(Alex)
Hello China Blog followers!
I am going to write about today and yesterday seeing how I had quite a few things going on besides the group, but this weekend has been absolutely nuts!
Saturday morning was great because we all got to wake up late. I woke up at 8:30 and by our travelling standards this is average, but we have been out of school so long that waking up at 6:30 everyday is kicking my butt again! After a small breakfast, Charlie and headed out to Hanggao to meet up with the girls. We were a little late, but the traffic that morning was terrible everywhere. We drove to one end of the West Lake (The famous lake in Hangzhou) and spent an hour or so walking to the other end. The weather cleared up along the way presenting us with some great snapshots and group photos. Alaina and Lauren's host sisters were busy that morning, but Cassie's sister was with us. A few of our closer school friends came with us and provided some much needed company.
Once we reached the end of the lake, we drove to a Western styled Caribbean restaurant. The place was packed and hot as heck! Like almost every other restaurant we have been to, this one was buffet styled. The food was mediocre with the closest thing to American french fries we have had yet, but there was one little detail about this restaurant that set off all five of our food radars. ICE CREAM. Legitimate ice cream! We were so happy to have strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, and corn (yes corn) flavored ice cream. That was our main course without a doubt, and we were all so full afterwards we could barely go walk around our next destination. At this point, Alaina's host sister met up with us, but we were still one short sadly. We shopped around Wu Shan Square for a little while, but ended up going back to shop for more because it was only about 2:30 when we met back up. The shopping at Wu Shan was great and I finally found some stores that I liked! (mom that's for you).
Charlie and I have become very close for knowing each other only one week. He has been above the call in every aspect as a host brother and as a great friend. His laugh has to be the funniest thing I have ever heard since George Carlin at Carnegie Hall! It's a shame that we are all only with our host families for two weeks because I wish to get to know Charlie much more, but this does not mean we don't want to meet our other host families! We move in one week, and for me it will be bittersweet because I am no longer living with my best friend, but I am meeting my new one, Li Tianle. Sorry about the digression, but after we shopped more, Charlie and Cassie's sister decided it would be a good idea to go on a little amusement ride in Wu Shan. This ride was a miniature twister styled spin ride that looked pretty fun, but Cassie and I both let our siblings do the work. They got on and we started filming with our cameras, but I had so much trouble holding my camera still as I was laughing so hard at Charlie and his outrageous laugh and scream that I was cracking up like a maniac. It seemed like Charlie had too much of a good time, but this is false because Charlie is always enjoying life no matter where or what he does. After that we all rested in the center of the square and waited for our rides. Charlie and I were the last ones so we decided to buy a kite to fly while we waited for his dad. He taught me how to fly and reel in a Chinese kite, and yesterday was the first day I ever successfully flew a kite and managed to reel it back in amongst a sea of kites. It was an accomplishment for me and I had a blast with him today.
Later that night we had dinner with Sandy and one of Charlie's classmates named Xing Min Gong and his mother. His mom teaches math at the school, but I don't have her. A very nice family, and the dinner was very delicious. We all talked for sometime just about life in China versus life in America and how we have been getting accustomed to the change. It was very interesting and Mr. Chen (Charlie's dad) told us about his travels in America (Las Vegas, New York, etc.). When we got home, we went straight to bed, but I had no idea what was in store for tomorrow.
This whole time I have been in China, I have been communicating with Bob, the exchange student from 2008. I miss him so much and we have tried to work out a time to meet, and that day was today! Sandy and I went with Xing Min Gong's family to morning dim sum at the Hangzhou Tower Mall and it was there that Xing Min Gong's mother called Bob and set up a lunch date. I was so excited to see him again after two years I couldn't believe it. Bob was the closest thing I ever had to an older brother because of all my American family, I am the oldest. At noon, we went to greet Bob and his friend Tony, both at Zhejiang University preparing to spend the next three years at Hong Kong University. Bob looked great! Sandy and I have pictures with him, but we hope to see him again with the whole group perhaps later in the month. Bob and I caught up on life and I got to know Tony quite well too. They both have the same birthday, but Tony looks like he is much older than Bob; they fooled Sandy pretty well!
When the time came for Bob to go back to the University we all exchanged numbers and emails once again and hope to see each other again really soon. Sunday was great and I just got back from dinner at Charlie's father's parents home. The dinner was good and we all took a look at the pictures I have taken in China so far (some quite embarrassing). But with this I leave you all and have a good day America. I hope daylight savings isn't making you all very tired. Bye
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