Life in China

Pizza

Last night we ventured out from the hotel to a place that serves pizza.  Well, they called it pizza but it had no tomato sauce.  There were eight of us and we ordered four pizza: Ham and pineapple, steak, seafood, and Italian.  Hawaiian: spam (called ham), pineapple, carrot, cheese, and... sprinkles.  Yes, it looked like a birthday cake.  Steak: some kind of brown meat, corn, carrot, red and green peppers, onions, cheese.  Seafood: cheese, peppers, shrimp, crab, starfish maybe, and other seafood Amber's not sure about.  (Our rule is: don't ask; just eat).  Italian: cheese, one piece of broccoli, peppers, corn, myraid of meats, and the crust was pigs in a blanket (weanie wraps).  It had a kick to it... The restaurant itself was beautiful, and we were warmly welcomed.

Italian Pizza

Tailor

We (Amber, Jori, and Katie) wanted authentic Chinese outfits, so Ann and Heather (our host) took us to a tailor shop where we picked out the fabric and the design we wanted. The decisions were overwhelming!  Being measured was awkward in general.  To make it worse they were laughing at Katie's falling down pants and Amber's rear.  Heather didn't interpret that... but we understood.  Amber is having a purple shirt made, and Katie is having red shirt and skirt made.  We get to go back for a fitting on Saturday.

Water

Even the Chinese people do not drink the water in China.  Instead we use a teapot to heat and boil the water.  It gets HOT.  Once it's boiled it's safe to drink, use to brush your teeth, etc.  Plus the hotel lobby has a 5 gallon jug we can use to fill up our bottles (if the jug isn't empty).  The school also gives us water every day.  However, everything is hot.  Even the water in the jug.  We miss ice.  The Chinese word for ice is: bing because that's the sound it makes when you drop it into the glass.  Since the Chinese don't drink the water, there is no concern in the restaurants, and even though water is precious (the signs by the sink say that) there is no concern about running out.

Laundry

It's annoying.  That's all.

We do it in the sink, and it takes clothes two days to dry.  There's not enough drying space, so our hotel room looks a bit like a store that sells wet clothing...

Christianity

Being in the schools in China is like being in a public school in the US: it has been made very clear "you are NOT to teach religion!" However, if the student asks something and we can work Christ into the answer, that is permitted but we may only talk about our own beliefs, not ask the students what they believe.  We are considered guests of the government and are in China in a position of authority which means we need to be extra careful about what we say and when.  Foreigners also cannot teach in the church in China in any capacity. Ever.  On Sunday we got to worship with the Chinese Christians but nothing was translated, and we sat in the very back.  There is also currently a youth ralley happening here and we are not permitted to attend (both at the demand of the government and the request of the church).

Is there anything you want to know about life in China?