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violalew
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Name: viola
Country: China
Metro: Lanzhou
Gender: Female
Interests: shopping, bargaining, chatting, hanging out w/ friends, eating, sleeping, traveling
Expertise: math, smiling/laughing
Occupation: Education/training
Industry: Education/Research
Message: message me
Member Since:
11/30/2005
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| For my birthday, we cooked Mexican food and played games all night (literally). Em got me the crazy flower candle that bursts open when lit and plays the happy bday song. We celebrated the next night too with other friends eating pizza. Everything was low key, but I had a great time. Thanks for all the planning Em. You're the greatest!   
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| I'm gonna be a real auntie! | | |
| The other night the Chens were thinking hard about who they could set me up with. Apparently, Iris has a match making list with names of her single gfs and bfs. We looked at that, but she had to delete a lot of names because many of them are now married. We also looked in her pictures hoping that we would run across an available male, but to no avail. So be on the lookout for me, my friends.
I feel like Iris is my mother. When I wake up (which has been getting later and later since I'm on vacation) Iris makes me breakfast. She usually cooks lunch and dinner (unless we eat out). Speaking of the word cook...because many students say cooker, I've accidentally used it twice so far (scary). Ah, Chinglish. There's also Engnese where I think I'm using Chinese properly, but instead I make my students laugh.
We watched The Prestige yesterday and it has to be one of the cleverest movie I've seen in a while.
I'm thinking about my future and where He wants me to be and I have no clue. Lia asked me where I would thrive, and I really don't know. Someone else asked me where He would use me the most, and I don't know. I know it doesn't matter where I'm at. I wish that He would literally just tell me what to do so this decision is easier.
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Traveling to China's tourist places is no fun especially if you look foreign. Chinese hawkers usually charge an arm and leg for everything. And, they are so aggressive. During my recent travels, I cannot tell you how many times people would come up asking me if I wanted to catch their taxis, eat at their restaurant, buy their ticket, and the list goes on and on. It's an in-your-face experience and even if you say no, they keep insisting. The worst part is when I travel with an obvious foreigner like Missie. I met Missie, a Guangzhou English teacher, in Chengdu. We decided to go to Le Shan (where the tallest Buddha is) together, so we took a long distance bus. Once we got off the bus, we were bombarded with Chinese hawkers trying to get our business, but we were waiting for a friend, so I kept saying "bu yao" meaning don't want because usually I am the assumed translator, looking Chinese and all. The Le Shan mountain was beautiful, but I was Buddha'ed out, and after, we took a bus back to the long distance bus station. As the bus was stopping, I saw many hawkers surrounding the bus door, and thought here we go again. I was thinking of how I could avoid them. Why not run off the bus? I ran; it worked! I surprised and confused them that they didn't bother me or Missie. Lesson of the story: Try running to avoid hawkers. It worked for me, and it might work for you.
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| Liu Xiu Ya is my Chinese name. I didn't even know I had one until summer of 2004 when I was talking to my mom. (When I went to China in 2000, I was known as Wan Ling, a name given by my Chinese teacher.) It took me a while to pronounce my real Chinese name because I had difficulties saying Xiu. Anyways, Liu is my family name. Xiu is my family's generational name, so all four of my sisters are Xiu something, Xiu something, etc. From what I've been told, Xiu Ya means graceful, lady-like, cultured, etc. (If you know how to explain the meaning better, let me know.) Today, Em and I climbed the mountain with some students and I told them my Chinese name. One student said, "I don't think that name fits you." What did he mean? True, I'm not the most graceful person in the world; I laugh really loud, not covering my mouth with my hand. But I do like tea time and eating those little lady-like food. I like pink and purple--they're my bedroom theme colors! I need some affirmation here... | | |
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