Day 13- 798 and Goodbye Feast

Yesterday 13 of us loaded into the mini van and went into Beijing for an opening of a past residence here.  We went to 798 and walked around to many other openings.  There were so so many people.  It was great to see some contemporary Chinese art but the highlight might have been sitting down drinking fanta and people watching.  With all art scenes come some interesting people and China is not exception.  We all met back in the van and head to an amazing restaurant in the country.  It was the Chinese version of farm to table.  It was a sort of goodbye party for me being that today is my last day at the residency.  We ate fish with eggs, fried corn, noodles, pumpkin and many things I can not remember.  Food just kept coming.  I have not been able to eat a lot in our small town between the heat, people smoking in restaurants, and the one restaurant we have to go to in our village.  Emily and I thought it was like a Christmas Banquet.  We were so happy.  But then as luck would have it.  I got sick as soon as we got home.  Why China why?  It was still a great day.  Now I must pack for part two of China.  10 days in Beijing.

Goodbye Dinner

798 Art Area

Chinese Sister :)

Goodbye Feast

Day 12- Square Dancing

Time is hard to explain here or even understand. I was asked if I still want to teach people how to dance in an email. Of course I said yes think it might happen in a few days but no it happened last night. Ann had sent me some simple calls for dances and Emily had some old fiddle music on her music. I had not figured out how I planed to teach a group of Chinese to square dance much less how to call. But it seemed to come together. When we reached the town square some woman where already dancing. Only woman. As the word spread that we were going to teach dancing the amount of people tripled. Basically I taught through example. We did the Virgina Reel and a circle dance. We never successfully completed one dance but we sure did laugh a lot. There was lots of clapping and smiling which I believe might be the core of square dancing anyways. After our dance the woman tried to teach Emily and I Chinese dance. We were both failures but it was fun to try. I am not graceful enough to be a Chinese woman. My arms do not float and when I wip open a fan trust me it is no smooth. I put up some photos from the Chinese dancing. The square dance videos will have to be posted when I get home and have faster internet.

Square Dancing

All the people watching the woman dance

The dancers

The square

Day 11- Goodbye Internet

So the internet has been turned off.  I am sitting out in front of an American expats house using his.  He knows.  But not so easy and hot.  So I might have to say goodbye for a few days.  I am hopefully hosting a square dance in the town square tomorrow night and Monday I leave for Beijing. I will be in Beijing for 10 days and then flying home!  I am sure many adventures to come.  I will do my best to update!

Day 10- Hard to remember

It is hard to remember what I did yesterday.  It is so hot here that you just forget what you are even doing as you are doing it.  We did get invited to a friends house for dinner.  While eating I realized I have not touched a fork in over two weeks.  You have to eat fast here.  Everything is put in the middle of the table and people go for it.  I am the runt.  I am not fast enough.  I do not eat enough.  I never had brothers.  No one trained me. This has been hard!  I am hungry.  I am going to look forward to to having a stove, a fridge, and my own plate but I think I am going to keep the chopsticks!

Breakfast Bun

The very nice man who works here just gave me this.  It has honey and sesame seeds in it!