Saturday, March 31, 2012

March 30; The Friday Routine

Day 54
Last week we broke our Friday routine/ritual for a special lunch with our classmates and teacher. This week, we stuck with it. So, what’s the routine?
We go to class, where we discuss stories, I translate random English sentences to Chinese, and I learn stuff about China. Something interesting I learned this week was that all Chinese students go through mandatory basic military training once they reach the age of 18. There is no way to get out of it and it’s a part of their education. Students are shipped out to the middle of nowhere where they wake up at 5:30 every morning to do drills to improve their “endurance.” The food is nasty and tasks includes marching, chanting, and standing outside in the scorching hot sun for three hours. It you move (even to wipe your sweat) the drill sergeants can and will punish you. What’s punishment? Another three hours in the sun.
Also, for those of you wondering if Chinese students know about American shows like Big Bang Theory, Gossip Girl, and even Jersey Shore…the answer is yes. They are aware that such shows. Not as sheltered off from the rest of the world as you thought.
After class, we go to Macker’s (what the Aussies call McDonald’s) to fuel up for the shopping spree at the Zoo Market.
CURLY FRIES!!!!! bring curly fries to Toronto!!
My theme this week was silky, floraly summer clothes.
cotton, strapless summery floral dress
Asking price: 39RMB
Buying price:  30RMB
silky summery floral print dress
Asking price: 39 RMB
Buying price: 30 RMB
In addition to the start of my summer clothes, I got a airy blouse and this scarf. You see, in between winter and summer, there’s a season called spring. In China’s version of spring, the winds are gusty and the floors and dusty which creates sandstorms and annoyance. I decided to use a scarf instead of rocking the hospital mask to protect my face from Beijing dirt.
To end off our Friday night, we had dinner with our foreign teacher friends.
And that is basically how every Friday goes down.

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