Ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ Ｈｏｍｅ Ｓｔａｙ

Ｗｈｉｌｅ　Ｉ was typing my last post, all of the Chinese girls were standing behind me, so some　ｏｆ　ｍｙ　Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ｗａｓ　ａｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｓｉｍｐｌｉｓｔｉｃ　ｓｏ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅｙ　ｃｏｕｌｄ　ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄ　ｅｖｅｒｙｔｈｉｎｇ。　Ｉ　ａｌｓｏ　ｈａｄ　ｔｏ　ｃｅｎｓｏｒ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｏｆ　ｍｙ　ｔｒｕｅ　ｆｅｅｌｉｎｇｓ．　Ｄｏｎ＇ｔ　ｇｅｔ　ｍｅ　ｗｒｏｎｇ，　Ｉwasn't about to start badmouthing them, but I　ｄｉｄｎ＇ｔ　ｆｅｅｌ　ｃｏｍｆｏｒｔａｂｌｅ　ｗｒｉｔｉｎｇ　ｈｏｗ　Ｉwould normally write. Iｗａｎｔｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｓａｙ　ｌａｓｔ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｆａｒｍ　ｗａｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｄｉｒｔｉｅｓｔ　ｈｏｕｓｅ　Ｉhad ever seen, and the kitchen was just plain scary. And they cooked in some pans that looked as though they'd been sitting in the shed for about 30 years or so. And then。。。I ate it。 But it was delicious， and I really did have a lot of fun。Halfway through the dinner， I had to use the bathroom， so I was led to the stables...yes, the stables, although there weren't any animals in them...and then was introduced to a hole dug from the ground. Not a pipe, or something that led down into the bowls of the earth...but ａ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｈｏｌｅ．　Ａｎｄ　Ｓｗｅｅｔ　Ｂｅｔｈａｎｙ　Ａｌｍｉｇｈｔｙ　someone　ｈａｄ　ａｌｒｅａｄｙ　ｒｅｌｉｅｖｅｄ　ｔｈｅｍｓｅｌｖｅｓ　ｉｎ　ｔｈａｔ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｈｏｌｅ，　ａｎｄ　I then decided to hold it until I got back to the city。
But chasing chickens was fun。 And no, I　ｄｉｄｎ＇ｔ　ｍａｎａｇｅ　ｔｏ　ｃａｔｃｈ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｈｉｃｋｅｎｓ．　Ｔｈｅｙ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｔｏｏ　ｆａｓｔ．　Ａｎｄ　ｅｖｅｎ　ｉｆ　Ｉhad, I　ｗｏｕｌｄ＇ｖｅ　ｂｅｅｎ　ａｆｒａｉｄ　ｔｏ　ｐｉｃｋ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｕｐ．　Ｔｈｅｍ　ｔｈｉｎｇｓ＇ｒｅ　ｓｃａｒｙ．　Ｐｅｃｋ　ｍ＇ｅｙｅｓ　ｏｕｔ　ｏｒ　ｇｉｖｅ　ｍｅｈ　ｍａｌａｒｉａ　ｏｒ　ｓｕｍｔｈｉｎ＇．　Ｉ　ｄｉｄ　ｓｅｅ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｃｈｉｃｋｌｅｔｓ，　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ．　Ｎｏｔ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ｂａｂｙ　ｃｈｉｃｋｓ，　ｂｕｔ　ａｃｔｕａｌ　ｍｉｎｉ　ｃｈｉｃｋｅｎｓ．　Ｔｈｅｙ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｆａｓｔ．
Ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｕｓｅ　Ｉstayed at was just fine. I did have to sleep in a bed with three other girls, though. They gave me an outside ledge, but that just made me cold because the girl at the other end hogged the blanket. But whatev.
The next day, I　ｗｅｎｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｗｏ　ｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔ　ｇｉｒｌｓ　ｗｈｏ　ｓｐｏｋｅ　Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｂｅｔｔｅｒ　ａｎｄ　ｓｔａｙｅｄ　ａｔ　ＴＨＥＩＲ　ｈｏｕｓｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｉｍｅ．　Ｔｏ　ｂｅ　ｈｏｎｅｓｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｙｏｕ，　ｔｈｅ　ｈｏｕｓｅ　ｗａｓ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｂｅｔｔｅｒ　ｔｈａｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｒｅｖｉｏｕｓ　ｏｎｅ．　Ｔｈｅｙ　ｈａｄ　ａ　Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎ　ｔｏｉｌｅｔ，　ｎｏｔ　ａ　ｓｑｕａｔｔｉｅ！　Ｉ　ｄｉｄ，　ｈｏｗｅｖｅｒ，　ｃｌｏｇ　ｉｔ　ｕｐ　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ａｐｐａｒｅｎｔｌｙ　ｙｏｕ＇ｒｅ　ｎｏｔ　ｓｕｐｐｏｓｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｆｌｕｓｈ　ｔｏｉｌｅｔ　ｐａｐｅｒ　ｄｏｗｎ　ｉｎ　Ｃｈｉｎａ？　Ｉ　ｗｏｎｄｅｒｅｄ　ｗｈｙ　ｔｈｅ　ｗａｓｔｅｂａｓｋｅｔ　ｎｅｘｔ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｏｉｌｅｔ　ｗａｓ　ｓｏ．．．ｎｅｖｅｒｍｉｎｄ．　Ｉlike to think myself a classy person so I'll just stop whiｌｅ　Ｉ＇ｍ　ａｈｅａｄ．
Ｔｈｅ　ｂｅｄ　ｗａｓ　ａｌｓｏ　ｓｏｆｔｅｒ　ｔｈｅｒｅ．　Ｉ　ａｃｔｕａｌｌｙ　ｈａｖｅｎ＇ｔ　ｈａｄ　ａｎｙ　ｔｒｏｕｂｌｅ　ｆａｌｌｉｎｇ　ａｓｌｅｅｐ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｈａｒｄ　ｂｏａｒｄｓ／ｍａｔｔｒｅｓｓｅｓ　ｌｉｋｅ　Ｉdid last year. Part of it might have been need to go bye

Home Visit in Liuyang

I'm having so much fun! I am staying at the home of one of the Chinese students and two of her friends. WE ARE BEST FRIENDS...in China. The food is the best I've eaten so far in China. Connie's mother and grandmother are very good cooks and have been nice enough not to put too much spice in the food for me. After eating, we all went shopping, and Connie bought me an uber-cool hat that I am wearing right this moment. It is very awesome. After shopping, we all drove to Gramma Connie's house in the country side and ate some more good food. I chased some chickens and saw a very fat and cute baby girl. She was the fattest Chinese baby I had ever seen. Then we drove back to Young Connie's house and listened to American and English music, and I showed the girls some pictures on Facebook. By the way, Taylor, they think you are very pretty and thin. Patricia, they think you look strange because of your big nostrils. But still sexy at the same time. Good luck trying to figure that one out.
I've decided I'm just not going to wear the undershirts, Mom, and let you deal with them when I get back.
We also went and got haircuts! Well, I didn't get my hair cut, just washed, but it was very relaxing AND I didn't have to wash my hair that night! And it's finally straight for the first time this trip. Plus it looks cool with my new hat.
I forgot to mention that last time, at Ersha, there was a performance that they presented to us the night before we left. The students would act out little skits, tell jokes, and sing along with songs. I need to eat bye

TBJ

So we're in the new school this time around。While we were at the Ersha school, we taught classes and made dumplings. Somehow a flour fight ensued, and I didn't quite escape so easily. I didn't get anything in my hair though，so I guess this is a good thing。I wish we could have spent more time at Ersha，but the plane schedule didn't allow for it。The climate here is more like what it was last year at ShaXi， but it has more of a jungley feel to it。 。。。there are many bugs。 Ugh。So far, Ｉhave been able to completely avoid squattie potties, even at Ersha. However, Iａｍ　ｎｏｔ　ｓｏ　ｆｏｒｔｕｎａｔｅ　ｈｅｒｅ．　Ｔｈａｎｋｆｕｌｌｙ　Ｉstill remember how to use one from last year.
I get to stay with a host family this time! They live in a really nice apartment on the campus，and Ｉａｃｔｕａｌｌｙ　ｇｅｔ　ｔｏ　sleep　ｉｎ　ａ　ｂｅｄ！　Also，ｔｈｅｙ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ，　ｗｈｉｃｈ　I am obviously using right now。 There is a bunch of free time right now，so I'm catching up on all my computer stuff。My mP3 player has been out of juice for a while now so it's nice to be able to listen to music now。I'm on facebook right this very moment，so if you want to chat with me go right ahead。Remeber，Mom， Brian's account has blocked mine，so you need to have him unblock it。
No more news for now！See you later。

In-Depth-ish

Ahhhhh there's more time to type now. I'm really enjoying myself now. I was worried about the food situation, as last year I went on a sort of starvation diet. But this year, I seem to be liking it more. At least, I'm eating more. I am totally going to get fat. I was hoping I'd lose weight, like last time, but...I'm gonna be one plump chickie when I get home.
Ah. The school bell just went off in my ear. It was The Black Eyed Peas, "My Humps." It was quite loud. And quite racy.
But anyway, it's so cool to see everything here. There's so much culture and it's so old too. And yes, before you ask, I saw the Great Wall. And I ate tripe. However, don't give me any credit, as I discovered this tidbit after I ate said tripe. And discreetly spit out said tripe. And disgustly had said tripe stuck in my teeth until we got back to the hotel and could floss. Which was hours later.
While seeing the Great Wall was amazing, especially the view, I was concentrating more on climbing it instead of enjoying it. I wish that our guide, Li Min, hadn't pushed us to go so quickly, but...I wouldn't change it. I wish I wore different clothes, though.
Oh, and Mom? I got a little purse there, right? And I wore it that first day. At night, then, I noticed I had black stuff on my shirt. I disregarded this and went to bed. Next day, I wore the purse. That night, I realized I also had black stuff on my shirt. It struck me that the dye from the purse strap rubbed off on both of my (only) undershirts in a very obvious way, and it won't come off when I rub water on it! I'll try to get it off when I was my clothes, but I don't know what'll happen. What do I do???
Oh, and I CAN see your replies and posts this year.

no time

not much time to write
beijing was awesome
climbed the great wall for 3 hours
still hurting
my socks were yellow
but i am a bright pink
still hurting
still pink
sunscreen must not work in china
tien'ammen square
large portrait of a certain chinese emperor
ironic that he put it on the last emperor's palace
even though he claimed to have eliminated the whole
'one ruler' thing
olympic garden
water cube
bird's nest
huMONGous
beautiful
tourists everywhere
forbidden city
fours hours of walking
through courtyards surrounded
by really old and awesome looking buildings
that all look exactly the same
which is cool after about an hour and a half
but not four
some other really old park similar to the forbidden city
but better because it was less formal and touristy
played hackeysack with locals
and 'healthy hoops' with old people
where you'd throw soft fabric hoops at another person
and they'd catch it around their neck
many, many restaurants
and many, many types of animal intestines
followed by many gulps of water
and many nasty pieces stuck between my teeth
Li Min was our guide and he knew kung fu and always wanted us to have a "tradishunal chiness bwreakfrast"
in ersha
need to go
stampede approaching
five year olds
so many five year olds
love you mom dad brian
well maybe not brian
well...okay, i guess so
AND STAY OUT OF MY ROOM THIS TIME
or else i won't give you your present
that i haggled down to a dollar to buy
cuz i'm cool like that
and you're a loser
...
yeah
bye

Back to China!

Hey, guess what? I'm going back to China again this year! I'm leaving within the next two weeks, and this time I'm traveling to Beijing! (I always like writing "Beijing" because of the three dots in a row above the two i's and j.) I'll stay at two schools this time, instead of just one like last year. I'll make sure to post as much as possible! :-)

Last Post

I meant to do this a few days earlier, but I really haven't had the time. I am home home home. I have a lot of homework to make up, and I'm going to either come in early or stay late just about every day for the next week or so. Math and Chemistry will kill me. Not my strongest subjects.
So so tired.
Tired.
Tired.
I miss all my Chinese friends. I wish I had brought more little gifts to give them, so that I seemed more gracious when they gave me something. Hmm.
I had a pretty sore throat when I came back up until Monday, so my parents let me stay home. I think the whole "me being completely exhausted" didn't help with the healing process, either. So I slept the whole day. I went to bed at 9:00 pm and woke up at 5:00 pm the next day. That's like 20 hours. My parents were gone at work so they couldn't wake me up, and they thought I set my alarm (I didn't). So I just kept on sleeping. I had done pretty well the day before with 9 hours of sleep, but I guess I screwed that up. I keep taking long naps after school, too, and I need to stop doing that. I can't wait for the weekend, so I can catch up.
It may have seemed that I ranted a lot about the conditions in China, but I really am glad that I went. It is an experience that I will never forget.