Sometimes my arms bend backwards and there is music in the air

My access to Myspace and my blog is tenuous. Sometimes unreachable, other times they are able to be read. Oh, what a delightful wonderland I live in.

Well, I got to hang out with a host family. i mostly spent time with thier son. Age 18 "Jason" had a lot going on; the ride to the house was filled with his mother talking about the difficulty of applications to colleges in Hong Kong, he shared his dreams of globe trotting the world after making a small fortune in economics over a game something simmilar to hackysack, and later the family and I discussed college examinations in China (they have a special holiday where everyone takes their tests at once) versus examinations in U.S.

Also covered were; race in china, video games, anime, popular brand names, attitudes towards westerners, sports, dialects of china, rapid modernization and astrology. The answer to all of them was yes.

While visiting I got to help make dinner, tour thier 24th floor apartment, listen to music and drink massive amounts of tea.

When it came time to go they took many pictures with me. It was needless to say a sad parting.

Sorry about the delay

There was something wierd about the internet and for some reason I couldn't get on to update. So let's see; I went to the Great Wall (totally undeserving of the name) more like the FREAKING AMAZING WALL. Then I went to stay with a Chinese family for a while. That was pretty cool.

I've met a few cool folks. Talked a few a cool things. And always is there the unending pressence of the chinese language.

Happy mothers day everyone!

The legend of Kung Fu

Hello loyal fanbase! China goes well, I'll soon have it shaped up and running like Switzerland in no time. But that's another monologue unto itself, let me stay focused on the imporant things! Last night I saw an intense show about kung fu where dudes broke stuff with thier head throughout a quasi-narrative about a boy who forgot the first rule of kung fu (not to talk about kung fu). There was lots of jumping and kicking and a guy tried to fight like a scorpion and came off being utterly useless. There were other elements to, like balacing on spear blades, and swinging on silks over a smoke room, and this one time when it was "night" and all these tiny lights in the roof turned on.

Then it ended with a hilarious twist.

Crossing Lightsabers in the Imperial City

Yesterday I traveled to the Imperial city, Coruscant, to seek a council with Emperor Palpatine. The stormtroopers were out in force, in thier green armor. We walked around Tianmen Square taking pictures of things and enjoyed it's massivley open vistas. I examined a memorial to the heroes of the revolution and was swarmed by merchants all selling Mao watches, kites, and post cards. I don't think I'll ever need to say "Wo bu yao" so often again in my life.

We then walked over to the Forbiden City and entered through the gate of 9 brass studs. Explored the various rooms, battled with light sabers and left. There's a garden, and throne room and so forth.

Bookstore Madness

Yesterday I went to a bookstore, it was delightful. I primarily looked in the children's books because they are the only wants I am able to read. They had TinTin there, and something about horrible racism refracted through another language jut made it hilarious. I also found the ENTIRE collected works of Garfield. A treasure in it's own right, but it's also entirely in Chinese. Some may wonder how much 60 books would go for in China, well I'll tell you; $13. One delicious meal and alcho-drink at Red Robin is how much the life's work of Jim Davis is worth.

There were other magical things, like a faery tale book that showed a dude on the back of a tiger, grabing its ear and punching the back of its head. I found several gifts to pick up, I'm totally stoaked to give them to people.

I bear a new name

Today was busy. Jintian shi hen mang le. Morning came at 5 am again, and I used my time to play comuter games and study study study. I learned many new words like wrist watch and silent, but not the only words that matter "Shut down all the garbage smashers on the detention level!".

Once again the food was copious and at times delicous and at other, sadder times, rife with meats and kinda gross. Every meal except breakfast, though it's served then as well I just choose to drink juice instead, I consume mass quantities of Xue Bi, or green snow. Yes, I have already made the yellow snow joke. Twice.

Today was the welcoming ceremony. We listened to the stories about what's going going on around around around the CUEB campus. Traps mostly, sometimes another Cuebnaut. The sad thing is when we finally escape the Cueb we'll be subjected to two simple questions, and if I fail I am burnt alive. I was given the obligation of introducing myself to the directors of the program. I made several mistakes and explained I had no chinese name, though my honorable surname was Searles.

Then we had some important buisness to attend to, I had my picture taken for this important file. Passport picture in us: 2 pictures for 15-25+ dollars, Passport picture in china: 8 pictures for 3 dollars. It was pretty sweet, best of all; no exploited factory workers. Yet. We're negotiating, I'm sure we can degrade some people by making them crawl on thier knees to bring you the photos when they are finished.

Then more study and webcam chating. Followed by a big important dinner with
the directors. I sat with them at thier table along with all the faculty. I was the only non-native there besides Andy Buchman. It was ..... demanding. There are many different manner expectations to be polite. I had to learn these as we went, making various mistakes along the way. Firstly, you have to let the staff basically de-napkin wrap your silverware and pour your drink. Then you can't eat until the head director takes his first bite and toasts the program.

Through the long dinner I found out from Li Lao Shi that he had devolped a Zhong Guo Ming Zi name for me; Zhou Mo. Mo, which is my given name and akin to Joel or Jilly, means on it's own: silent (I was quiet at dinner, and in general around Li Lao Shi because he uses unique sentence composition that makes it hard for me to understand him, despite knowing a majority of the words he uses). However when combined with my Surname Zhou, an attempt to capture Joel, it takes on a new meaning, which is Humorous.

So I apparently am one of two extremes, saying nothing or saying jokes. Which has numerous implications that I likes. Also, as an added bonus Zhou Mo is also how you say the weekend, a time period that suits me best. Sooooo, I accepted. So long Han So Lo. So long Qu Ba Ke. So long Da Shang Gao. So long Si. (Another one that he offered, I got to choose, was basically "Sharp Joe" which has it's own cool. But I couldn't pass up the idea of being either silent or hilarious.

So now you know what to call me. Zhou Xian Sheng if you respect me, or Mo if we are friends. So everybody will have to use niether.

My Campus is pretty cool

The above is this sweet park on campus that I hung out in today. It also has a playground of wierd play ground equipment, ones that I wish I had when I was kid. The campus pretty close to other imporant buildings to like a hospital and some banks, so I'm pretty much set to steal and heal.

There's a temple called Dagobah, I am trying to get there. I hear there's a jedi master who lives there, but I am probably going to just find some wierd little goofy dude.

More photos and updates as they arrive.