Long Overdue

Thanks to Cari, I was able to update my blog- finally! Unfortunately, it’s been two long, exciting weeks since my last post (except that “Unfortunate Update”) so there is a lot to catch you up on!

First, Ice Peak. This is the newest staple item in my refrigerator. It is a soda that is bottled locally here in Xi’an. It tastes like a watered-down Fanta and each bottle can sometimes taste a little different. The best part about Ice Peak is not the taste, but rather the process of obtaining it. One night, I struggled through a conversation with a shop owner and finally came to the conclusion that after finishing the the six drinks, I would need to return the empty bottles so they could be used again. I made a down payment of 12 kuai and he would return 6 kuai when I returned. This makes each bottle of Ice Peak a whopping 1 kuai (approximately $0.15- can’t beat that price!). I’ve made two trips back to this shop owner now with empty bottles and the last time he was ready for me with 12 bottles of Ice Peak and straws waiting! It’s so fun!

Wild Nights of Xi’an

During our evening wanderings, Cari and I have come across some interesting sights. One such sight was a group of women doing a choreographed fan dance. They also had a band of men with drums and percussion assisting. It was quite a sight and well rehearsed. Not what you would expect when exiting a mall at 11:00 pm.

Another scene that is very common here in Xi’an is large groups of people (mostly senior women) dancing to music. In front of the Wild Goose Pagoda one night, we saw several different dancing groups: one was your swing/ball room style couples dance and another one a strange cross between line dancing and the electric slide. It’s good to know that you can head out at night and find some solid dancing in China.

Finally, one night we came across a group of performers who’s acts were outstanding! I’ve seen some crazy street shows (Venice Beach, California…), but this was by far the most amazing act I’ve ever seen. Some of the stuns would have had these performers kicked off the streets in the states or maybe even arrested. Unfortunately, not all the acts were caught on camera and most are blurry due to the dark, but you’ll get the idea!

Cari's Celebrations!

Another big part of my last week was the celebration of Cari’s birthday. Since Cari’s birthday was on Monday, we used it as an excuse to party all week. The festivities started on Saturday when Cari, Carry J., Vicki and I went to a Haggen Daaz in downtown Xi’an. Like most western food chains in Xi’an, Haggen Daaz was incredible gourmet and posh. It was a very fun experience.

Monday, we used our new Tang Paradise Passes to go visit out favorite park in Xi'an! This time, the weather was amazing! I've added some new photos to the Tang Paradise Album. Check out the difference the smog in Xi'an can make:

After Tang Paradise, we had the standard Apartment party with cake and card games for the official birth date. Then, on this last Saturday, a big group went bowling! In a hotel located on the same street as our apartments, there is an eight lane bowling alley. It felt just like the states (expect there was no greasy food available) and a trip to the lanes will be a very good remedy for homesickness.

Paintball!!!

The men of our group planed a trip to go paintballing. We had no idea what to expect and we were not disappointed. This was unlike any paintball I’ve ever played. First, the setting was a small urban arena with a ran-down jeep, brick walls and close quarters combat. Secondly, we were decked out in full camouflage gear, knee pads, elbow pads and a vest. As if dressing up like this wasn’t fun enough, the guns were replicas of an assault rifle!! SO COOL! The paint balls were much smaller than normal and each gun had a magazine with paint balls in individual casings, meaning that when you shot, a metal shell would be ejected from your gun.

We were broken up into two teams, based on our camouflage color. The matches were quick and carefully monitored by several judges from overhead. For all my fellow gamers out there, this was like really-life CS! It was so fun. My only complaint would be the goofy, bubble shield face masks that were very prone to fogging up (and not nearly as safe as the masks in the states). I will definitely be making another trip to this place!

That should catch you up for the last couple weeks. I’ve been super busy at school with something called Culture Day- I have a feeling you’ll be hearing a lot about that next week! Also, there are plans for Laser Tag- let’s hope it’s as cool as paintball!

Thanks for reading!