Okay, fine, I think you all deserve a happier post than the last one.
New Year's Eve found me at a wedding! Tina, of the office staff, was getting married. Well she had already had been certified, but had yet to have a proper ceremony. We were greeted by people holding trays of candy and cigarettes (separate trays), but I couldn't believe the combination. We greeted the beautiful bride and she shed a couple tears. Which of course I pointed out was silly--she probably needed them for later (and she did!).
We (most of the staff + Steve's wife and adorable kids) were ushered to a tea house to wait, where they served jasmine green tea as many Sichuan tea houses do. I, of course, am allergic to jasmine tea? Or so I learned when younger. We returned to the wedding and sat next to a runway-like structure on a table with some appetizers and food.
The lao wai (foreigners) were given the task of throwing paper rose petals as the bride walked down the runway--though they didn't exactly fly far. Tina and her groom exchanged their vows; her groom translating his responses to an enthusiastic "I Do" or "Yeahh...". Then the bride and groom poured wine into a glass that spilled over into a stack of other classes...like cutting cake together? I dunno. The 'service' ended and Tina disappeared and more food appeared.
Tina returned to the floor in a different dress and her husband had on his military uniform. They went from table to table greeting all the guests and having toasts. It was very nice of Tina to include us on her special day.
I returned home and said good-bye to Steve's kids, who refer to me as Uncle Johnny. I spent the next 6 hours cleaning my apartment. After Christmas Eve and all the cooking, I just never put my place fully back together. But with the New Year, and possibly last year, looming, I decided it was a time to re-claim my space. Finally finished, Cynthia and I opened some champagne and we headed downtown to meet up with Maggie, Lynette, Elliot, and Mike (who was visiting).
Confetti flew down at midnight and found me toasting new friends in a new country. And then, of course, I flew back up to the dance floor. Muse's dance floors, like many clubs, are small and about two feet above the floor--so when you dance everyone can see you. Which if you have my level of extroversion, only makes dancing more fun. I had on sunglasses, which don't seem so out of place with all the fog and lights. When were out dancing, we always make it our mission to get other people dancing. So I'll grab a couple and bring them on up and as I'm laowai, they'll often humor me--and then enjoy themselves. I just can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to dance, or should I say, why anyone who goes to a Chinese club with crazy cool lights could resist the urge to dance. Or maybe--I just watched Step Up.
After Muse, we found ourselves eating delicious eggplant among other dishes before continuing the night at Jellyfish, a foreigner bar, where I was mistaken for being an Australian, which is fine by me. In fact, people never guess I'm American when I'm out. Somehow that feels like a good thing most of the time. Though on the taxi home, the cab driver thought I was 40. Usually I get 30, which is still high. Guess facial hair adds a lot more age in China.
The evening ended, and I awoke on New Years Day quite restless, haven't not gotten much sleep. Cynthia and I grabbed an epic massage. Afterwards we could not move and felt quite drunk; Cynthia realized that perhaps this is what relaxed feels like. We moved at a very very slow pace and eventually made some pizza and watched "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "When Harry Met Sally...". So essentially, I entered the New Year as a couch potato. But a very happy and relaxed couch potato! I had heaps of grading due during this time, which caused much stress as I was also trying to plan out the final exam and other important assignments. Relaxed and content with this New Year, I went to sleep.
On Tuesday, the 3rd, Cynthia and I had Gregory over for dinner. He started calling me 'sonny-boy' or 'my son' early on in China, so naturally, he is now my father, but always pronounced in a Russian accent. And eventually it came to light that Cynthia was his daughter, so we're a Russian-Kiwi/Malay-American family. I produced a chocolate covered spice cake for desert and Cynthia made some lasagna. It was a very nice dinner. I also happened to finish grading the multiple choice questions of my midterm exam (after grading all the students papers and assignments the week prior).
On the 4th I finished grading the students midterms and gave the students time to use for their Final Exam presentations. Their midterm essays were shockingly good and I was filled with hope, though most of the students failed the midterm (it was a hard one though). I went out for dinner with Elliot and Androgeny: fish hot pot. The fish was great, the presence of fish eyes was not. Apparently I like fish...or at least fresh water fish sliced and added raw into a pot of oil with Sichuan peppers, pepper flakes, and pepper corns. Thought I'm not a fan of fish bones! I also discovered walnut milk; not entirely sure what that means, but it was milky and walnutty. The hot pot made the chilly night better.
I awoke on the 5th, my 23rd birthday, in China! Yeah it still surprises me sometimes. I went to school in the afternoon and listened to student's presentations. They were awful in my eyes, full of jokes and unnecessary media after I'd warned them of the latter. The students chatted the whole time and I eventually gave up on shushing them. All of the presentations were too long and I had to stop them short. It felt as if they all took it as a joke, though it has since come to my attention that some groups really did spend days on them--though I think the days part was more for the acquiring of pictures than of information. After the last group, I walked slowly to the front of the class and they actually quieted down a bit. They knew. I was angry, but unlike my last angry lecture, I was calm. I explained how rude they were to talk over each other and how it often seems like they don't respect each other or me. I explained the break homework and then left as I was now late for my own birthday dinner.
Maybe I was to hard on the students; maybe my expectations were to high. But I know these students, we've worked for three months together, and I know they could've done better, much better. Not sure how I am to grade them.
I found Cynthia waiting for me in the office urging me that we had to go (as she had to be back for evening study) so we left. I wasn't sure where we were going, but I knew we were meeting Sarah's mother and Sarah for dinner. Then outside a restaurant, I saw Steve and Simon. "Cool," I thought, "they're coming too!" Then I saw Sarah's mother and then Cynthia said, "Johnny, look!"
I turned to the back of the restaurant where Steve's wife and kids: Arwin, Emma, and Adam, Leon, Jessie, Charles, and Mark were sitting. And there was a cake! I couldn't believe it--but was so irritated at my students that I didn't give them the best surprise reaction. Cynthia had organized the whole thing for me and I was caught quite unawares--I'd always wanted a surprise bday party on my birthday. Dinner was dumplings, which were adequate, but I was quiet content. Everyone sang, there were candles, and the cake was good. THEN, Sarah's mom gave me a wrapped package, as did Steve's kids! Steve said his kids think I'm an alcoholic--which stems back to Tina's wedding where Jessie decided to get the venue staff to give me a bottle of wine to take back that I defended from the other foreigners much to the children's delight--and gave me a bottle opener that's stuck to my fridge.
After dinner I walked with Sarah's mom, as Sarah was late from a meeting at Dipont. She and her husband found us and went to dinner...with me! So I ate again, though not much. Sarah's mom wasn't full after the dumplings, though she had gestured that during the meal. I opened the gift from Sarah's mom and found red socks with dragons on them--the ones I'm supposed to wear January 22nd for the start of the year of the dragon (my year!). Sarah produced a gift from Tina, some sweets, and I was a very giddy boy.
(Sarah's mother is very sweet. She urged me to buy a warm coat and said I had to if I wanted to visit her home over the break, so I did. She has also told Sarah that I am too young to be on my own in China and that she admires how I try everything she serves to me when I have dinner at their home. Sarah's mother know no English and if I could learn some Chinese, it would be for her to thank her for all her kind words, meals, and mom-ness. It's always good to have mothers in our lives).
Cynthia finished evening study and we walked back to Zhong hai and went to August to hand out with Jerry and Cindy. After some drinks, Jerry and Cindy said they'd take us to KTV. I couldn't wait! So we hopped on the bus, a tad tipsy, and eventually arrived to the KTV. Two of Jerry's friends met us there and we booked a room at around 12:30AM for until 5:30AM. I was sure we'd leave before then--we didn't. We were the LAST people to leave. But with so many songs to sing, how could we not stay! From Gorillaz to Eminem ft. Rihanna to The Carpenters to George Michael and more, we sang for 5 hours while drinking beers and eating noodles. A very Chinesey bday and way too much fun! My voice gave a bit as the night wore on, but I was pleasantly surprised how long I can sing for.
We exited the KTV and thought that breakfast would be a good idea, but McDonald's wasn't serving breakfast yet, so we walked to another one which was closed and ended up at Dico's eating awful food, but very much enjoying life. The buses had just started running around 6:30, when we ended up taxiing back. I was home by 7:20AM and in bed by 7:45 as it looked light.
I awoke at 5:00PM to fading light, I cannot believe I slept the whole day though I probably needed it.
My birthday was wonderful. Seeing all the staff at dinner was nice, getting a cake was nice (even if it is a Chinese cake--they don't understand moist), and having people give me gifts was too nice. I felt spoiled, especially as I celebrated a Chinese lunar bday three weeks prior with my Chinese friends. I am still at awe with how nice my bday was. I feel very fortunate to be someone that can not only travel, but who can also meet nice and friendly folk. And like my other 22, I found myself surrounded by loving people while blowing out candles and grinning ear-to-ear.
And that just makes smile more.
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