Last day in Xian

How the time has flown by...I'm ready to get back to Harbin and meet my new classmates and start studying again, though...which is great, since two weeks ago I was so burnt out I was ready to collapse. So this is a true sign that I've recuperated!!

These last two weeks have been a blur of new experiences-culinary, cultural, and just plain different. I've eaten things I thought weren't possible-come on, now who would think to take ground up sesame seeds, stuff them into a ball of flour-water dough, and boil them? In case you're interested, they're weird but OK at the first bite, but by the tenth ball they are so sweet and gooey that you want to puke. I've been amazed by my six year old host sister's carnivorousness-she gleefully picks the eyes and the brains out of the fried (whole) fish and consumes them, announcing that they will make her own better. I abstained from pointing out that, within the animal kingdom, fish eyes and fish brains are not really enviable...

I've also eaten way more than I can hold on more occasion than one. Apart from eating large, deliciously cooked (for the most part; I have found exceptions to the rule and can no longer unreservedly praise the results of my host mom's culinary efforts) meals, they eat fruit and stuff between meals. I feel like Mowgli in the part where the orangutan king is trying to tease the secret to Man's Red Flower out of him.

"Have a banana."

(Uh...ok)

"Have TWO bananas"

(I'm a little full)

"Have THREE bananas and a peach!! Want some walnuts?"

"Uncle! Uncle! Uncle!"

I'm learning how to make jiaozi, too. My favorite Chinese food, bar none. Delightful little purses of dough containing anything you can think to put in them, then steamed or boiled. I could eat them everyday...and now I know how to make them. I'm taking careful notes so that I can experiment successfully when I get back!

Last night we went to see the musical fountain at the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In the day, it's nothing special, but at night, the largest musical fountain in Asia turns into a dazzling extravaganza of lights, music, and dancing water. I must have looked like such a tourist, standing there with my mouth wide open. I highly recommend going, for anyone who passes through Xian. It's only about fifteen or twenty minutes long, starting at 8:30 or 9 depending on the season, but it's by far and beyond quite worth it. And surrounded by the most romantically beautiful park ever. So go, my friends, go!

I've really been enjoying the unbridled spontaneity that goes with not having a schedule. Do I want to randomly stop and have a manicure? Sure! How about that?! Walk down this street just to see what's on it, even if it's totally out of my way?! Sure! I can shop obsessively...small, easy-to-carry things of course; and I can buy interesting small things to snack on. Sometimes this gets a bit out of hand; like when I bought three pounds of dried fruit that I can't imagine how I'll eat...then today my host mom bought me three pounds of uncracked walnuts to take back to Harbin with me, and while I also now have cashews and pecans, I narrowly escaped being loaded up with apples, bananas and grapes. I saved myself by telling her how Posy, one of my classmates, had bananas in her bag and later discovered they'd exploded...all over her passport.

Until next time...which will be in Harbin...cheerio!

I almost forgot...I want to give my host dad, Clarence Guo, a shout-out here. If you go to Xian, call him at 013519197819; www.taxitour.com. He is an excellent tour guide, great English, and just a cool guy...