MADISON:
Well Lisa’s pre-departure entry inspired me! We’re going to be roomies this summer in SHANGHAI. I linked our blog to my facebook page to keep y’all updated. Well see how well the proxies work this time getting around the firewall…
Oh, Zhongguo wo xiang ni! Two Haruki Murakami books and Anna Karenina later, I’ve run out of things to do in Nebraska. I’ve packed and re-packed my suitcase at least three times. Last summer I went backpacking through Tokyo and Shanghai before settling down in Beijing for my language program. Everything I brought with me for the summer fit into that backpack. My grandma (who’s very cool and on facebook) complained that I was wearing the same dress in every picture. And the same running shorts to class everyday. Ideally, my classmates thought I was a hardcore runner who ran between classes everyday. Somehow I think this is very unlikely. This summer I have packed a lot more clothes, probably too many shoes. Also antihistamine, sunscreen, oatmeal, host gifts, and a few other weird things I remember paying too much for from Jenny Lou’s. I made many friends with my Zyrtec last year. I never want to sunburn like I did in Hainan. I’m already guaranteed skin cancer from that experience. Literally, the situation was- white woman turned red glued facedown to a bamboo mat in a bikini with small Chinese children alternatively dressing my skin in aloe leaves or bringing in their friends to marvel at my “hong se de pifu” (red skin). And no more sketchy “Australian” oatmeal with bugs in it this time either.
I’m really excited about the prospect of cooking in Shanghai. Supposedly our apartment will be outfitted with a kitchenette. Browsing a used bookstore in Omaha with a friend a few days ago, I came across “Madame Wong’s Long Life Chinese Cookbook” from like the 60’s. The lady on the cover looks really happy. I also packed some of Jamie Oliver’s recipes for Bok Choy and other green things. At least my China Care friends taught me how to make dumplings, bubble tea and egg drop soup this year!
My mind is running amuck with so so many plans and ideas for this summer. I definitely want to do some video blogging with my fellow Yalies. I have two ideas right now for the Youtube series—a series of dating misadventures with Chinese nanren or interviews with Chinese artists about their creative process and work. I’ve also looked up the Hash Hound Harriers (a drinking group with a running problem), cycling club, salsa dancing nights, gallery openings, break dance studio, fireboat racing (whatever that is??), ultimate frisbee, and much more…I think I’m going to hold off on the Trans-Siberian railroad/Korea adventures for the summer but I’m definitely visiting friends in Hong Kong! I can’t wait to meet up with everyone in Shanghai Sunday night!
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