Halloween Highs

This month has been one for settling in. We've become absorbed in many things, which is good and bad. We're giving midterms, researching secondary projects, building relationships, relaxing, and eating way too much candy.

One way I became absorbed on Thursday was plant shopping and Avon facials with our nearest Peace Corps friend, Melissa. It was such a great break from classes. First we took a bus to the plant market, which was a giant greenhouse with various plant vendors. There were some standard plants, like hanging spider plants and ferns, but also many plants that I had never seen before. I ended up buying two flowering cacti and a delicate leafy green plant, as well as some soil and pots. One thing that was great was that most of the vendors had plants to sell, but they also had beautifully manicured orchids. Most plant stores in the states would have a wide variety, but not too many plants that required such art to care for - a distinctly Chinese feature. The facial was great too - much more massage than skin care.

I also became absorbed in giving a speaking midterm. Having taken linguistics classes and many foreign language classes, I had a decent basis for a grading rubric, but there's nothing like looking at your watch and telling the students to "go" for the first time. I think it went well - the students completed their conversational tasks with few problems, but also some hiccups along the way. Some students tried to end the conversation before others could complete their tasks, and sometimes the "natural timing" wasn't so natural. I'd still introduce them to my parents; their English is good.

Food: being absorbed with food here isn't hard. It's plentiful, it's varied, and some of it is seasonal. The oranges are sometimes green, the tomatoes are sometimes orange, and sometimes you buy a melon that you think it a large citrus fruit. The ribs sell out in the morning, and you always have to ask if the street bread is salty or sweet.

Transportation, I think we almost have down. We no longer tense up when the buses cross the center line, or the cab drivers come within inches of pedestrians but swerve 10 feet to avoid a pothole. Last weekend we took a bus to Dingxi to visit some other PC volunteers, Kathy and Ben, and we were relaxed on the 3 buses and a train that it took from door to door. And the party was great, by the way. Beer pong, black costumes, loud music, and the water cutting out intermittently all made it worth the trip. Plus, our friends are great, and we couldn't do this without them.

So, here's to another week of midterms, and finding a balance of being absorbed in so many things.