young couples, hand-in-hand, perused the more exotic foods. There were starfish, seahorses, and crickets being fried and salted. We passed a place with scorpions as large as my hand. Bugs were going to be on the menu that day. <br />
I squinted in the sunlight, overwhelmed by the onslaught to my senses. I was afraid to get lost in the crowd, so I grabbed the sleeve of one of my classmates--I think it was Nathan. I needn't have worried. There wasn't anywhere to get lost<i>. </i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNYcmD-g43JWve5JuzUHWFbQalcWbhnXI8hvaVPCfP44_O1g041XQLYz3WJ_gDzocfw3iF-l5mjaVnZb850sb5ftjL4LJeFK0Zwf4FYyQZLPRrxmYnhvOgpa-LjHmA39Cf-1etjYH9H_F/s1600/DSCN0176.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNYcmD-g43JWve5JuzUHWFbQalcWbhnXI8hvaVPCfP44_O1g041XQLYz3WJ_gDzocfw3iF-l5mjaVnZb850sb5ftjL4LJeFK0Zwf4FYyQZLPRrxmYnhvOgpa-LjHmA39Cf-1etjYH9H_F/s1600/DSCN0176.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I would like to note how long it took me to get this photo. The place was actually <i>packed</i>. I got lucky with this shot. </td></tr>
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Aside from the food stalls, there were a myriad of different stores selling bits and bobs, from postcards, to action figures, to prayer beads. You could sip on fresh fruit juice while you shop for a new outfit for your date on Friday.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn7IKlr3VeiThrwPVLlV9rycd5n7Dq0Q8GTvGx4M8up8GTymrAzfJsqCoBAdw_ApPd5P4uDWgdXFupAMSKSVKd7F3dM9W8wCqqbF-6C55wy4-MLXsxJN5Ybkmatb91OVf9a4SGcjUbnm_/s1600/DSCN0180.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfn7IKlr3VeiThrwPVLlV9rycd5n7Dq0Q8GTvGx4M8up8GTymrAzfJsqCoBAdw_ApPd5P4uDWgdXFupAMSKSVKd7F3dM9W8wCqqbF-6C55wy4-MLXsxJN5Ybkmatb91OVf9a4SGcjUbnm_/s1600/DSCN0180.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These guys were beating...some food item. I don't think I ever found out. It was impressive though. </td></tr>
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Our group split up after a while. It was just too hard to keep everyone together. It wasn't like we could get lost--the market had definite boundaries. One second, you would be surrounded by people, talking and laughing, then you would be ejected into the open space and the (relative) silence of the non-market roads.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF09muveEvWyE24wihFyCUhr6DZ-pj93bAW58_hZSFO9uMFQOgz64O1WjV-beTnOTbummbLJM0X1P8UWiMiXPBQDTB_kPcIkBHQCzfz2Z-MK2QAVzMmD3iDjlJq_UbR4WQG1YpSN7yHXjb/s1600/DSCN0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF09muveEvWyE24wihFyCUhr6DZ-pj93bAW58_hZSFO9uMFQOgz64O1WjV-beTnOTbummbLJM0X1P8UWiMiXPBQDTB_kPcIkBHQCzfz2Z-MK2QAVzMmD3iDjlJq_UbR4WQG1YpSN7yHXjb/s1600/DSCN0178.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We'd already had a long day, so we were content to just sit and watch the other tourists for a while. </td></tr>
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<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-APDi3sFt9Nz0ddYRRSMFj2NIhsRFTw-liVgxPcoV3XqGPwBn6jM1_drFKtQOE2R_OT5MaL2wf9X_NHhmwAxxTRMw03UbLuftdOkD7Z6L1aRYcahFuH1C-cwReaHS9RmMrG4eO9__3ouJ/s1600/DSCN0177.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-APDi3sFt9Nz0ddYRRSMFj2NIhsRFTw-liVgxPcoV3XqGPwBn6jM1_drFKtQOE2R_OT5MaL2wf9X_NHhmwAxxTRMw03UbLuftdOkD7Z6L1aRYcahFuH1C-cwReaHS9RmMrG4eO9__3ouJ/s1600/DSCN0177.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This charming girl entertained herself while her mother was shopping for shoes. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Okay, you get the picture. On to the food!<br />
Let's start with the tame and somewhat familiar.<br />
<br />
Like fried food!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzSm9D-T1rwN0sMjCyVHSyMdGN253sduqqwxmJNVsA-lYZwC0ISlIR22Goabf3OsiBRoqTf1-H6uoLYo8yDMZwDCony-fIO54G8LhuNpXgQOEOkOhmAeN6o90YFmnGPyKMDgV7LdDfsNe/s1600/DSCN0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzSm9D-T1rwN0sMjCyVHSyMdGN253sduqqwxmJNVsA-lYZwC0ISlIR22Goabf3OsiBRoqTf1-H6uoLYo8yDMZwDCony-fIO54G8LhuNpXgQOEOkOhmAeN6o90YFmnGPyKMDgV7LdDfsNe/s1600/DSCN0166.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deep fried squid balls with ketchup and mayo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Or how about some sweets?<br />
<br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUy9iH6kCpP2TM7K17rWpb3aSuZTEXcEhmqABZ3dRJzwBoGMLRKjTtTFrOW2s9m9Nj8Sn5wC04PlQy-b4cViyrmLPoZD9HPyH6aMWWlxCwKRxEPxvFvQF2OiNe6vIlYG8Pn0uQI8QE0vXM/s1600/DSCN0172.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful Ellen showing off what I believe were caramelized crab apples. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vhKFt8VZE-b0vexxDumwGbVUiM9MIZQ7NaUeJ93WPYb9j7GvQAL43C1DVLxD_gHTVpg5lacrqj8WO_gCOx1xpvOTQoofaU5NXpHAWFPHevukxqQzZ-bO2pjJFXRgdOQPqaMtix_t9kND/s1600/DSCN0402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8vhKFt8VZE-b0vexxDumwGbVUiM9MIZQ7NaUeJ93WPYb9j7GvQAL43C1DVLxD_gHTVpg5lacrqj8WO_gCOx1xpvOTQoofaU5NXpHAWFPHevukxqQzZ-bO2pjJFXRgdOQPqaMtix_t9kND/s1600/DSCN0402.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very tasty sponge-cake like dessert from a night market in Xi'an.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While most markets had food which you would eat while walking, some markets, like the night market in Xi'an, were big enough to have sit-down restaurants. This market happened to be in the Uighur (Muslim) quarter of the city. <br />
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The place was small, noisy, and beyond awesome. Groups of locals sat together, gruff men smoked in one corner, and chatty teenagers took up several tables behind us. The food we ordered was a type of soup with bread in it. Bread-soup. Let's think about that for a minute. I'm salivating just remembering. </div>
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I believe I mentioned bugs earlier...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPQGn4NucglRmhEjIZhEzg_TKzbGhb_PvudmnRPJOYdNyWSyxDg7ezRAkGFSH5GHO-jfLGI9w-OPSfsMygGsluHlkH9hP8tgwDr42NWRJPvVoM1-Cni8SACqGlvD4Hcr464Uf7BmaJzAz/s1600/DSCN0168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPQGn4NucglRmhEjIZhEzg_TKzbGhb_PvudmnRPJOYdNyWSyxDg7ezRAkGFSH5GHO-jfLGI9w-OPSfsMygGsluHlkH9hP8tgwDr42NWRJPvVoM1-Cni8SACqGlvD4Hcr464Uf7BmaJzAz/s1600/DSCN0168.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Care for some scorpion? How about some squid?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNe4qjGIUl3K8ZcRbnl6jbevZoxp0aWzhKRRKUNxeZcrJ-eYm1vehZipKV0nocqkJzkAnCMCzRYYB6cNzkrFqYMMdrTywlf2jOEpQfRYi5Ad1l946y-mVCdFfcrxGc0HgDmQNQEiGjgEYB/s1600/DSCN0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNe4qjGIUl3K8ZcRbnl6jbevZoxp0aWzhKRRKUNxeZcrJ-eYm1vehZipKV0nocqkJzkAnCMCzRYYB6cNzkrFqYMMdrTywlf2jOEpQfRYi5Ad1l946y-mVCdFfcrxGc0HgDmQNQEiGjgEYB/s1600/DSCN0165.JPG" height="240" width="320" /> </a></td><td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starfish or seahorse?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I wanted to be daring, so after we circled the Beijing market for a while, I located a vendor which sold scorpions and centipedes. With the help of Leah, I bought one of each. I felt like Bear Grylls or Andrew Zimmern. I felt invincible. <br />
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I mean, you can see how excited I was. I had set out to conquer the food world, and I was one bite away from doing that. <br />
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Scorpion, as it turns out, has the texture of red bean paste and the taste of very loamy earth. The tail is nice and crunchy--about the only part I enjoyed of that blasted bug. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_W4OHLkXq9Lw_DrBmnKhjpNJvm9WizGq4CDmpcRDcWf7aao_rKqA5w8GoqzCx57W1FeJ2AaaidmXLl2-KjXjV6QMDglAU0F6-NeZC4-SkqQXuXPDoVAMaoh3uEhShoQPA_PLJ0qyo4vj/s1600/after+scorpion.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU_W4OHLkXq9Lw_DrBmnKhjpNJvm9WizGq4CDmpcRDcWf7aao_rKqA5w8GoqzCx57W1FeJ2AaaidmXLl2-KjXjV6QMDglAU0F6-NeZC4-SkqQXuXPDoVAMaoh3uEhShoQPA_PLJ0qyo4vj/s1600/after+scorpion.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do this for the stories!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The centipede had better texture, and there was enough salt to cover whatever flavor nature had bestowed upon it.<br />
Do I regret sticking a bug into my mouth? No, no I do not. Will I do it again? Probably not scorpion, but I still haven't tried crickets yet...<br />
<br />
I guess the moral of this story, if it has to have one, is that keep an open mind about food (and what other cultures consider as "food") and if it won't kill you, then eat it. At the very least, it will make a good story and an even better picture.<br />
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<br />
I mentioned in a previous post that I was learning kungfu. I was also fortunate to go see my friend's kungfu/taichi <a href="http://sometimesigetitright.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/practice-practice-practice.html" target="_blank">practice</a>. My friend, who also happened to be the assistant teacher for my kungfu class, and his classmate had been training the preceding months for an upcoming
competition. In the States, I worked for a Taekwondo dojang and I've been to my share of Taekwondo competitions. I was,
naturally, curious to see whether a kungfu/taichi competition was similar. When I mentioned my interest to Chuanchao, he
expressed pleasure, ducking his head in embarrassment.
<br />
"My friend would like to go too. I will introduce you and you both can
arrive together." He said. "You cannot come with me, because I have
to be there very early."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<br />
As the day drew nearer, I got lost in my studies, and Chuanchao in his.
Chinese was running me over like a dump truck, and I was not doing as well as
I'd hoped. It was the day before the competition, and I was walking home from a
particularly horrific class--it was one of those classes during which I was
apparently asking really dumb questions. My chin was tucked into the scarf
around my neck, and I watched the ground as I strode. I was so lost in
self-pity that I didn't notice that Chuanchao walking towards me. He had to
step right in front of me, blocking my path, before I realized that he was
there. <br />
As usual, he was wearing loose pants and a sweatshirt. In his hands, he
carried several of the swords used in Chinese fencing. Obviously, he'd just
come from practice.<br />
After exchanging greetings, he gave me his friend's number, saying that we
should figure out when and where to meet.<br />
"The competition will be at the medical school." Chuanchao added.<br />
I nodded, thinking of the medical school near our own campus. "Okay,
that's not too far." I murmured.<br />
"It will be good, I think." he said. "I must go now, but I
will see you tomorrow."<br />
I smiled as I waved goodbye. Then, I turned and padded back home.<br />
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***</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLavuPttGAFb9x9MxHGVySUaqhFcyP73mlaTvuZ8gs_qv0C5R3Bw3btaH9hS1p78cOLPNJ9h31giPsWonpkOQISzd1w79_1Oq1AAFSjYgPtGr9brhb4k2XZlCoMHSiRiy-cHtyLhYCRH8M/s1600/DSCN0438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLavuPttGAFb9x9MxHGVySUaqhFcyP73mlaTvuZ8gs_qv0C5R3Bw3btaH9hS1p78cOLPNJ9h31giPsWonpkOQISzd1w79_1Oq1AAFSjYgPtGr9brhb4k2XZlCoMHSiRiy-cHtyLhYCRH8M/s1600/DSCN0438.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Apartments above the little north gate.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
His name was Simon. We agreed to meet at the <i>xiao bei men</i> (little
north gate). Over WeChat—the app we used to communicate—he seemed nice. His
English was better than Chuanchao’s, from what I could tell. <br />
What I should have asked was what he looked like. My phone, at best, was temperamental
and if I wasn’t in my dorm, it was prone to being as useful for communication
as a brick was, which is to say, not at all. <br />
Meeting new people sometimes made me nervous—I’m friendly, but a little shy.
It made it worse that I had only “met” Simon on WeChat, and I dislike picking
people out in a crowd. My eyesight is atrocious. My stomach knotted as I approached
the gate. I consoled myself that chances were that I would be the only
foreigner there and Simon could find me.<br />
I was right. No sooner had I situated myself near the gate did a young man
approach me. He wore glasses, like Chuanchao—although Simon’s glasses were
wireframe. His face was thinner too. Thick black hair brushed his forehead. He
wore jeans and a red flannel shirt. <br />
“Chloe?” He asked me. I noticed that his lower lip was fuller than his top
lip…and that I barely came up to his shoulder. I always seem to meet the tall
guys. <br />
I nodded, “Simon?” <br />
A brief smile flickered across his face. We started walking and one of the
first things he did was to apologize for his English.<br />
“It is really terrible!” He said.<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was at that moment that I realized
that he must have been as nervous as I was. His English was, in
reality, pretty good. We could understand each other by using simple language,
and really, that’s all that’s needed for a conversation. Fancy words and
complicated sentence structures aren’t really necessary to connect with someone.
<br />
The first surprise came when we walked to a bus station, talking all the
while. I made him laugh when I told him I really appreciated him being willing
to meet me, because my navigation skills were poor, especially because I barely
spoke Chinese and my character recognition was worse than a two year old’s. The
medical school was only a couple of blocks down the road from our campus; we
could have walked the distance in about twenty minutes, but maybe he thought I
would like the bus better? Being a foreigner, maybe my legs weren’t as strong,
or something like that. I shrugged it off and continued my conversation with
Simon.<br />
The second surprise came when we were on the bus and Simon leaned forward
and told me that we would need to change buses and the entire trip would be
about two hours long. <br />
<br />
Before I continue, a note is required. I believe I have mentioned that I was
learning about contemporary Chinese culture. Well, two days previous to this
story, we had learned that the inequality between the ratio of men and women
was a serious issue, especially in rural communities where there were fewer
newcomers—in the cities, newcomers (from different parts of China, as well as
foreigners) can cushion the difference, but in rural communities, that was far
less common. To make up for this problem—farmers need wives and families to
support the business, after all—kidnapping is sometimes resorted to. Women from
the cities occasionally disappear and are married off to farmers in isolated
communities. Rescue, for various reasons, is atrociously difficult and it isn’t
unusual if it takes years to complete a rescue. My professor <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cheerfully</i> added that foreign women are
not exempt from this threat. <br />
<br />
When Simon informed me of our trip itinerary, I was at first willing to just
go with it. Miscommunication happens—it’s a fact of life here. There were bound
to be more than one medical school in Chengdu, or perhaps he hadn’t meant a
medical school at all. Basically, I had no idea where I was going. At first, I
was content to sit back and listen to my music, but as time passed my professor’s
voice echoed in my head. Kidnappers often gained their victims trust….foreign
women are sometimes targeted because they don’t know the language or the
geography. I examined Simon from the corner of my eye. He <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">seemed </i>nice enough, and I usually trust my instincts. On the other
hand, gaining people’s trust could be his job, and of course kidnappers would
be good at that.<br />
That, and no one knew what I had been planning for that day or where I would
be. <br />
My roommate knew vaguely that I had been planning to go to a competition,
but not who with or where. None of my professors—either from PLU or from
Sichuan University—knew anything. <br />
I pursed my lips. As casually as I could, I pulled out my phone and texted
Karo.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Okay, here’s the situation. Remember I said that I was going to my friend’s
competition? Well, it’s not at the school I thought it would be at, and now we’ve
been on a bus for over an hour. I have no idea where we are. I am with a friend
of my friend. I trust my friend, so I guess I trust his friend, but just in
case I thought I’d tell you. I don’t think he’s kidnapping me, but better safe
than sorry.”</div>
<br />
I waited for Karo’s reply. It came within five minutes.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
“Don’t worry...I will host your mom when she comes to claim your body.” </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
That’s friendship for you. Joking about possible kidnapping and murder.<br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He added a more serious footnote a
minute later:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
“If you don’t text me at 7 pm tonight, I will call the embassy.” </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*** </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
The rest of the trip was (blessedly) uneventful, and it turned out that we were, in
fact, going to a medical school. It was in the outskirts of the city (I think), in an area so totally different from Sichuan University. The closest I could describe it would be suburban. The tallest building was no more than ten stories high, and there were spaces between each building. Grass and flowers thrived in small yards. I pressed my nose against the window, my nature-starved eyes drinking in the rare sight. <br />
I stretched luxuriously when we disembarked. Simon chuckled. A breeze, fragrant with flowers, made me shiver, delighted. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNavR_-9tBoX1n1u46ug6dIZ2VaH3jh3_6z6zfXg2XUZ4NjWFh1ZldGSgyErCX6BKCqp0Y3COTEhxOhY5MyM6SvYWm2hugMWlcPheqxxb3mqFmE2MABB3XIf8YtgqNooXcaQfSiH0C4tdE/s1600/DSCN1460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNavR_-9tBoX1n1u46ug6dIZ2VaH3jh3_6z6zfXg2XUZ4NjWFh1ZldGSgyErCX6BKCqp0Y3COTEhxOhY5MyM6SvYWm2hugMWlcPheqxxb3mqFmE2MABB3XIf8YtgqNooXcaQfSiH0C4tdE/s1600/DSCN1460.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, the fall colors.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The competition wasn't due to start for another thirty minutes, so we took a stroll around the campus. It was a gorgeous—I saw more green
things just walking around that campus for fifteen minutes than I had seen in
the past three months<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr6XA8Sl3SwR4qXw1gpLHYtOjR8rKxQZ2TALf_Fl5XsSxaqOeL1jg2FVWcpmeeykth9be6t5ZUayKCIY2c2w1x_eaqZu-Dn_SbpgvIc0l-Q2LKlTpkm2VCZjSvXOEWx_po135oVi1ozre6/s1600/DSCN1471.JPG" height="240" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My only photo of Simon...and his fancy camera.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSnXLd5OqIIBS4TQ0J8wTQs6w-dlHkBfHz8bFx0TyMrMphIZokMhCs3FpPe4T9flKeZm8ruzJaGs7gGbGy3I9yAwoXDX28MBgxb1Vo1QOatBJNPTOLOP4mQmPWQOnz6OxC8TKnoO_fKn5/s1600/DSCN1472.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSnXLd5OqIIBS4TQ0J8wTQs6w-dlHkBfHz8bFx0TyMrMphIZokMhCs3FpPe4T9flKeZm8ruzJaGs7gGbGy3I9yAwoXDX28MBgxb1Vo1QOatBJNPTOLOP4mQmPWQOnz6OxC8TKnoO_fKn5/s1600/DSCN1472.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A boardwalk. No big deal.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_EKk_LH4DnPTijTH9UceGinCwD42jHNNOpPBAq1n8XWTsa51JsFY49A2y3Q8b9ZLNGPSMsai2-aM11G-tNBIIp5alYkTmNcJ-9MnHapRC1Q-CGpR3EkpgplReV6KfU6azLzS6R4XUjWV/s1600/DSCN1475.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFWH6S5dOWKF8bP-ICh53Q6Kpsbpe05M42WD-nW5NRELmLQkMscdL3VzmnOy2dmwJb7UxEJzZtTa_r9pHGSlWTTo_689S1xSfFmi4W4lyeMIdQ7Ai6RiLKLveI02fTVQiRbUw31e5TN5_e/s1600/DSCN1473.JPG" height="300" width="400" /> </div>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRBGcFoxIUuwBjFevRC8Es0Y68wIj3-47iXUsE1sqabfxSUpRIjwh0oWVSj5qI-sf-LB1LWH7sMELrLF-OshDWb3plBITJGFmDBZ6wz51Y761i28KNLnTwGM6vte_sd5iXlzfaOZmxEBYH/s1600/DSCN1477.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They had a river, <i>a river</i> through their campus!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
As the time came nearer, we headed toward the shiny new gymnasium, where we met Chuanchao. He was with his team, who
were all jittery with nerves. After a brief greeting he waved us into the building.<br />
“Go in” he said “Get good seats!”<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky0HNr-fN8xem6J9cjKxhvVKFa8WbKWmHbEvfQLuMfyFIN74QR_1Fy0DHqWymfYvYkqXzyFueT2tScnC0_k3ykwekmM7e6q87yxrLrjd-2br_dHgH0akhn-i_PISBy241QH1EHyNY97qQ/s1600/DSCN1464.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjky0HNr-fN8xem6J9cjKxhvVKFa8WbKWmHbEvfQLuMfyFIN74QR_1Fy0DHqWymfYvYkqXzyFueT2tScnC0_k3ykwekmM7e6q87yxrLrjd-2br_dHgH0akhn-i_PISBy241QH1EHyNY97qQ/s1600/DSCN1464.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
End part 1 of 2.<br />
<br />
*Oh hey, look a <a href="http://www.hwangs.com/" target="_blank">link</a> to the Taekwondo Dojang where I work.<br />
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
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mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
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"Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power" </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Lao Tzu</div>
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The day was an unusually sunny one.
The smog had been brushed away by the gentle breeze, which caressed my face as
I stood in the stadium’s stands. My friend Chuanchao had invited me to one of
his kungfu practices. I had asked him about two weeks ago if I could take some
photos of him doing taichi—he taught taichi, as well as assisting the kungfu
class which I take. Actually, as part of his program, he competes in kungfu,
taichi, and Chinese fencing.</div>
I held up a
hand to block the sun from my eyes as I surveyed the field before me. The red
track was covered with runners, both soloists and groups. The field had a horde
of students—mostly young men—who were either stretching or practicing their
footwork with soccer balls. Along the outskirts of the track, on the packed
dirt, were several fierce games of badminton played by older folks. They appear
to be all white hair and smiles, until you put a racket in their hand and
suddenly they become the Serena Williams.<br />
There was
one group, however, which didn’t fit in with the rest. They were on the outside
part of the track, on a section with the same rubbery material as the track itself. A
perfect medium to practice martial arts on. Heedless of possible injury, I
picked up my feet and skipped down the concrete “seats”. As I drew closer, a
figure detached itself from the main group and came to meet me. It was
Chuanchao. He greeted me with his usual smile.</div>
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I first met Chuanchao in one of the red brick class buildings, in the dingy hallway. The classroom I had been searching for--A610--was still in use by the political science lecturer. A young man, about my age was also in the hallway, presumably waiting for the same thing I was. He kept glancing at his phone, checking the time. He was lean--although solid--, with a square jaw and black-framed glasses. Awkward as usual, I leaned against the wall and fiddled with the strap of my shoulder-bag. Was he my teacher? He seemed too young, not too much older than me. After a few minutes, his phone found its place back in his pocket and he took a few, long, steps towards me. Unsurprisingly, he towered over my small 5' frame. <br />
"Are you waiting for kungfu?" He asked, his voice gentle in the silent hallway. I nodded, and, a little to my surprise, gave me a warm smile, which I shyly returned. "We'll start when they," he gestured to the classroom, "finish. What's your name?"<br />
I found out later, after that first class had ended, that Chuanchao was a grad student, studying kungfu, taichi, and Chinese fencing. I was right when I'd thought our ages were close; he is
twenty-four years old. He competes in tournaments, and at the time of our first meeting, he and his classmates were training for one such competition. Twice a day, for three hours, they would gather in the gym to practice together. <br />
<br />
It was to one of these aforementioned practices that I was joining.<br />
“What happened?” I asked. Those
black-framed glasses were taped at the hinges with what appeared to be white
medical tape. He laughed ruefully. </div>
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“It happened just today,” he said,
taking off his glasses to show me, “in kungfu practice.”</div>
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I whistled. “Wow. Were you hurt?”</div>
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He shook his head, then motioned
for us to return to the rest of the class. As we walked, I thanked him again
for letting me impose on his practice, and he returned that it was no trouble.
He explained that his teacher could not be there that afternoon, but the
students had to attend regardless. He introduced me to his friends, who all, obviously, studied kungfu, taichi, or Chinese fencing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span><br />
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<br />
The
atmosphere of this practice was relaxed. The students started in a single
group, moving through a taichi routine for warm-up. From there, students would
practice whatever they needed to. Chuanchao and another student broke off to
practice kungfu—she was teaching him the last few movements. Once in a while,
their peers would pause their practice and watch them, giving advice or teasing
them gently.<br />
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As is
common in groups of martial artists who also happen to be friends, play-fights
erupted once in a while. The participants casually cuffed each other; laughter
pulsed through the air. Just as quickly, just as randomly as they began, the fighters
shook each other off and returned to their practice.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handstands were also wont to appear. </td></tr>
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I perched
on the closest seats, alongside the various bags and discarded jackets of the
team. I kept tapping my feet, not from impatience, but from nervousness. I’ve
always been a little shy, and while I was comfortable with Chuanchao, his
teammates were new to me. I wasn’t quite sure if they were okay with me taking
photos. So, for the first quarter of the practice, I took notes, describing the
day and the students themselves. For the record, there was someone behind me whistling the theme song from Luigi's Mansion. </div>
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Finally, I
gathered enough courage to pull out my camera and take a couple of surreptitious
photos. When no one objected, I shook off the last vestiges of shyness and preceded to take a ludicrous amount of pictures.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As I mentioned, the field was used by various groups that day. Including the army. The contrast between the jogging troop and my friends' graceful movements was sharp, to say the least. </td></tr>
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At the end of the practice, Chuanchao offered to perform a full taichi routine for me. Naturally, I agreed eagerly. Their movements during practice, while not perfect, were still incredibly elegant. Of course I wanted to see what a "finished" routine looked like.<br />
I was not disappointed. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNzwTXoj-wXBwk1KS980ab-ijWYPYaSuHZwrfUyrM0f8UxQivH_TPuK6U6md0eVWLTR0NuvdP5SB8OjG-eqeF_3N0YYLBoWTTm4PeuV1HNvNOHImE9iPcPnmGgtrucADFLMco9O5mfw17/s1600/DSCN1420+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNzwTXoj-wXBwk1KS980ab-ijWYPYaSuHZwrfUyrM0f8UxQivH_TPuK6U6md0eVWLTR0NuvdP5SB8OjG-eqeF_3N0YYLBoWTTm4PeuV1HNvNOHImE9iPcPnmGgtrucADFLMco9O5mfw17/s1600/DSCN1420+(2).JPG" height="438" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For my fellow fans, waterbending (Avatar) was based on taichi. You're welcome.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-P_NAfRixpebdMwEPYshg3UKsm0GrdLvamjY1BI8TxaMb5OdN0VW1SHC54zGvCbuijqNF282WDZuK25-ehF4Qzi45VOkuGgow_7vxrVs8eb10XYxaOHoAD1juciTC2zjXNDgeg3lhLMn/s1600/DSCN1431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie-P_NAfRixpebdMwEPYshg3UKsm0GrdLvamjY1BI8TxaMb5OdN0VW1SHC54zGvCbuijqNF282WDZuK25-ehF4Qzi45VOkuGgow_7vxrVs8eb10XYxaOHoAD1juciTC2zjXNDgeg3lhLMn/s1600/DSCN1431.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He looks a wee bit smug, but then, if I was as talented as he is, I would be smug too. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_hWHt4pC6Dx8p-F0oQaX_fVwrOST-CmkjjBH03vzNtbm9oixQFVo17QOadwqj0x7BY4SmFB1QqUzcTFY0BiKrtymT3ixOTYyKAFRAC9NWyJvecjXyedTnN_WQHGOcYauq3wA2yfaZR8D/s1600/DSCN1430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_hWHt4pC6Dx8p-F0oQaX_fVwrOST-CmkjjBH03vzNtbm9oixQFVo17QOadwqj0x7BY4SmFB1QqUzcTFY0BiKrtymT3ixOTYyKAFRAC9NWyJvecjXyedTnN_WQHGOcYauq3wA2yfaZR8D/s1600/DSCN1430.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing brings people together like traditional Chinese martial arts. </td></tr>
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Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-34875537279466569072014-11-14T05:43:00.001-08:002015-04-25T16:20:20.477-07:00Pancakes<div style="text-align: center;">
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> --</span>Anthony Bourdain </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I had originally written this post as a story, with plenty of descriptions and poetic phrases. When I had finished, however, I found that it was much too overdone. Instead of being pleased, as I have admittedly become accustomed to, I was intensely dissatisfied. After a few revisions, I finally did what every writer--any craftsman--hates to do. I deleted the file.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> So here, in all its simple glory, a new post. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFf3Xj7owEmjTTCGGGaQ-8DNmCM7x6KmIOieHp1TFJff_7mDV6xhxVtBHVHrHRMRUxfn-ZSHUNyDH76yQ8Fuv5cryJozEjxDgFJTHpPAmRbxwlBsPB7Cn52c0ivA_nZVWz7Zl0y8kh3yG3/s1600/DSCN1314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFf3Xj7owEmjTTCGGGaQ-8DNmCM7x6KmIOieHp1TFJff_7mDV6xhxVtBHVHrHRMRUxfn-ZSHUNyDH76yQ8Fuv5cryJozEjxDgFJTHpPAmRbxwlBsPB7Cn52c0ivA_nZVWz7Zl0y8kh3yG3/s1600/DSCN1314.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> There is an street near my dorm which is lined with food vendors and fruit stands. Needless to say, this street abounds with students during mealtimes. Off this main street, like capillaries, are small alleys with yet more food stands. The first time I ventured down one of these alleys it was raining and I was not in the best of moods. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes, you have to be willing to walk down those sketchy alleys to find the best food.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> I stopped briefly at several stands, perusing the food available. Nothing really appealed to me until, I found the pancake stand. Standing behind the counter were two young men. The stand itself was painted a cheery yellow--this should have been my first clue that this place is amazing. The man on the left, the one with the backwards baseball cap, correctly guessed that my Chinese is that of a three year old and asked, "How can I help you?"</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> His name, I would later find out, is Jùntāo, and he makes killer pancakes. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They have a pan dedicated just for pancakes.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">It turns out that this type of "pancake" is a traditional Sichuanese dish. God bless tradition.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9gi88GKdIJJyJHUlt92r06wksS9_CwvqGMeAxCeOm0rOFbIdbi2nN1GyHMUQHxv85k2vSR4ost2EJQymok2urfdm33-wABFfXZyJg9zWThgpGERz6WHevJIxS5GhYu29NXO_lzRoQn69/s1600/DSCN1322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO9gi88GKdIJJyJHUlt92r06wksS9_CwvqGMeAxCeOm0rOFbIdbi2nN1GyHMUQHxv85k2vSR4ost2EJQymok2urfdm33-wABFfXZyJg9zWThgpGERz6WHevJIxS5GhYu29NXO_lzRoQn69/s1600/DSCN1322.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A normal person sees a miniature pan with a lid. I know better. I see a treasure chest. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">So, the pancake is made, then fillings are added. As you might expect, there are traditional fillings, which include sesame seeds and sugar, and are, of course, delectable. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdi3AHnn1QoFczgoTGYokteLaeZo82FUnQFbGbzgaJV7TFwu8vFVIcJipctzmsDFiMLz2YrNO7lkEmVD2-Bh0QbU1fIEIdp968mJ3VQoIPMCsxqwX1yWtNsssOvMYTcoGs44dvPP60D02/s1600/DSCN1321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdi3AHnn1QoFczgoTGYokteLaeZo82FUnQFbGbzgaJV7TFwu8vFVIcJipctzmsDFiMLz2YrNO7lkEmVD2-Bh0QbU1fIEIdp968mJ3VQoIPMCsxqwX1yWtNsssOvMYTcoGs44dvPP60D02/s1600/DSCN1321.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pancake perfection takes absolute concentration.<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, Times, serif;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMkBLsDZ-LL-j8hXQWEbfs2HKxtFupBWaqUrDvnVI9c40PvctA-2h8Fr_vV-DqqwyNEM8uCkt9Z0VtHk4tJBh7RQ-ffCBiCcvvA9I2tF99S3DQ-LxgywCIdcyKZ_xgKq-AJmFqW7f5Trh/s1600/DSCN1324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMkBLsDZ-LL-j8hXQWEbfs2HKxtFupBWaqUrDvnVI9c40PvctA-2h8Fr_vV-DqqwyNEM8uCkt9Z0VtHk4tJBh7RQ-ffCBiCcvvA9I2tF99S3DQ-LxgywCIdcyKZ_xgKq-AJmFqW7f5Trh/s1600/DSCN1324.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This photo is the closest one you'll get to a "finished product". My camera was long forgotten when he handed me this pancake. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since this is China, this dish has been modernized. On their menu, there are three pages of fillings to choose from, ranging from salad dressing to crushed Oreos. Being American, I naturally tried one with peanut butter and jelly. By my third visit, however, I decided to let Jùntāo choose, which is how I ended up eating a pancake with meat floss and Hershey's chocolate syrup. It was probably the most unexpectedly scrumptious foods I have yet eaten.Not only that, but when Jùntāo cooks, his movements take on a certain flair which makes it apparent that he loves what he does. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> At first, I went back for the food, then I went back for the company. In the lull between hordes of students, Jùntāo and I would talk. He likes to bake--he can make superb muffins, but he says that he's had to work hard to get the recipe just right. When I mentioned that I regret not having access to an oven, he offered the stand's oven for my use. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> One of our late night conversations--the stand closes at midnight, for some God-forsaken reason--we touched on the subjects of religion, specifically Buddhism--turns out he was currently reading the Diamond Sutra, which is not an easy read--and its similarities with Christianity. Our conclusion: love. Love each other, and do no harm. Both of us realize that life is so much more messy and complicated than that, but give us a break. It was 11:30 on a Thursday night, while he was trying to fill the orders from the pack over-excited high school students. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Anyway, I leave you with a video of Jùntāo doing his pancake magic. Feast with your eyes. </span></span><br />
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<br />Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-69919676336163555872014-11-08T06:04:00.001-08:002015-04-04T11:40:58.665-07:00There Be Learnin' Here<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="List Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="List Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="List Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="List Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="List Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="List Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="List Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="List Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="List Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="List Table 2 Accent 3"/>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_Q8BcMQMCWHdsIxBUSX0d6dNsUtJphlxpDY8aYq0nJyd6yqhBjQoVFrxPbBxwD1lcqHkVggJLJMkprEgvL0bMYat3KZi1s7kkLJ7An-4holgkyKbbWjBpyZON9deKksV314rUQLKlsgz/s1600/DSCN0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_Q8BcMQMCWHdsIxBUSX0d6dNsUtJphlxpDY8aYq0nJyd6yqhBjQoVFrxPbBxwD1lcqHkVggJLJMkprEgvL0bMYat3KZi1s7kkLJ7An-4holgkyKbbWjBpyZON9deKksV314rUQLKlsgz/s1600/DSCN0432.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Since this is a study abroad, one can safely assume that I
am, in fact, attending classes—for, sadly, it’s not all baozi and bijiu here.
As previously alluded to, I’m taking Buddhism, in which we becoming enlightened
about the nuances of the aforementioned religion. My other classes consist of
Chinese Language, Contemporary China, Western China, Calligraphy, and Kung-Fu.
As part of the Pacific Lutheran University program, I teach English to
high-school students once a week. Since I didn’t have enough to do, I also help
teach the on-campus English class with my Chinese Language teacher, Karo. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Every day, I have Chinese class from 8:30 to 12. The first
hour and a half is the comprehensive class, which is not taught by Karo, but by
Deng Laoshi—for future reference, laoshi is “teacher” in Chinese, and Deng is
her family name. She’s barely two inches taller than I, which puts her at about
5’1”. Her shiny black hair brushes her shoulders, and she wears thin-framed
glasses. I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher—her patience with our incessant
questions and occasional brain malfunctions is infinite. I have yet to see her
lose her calm and cheerful attitude. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a name='more'></a></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFBX14I-_N-kbqXtHBPVMeFNpLEFO_JWDWmD6Y9q0adLrFFy9BgeIgwx55ecNni97UORfEVNhwL07MrtdRJIyBSpxLD7yCOYW4u16BPTbF4UQLjd2eg-vZ3ceMeKO86QEmU8U88HdMn7l/s1600/DSCN1185.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deng Laoshi, sans glasses, and part of that day's lessons on the board. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deng Laoshi’s knowledge of English is very good, which, upon reflection,
shouldn’t be surprising. Despite the fact that the number of native English speakers
in our class is just five in our class, English is the common language that
everyone knows a little of—at least enough to convey grammar rules and word
definitions. The more Chinese we learn, however, the less English we use. I
remember the day when I had a full conversation with Ha, who is from Vietnam
and speaks virtually no English (do I need to add that I don’t speak
Vietnamese?); we spoke completely in Chinese, and we actually understood each
other. I could tell he was a pleased as I was. It was one of the finer moments
here. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I’ve been implying, my language class is diverse (all of them are, actually), and it’s
great. In one day, I get to talk to my friend Yangchen, from Bhutan, about
Korean dramas; discuss the different social norms of China with Frank, a
postgrad from Spain, and August, from Sweden; and admire the artistry of
Sichuan brocade with Aslan, a surgeon from India. Sometimes we speak English,
sometimes we speak Chinese, and, when that fails us, we speak Chinglish. It
works pretty well for us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXXKVYw3X8vLVNA96ekMwukeEyUKdaWEACF3e93-qhzRQGx_suq5M0-5cq3y6VmQ5aY8zpa8v-tAKnCY9MyZ08zs5GRdrTGbkMyMpspz6fRhGiATfO7kk4Zo4i5cx8CLUXp_kznm59Kty/s1600/DSCN0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXXKVYw3X8vLVNA96ekMwukeEyUKdaWEACF3e93-qhzRQGx_suq5M0-5cq3y6VmQ5aY8zpa8v-tAKnCY9MyZ08zs5GRdrTGbkMyMpspz6fRhGiATfO7kk4Zo4i5cx8CLUXp_kznm59Kty/s1600/DSCN0424.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My tongxue Yangchen looking fabulous, as usual.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpT3bUSrAG-6a1fxc0OF5H7R-6o09PcyATXEqt_cV0EO96PNeQRyUKmsUIVrkpEG3lr3VppTGk3Cfnu4jmQTa00SLS4pFoQKOa5zLEc4s3D1ZuOk3j4Q4oAwuoZ_D4GRxlba22NjtILhPR/s1600/DSCN0436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpT3bUSrAG-6a1fxc0OF5H7R-6o09PcyATXEqt_cV0EO96PNeQRyUKmsUIVrkpEG3lr3VppTGk3Cfnu4jmQTa00SLS4pFoQKOa5zLEc4s3D1ZuOk3j4Q4oAwuoZ_D4GRxlba22NjtILhPR/s1600/DSCN0436.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phil from Canada, and Kyle from Scotland. </td></tr>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga79-nrUsuZ_RIjWDbHRNT2O0wSnd02oFbPfmFG_fbNQJ0p-qret5UlArbifYibpin9V8TZ9cSS00I5itF33vipr0YMg3MObiD5SwNiagS4Zrjd19bBfxBZs1f5GZkVFoN2R31_Of5GuPo/s1600/DSCN0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga79-nrUsuZ_RIjWDbHRNT2O0wSnd02oFbPfmFG_fbNQJ0p-qret5UlArbifYibpin9V8TZ9cSS00I5itF33vipr0YMg3MObiD5SwNiagS4Zrjd19bBfxBZs1f5GZkVFoN2R31_Of5GuPo/s1600/DSCN0434.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anika from Germany, and David from South Africa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I digress—back to the language classes. At 10, we bid
goodbye to Deng Laoshi, and we have a thirty minute break during which we can
stretch our legs or grab snacks from the nearby stores. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1n8WoYBDtZwx9zMfJenh4erLc5SLDvVel8sCisp1UckWCImhfPvBuYVQr5u-tWc03NIcVk4yBGz2d30Xbe0dkHasrzm2NbG_TDxF5x7boeBRZaADLfPkUnUwn1KLVJaT53CaDnyED7Xb/s1600/DSCN0430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1n8WoYBDtZwx9zMfJenh4erLc5SLDvVel8sCisp1UckWCImhfPvBuYVQr5u-tWc03NIcVk4yBGz2d30Xbe0dkHasrzm2NbG_TDxF5x7boeBRZaADLfPkUnUwn1KLVJaT53CaDnyED7Xb/s1600/DSCN0430.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The corner store, AKA the supplier of sustenance and happiness.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At 10:30, Karo invades.
He teaches our listening and teaching class, which involves us practicing the different consonant and vowel sounds, as well as the four tones. Depending on the day, I’m
excellent at this class or I’m an utter failure. For example: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Chloe,” Karo called. I looked up from my textbook. He had
written<i> zh</i> and <i>j </i>on the whiteboard. “I’ll point to one and you say.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I nodded, and he pointed to <i>zh</i>. I filled my lungs, opened my
mouth, and tried. Karo tilted his head to the side, and something flicked across his face. A vague
feeling of apprehension filled my stomach—did I do it wrong? He pointed to the
<i>j</i>. Again, I spoke. By this point, I knew I was messing up. Karo tried to keep
a blank expression, but his dimple always appears when he’s amused about
something, and he was definitely laughing inwardly then. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Listen," he said, then he demonstrated those accursed consonants. The difference between the two syllables was acutely apparent when <i>he </i>spoke. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A few, rather panicked, attempts later, and I finally his approval. The moment I uttered the
correct syllable, he grinned and said, with exaggerated relief, “Good! Remember this
feeling next time.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtBLCMe21TTOGNigA35cHcYW1pITyABt22C7-nybdYJNIz6VTZPwLCejBL2CvScozsLk9mGBVybaQ8eLiffN7zT3OhxqguTC2awc9SJuTDLQMVp3HF6qj2jplikCYhrCrgMi-rBsHhwE1/s1600/DSCN0435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLtBLCMe21TTOGNigA35cHcYW1pITyABt22C7-nybdYJNIz6VTZPwLCejBL2CvScozsLk9mGBVybaQ8eLiffN7zT3OhxqguTC2awc9SJuTDLQMVp3HF6qj2jplikCYhrCrgMi-rBsHhwE1/s1600/DSCN0435.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Technically, we're supposed to call him Li Laoshi, but he prefers Karo. "Li Laoshi" is too formal, he says. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-31348485752242968152014-11-02T06:15:00.000-08:002015-04-04T11:41:50.041-07:00This Is Halloween<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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</xml><![endif]--> Halloween is my favorite holiday. I get to indulge in my
childhood fantasies—I become another person, a favorite character from a book, or
another creature entirely. The fact that I’m currently living in another
country, one that doesn’t celebrate Halloween as rabidly as America, didn’t
prevent me from celebrating my favorite holiday. <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
To tell everything about our Halloween experience is both
boring and time consuming. So, for your enjoyment, here is a snippet of our
Halloween—pumpkin carving in China.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u> Two weeks before Halloween:</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Chloe!” Courtney called to me over the heaped fruit. Her
voice bubbled with excitement. I leaned around the pyramid of apples to see
what had caused her exclamation. One hand on the cart, she stood in front of
one of the many wooden barrels which held cabbages. This barrel, however, did
not cradle heads of cabbage, but rather the beautiful orange spheres of
pumpkins. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I almost dropped the bag of apples. Knowing that it was
thoroughly odd, I let out a squeal and danced over to the treasure trove. Our
fellow shoppers glanced at us curiously, then looked away with a shrug. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Foreigners. </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I sent a photo to Hammerstrom,” my roommate said, “We can
carve them for Halloween!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We can come back next week, so they stay fresh.” I finally
acknowledged the strange looks from the customers, and my happy dance petered
out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><b>One week later, and few hours before our pumpkin carving
party:</b></u><br />
<br />
Professor Hammerstrom and I returned to the grocery store. From his
apartment, our destination—the grocery store called Treat—was a twenty minute
walk. This also happened to be the same day that the pollution level was 358, a
level which the WHO (World Health Organization) deemed as “hazardous”—for
reference, that same day, Tacoma was a mere 12. San Francisco might get to 70
on a bad day. Imagine, just for a moment, if you were a chain smoker in
Chengdu. So, to save our lungs, we donned our pollution masks. We walked down
the street, past the American consulate with their armed guards, dodging cars
and scooters. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unscathed, we entered the underground mall in which Treat
was located. As usual, it was packed with people: families with one or two kids
in tow, couples holding hands, and gaggles of giggling teens. It was a weekend,
after all, and the mall was the place to be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once in the store, we made a beeline for the vegetable
section. My steps were purposeful, and excitement pulsed in my veins. I ignored
the Dragon fruit and cabbages. My gaze belonged only to the beloved pumpkins. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One problem. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Nooo,” I moaned quietly, when I realized the horrible
truth. “They’re gone!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hammerstrom rubbed his jaw, “they were here?” He asked. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah…” Realizing what he was implying, I walked around the
displays, searching. No pumpkins. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my
professor approach an employee and ask a question. He beckoned me over and
pointed. Hope renewed in my chest, I followed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Alas, although they were technically pumpkins, they were not
the kind we needed. Instead of globes, these brown pumpkins were bowling pins. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After five minutes debate, we decided to be adventurous and
carve cantaloupes. Their hides were thick enough to survive the process of
cleaning and carving, and they were suitably big enough to make a decent jack-o’-lantern.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“As long as we’re out on a journey, we might as well look at
other grocery stores.” I suggested. “Do you know of any other store that might
carry pumpkins?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hammerstrom’s ocean eyes searched the ceiling as he thought.
“Yes, actually. There is a foreign store called Carrefour that might have them.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did a little jig, which morphed into my happy dance. “Do
you mind if we check?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He laughed, “If it’s okay with you.”<br />
A ten minute cab ride later, we arrived at the behemoth
store. Carrefour is basically the French version of Costco. Three stories tall,
it carries everything that anyone could ever want, from DVD players to clothes
to cosmetics. They even had Halloween decorations and themed candy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They had pumpkins too…in a fashion. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was one round little pumpkin barely big enough to carve. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’ll do.” I said, cradling it protectively in my arms. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In total, our journey cost us about three hours and two cabs' fare. We were tired, but victorious.<br />
“Let’s not tell them about the cantaloupe,” Professor
Hammerstrom suggested as we rode the rickety elevator up to his apartment,
where I would drop off our precious fruits until later that evening. There was
a spark of mischief in his eyes as he said, “I want to surprise them.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I laughed. “Excellent.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b> <u> 7:45 pm, the same day:</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The traffic rushed beneath the sky bridge. Visibility was
low—three guesses as to why, and the first two guesses don’t count. Barely half
a block away, the West Gate, one of the many entrances to the college campus,
was hidden from my view. I took out my phone to take a photo. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It’s not fog.” I whispered to myself. Across the bridge, I
saw Karo approaching. Slipping my phone back into my pocket, I gave him a wave
and a grin. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Karo has short black hair, chocolate brown eyes, and stocky
build. When he laughs, a dimple appears on his left cheek. Despite the fact
that English is not his mother tongue, he keeps me on my toes with his sharp
wit. Often, I am laughing too hard to come up with a suitable retort for one of
his wry observations. Karo teaches three of my Chinese language classes, and I
assist him teaching English to other foreign students. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tonight, he carried a plastic bag. Catching my curious look,
he explained, “I brought grapes. It’s traditional to bring a gift to the host—although
I haven’t visited a foreign professor before.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We started towards the apartment. “Well, Professor
Hammerstrom is very traditional. He’ll be thrilled.” I assured him. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Our pumpkin carving group consisted of Karo, Professor
Hammerstrom, Nathan, and, of course, myself. Professor Hammerstrom and I were
professionals when it came to pumpkin carving, and we take it very seriously.
Both Nathan and Karo had never carved pumpkins—or cantaloupes—for Halloween before.
Obviously, Karo hadn’t because he grew up in China. Nathan was also new to this
tradition—not because his parents were religious, but rather because he had
spent most of his life living overseas. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwU1NOjm5Cf-LGcPyxJXrf3azBElW_Ogy3r_1eX1RE9gVGAZ0jgYY2lrnipMCNyntuJs-7Iq5yiqNuLwz_VkQeZbAC48Lb2-uEvpljwI6AtD3ddP7wLFzcZgOGCE1W1JJMq-Ngs7Zz-jka/s1600/DSCN1168.JPG" height="320" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As you can see, he can barely contain his excitement.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwUMqLj8qF4vCDK8URU7eimlzHRv6u-lapd32b4BJrfcVOEZY8dOTcIHseyQv3DCfm9SppXrK7pcUa9tgeVWp5mswYUwzzwGMwCCowL9SIxFQUgTTjDR9ntgAeH13o8Y3Ipu3pScDL6m3/s1600/IMG_20141026_202942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwUMqLj8qF4vCDK8URU7eimlzHRv6u-lapd32b4BJrfcVOEZY8dOTcIHseyQv3DCfm9SppXrK7pcUa9tgeVWp5mswYUwzzwGMwCCowL9SIxFQUgTTjDR9ntgAeH13o8Y3Ipu3pScDL6m3/s1600/IMG_20141026_202942.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carving like a pro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When we’d gathered around the small glass table in the kitchen,
we revealed our “pumpkins”. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“So, traditionally, we carve big pumpkins,” I said to Karo, “but
since we’re in China, we couldn’t find the right kind. So…” I set the
cantaloupes, followed by the midget pumpkin, on the table. “We’re carving these
tonight.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nathan chuckled and Karo smiled. I returned the smile—I’d been
nervous that people would be disappointed at our failure to procure “real”
pumpkins, but it appeared that no one really cared. Continuing the theme of
making do with what we had, we used an old, ripped map as a table cloth and
various kitchen utensils as carving tools. As we carved, Professor Hammerstrom and I told the history
of the various Halloween traditions, many of which originated in Ireland. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhD5IsX-70Ise7l7jQXoE15uK5_LVnIlVowuGWRU4kEhpe2DFi_bokUzcJ5dBZLuj8fnNEX2FNIrr53ssebhiOiYUqMZeEBWR6BKyTlXRLQE8HxRml6yOk_EchlAcMQkwuUAvz32OacmBc/s1600/DSCN1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhD5IsX-70Ise7l7jQXoE15uK5_LVnIlVowuGWRU4kEhpe2DFi_bokUzcJ5dBZLuj8fnNEX2FNIrr53ssebhiOiYUqMZeEBWR6BKyTlXRLQE8HxRml6yOk_EchlAcMQkwuUAvz32OacmBc/s1600/DSCN1173.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning about Samhain whilst carving.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The
cantaloupes, it turned out, were a fairly acceptable substitute for pumpkins,
and infinitely easier to clean. Unlike previous pumpkin carvings, in which one
person got one pumpkin, we traded between the melons and the pumpkin. It was a
team effort—one person cut off the top, two people cleaned, and the last person
carved the face.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ae-6XMd8NuuLsmRMyEwTfDb4QL4DwNUa4KQM422Tv7o6sTkKFx16JK1txZsT8WOVazMS5eZetv1ObqUFw6o96FXTb8WYUHo9MPNd-2wkv9igjimIrhEzRpXE3wJSm4AiRDjwYE3E7MxX/s1600/DSCN1171.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ae-6XMd8NuuLsmRMyEwTfDb4QL4DwNUa4KQM422Tv7o6sTkKFx16JK1txZsT8WOVazMS5eZetv1ObqUFw6o96FXTb8WYUHo9MPNd-2wkv9igjimIrhEzRpXE3wJSm4AiRDjwYE3E7MxX/s1600/DSCN1171.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Professor Hammerstrom showing us how it's done.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At long last, we proudly set our creations on the counter
and stood back to admire our handiwork. They were not the most complicated
designs that I had done—far from it—but it was certainly my proudest work.
Possibly this was due to the hours of walking and searching for our pumpkins,
or perhaps it was because it was a team effort. Or, maybe it was the joy of sharing
a childhood tradition with new friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OJcWAvIwgCW5ZaKPKs30XjQhIOEWxEDLKjijGEjs0yLKDzoLQzqOlPbhhi4x9nBMPBKUdz0PuBrniEAaloMaW41dUwn1k4xYbhvO2nYqqJmgYQcEtGFD0OVg19SozKyFhpFosOOLuvQG/s1600/DSCN1179.JPG" height="300" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A proud Karo and his first jack-o'-lantern.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OJcWAvIwgCW5ZaKPKs30XjQhIOEWxEDLKjijGEjs0yLKDzoLQzqOlPbhhi4x9nBMPBKUdz0PuBrniEAaloMaW41dUwn1k4xYbhvO2nYqqJmgYQcEtGFD0OVg19SozKyFhpFosOOLuvQG/s1600/DSCN1179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfB1OHYzL4jF16vaj1Z5PbQqhbRAjF2UtDbjI4nScoTIMK3vVJ4LxK7Ok2tKgiNIglYdJnpYsx7tX9KB51sCa7gw4OOcO67ogTG8vj3F-S_mg2noNmsnazIvOzZ0zMQR7IDStDiUiCepn/s1600/IMG_20141026_203951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfB1OHYzL4jF16vaj1Z5PbQqhbRAjF2UtDbjI4nScoTIMK3vVJ4LxK7Ok2tKgiNIglYdJnpYsx7tX9KB51sCa7gw4OOcO67ogTG8vj3F-S_mg2noNmsnazIvOzZ0zMQR7IDStDiUiCepn/s1600/IMG_20141026_203951.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An evening with friends and laughter, what more could we want?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-18734083764681380732014-10-31T02:34:00.001-07:002015-04-04T11:42:54.996-07:00Homeward Buddha<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
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</xml><![endif]--> Professor Hammerstrom’s apartment is located off campus,
just outside of West Gate. In terms of distance, it’s about a mile from our
dorm to his front door—it took us about two weeks to realize that most things,
such as grocery and clothing stores, would all be about the same distance away.
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have Buddhism class at Professor’s home. It makes sense,
given that the only students are those from Pacific Lutheran University and
Lewis and Clark—and we have a grand total of six students. We got to decide
where we would like to have our class, and our choice was basically this: we
could use the classroom on the sixth floor—walking all six flights, as the
elevator is broken—of the red brick building next to our dorm. Where we would
sit in metal chairs that make our backsides sweat and that fill the cavernous
room with rusty screams when someone so much as twitches. On the other hand, we
could sit on comfy couches—complete with floral seat coverings—sipping tea and
coffee, while we discuss the essence of Buddhism. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a hard decision. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, every Monday, we take the trek to the apartment, loaded
with laptops and Buddhist commentaries. Our conversations during class are
abstract, to say the least, but it’s the conversations during break that really
capture the core of our little group. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
***</div>
<a name='more'></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Does everyone understand?” Professor Hammerstrom asked, “I
know it’s a difficult concept.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We nodded, with varying degrees of conviction. I was still
processing, but I reasonably sure that I would understand. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Okay,” he continued, “why don’t we take a break?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A relieved sigh had barely passed my lips when Anna said,
“we were completely wrong. The name was Shadow.” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A moment of silence in the room, broken by a chorus of
“what?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The dog from Homeward Bound.” She explained, referring to a
conversation we’d had a few days previous. I laughed as I stood up to stretch
my legs—we’d been guessing names like Duke and Buddy. Grabbing my mug, I jumped
over the back of the couch and walked to the compact kitchen. Behind me, the
conversation continued.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Who voiced him?” Jeremiah asked. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anna opened her laptop and did a quick search. “Don Ameche.
Oh,” she paused, “he died in 1993. That’s sad.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ignoring that piece of solemn information, Jeremiah leaned
over her shoulder and said, “he died sixteen days before I was born. I could be
his reincarnation!” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No you couldn’t,” Courtney corrected from the water cooler,
“it’s forty-two days in between death and reincarnation.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“No, no.” I interjected as I poured Maxwell instant coffee
into my chipped mug. “It’s forty-nine days.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 153.45pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, what brilliant scholars we are. </div>
Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-2507799982194556452014-10-10T22:46:00.000-07:002015-04-04T11:44:25.432-07:00How Not to Haggle<div style="text-align: center;">
Haggle: to talk or argue with someone especially in order to agree on a price </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
-<a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haggle" target="_blank">Mirriam-Webster Dictionary</a> </div>
<br />
Like most Americans, I don't haggle on a regular basis. Culturally, it's not a norm, and that's fine--except when I'm studying away in a culture in which haggling is very much an everyday experience. If you can't tell, this is one of those stories in which I did not get it right.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
First, the scene: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLX9OewQKlaF2zXMW1dqMetwUczIAsCfFH49bCvjmJQD-WyphxmV887hiU0GZ8qbXSbpv9pgtkgoC16EAFf8Plgh7d7KeLBXAhJcJRK554uCrVTPuIQcoilRj2WYq7sj5-ELcu08ypTiQ/s1600/DSCN0161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLX9OewQKlaF2zXMW1dqMetwUczIAsCfFH49bCvjmJQD-WyphxmV887hiU0GZ8qbXSbpv9pgtkgoC16EAFf8Plgh7d7KeLBXAhJcJRK554uCrVTPuIQcoilRj2WYq7sj5-ELcu08ypTiQ/s1600/DSCN0161.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'm going to offend your intelligence by informing you that this is, in fact, the Great Wall. Shocking, no? As a side note, this was the clearest day we'd had so far in Beijing for about a week and a half. We wouldn't see skies like that until weeks later when we flew to Tibet. Our tour guide, plus random pedestrians on the street, often would remind us how lucky we were with the weather.<br />
Back to the story. As you can see from the picture, it was a fabulous day. The sun was shining, the birds sang, and the mosquitoes whined continually in our ears as we trekked up endless stairs to get to the Great Wall. The humidity made walking into swimming. When we finally climbed the last flight of stone stairs--which had steps so worn that they bowed in the middle--and emerged upon the ancient architecture, a welcome breeze ruffled hair with gentle fingers. We spent a good thirty minutes standing and admiring the landscape spread before us.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHg9lKLVnFdyHWDH8xVVhH4OENIHDHbo5J5K2z05HnO_UDTbLFJNigGq8MJETyGPl2YZg9vrhrxhE02fR8sbjDjxqYzMLeSMChHUV2JECbs_tluoxjyYgMd2nR4J3noTrBujJbzUoP0fF/s1600/DSCN0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHg9lKLVnFdyHWDH8xVVhH4OENIHDHbo5J5K2z05HnO_UDTbLFJNigGq8MJETyGPl2YZg9vrhrxhE02fR8sbjDjxqYzMLeSMChHUV2JECbs_tluoxjyYgMd2nR4J3noTrBujJbzUoP0fF/s1600/DSCN0155.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq_VrflxMXcf2uLvlYAoLCaEIPUeFldZ90T1D2SPYrqj9MkQJyz_qMjzRCLbp6u93esFEAccdEr2quPlOFEhebCZmg2jorMza62cmkt9TfztYGFkzRHuI-DCPZZIJtTBvChL9wDY_f1Pd/s1600/DSCN0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRq_VrflxMXcf2uLvlYAoLCaEIPUeFldZ90T1D2SPYrqj9MkQJyz_qMjzRCLbp6u93esFEAccdEr2quPlOFEhebCZmg2jorMza62cmkt9TfztYGFkzRHuI-DCPZZIJtTBvChL9wDY_f1Pd/s1600/DSCN0154.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Although the heat and humidity were considerably more bearable on the Wall, we were all dehydrated. Lucky for us, a few enterprising locals had set up shop and were selling water, Snickers, and, of course, beer.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfViAo2G01Je_SpzfcJ8xSGihOkRzUoG8oOD4plc0BLAjzAgxdOPWIg99OkDkyrLjAFg6JzTMYmDfeZwcAnV_VSfJkoQYILHRl80eqKmqjvMR-zZH3tczIkZQTrL4jUzFFgcz_QLTWc6KW/s1600/DSCN0160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfViAo2G01Je_SpzfcJ8xSGihOkRzUoG8oOD4plc0BLAjzAgxdOPWIg99OkDkyrLjAFg6JzTMYmDfeZwcAnV_VSfJkoQYILHRl80eqKmqjvMR-zZH3tczIkZQTrL4jUzFFgcz_QLTWc6KW/s1600/DSCN0160.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Did I say "stairs"? I meant "climb of death". We would often pass other sweaty tourists sprawled in the sparse shade.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Seeing the heavenly gift of water, I staggered towards the promise of refreshment, wearily pulling out my wallet.<br />
"<i>How much?" </i>I asked, butchering the simple Chinese phrase.<br />
"<i>30 kuai." </i>The man answered. It was about five U.S. dollars. I narrowed my eyes, it was much more expensive than usual, but then my parched throat tightened, and I handed him the money.<br />
<br />
This is not how you haggle. This is how to lose 30 kuai on a bottle of water which normally would have sold for 3 kuai. <i>3 kuai</i>. At a price of 30 kuai, I would expect the water to be unicorn tears which were collected by nymphs under a full moon. I'm betting that this was not the case. <br />
<br />
I was informed before leaving that in China, haggling is expected during most transactions. This was not new information, but in the heat of the afternoon sun, my memory faltered and I became one of the many oblivious tourists to buy a bottle of water. <br />
<br />
On the bright side, I probably made that man's day. Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2836262027342499173.post-87785191846566205492014-10-04T22:28:00.003-07:002015-04-04T11:44:03.554-07:00First Post! Intentions are beautiful things--when they are fulfilled. I had intended to write this post about a month ago, but I got caught up in the whirlwind of traveling through China. I had also intended this blog to be a bi-weekly affair. The problem with that is that this blog would become more of a diary, and no one wants to read that.<br />
So, what am I intending to put into this blog? As the title of this blog suggests, I'm a very fallible human being who makes mistakes, and I'm one of those people who find themselves in peculiar situations with alarming regularity. The results? Hilarious--and sometimes cringe-worthy--stories, which I intend to share with you. These stories won't be in chronological order--where's the fun in organization?--but rather I'll post whatever story has been percolating in my mind. <br />
This particular blog will revolve around my experiences in Chengdu, China, where I'm studying at SiChuan University. I attend classes, go visit tourist and religious destinations, and hang out with the amazing people of this school.<br />
The stories will arrive, that's one intention I will fulfill, but for now, enjoy some photos of China!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhoM3Z72cmaJnpxsTrSUArVRS648tXMMUaL2D0tGWUyLYvT64wo5rxeeDWath8m0zcSWUd6J_0QrVoThXLS9by-txFrUdly6DqrLMYCTDNSRpwJwiA4UGCst1EJBgslol_RhgXQM5PAlJ/s1600/DSCN0026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnhoM3Z72cmaJnpxsTrSUArVRS648tXMMUaL2D0tGWUyLYvT64wo5rxeeDWath8m0zcSWUd6J_0QrVoThXLS9by-txFrUdly6DqrLMYCTDNSRpwJwiA4UGCst1EJBgslol_RhgXQM5PAlJ/s1600/DSCN0026.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Forbidden City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsQJG8m5XrbOWz5Z9TeGDtKrK7_3B2cT19TNJDp4tRcww9958sxb33DMaFFAzLQkUIcg79gH_6RQJMm4Zc6uXkqThbJdlMfkt_elMzfRJXQwWM3VG5NYpiQfmAUW9O3QYFv6311UdJB-i/s1600/DSCN0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJsQJG8m5XrbOWz5Z9TeGDtKrK7_3B2cT19TNJDp4tRcww9958sxb33DMaFFAzLQkUIcg79gH_6RQJMm4Zc6uXkqThbJdlMfkt_elMzfRJXQwWM3VG5NYpiQfmAUW9O3QYFv6311UdJB-i/s1600/DSCN0037.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bluest skies I have yet seen in China</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlH-nf9QssiZBmlt9w_RGcqz44mYI8N-K1JfPxBSFKfGF_omFGmF_4VOn4qow7H450oPtv6-aybT03gr3LC5Jmx4c-KQK42Wwid_EcNS117pUdjkyd1GiwlQOLXFe0ZthNqilN3f5MscU/s1600/DSCN0152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDlH-nf9QssiZBmlt9w_RGcqz44mYI8N-K1JfPxBSFKfGF_omFGmF_4VOn4qow7H450oPtv6-aybT03gr3LC5Jmx4c-KQK42Wwid_EcNS117pUdjkyd1GiwlQOLXFe0ZthNqilN3f5MscU/s1600/DSCN0152.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nathan and Ellen chillaxin' on the Great Wall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOCkImh5WrDpht0lfqSpFxkzGC7ujxlqGfpqsHfldV7ps_xocwQ7wpsOl5GYSEs8wQfARnZzxL3gM-DR2TDEB_ow4sIMkisYRIB1tJTUagyFU5M1GheWntS5Oqy0NnsOBDFcIgEHZ3dUS/s1600/DSCN0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmOCkImh5WrDpht0lfqSpFxkzGC7ujxlqGfpqsHfldV7ps_xocwQ7wpsOl5GYSEs8wQfARnZzxL3gM-DR2TDEB_ow4sIMkisYRIB1tJTUagyFU5M1GheWntS5Oqy0NnsOBDFcIgEHZ3dUS/s1600/DSCN0095.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martin and Leah looking fabulous at the Summer palace</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6CtIIYX9YdVrYDiZZNnSnFKSQIfsHOQ-s-L6GDZJ2Z2TwD7neOxZDBMvRoW8s6vGQA7IIcdL7GmBrWIQOWmniwkRmjIBDW8azyDOnPKbJ9_E5G0hN5OrdofISUiTC_5_Dc4qt3NftUAy/s1600/DSCN0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6CtIIYX9YdVrYDiZZNnSnFKSQIfsHOQ-s-L6GDZJ2Z2TwD7neOxZDBMvRoW8s6vGQA7IIcdL7GmBrWIQOWmniwkRmjIBDW8azyDOnPKbJ9_E5G0hN5OrdofISUiTC_5_Dc4qt3NftUAy/s1600/DSCN0153.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do I even need to caption?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHoUgewGsNaQUFdy7AWMS6kh6QVHES4phD0wY44BISxBAW0VCA1af6BD-AflYqZLyfMTiJQupvHLl9feHp08YOhsrfqoycAnd7pu_DSbOAoJiDjrvl5qRmyOCaJmPwEidGnOZDsRhGt2O/s1600/DSCN0330.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGHoUgewGsNaQUFdy7AWMS6kh6QVHES4phD0wY44BISxBAW0VCA1af6BD-AflYqZLyfMTiJQupvHLl9feHp08YOhsrfqoycAnd7pu_DSbOAoJiDjrvl5qRmyOCaJmPwEidGnOZDsRhGt2O/s1600/DSCN0330.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's right, I've caved. I took a selfie. With Terracotta Warriors!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFh1xPs1UnhdFFjhGj_9juLPY4CVUEzQVQZJenJHepaghZzIQV6SwqcTWpM6LFBRnYQwkviInZ-UTLcLETAlCBTS-9iCDXs7XA_LYEOO8Y96itp3Ff2x1f_t6cZVgu0EOLyb4OnKneeGL/s1600/DSCN0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIFh1xPs1UnhdFFjhGj_9juLPY4CVUEzQVQZJenJHepaghZzIQV6SwqcTWpM6LFBRnYQwkviInZ-UTLcLETAlCBTS-9iCDXs7XA_LYEOO8Y96itp3Ff2x1f_t6cZVgu0EOLyb4OnKneeGL/s1600/DSCN0275.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And of course, the Enlightened man himself: Buddha</td></tr>
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More pictures, stories, and captions coming soon! In the meantime, be well and stay safe!<br />
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<br />Chloehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14594337817524845715noreply@blogger.com1