"You look tired, chief"

If I've been quiet this week, it's because I don't really have anything interesting to say. I'm just trying to adjust to life here, and I finally feel like I've reached the point when things are beginning to feel normal, with my days blending together in the business of work and life.

Three different people told me at different points this week that I look tired. (Why do people say things like that? They might as well tell me I look like a truck ran over me. It's almost as bad as the almost-compliment of: You look like you've lost weight.) Anyway, I guess I am tired. I don't know if my initial China adrenaline is starting to wear off or if it's because I'm teaching an extra class, but I have been tired all week.

I got an email last week from PC, informing me that all the China 12s in Gansu were getting flu shots. So they brought all but two of the Gansu volunteers to Lanzhou so we could spend an hour touring the hospital and to receive the injection. It was great seeing everyone again, especially since we had all assembled in town during the National Holiday weekend. And unlike the last time they were in town, all the China 11s were in Lanzhou, so we all gathered at Ben's (China 11) apartment for a Pink Party. And yes, I did wear pink and I looked fabulous. I went as a pink superhero, wearing pink thermal underwear, a giant pink plastic bag Emily converted into a cape for me, and superhero-ish pink sunglasses (my favorite accessory). I didn't think I'd have fun with the pink theme, and before I came to China I didn't even own anything pink, but it was a blast.

Teaching's going pretty well. I keep thinking I could be a better teacher, but I'm still trying to figure out this whole "Listening and Speaking English" class. It's difficult to find new and interesting ways to keep my students engaged while challenging their English ability. It's unlike anything I've ever taught, and it's forcing me to be more creative than I've ever had to be before. But my students still seem interested. They think I'm funny, anyway, which is probably why they keep coming back (they're taking this class as an elective). I think I completely shocked a class by falling to the ground playing dead. I don't think they've ever had a teacher do that in class before. I'm always looking for ways to surprise them and keep them off guard. They all think I'm a good actress, which I find hilarious.

Tonight I went to my first English Corner. English Corner is a bit of a Chinese phenomena, where a group of people, usually students, as they often take place on college campuses, gather to speak English. One of my students heads up the weekly gathering and invited me to attend. Though I was less than enthusiastic to spend my Friday night (7:30-9:30) at an English Corner, I knew I should go. It was a bit strange because it's the first time I've felt like a celebrity. Students clapped when I entered the room, and many of them pulled out their cameras and phones to take my picture. The organizers rotated me from group to group, giving each small cluster of students a chance to speak to the foreigner. And then at the end of the night, I was asked to give a short speech. I've never been good at improv, though I have improved after nearly four months in China. It was a good night--much better than I had anticipated. I was actually humbled by these students' eagerness to learn English, sacrificing their Friday night to the cause.

Afterward, Bob (my student) invited me out to try milk tea, since we had talked about it in class on Tuesday and I had not tried it. At the shop, the customers and proprietors kept staring at me and smiling, which I've come to accept as normal. But there was a group there playing the guitar, and since I have guitar disease, I asked Bob to ask them if I could play. After tuning the guitar, I played a bit of a song, singing for the crowd (Kristen, Nicole, Kim, Linsday--I guess you were right. I am an attention whore). They clapped when I was done, and that was the end of my night and the end of my week.

Hopefully my next update will be a little more exciting.