Friendship

My favorite moment that happened this week was with one of my co-teachers, Jenny. Just a quick note about Jenny-she's AWESOME! She's only a year older than me, and it's her first year teaching too, so we've bonded alot. And she's hilarious. At the beginning of the year, she asked me if I would help her with her English, and of course I told her yes. She said once it gets less busy after holiday, she would bring in topics and "phenomenon" (her word) for us to discuss in English. She also told me I had a "vivid personality." Never heard that one before. 

Anyway, back to the story. I came into the office after my last class on Thursday, and she asked me if I had class on Friday. I told her I only had class Friday morning, then I asked her if she had class on Friday. She said only in the morning and not afternoon. I kind of got this feeling that she wanted to know if I was doing anything Friday night, but because of Chinese indirect culture, she couldn't ask. So I went up to her and asked if she had plans Friday night. She said no with a funny grin on her face. I asked her if she would like to do something with me, and she almost jumped out of her chair in excitement and said "Oh YES! I would love this!" 

So yeah, Friday night we went out to a mall just to look around and hang out and talk. She told me alot of things about China and asked me alot of questions about America. It is her biggest dream to visit America, she says. She told me when she comes to America, she will find me. I told her she will always be welcome to come and stay with me. 

We nearly got hit several times crossing the street as we ran squealing and hanging on to each other for dear life. Just a note about crossing the street in China-there's only one rule: don't get hit. I made Jenny laugh because I started walking across the street even though the crosswalk sign wasn't green. "You have learned the Chinese way," she laughed. 

We had a blast wandering around the mall and just talking about all sorts of things. We compared notes on our college life and what teaching was like. 

We were in one store looking around when all of the sudden I heard a little Chinese voice yelling, "Meesa Lindsay! Meesa Lindsay!" I looked up to see one of my babies dragging her grandmother towards me. It was Kelsey from Class 3-she ran up and gave me a huge hug. I couldn't believe it! One of my kids recognized me outside of school!!!!!!! I was so excited, I was squealing. 

Jenny started conversing with the grandmother and then the mother who came up later. The grandmother started fussing at Kelsey, obviously telling her to say something to me in English. I asked Jenny what the grandmother wanted Kelsey to say, and she said, "She wants her to say I love you, but she is too shy." So I knelt down in front of Kelsey, smiled at her, and said, "I love you." She grinned for a moment, then replied in her sweet, angelic voice, "I love you." 

I about burst into tears right there in the store. She's my first baby to tell me "I love you."

Me and my beautiful Kelsey

We said goodbye to Kelsey, her grandmother, and her mom and continued our mall wandering and window-shopping. 

Oh yeah, and Jenny got hungry and took me to this little fast-food place in the mall. She ordered something for us to share, and when I looked at what she pointed to on the menu, it said "Octopus" in English and Chinese. My heart sank. (Note: I DO. NOT. EAT. SEAFOOD. EVER). What we got were these weird puff ball things with something very slimy inside of them. I ate one to be polite, and it was all I could do to keep from gagging. 

So yeah, I ate octopus. 

And I lived. 

Lindsay: 1 ... Gross Chinese food: 0

Fortunately we got ice cream afterwards, so that helped clear my mouth of the fishy taste. 

We talked alot about marriage and family. That's one thing I love about Chinese culture-they truly value the family. I think Americans could learn alot from the Chinese when it comes to valuing family. 

I'm so thankful for the good friends I have made here in China. Father has blessed me with an amazing team of friends. And now I have a new friend: Jenny, a wonderful, smart, sweet friend and co-worker. 

Me and Jenny