day in the life

If we are lucky, there is pineapple bread for breakfast. Bo luo bao is the basis for my theory that everything tastes better in China. Jeanette assures us it is the same stuff we ate in Hong Kong but I swear to you it tastes SO MUCH BETTER HERE.

We walk past the early morning tai-chi-ers on our way to catch the 7:50 bus. Bus schedules here are often a bit optimistic but so far we've been lucky. We pass high-rise apartments, rural farms, and trees on our way downtown.

A rare semi-smile from Hannah, here. At the school, we don token aprons and slippers and talk ourselves hoarse for a few hours. Then we go eat.

It has been asked by some, "Is there good Chinese food in China?" and my answer to that is an unequivocal YES. THERE IS NO GOOD CHINESE FOOD BUT REAL CHINESE FOOD, and the school chefs prove me right on a daily basis.

After Chinese lessons in the sunshine, we walk the mile and a half to the bus stop or to the SharknPop, which has huge bins of rice and a neighboring McDonalds, the latter making it very popular with this crowd. (See the aforementioned everything-tastes-better-in-China theory.) Most days we wander about exploring. Then it is the gonggongqiche home to Facebook or badminton or hanging laundry out to dry.