April

It’s April. I still have my long johns on. Does anyone else think this is ludicrous?! God should send some of that heat from Mali over here!
On the way to my homestay fam…this is a very common form of advertisement in Chengdu…or perhaps humiliation?


Last weekend, I visited my homestay family.

Dan Dan


That Saturday (27th) was absolutely gorgeous! I thought we were going to a flower festival. We didn’t and instead played badminton. That Sunday, I was very clear that I needed to get on the road around 3. On Sundays, I need time to chilax and plan my week. If I get home too late, I still have to chilax and plan but end up going to bed late and am then grouchy Monday. I wanted to leave early, but I didn’t realize that a group of us were going. So, we waited, and eventually got picked up.



Instead of going to the flower festival, we went to the countryside. It would have been better if a) most of the flowers weren’t dead or b) it wasn’t gray and cold.



While we were walking around, a family friend is currently living in Singapore, so her English was strong. Her mom pointed out that not all the “flowers” were real!! I was shocked. I looked closer, and sure enough, FAKE flowers were tied to the trees!! So, now I don’t know if everything I saw was fake that day or just some of it.
Real or fake? FAKE



They ended up playing mah jong or poker while I read.



We ended up leaving at 4. My parents INSISTED that I stayed for dinner, but I didn’t. The tried and tried to convince me, but I need “me” time (geez, I sound so selfish) and preparation time. And, to my great surprise, I got on the bus with the maniac driver, so I ended up getting home in less than an hour (it also helped there wasn’t a lot of traffic) when it normally takes me 1 ½ hours.
School is school. This semester is going much better than 1st semester. The break helped and I don’t teach writing anymore! I have business writing, but I feel like I have a purpose and structure.
This weekend, there is the Tomb Sweeping Festival. I’m hoping to get a glimpse of this. What does that mean for me? 4 day weekend! What what!
In the month of March, I wrote down everything I spent. My grand total? 74 USD. Maybe I should become a financial consultant?
I’m starting to think about life post PC. Gulp.

How the Chinese carry water




Mama he wo (Mama and me)