Finally back on this!For the longest time I couldn't get my blog to load. :(

So much has happened!Went to Xi'an, got swept up in a sea of people, and discovered within myself a great fascination with ancient Chinese history. Will have to write more on that later!

Also, shoooooot, I REALLY like Xie.We just click. Usually when I'm in the beginning stages of a relationship with someone I can pick out the things that should hold me back... but he comes so close to perfect. The only imperfection is not his fault at all.. it's that we come from two different worlds. What's going to happen next year? I don't even want to think about it!

My first date with Xie Haoxin just ended.

It went well, I think, aside from the fact that I had to seriously work to understand what he was saying. I hope I didn't bore him by forcing him to talk in simple Chinese.

I 'm definitely a little uneasy. First of all, as I've already implied, he doesn't speak English. Secondly, he's a freakin student. Yeah, I know, this could be very wrong. I've been trying to justify it - he's not MY student, he's not even in my department, he's only one year younger, this town is made up of students (who else am I going to date? the teachers are way older than me!), he's mature, he understands my concern.....he bought me sushi...

Thirdly, I have less than a year left, and most of my time is on reserve for MY students...

But he's cute. And patient with me and my crappy Chinese. And it's just been so damn long since I've felt this way about anybody....

Excellent, interesting article about the liberation of being who you are not.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/world/asia/21gender.html?ref=world

Redefining gender in some parts of the world is more than a political statement - it can be an economic necessity.

The women's group was a success!!

The pioneers: Zinna, Emily, Alice, Angel, Jenny, Tiny, Sophie, Lily, Tracy and yours truly.

We began with dinner - food always helps break the tension. By the time these girls licked their plates clean, they were buds.

We then defined a "pioneer" as someone who paves paths for others to follow. We talked about risk-taking, and how all of them are taking a risk to "kaoyan" or take the grad school entrance exams. They gave up their teaching internships to do this, and are very nervous, but now at least we'll be able to be there for and support each other.

We also talked about my personal fav, Jane Addams, who rose from being a sickly child to founding one of, if not THE, first settlement houses in the US, and then who sacrificed the reputation she built to speak out for world peace, at a time when not supporting the US cause in WWI was considered anti-American.

The discussions ended up being really interesting, with everyone contributing ideas and sharing personal experiences. I didn't think they would be willing to be so open with everyone, and I am just hoping I will be as willing as they are to bare my soul.

I think because I spent the entire day cleaning every nook and cranny of my apartment, I was exhausted by the time they left. But still, it was the best kind of exhaustion - the time you can take with you to bed. =)

I am addicted to dental floss.Something just feels amiss in my mouth if I don't dig out the day's grinds.

I never used to floss before I got two cavities filled here (which was not as bad as I had feared). But now I do it every night. Yes, I AM proud of myself for picking up a good habit for once in my life.

I'm also trying not to chew gum. But I crave it. I CRAVE it! Yet my irrational fear of any dentist who is not my uncle is enough to make me quit.

It's funny, the things fear can make you do...

I just saw this really interesting blurb on a podcast from one of the major news organizations about the role of the media in the whole Quran burning incident. By covering that idiot Florida pastor's incendiary claims, did the media turn him into a celebrity, and contribute to pissing off Muslims in the Middle East, ultimately putting US troops in danger? Will shout outs from Petraeus and Obama and financial donations from other idiot fanatics inspire copycats?

According to this news station, this pastor had already gathered quite a following on Facebook, attracting an Egyptian newspaper's attention, immediately inciting protests. It was only then that the big American news organizations picked the story up. According to them, they simply couldn't ignore a story like this. To NOT cover the protests and the risk US soldiers are now in, and to fail to trace it back to the man who started it out would be simply irresponsible. hmmm...... There's a spectacle, then it's covered, causing another spectacle, then it's covered, causing yet another spectacle.....

It's Teachers' Day in the PRC!I wish we had a holiday like that back in the states. I just love it when students take the time to actually think about all that goes into making a class happen. =) I swear, if I ever make it back to grad school, I'm going to lavish my profs with gratitude. Brown-noser, I know =P

In a lil bit KT and I are going to celebrate the holiday AND our first week of school with Luna & Co. at the tang guo restaurant. A few weeks ago I bumped into that waitress with the permanent scowl. "Ayi, ni hao!" I said, and what did I get back in return? A scowl. And a look that seemed to ask, "why the hell are you calling me Ayi?" Haha but I still love her if only because of the delicious food she serves.

Other news: Tyler might come to visit! I am hope hope hope that he'll be able to make it. He's my only hope--- the only one from home who seriously wants to check out China. To be able to take him around and show him my community would be SUCH a cool thing!

"Kacie, is 'deadbeat' a dorky word?" Hehe I love Yang.

Well, today was a bit crazy. Teaching three 90 min classes with chalk dust plastered onto my perpetually perspiring face is exhausting. I am definitely beat. A deadbeat with sore feet who had to teach in the crazy heat.

Surprisingly, I really like my culture classes, big as they are. :) They are surprisingly manageable.

Katy and I celebrated our first two days of jam-packed classes with hot bowls of noodles and cold beer. SO delicious, and in such good company. Thank you, Lord, for sending me such an easygoing site mate!

My first classes of my third semester here began today. From 2:30 to 6pm I put on my "I'm From Hawaii Show" for two different classes of very confused sophomores. Yessmams, this chick ain't Chinese.

I think this semester will be a good one. Today's students were a little shy but after my Haka dance they started to open up a bit. :P I'm a little worried about tomorrow's classes... in the morning I have another Oral English class, but in the afternoon I have two sections of Culture classes, each with 70+ students. I don't know why the department decided to double up our classes this semester! I am a little freaked out. I mean, CRAP that IS a LOT of students!!!!! :/

In other news, my obsession with "What I Like About You" is official. It's just so damn funny. And I get an extra kick out of it because my students say I look and act like Amanda Bynes. Of course I would only come up to her boobs, which are much bigger than mine, and she has the Cauc- to my Asian, but what the hell, I kind of do see a little of myself in her.

I was watching another episode while munching on my sweet and sour pork leftovers, and Val's sickeningly sweet engagement really got to me. I don't know why I'm all sentimental and stuff right now, but it probably has something to do with the fact that this is the longest I have ever not been in a relationship. It's a good thing, I guess, because I don't know how a relationship would be possible here anyway. But you would have thought that after all this time, I would be over that one fool who once drove me crazy enough to write poetry. I AM over him, because I definitely think he's poison to my happiness, but little things - like FB flirting with MY friends - still get to me. Why does he do it????? Why do I care???????

Ohhhhhhhh. China.

Got my teaching schedule - no class on Wednesdays and Thursdays! Boooyah!I'm a little peeved at having FIVE Oral English classes, but other than that, I really like my schedule.

I'm still a little fuzzy from the banquet in Fuling we just got back from. But I feel like I just crossed a major threshold. I understood all of the Mandarin table talk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

every time i log onto thegradcafe i start to freak out.this is going to be a LONG six months!! :/

Traveling in these parts of China is STRESSFUL.I nearly missed my one-a-day bus to Chengdu because I couldn't get a ride from campus to the station in Fuling. The buses, for some reason, weren't stopping at our school, so I had to go out to the main road, and then they still wouldn't stop to pick up people!!! I was freaking out, so this girl I had just met dragged me down to Ma'an to uncover the source of the snubbery. Turns out the entire town wanted to get to Fuling! Kids moving in to their boarding schools, parents who work in town, etc. etc. They piled into each and every bus, filling them way beyond capacity. Finally I shoved my way onto one of those illegal mini buses and made it to Fuling on time. Now, if only I had known that getting to town would take twice as long, I would have left much earlier and wouldn't have developed a near ulcer from worrying all morning.

Aside from that mini fiasco, Chengdu was SO great! I seriously love that city, and if I had to live anywhere in China, it would be in Chengdu. I got to see a bit of Christian and Tim, and was reminded once again that HOLY CRAP, WE HAVE LESS THAN A YEAR LEFT! I don't know whether to be happy or sad. It's a bit of both, I guess. I like my site, but I am ready to start grad school!!! Of course, if I get into anywhere!

The best part of being in Chengdu was seeing Elaine and Matt. We ate at the Tibetan Elephant Restaurant - not a fan of butter milk, but yak is yummy! They took me back to their palace and then we went to eat shadow ice... it's like shaved ice, but much softer - in fact, it's incredibly soft, I honestly don't know how they make it!

But I am back in Ma'an and am comforted by the thought that for the next month or so I won't have to go anywhere. What happened to adventurous Kacie who liked to travel?????

I met my new site mate today. She is pretty fricken awesome =)

She's got a positive attitude and a lot of spunk - I can tell she's going to be a hit here!

In other news, it's the start of chapter 5 billion in my fat ass book of bathroom problems. The shower drain is plugged now, and I was told to let it sit for a few days to see if the water goes down. If it doesn't, then they'll have to replace the entire bath tub!!!! The worst part is that I'm going to Chengdu the day after tomorrow, and my waiban wants to wait until AFTER I get back to do anything.

That means tonight, tomorrow night, and perhaps for a few nights next week I'm going to have to stand in FILTHY water when I shower. And I have blisters on my feet. Flesh eating disease, anyone? ACK!

sometimes i wish i could be more classy. just to look like i know what i'm doing.

=P

Yessssir, I've got a healthy appetite for reconstruction.

Btw, I am reading Madame Bovary and it is GOOD. Such a familiar theme.

The stigmatism in my left eye is really messing me up. Making me so so so DIZZY!!Maybe the only reason why my vision is ultra blurry now is because for the past week I've been hiding out in my apartment working on one aspect or another of the FIVE grad school apps I'm currently filling out. Yikes, to think sane people actually do apply to more schools than that!

It's still early in the game but I want to make these babies sparkle as much as I can before school starts. This year I am determined to do more as a volunteer. Last year was all about adjusting and having fun... this year, I MUST try to do something "impactful," because if I don't I'm going to go back to America and have to live out the rest of my life knowing that I didn't do crap as a volunteer. Who wants to live with that kind of regret????

So, on September 13, my women's leadership group will begin. Who will be in it? Where will we meet? Which female hero will provide the inspiration? I have no clue. All that's set is the date... in fact, I JUST NOW randomly chose this date, simply to make a public commitment (never mind that no one actually reads this) so that I actually DO IT. And yes, I have commitment issues!

Also, environmental and AIDS awareness lessons are in the line up for this year's Oral English classes. And a prom or winter ball? Movie night? Maybe doing a Turbo Jam or Zumba (first I have to learn) class once the weather cools?

Oh, and just for me, I seriously want to learn kung fu.

ACTIVE is my theme for this semester. So that is why I am killing myself on grad apps so early on. They say the second year of PC service is supposed to fly by, but how can that be so when I will be waiting with sweaty palms til fricken APRIL to find out where I'll be going??? I am trippin, better go rest these eyes!

another one for the kingdom =)

i now have ample energy to eat, pray, love. =)btw, i will play balinese medicine girl and live with a smile on my face.

Summer is a space between.Hawaii was a compact space of sentimentality and splendid chaos.

But now I am back, and finally, I have found a week-long stretch of pure peace. It was an embodiment of space with nothing in it, a void, and I was free to fill it up with whatever I wanted.I lost the days, mixing up my Mondays for Wednesdays, not caring at all about time. Alas, there is nowhere I must go, nothing I must do. I enjoy waking up to an empty dawn, watching back to back episodes of "What I Like About You" (a TV series I always wanted to watch when I was in high school, but never had the time), reading novels, eating cold noodles with students at Jiejie's shop, house cleaning, working out, eating take out kungpao chicken, and watching movies. In the meantime, my grad school apps are being filled, my essays are being written, my sanity somehow preserved. I can't imagine doing this without a space between as wide as the one I'm in now. :)

Life is good :)"Run and tell the angels that everything's alright..."

It's 6:30 pm and behind the ever gray sky, the sun still burns. It is a damp 91 degrees. Lord help me.

A half hour of Facebook voyeurism has left me depressed. I ended up on some Waiakea friends' pages and saw, on the basis of status updates and pictures, where their lives are now. They are in steady relationships, have stable jobs and lead exciting social lives. Of course, all that's to be expected, and I am both happy for and envious of them. What the heck am I doing in China? Having the time of my life, that's for sure, but part of me feels like I ought to be maturing in step with my classmates. It's been a year and a half since my last relationship, I have no "real" job, and my social life is built entirely around people I may never see again after my stint here is done.

Also, thoughts of a certain person burn like coal in my heart. My position makes this fire impossible, and so it rages. I think he knows that I know. But what can I do? Anyway, he is gone for the summer.

Writing is that means by which the world values the Way, but writing is no more than words and words, too, have value. Meaning is what gives value to words, but meaning is dependent on something. What meaning depends on cannot be expressed in language, yet the world transmits writing because it values language. Although the world values writing, I, for my part, do not think it worthy of being valued, because what is valued is not what is really valuable.

- Chuang Tzu, quoted in Peter Hessler's Oracle Bones

我在改写作课的试卷和笔记本。有点累，但是马上就改完了，就可以继续耍，也可以开始认真的准备我国家的考研，GRE。过几个星期和平队要派我去开县 教英语两个星期。以前我以为他们会派我去垫江，不过今天他们跟我说要换地方。（所以如果你是开县人，我就找你哦！）然后七月底我要回过看望我家人，两三个 星期后就回来。

最近我心情和平时不一样因为压力比较大。我很怕 GRE 哦！期末快到了，所以现在你们的压力也比较大。可能你会了解我！必须准备很多东西，但是只想做很多其他的事，只想去很多地方玩，只想陪朋友耍，只想吃很多 好吃的（哈哈）什么的。。时间真不够哦！这周我每天都在我办公室，一边改作业，一边读书，感觉越来越讨厌。我真的感谢你几个朋友陪我吃饭，散步和开玩笑。 如果没有你，我一定就变更疯了。

而且感谢你大三学生们。我也在看你们写的信，真让我又快乐！我让你们写一封信的时候，以为你们会写中国文 化或者学英语的事情。不过你们写了很意义也很甜蜜的话。我觉得在信里，你们说的话是个特别的礼物。很希望给每个人回答所以你们都可以知道我怎么感动了。这 样的宝比钱好哦。。所以虽然当老师不会赚很多钱，也有时候有点困难，在老师生活里这样的感谢是最好的。我觉得如果我永远能听你们的话，我一定就会一直高 兴，一直微笑。

许多你们马上要离开这里出去试教。知道你们都有点紧张，不太兴奋。。但是放心。。你们的学生一定会爱你们，他们会被你们有灵感的。我非常相信你们！加油！

其实，无论你是个大三，大二，大一，毕业了学生或者老师，我们都应该加油！

但是现在我不能加油。我要睡觉。哈哈 好梦！

"Archaeology helped hold China together.....

.... Archaeology helps break China apart."

"In the end, so much depends on circumstance - what happens to be found, how the find happens to be perceived. A person's relationship to an artifact can be shaped by nationalism or regionalism. Perspective is crucial: if one believes that he stands at the center, then diffusion seems natural. But a culture looks completely different if you approach it from the outside and then work your way back in."

- Peter Hessler, Oracle Bones, 191

学期马上就结束了，太快了！！今天去看了从美国到汶川的志愿者导演的话剧。好好看哦！那个小学生都活泼可爱！

表 演开始以前，外语系让我和Rachel陪他们去吃饭。因为志愿者们的父母都移民了从中国到美国，我本来以为他们是中国人。同时他们也以为我是中国人。因为 我比Rachel 到食堂早一点，我先给他们打招呼，不知道他们是不是志愿者。我自己介绍了后，他们都看起来很吃惊。一个女生说，“Wow! Your English is so good!" 我听他们的话，就也很吃惊。我说了，“你也说得很好哦！” 终于发现了我们都是美国人。

我喜欢他们因为不仅他们明显聪明，而且他们好像善良。我也佩服他们因为我觉得来地震地方帮助人真是个特别好的事情。他们都是大二年纪学生，虽然很年轻，但是已经很伟大。

这是他们的第一次来重庆，他们都很喜欢。有一个女生也想当和平队志愿者，再来中国教英语。她问了我喜不喜欢。我快回答了 “在我的生活上，过去的一年是最好的。”

然 后我继续想为什么认真地说这个句子很容易。有很多原因！第一你们对我非常好，每天都让我很愉快。第二你们陪我去做我最喜欢的爱好：吃饭和耍。第三学汉语好 玩因为让我和你们更近，还有这个地方的环境给我很多机会练习。第四我觉得中国文化很有意思，比如说古故事，电视剧，音乐等等。第五我越来越了解我自己，发 现我是什么样的人，有什么样的愿望。

不过有时候当志愿者很累。。。不仅我自然懒和一个小丑，而且有时侯我只想当一个低调人，不想成为一个 外国人。所以我最喜欢和你们在一起因为你们都向我对待一个同学，一个同胞，一个一般的人。如果人对我这样，我就感觉很自在，我就可以放松。原来的时候我怕 只有 Rachel 会了解我，不过我发现了我和你们也可以互相了解。这真是个暖和的感觉！ 这个是主要的愿意为什么我觉得，在我的生活上，当你们的志愿者是最好的情况。

水果类（fruits）：

西红柿 tomato 菠萝 pineapple 西瓜watermelon 香蕉banana 柚子 shaddock （pomelo） 橙子orange 苹果apple 柠檬lemon 樱桃 cherry 桃子peach 梨 pear 枣Chinese date （去核枣 pitted date ） 椰子coconut 草莓 strawberry 树莓 raspberry 蓝莓 blueberry 黑莓 blackberry 葡萄 grape 甘蔗 sugar cane 芒果 mango 木瓜 pawpaw或者papaya 杏子 apricot 　油桃 nectarine 柿子persimmon 石榴pomegranate 榴莲 jackfruit 槟榔果 areca nut （西班牙产苦橙）bitter orange 猕猴桃 kiwi fruit or Chinese gooseberry 金橘cumquat 蟠桃 flat peach 荔枝 litchi 青梅greengage 山楂果 haw 水蜜桃honey peach 香瓜，甜瓜 musk melon 李子plum 杨梅 waxberry red bayberry 桂圆 longan 沙果 crab apple 杨桃starfruit 枇杷 loquat 柑橘 tangerine 莲雾wax-apple 番石榴 guava

肉、蔬菜类（livestock家畜）：

南瓜（倭瓜） pumpkin cushaw 甜玉米 Sweet corn 牛肉beef 猪肉pork 羊肉 mutton 羔羊肉lamb 鸡肉chicken 生菜 莴苣lettuce 白菜 Chinese cabbage （celery cabbage）（甘蓝）卷心菜 cabbage 萝卜 radish 胡萝卜 carrot 韭菜leek 木耳 agarics 豌豆 pea 马铃薯（土豆） potato 黄瓜 cucumber 苦瓜 balsam pear 秋葵 okra 洋葱 onion 芹菜 celery 芹菜杆 celery sticks 地瓜 sweet potato 蘑菇 mushroom 橄榄 olive 菠菜spinach 冬瓜（Chinese）wax gourd 莲藕 lotus root 紫菜 laver 油菜 cole rape 茄子 eggplant 香菜 caraway 枇杷loquat 青椒 green pepper 四季豆 青刀豆 garden bean 银耳 silvery fungi 腱子肉tendon 肘子 pork joint 茴香fennel（茴香油fennel oil 药用） 鲤鱼carp 咸猪肉bacon 金针蘑 needle mushroom 扁豆 lentil 槟榔 areca 牛蒡great burdock 水萝卜 summer radish 竹笋 bamboo shoot 艾蒿Chinese mugwort 绿豆mung bean 毛豆green soy bean 瘦肉 lean meat 肥肉speck 黄花菜 day lily （day lily bud） 豆芽菜 bean sprout 丝瓜 towel gourd (注：在美国丝瓜或用来做丝瓜茎loofah洗澡的，不是食用的)

海鲜类（sea food）：

虾仁 Peeled Prawns 龙虾 lobster 小龙虾 crayfish（退缩者） 蟹 crab 蟹足crab claws 小虾（虾米） shrimp 对虾、大虾 prawn （烤）鱿鱼（toast）squid 海参 sea cucumber 扇贝 scallop 鲍鱼 sea-ear abalone 小贝肉cockles 牡蛎oyster 鱼鳞scale 海蜇jellyfish鳖 海龟turtle 蚬 蛤 clam 鲅鱼 culter 鲳鱼 butterfish 虾籽 shrimp egg 鲢鱼银鲤鱼chub silver carp 黄花鱼 yellow croaker

调料类（seasonings）：

醋 vinegar 酱油 soy 盐 salt 加碘盐 iodized salt 糖 sugar 白糖 refined sugar 酱 soy sauce 沙拉 salad 辣椒 hot（red）pepper 胡椒（black）pepper 花椒wild pepper Chinese prickly ash powder 色拉油salad oil 调料 fixing sauce seasoning 砂糖 granulated sugar 红糖 brown sugar 冰糖 Rock Sugar 芝麻 Sesame 芝麻酱 Sesame paste 芝麻油 Sesame oil 咖喱粉curry 番茄酱（汁） ketchup redeye 辣根horseradish 葱 shallot （Spring onions） 姜 ginger 蒜 garlic 料酒 cooking wine 蚝油oyster sauce 枸杞（枇杷,欧查果 ） medlar 八角aniseed 酵母粉yeast barm 　　Yellow pepper 黄椒 肉桂 cinnamon (在美国十分受欢迎，很多事物都有肉桂料) 黄油 butter 香草精 vanilla extract(甜点必备) 面粉 flour 洋葱 onion

主食类（staple food）：

三文治 sandwich 米饭rice 粥 congee （rice soup） 汤 soup 饺子dumpling 面条 noodle 比萨饼 pizza 方便面 instant noodle 香肠 sausage 面包 bread 黄油 （白塔油）butter 茶叶蛋 Tea eggs 油菜 rape 饼干 cookies 咸菜（泡菜）pickle 馒头 steamed bread 饼（蛋糕）cake 汉堡 hamburger 火腿ham 奶酪 cheese 馄饨皮 wonton skin 高筋面粉 Strong flour 小麦wheat 大麦barley 青稞highland barley 高粱broomcorn （kaoliang ）春卷Spring rolls 　芋头 Taro 山药yam 鱼翅 shark fin 黄花 daylily 松花蛋 皮蛋preserved eggs 春卷 spring roll 肉馅饼minced pie 糙米 Brown rice 玉米 corn 馅儿 stuffing 开胃菜 appetizer 面粉 flour 燕麦 oat 白薯 甘薯 sweet potato牛排 steak 里脊肉 fillet 凉粉 bean jelly 糯米 江米 sticky rice 燕窝 bird's nest 粟 Chinese corn 肉丸子 meat balls 枳橙citrange 点心（中式）dim sum 淀粉starch 蛋挞 egg tart

（dry fruits）干果类 ：

腰果 Cashew nuts 花生 peanut 无花果fig 榛子filbert hazel 栗子chestnut 核桃 walnut 杏仁almond 果脯 preserved fruit 芋头taro 葡萄干raisin cordial 开心果 pistachion 巴西果 brazil nut 菱角,荸荠 water chestnut (和国内食用法不同，做坚果食用)

酒水类（beverage）：

红酒 red wine 白酒 white wine 白兰地 brandy 葡萄酒 sherry 汽水(软饮料) soda （盐）汽水sparkling water 果汁juice 冰棒 Ice-lolly 啤酒beer 酸奶 yoghurt 伏特加酒vodka 鸡尾酒cocktail 豆奶 soy milk 豆浆soybean milk 七喜 7 UP 麒麟（日本啤酒kirin） 凉开水 cold boiled water 汉斯啤酒 Hans beer 浓缩果汁 concentrated juice 冰镇啤酒 iced(chilled ) beer 札幌（日本啤酒）Sapporo 爱尔啤酒（美国）ale A级牛奶 grand A milk 班图酒bantu beer 半干雪利 dry sark 参水牛奶 blue milk 日本粗茶 bancha 生啤酒 draft beer 白啤酒 white beer 大麦酒barley-bree 咖啡伴侣coffee mate

零食类（snack）:

mint 薄荷糖 cracker饼干, biscuit饼干, 棒棒糖bonbon 茶tea （沏茶 make the tea） 话梅prune candied plum 锅巴 rice crust 瓜子 melon seed 冰棒（冰果） ice（frozen） sucker 冰淇凌ice cream 防腐剂preservative 圣代冰淇淋 sundae 巧克力豆 marble chocolate barley 布丁pudding

与食品有关的词语（some words about food）:

炸 fired 炝 quick boiled 烩 braise （烩牛舌 braised ox tongue） 烤 roast 饱嗝 burp 饱了 饱的 full stuffed 解渴quench thirst （形容食物变坏spoil spoilage） preservative 防腐剂 expiration date 产品有效期 （形容酒品好： a good strong brew 绝味酿 ）

应各位要求补充的中式西式食物

几个朋友带我去了他们的家乡，秀山。我觉得他们那里非常好。我们去了很多美丽的地方，包括边城。我推荐你们去！因为我去那儿，我就开始看沈从文的小说“Border Town." 当然，我在看英语的！

我 很喜欢边城可能是因为我最喜欢又简单又安静的生活。为什么我喜欢这样的生活？是因为我想太多了。我需要去一个安静的地方，这样就可以听我自己的声音。如果 “Border Town"真是“边城”的意思，就好。这个名字引发了我的思考。我的中文词汇太小了，所以我怕不能清楚地表达我的意思。

我 觉得在每人的日常生活里有很多事情有边界。。比如说，我是你的老师，也是你的朋友。边界在哪儿？我老是想这个问题。在美国，如果我是你的老师，当你的朋友 就不合适，别人一定就会说我。写这样的公日记，让你们知道我的想法也不合适。但是我觉得我的情况有点特别。这是中国，文化不一样。而且，你们和我差不多一 样大。

我给你们说，虽然我爱教书，有时候我希望我只是你们的朋友。可能你已经知道，我非常像一个小孩儿，我只喜欢去出玩儿，只喜欢开玩 笑，只喜欢说屁话。虽然你是学生，我是老师，我只喜欢想我们都平等。没有边界，就好。(所以，我们说话的时候，放心吧，别紧张。。虽然你担心你英语说得不 好，相信我一定不会笑你！无论你说得好不好，我都会喜欢你哦！）

不过，有人说，如果我想你们尊敬我，有边界，就好，特别上课的时候。对我来说，这件事很复杂。有时候我不能看到我们的边界因为你们经常保护我或者欺负我（其实，都可以！）但是我很想当一个很好的老师，也很想当一个很好的朋友。怎么办呢？我一直希望都可能。

在安静的边城，我想想了我们的关系，开始意识到了真可能。希望你同意！＝）

I LOVE Google Translator.

I was chatting with a student on QQ, and we were talking about the hula. As happens when the sentences get complicated, I turned to Google Translator for help.

我好羡慕那些跳hula的啊 那个屁股 扭得好有力啊 像装的马达一样

你能跳么？ ---->

"I envied those that ass jump twist hula, ah, ah, like powerful well as installation of the motor

What can you jump?"

LMAO!!!!!! Yeah Google!!

Google translator can be so poetically incorrect:

"泡咖啡让你暖手想挡挡你心口里的风" --->"Coffee to warm her you want to block the mouth of the wind in your heart"

有两件好拘束的事：

1） 我最近不想和你在一起。。我们在一起的时候，你让我感觉不高兴。要是我先高兴，然后听你的话 ，我就成为郁闷。不知道为什么。 以前好像我们的关系最好的，但现在我们没有太多话。我门的看法不同。我很喜欢这个生活，没注意不好的东西。不过我们说话的时候，我们只说脏话。 为什么我也说这样？我和你在一起的时候，我不知道怎么做，不会说真的，不会做诚实的。好拘束哦。

2）我和最师的理发师的关系也很拘束。上个月我和他常常聊天，开玩笑了。每次我去理发店到了，他给我按摩，说讨情的话。可我和其他的理发师们刚才成为好朋友了。 我和他们去打羽毛球，互相帮助学习语言。所以我有空的时，我去那个理发店玩玩。但现在呢，我到那的时，他非常严肃，非常沉默。为什么？？？ 他有什么问题？？？ 我有什么问题？？？ 也好拘束哦！！

说不定，我还没学好中国年轻的文化哦！

好久好久没有写日记！

我刚才很忙。 忙着什么？ 玩玩哦。 哈哈！

So busy playing badminton and ping pong...

and I have to admit, I'm not too bad, especially at ping pong. I think it's because I've been tapping into some kind of supernatural source of energy, so it's as if my reflexes are on crack. Still though, I get my ass kicked far too often. But whatever, it's fun, and it's definitely giving me another reason to fall further in love with China. :)

Mmhmm, my maturity level has definitely regressed. 我和小孩子差不多一样的！

但，我认为我的学生们觉得这样比较好哦。

不过，有时后我担心他们觉得我太疯了。 哈哈

http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/educated-and-fearing-the-future-in-china/?ref=asia

Cool, I'm glad the NYT is up on this issue.

I don't quite know what to make of Kristof's newest, "Learning from the Sin of Sodom": http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/28/opinion/28kristof.html?em

First off, in regard to US international aid organizations, I knew World Vision was big, but I didn't know it was the biggest!! I guess it's really not that surprising, as who funnels more donations than churches?

Here's the part of the article that lends it its title:

Mr. Stearns argues that evangelicals were often so focused on sexual morality and a personal relationship with God that they ignored the needy. He writes laceratingly about “a Church that had the wealth to build great sanctuaries but lacked the will to build schools, hospitals, and clinics.”In one striking passage, Mr. Stearns quotes the prophet Ezekiel as saying that the great sin of the people of Sodom wasn’t so much that they were promiscuous or gay as that they were “arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.” (Ezekiel 16:49.)Hmm. Imagine if sodomy laws could be used to punish the stingy, unconcerned rich!

And here's Kristof's piece-of-cake solution... it's more idealistic and preachy than anything, but I wonder if he has a point:A root problem is a liberal snobbishness toward faith-based organizations. Those doing the sneering typically give away far less money than evangelicals. They’re also less likely to spend vacations volunteering at, say, a school or a clinic in Rwanda.If secular liberals can give up some of their snootiness, and if evangelicals can retire some of their sanctimony, then we all might succeed together in making greater progress against common enemies of humanity, like illiteracy, human trafficking and maternal mortality.