I had a really interesting conversation with my host sister tonight about how she is studying for an English exam for foreigners (ILETS) so that she can go to college in the States, particularly UCLA (she says the campus' air is very fresh). She would like to work in the US but must stay in China to take care of her parents as they grow older, an interesting mindset difference from the rising generation of young adults in the US.
The NSLI-Y group visited the American Consulate in Chengdu yesterday, an experience that convinced me I want to become a foreign service agent and spend my life traveling the world.
I had a wonderful evening the night before with my (American) friends at a Tex-Mex Restaurant. It was the first "American" food we had had in so long that it made us giddy, and we laughed so hard all night long. Afterwards we joined a group of women dancing in a park, something I had been wanting to do while in China!
Tonight all the exchange students and some host siblings (not mine; her father recently told her: I work hard, so you will study hard) celebrated one of the American's birthdays at a Chinese barbecue (MSG was served in a bowl for those who wanted to add it to their barbecue). At one point in the evening a group of us was playing Mafia (杀人游戏 Kill People Game), using a translator for every step of the game, and then it dawned on me how amazing it was to be playing in multiple languages a game I learned on the opposite side of the world.
My favorite cute common phrases (and habits) of Lily:
"I am so clever!" She means it in the best possible way.
Whenever I say thank you to her, she will respond with, "No thanks" in English.
Every single time we are eating together, she asks, "Dericious, right?"
"I love convenient noodles!". Ramen noodles translated literally are convenient noodles.
She ends every conversation with, "Bye bye!"
She wanted her English name to be Dolphin.
If I buy an outfit, she will buy the exact same one so she can match me.
Weirdest thing I ate today: rabbit head.
The NSLI-Y group visited the American Consulate in Chengdu yesterday, an experience that convinced me I want to become a foreign service agent and spend my life traveling the world.
I had a wonderful evening the night before with my (American) friends at a Tex-Mex Restaurant. It was the first "American" food we had had in so long that it made us giddy, and we laughed so hard all night long. Afterwards we joined a group of women dancing in a park, something I had been wanting to do while in China!
Tonight all the exchange students and some host siblings (not mine; her father recently told her: I work hard, so you will study hard) celebrated one of the American's birthdays at a Chinese barbecue (MSG was served in a bowl for those who wanted to add it to their barbecue). At one point in the evening a group of us was playing Mafia (杀人游戏 Kill People Game), using a translator for every step of the game, and then it dawned on me how amazing it was to be playing in multiple languages a game I learned on the opposite side of the world.
My favorite cute common phrases (and habits) of Lily:
"I am so clever!" She means it in the best possible way.
Whenever I say thank you to her, she will respond with, "No thanks" in English.
Every single time we are eating together, she asks, "Dericious, right?"
"I love convenient noodles!". Ramen noodles translated literally are convenient noodles.
She ends every conversation with, "Bye bye!"
She wanted her English name to be Dolphin.
If I buy an outfit, she will buy the exact same one so she can match me.
Weirdest thing I ate today: rabbit head.
When we grow up all your friends' kids will know you as "cool Aunt Alex" who just came back from China, Spain or Italy.
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