Prettty Awesome Weekend!

This weekend was packed with events!

Saturday

So Melissa and Christine talk me into going to the 2012 Half-Way There party, beginning our shopping adventure. Originally I wasn't planning on going, but then we hit the dress section in the department store and there was no turning back then. Christine and I both ended finding dresses for really great deals (hers:$35 mine:$25) after trying on a gazillion ones. They made me try on sparkly colorful ones. The ironic thing is neither of us both dresses with color. After returning from our shopping adventure we did some work (or at least tried t0) and then started getting ready for the dance. What happens when 6 girls are trying to get ready for a party when there are only two bathrooms? We don't leave on time. And we take way too many pictures.

Sunday

Today is exactly one month away from Brian's real birthday. Since it would be extremely difficult to surprise him on his actual birthday, we decided to surprise him a month beforehand. Everything was planned out perfectly. Christine, Brian, and I would go to the Duke game while everyone else invaded Lambeth 466-4. Then I would ask for a ride back and then he'd be  forced to go the apartment. Perfect and Brilliant. Not.

Christine ended up not going to the game and Brian had a group project meeting right after the game. How was I supposed to ask to give me a ride then? Christine and I brainstormed and killed brain cells. We thought perhaps Melissa could pretend she seriously injured herself (not that she would actually have to pretend...) and then Brian would need to take her to the ER. The  difficult part was actually acting shocked when she  "called".

What ended up happening was I asked Brian to come to Lambeth to help me carry my stuff back. It worked, he came, and was surprised. He did, however, leave first. But, a  few minutes later and BRIAN is back!!!! He ended up surprising all of us. He is still the king of surprises!

Gotta love CCF and Lambeth/IRC Chi Alpha members.

Paper-writing Kills Brain Cells

Looking at a blank document and trying to fill it with black squiggly lines isn't exactly the best exercise for one's brain. I need a device that I can dictate into and have it spit out my essay for me.

Scheduling is a pain...

All the classes I want to take are full!!!! 

feel like punching something...

Watching My lil'Sis Grow

I've been home for nearly a month and have witnessed no major changed except for how much my little sister Jessica has grown.

Being seven years younger than me, Jessica has always been the baby of the family. Even though her IQ was  higher than most children her age, she still was the little one that needed to hold mommy's hand while crossing the street.  She still looks like the baby of the family and often acts like one, but internally she has grown so much that amazes me. She carries on intellectual conversations with people much older than her without any fear. She answers every question with an entire logical process of her own and her thought process amazes anyone that expects a typical twelve-year old answer.

Why has she grown this fast? I often wanted to keep her at age three but she subtly sprouted and now shines beyond my expectations. I suppose this is how parents feel.

Welcome Home Dinner at 沸腾鱼乡

拌菜(tossed cabbage) Nothing special about this one. It was just really refreshing among the hot and spicy dishes.

I arrived home Thursday 12 am and the next day was a big welcome home feast. We went to 沸腾鱼乡（the home of the bubbling fish??) and I ate my heart out. All was authentic Sichuan food that I had been craving for the past century.

夫妻肺片 (Couple's lungs????) Please pardon my translation... It's not actually human lungs (that would be illegal and disgusting), but beef. Mixed together in a red, hot sauce with garlic, this cold dish stimulates your saliva glands with merely its visual presentation."

桂花莲藕 (Sweet Lotus) This was the cold sweet dish of the night. The lotus was covered in honey and 桂花

I don't remember the name... This was mouth-watering chicken. The restaurant only sells four a day. This one was stolen from another store. Bahahahahaha. The juicy chicken melts on the tip of your tongue and its flavor was completely soaked into the 山药.

Green beans!!! Absolutely different from Yuan Ho's. It's not oily and there is a savory garlic flavor.

麻辣牛蛙 Spicy Frog I realize that it may sound disgusting but it's not. It tastes way better than chicken. This dish numbs your tongue and your lips but keeps you desiring more. "]

Fried Shrimp. Good fried shrimp

馒头!!! You have no idea how thrilled I was! This steamed bun was sweet and instantly satisfied my taste-buds.

排骨海带汤Ribs and seaweed soup. The flavor was just right. 浓浓的肉香

肉夹馍 The buns are on the side and the stuffing is in the middle. Basically you stuff the stuffing inside the buns. The stuffing consists of meat and vegetables. Though they are amazing together, eating them separately is another amazing taste.

水煮鱼Water-boiled fish. This is the star dish of the restaurant. The fish isn't actually boiled in water. Instead its in hot oil. The dish isn't really spicy, but 麻. The fish itself is smooth and goes great with vinegar. You must order this dish when coming to this restaurant.

The dinner that night was fantastic and not just because of the food. My entire family was there along with most of cousins. There was laughter and joy, which made the food even better. I love being home.

You know you're in Beijing when...

1. You almost die while riding a taxi

2. You almost get run over by a taxi

3. You get sardined in the subway

4. Foreigners speak fluent Chinese

5. It's really loud inside the restaurants

6. Traffic pollutes the roads

7. Double parking is everywhere

To be continued...

Home Shveet Home

I'm home!!!!

So after a dreadful 16-17 hours of flying, I'm finally home. I felt unreal waking up in my own bed. There is so much that I want to say that I don't even know where to begin.

My flight was awful. The food reeked of nauseousness. There was absolutely no leg space. Oh how I miss the room in Gilmer 19o during Psych 3005. The girl on my right absolutely would not budge when I needed to get out. It wouldn't have killed her (Christine would point out how much I like to use violent terms) to stand up and let me go to the bathroom. Nope, she just moved her legs to the side which made absolutely no difference at all. So I tried to get out but couldn't. So I looked at her and she looked at me. Talk about awkardness. Someone how I managed to get out and get back into my seat. After 13.5 hours, there was a stop in Japan. It wasn't too bad, but the following four hour flight was. I felt like I was going to die. It was the worst four hours of my life! But then I landed in Beijing, which makes everything worth it.

As I walked out the gate, my sister's first reaction was, "Man, you seem shorter." Oh how much she loves me. When I arrived at home I had an awesome conversation with my parents and splendid meal! Yes, the first thing I did was eat. 有辣椒，干煸四季豆，咸菜和东北大米！(hot peppers, some type of mouth-watering string beans, pickled vegetables, and authentic Chinese rice).

There is no place like home.