Wo Xiang Ni Men

Above is a photo of the rooftop garden (see below).

I just saw the bestest most communistic thing ever! What was it you ask? Well, I'll tell you. First of all, Chengdu has a quite cacaphonous soundscape--it's nothing in particular--just the aural atmosphere of the city is something less than pretty. So, I was walking down the street when out of nowhere this wonderful Muzak started blaring from behind me--I shut my eyes and found myself, a year ago, in an elevator on Wall Street staring at the head of the balding, middle-aged lawyer in front of me. Ah, memories. Anyways, I opened my eyes and realized that the source of this glorious, recorded orchestra was nothing other than a garbage truck. Yes, a garbage truck blaring elevator music as loud as stereophonically possible. If that isn't the best argument for communism ever, well, then I don't know what is!

So, I've had several very adventurous days, which I wrote about late last night in hopes of plugging in my flash drive at the waiban (internet bar) and sharing my experiences with all of you. Alas, the computers at this bar cannot read Word, so I have to start all over again and cannot promise you the premeditated work of prose genius which I had initially planned on posting. Oh well, here goes...

First of all, my host family is wonderful--very generous and kind. My only lament is that they are a bit overprotective. For example, my host brother was staring over my shoulder reading all my emails earlier. Regardless, they are a marvellous family, and I couldn't have gotten any luckier. Fortunately, they are one of four host families, that are all best friends, who decided to host volunteers in the same apartment building, so I don't feel quite so isolated. There is Liu Lao Shi ("Lao Shi" being an address of respect--surnames come first around these parts) who is an engineer, which--in a country developing as quickly as China--is a very prosperous job, and his wife Gao Lao Shi, who is a teacher of Chinese at a nearby elementary school. Their son, whom I call "Didi" (brother), is an eighteen-year-old student convinced that I'm the best American sports player ever. Because I've chosen to ride that wave a little bit longer, I told him I have too much studying to do this weekend so basketball will just have to wait. But the prize of the family is "Nainai" (grandmother). She's this little 4'5", grey-headed woman, with dark, beady eyes, who loves to point at me and cackle when she's not either shoving food down my throat or speaking at me one hundred words-per-second. In a word, she's amazing.

We live on the top floor of a six story apartment building. I have my own spacious room and bathroom with my very own, very special "squatty potty," as we volunteers enjoy calling some of the more particular toilets in China. We have a rooftop garden complete with a small creek, goldfish, seating area, and all sorts of vegetables, herbs, and flowers. It is breathtaking. If it weren't for the heavy pollution in the area, I'm sure the view would be spectacular. It's mighty fine as it stands, but I can only imagine how gorgeous it would be otherwise.

Unfortunately, I have to run. I'll write more as soon as I get a chance, but it's hard to find time to sneak away to the internet bar. Hopefully, I'll have better access when training is over in August. I love you all. Take care.