Monday

Yesterday was Monday, and I did not have to teach.. The little man came to replace our bath tub and what a merry-go-round.....He drilled around the outside of the tub, which was all tiled and it made such a huge mess. He did remove the tub and left it out in the hall, just outside our door. However, he only worked for 2-3 hours and he just left - leaving us bath tubless for the night. He just came in and showed me that the caulking is wet and I will have to wait to use the tub. I don't think that he is planning on filling in around the tub where he has taken the tiles out - it looks "wonderful" (not!) Oh well, I AM in China and they do things so differently here! There is something so comical about the way they do things. Never quite finish things up. Makes me laugh - if I didn't, I would probably cry!
We went to the store yesterday, to find food for the birthday celebration tonight, and we could not read what one word, on any label - it was all in Chinese. It was just a guessing game. We ended up getting Ramen noodles and we do not know what flavor or what type. Every time we go to the store, we buy things, hoping we will find something we will like. And, all the clerks, just follow us around and watch us!!! They are probably all laughing at us. AND NONE OF THEM SPEAK A WORD OF ENGLISH.......
Last night the birthday boy - Joe Goodrich - wanted to go to Lisa's and eat, which is downtown. The food is okay and pretty expensive. When we walked out of the restaurant, across the street, there were fish hanging on the fence, not even "gutted" or cleaned in any way. Made us all hope that it wasn't something we had ordered.
This morning, Rog and I both taught 8-12 a,m, They ( the students) are so cute! They are all so shy and humble. Our family does not know how famous they are among the Chinese..........Rog and I both have introduced ourselves and shown photo's of our family. They are celebrities among the Chinese students, and don't even know it'! They thougth that the boys were so handsome and the girls so pretty.
The students all pick American names and those names would make you laugh. Some of the boys pick girls names and some of the girls pick boys names! Names like: Jack the Ripper, Song, Satan, Lemon, River, Genius Pig, Moon, Flutter, Arrow, Dexide, Deco and Skeel Penny, to name a few!! And,I still have 4 more classes this week and 7 more classes in 2 weeks...So, the names will keep rolling in .You just never know.
They were SO impressed that Darren knows Kung Fu.. I told them that Darren and Lesa may visit China and they all want to meet him. He is a hero in their eyes because he knows Shaolin Arts!
What an unusual,loving, innocent people they are. They assume nothing and they appreciate the smallest kindness. Today a student (male) ask me what kind of perfume I wore....That really stumpted me! I told him that I had on Apple Blossom lotion, and he said that he really liked it! They look at you so lovingly and you can see the adoration in their eyes. They all want to know all they can learn about the U.S.A. They "Oooh and Awe" at every new thing we tell them about the USA. What I wouldn't give for a Utah Jazz t-shirt to show them or a t-shirt with one of the Jazz players on.
Tonight is the birthday "bash" for the boys. It will be potluck and there are alot of people invited. Don't really know how it will turn out - but we will wait and see. I have bought Rog a Qingdao University T-shirt for his birthday tomorrow. The students will get a real kick out of it I am sure.
The students really make all of us Americans feel like we are celebrities! They look at us like we are their heros and it is really great for us who are so homesick. As great as they are - they could NEVER take the place of our dear family. How we miss all of you. Please know of our love and concern for each and every one of you. You are constantly in our prayers and not a day or hour goes by that we aren't thinkging about you. How we love you....
Must go for now. Will write more soon.
All my love,
Mom/Jane