Tailoring the End of the Week, Too!

(Terry)

Our morning today began with some unexpected free time, as our papercutting teacher had to attend a meeting. After a few forays around campus, we found ourselves snacking on chocolate cake provided by the boys, then heading off to the gym to work off those calories in PE. Our express hopes for badminton were fulfilled, and birdies soared at the flick of a wrist (much to the potential dismay of my old tennis coach, who would blanch to see this.) You all should expect some accomplished young players to return to the States, clamoring for a badminton set at home! Our gym teacher then finished teaching us the last portion of the kung fu routine he'd begun last class. We all really do enjoy the challenge, though try as I may, the flow of the moves from one position to the next is just not happening gracefully yet! Our entrance into the lunch room surprised us: the usual complement of individual servings was replaced by a huge spread of eleven different dishes laid out in banquet-style array on the lazy-Susan at the table's center. A locally famous soup, an eggy soft-tofu custard, beef and broccoli, breaded fish (boneless, no less!), vegetables galore, topped off by a flan-style dessert and a sweet bean-paste-filled steamed bun. Darned little was left after our crew finished up! We also said goodbye to Lujia, who'll be returning to Toronto this weekend, at the end of his spring vacation here. After two weeks, we'll miss his cheery self as our extra translator-and-pal during the morning round of classes!Plans for the afternoon have been adjusted on the fly over the last day... We'd initially expected to meet the tailor at 2:00 p.m. for a final review of our vests/dresses, but Cui Hongxiang (Helen) received a call that the buttons were not finished, and the tailor wouldn't arrive until 5:00. Host brothers and sisters were kind enough to shift late-afternoon plans without grumbling over the delay (it also turned out that we could have spoken to our originally-planned classes after all...) Instead, papers were written, emails sent, websites visited, books read; a quiet bustle of activity in the English office. Third period, Emily and Nick were able to visit a year-one class with me. This proved to be the chattiest class of the two dozen I've seen, with no need for us to "lecture about America" before the next question popped up! Afterwards, everyone headed in different directions for a bit until the tailor's sister arrived bearing the long-awaited creations. The guys had an easy time of it, but the qi paos for Emily and Cady needed to be taken-in here and there. The overall effect is smashing for all four, though -- China Banquet, here we come!