Dear Mom, Dad, and friends who are concerned for my health here in China:
You will be comforted to know that I am eating well, but dining in China has become an adventure all on its own. My first night here we had a banquet with the vice president of Mount Royal. I was very excited to try my first traditional Chinese cuisine. Sadly, I forgot to calculate my first time using chopsticks into my excitement. Here I am sitting at the head table with the Trainers, a few other college students and the vice president of Mount Royal. Mr. Trainer suggested strongly that we try every item that was presented to us on the table. My heart was in it but my hands would not cooperate--45 minutes, 25 dishes, and multiple frustrations later, I managed to consume about 4 small pieces of food, and only with the help of Beth and a toothpick. I was so embarrassed and frustrated because I was hungry; I had myself convinced I was not going to eat at all this trip. Thankfully I tried my hand the following day at chopsticks and was able to succeed.
Besides the chopsticks fiasco, dining has been fun. Kristen, Beth and I were invited out last week by one of our students for lunch and we got to try traditional Sichuan snacks, including dumplings shaped like eyeballs and the ever so popular pickled chicken foot. It was, in the words of Mr. Trainer, Interesting. I didn't mind the chicken foot actually, but I wouldn't want to go and order on a random whim.
Finally my last interesting story was just last night when we went to our favorite Chinese restaurant, where we love the sweet and sour chicken, fried rice, and dumplings. Five of us were dining, and we wanted two dumplings a piece. Beth decided to order for us, and we asked for 2 dumplings a piece, or so we thought. . . actually we ended up with 2 PLATES of dumplings per person. . . that would be 150 dumplings for 5 of us. It was traumatic, funny, heartbreaking, and embarrassing all in the same moment and I will never be hungry for dumplings again!!!!!
Love to all back home!
Nikki
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