I really love the weekends on this program. I get to spend time with my host family, and I get a breather from classes and homework. I also get a chance to sleep in (until my host brother bursts into my room).
This Saturday, I spent nearly the entire day with my host sister. We went out to a noodle place for breakfast (although I was the only one who ate anything). After that, we went to a bookshop/stationery store with my host sister’s friend. The only thing that could have made it better is if I had money to buy something. We looked around for a bit and then went to an attached cafe area. I got this really pretty looking lemonade and watched my sister play a phone game.
For lunch, we went to yet another noodle place (the same one I went to last weekend). I still was a bit full from breakfast, but I still ate quite a bit (I’m going to be so fat when I get back to the US – the food here is way too good). Finally, we went to KTV with some of my host sister’s friend. Kathleen was also there, and we sang to some American classics like “Party in the USA” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” I had tons of fun even though I can’t sing well to save my life.
Dinner was at this vegetarian buffet place, which was really good and not too expensive. Honestly, I wouldn’t have known it was a vegetarian place if not for the constant advertisements promoting veganism. At the end, we had to put our plates in this designated washing area. Since I was the last to finish, I had to go up by myself, and I was met with this guy telling me something in rapid-fire Mandarin. In response to my confused expression, the guy laughed at me. I really need to improve my listening skills.
We also got icecream, walked around a park, and took pictures in this square. It was fun getting to talk with Kathleen a bit more. We almost rented boats to paddle around in this small lake, but the person wasn’t there so we couldn’t. By the time I got home, I was thoroughly exhausted. I had planned on getting some homework done, but I ended up relaxing and eating fruit.
On Sunday, the entire family went out in the morning and took a fairly long car ride to this place. I think a wedding was happening and the family was invited (I saw a lot of people there from the family thing we went to last weekend). But, I really didn’t know what was going on. We went to the back and ate some really good spicy fish hotpot.
Not long after we had finished lunch, I went with my host sister and her cousin. I thought we were going to do something out, but we ended up taking a long bus ride back home. There, we ate icecream, watched TV, and played some card games. They taught me this Chinese card game, and I taught them poker.
Apparently, the rest of the family wasn’t coming back until way later, so my host sister and I had to make our own dinner. We made some tomatoes with scrambled eggs (which I’ve had a few times and I think it’s pretty good), stir-fried potatoes, and some other stuff. Besides that, I’ve just been working on my homework.
WOTD: 书店 (shū diàn) – bookstore
文具店 (wén jù diàn) – stationery store
The Moonlight over the Bridge 
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