Turkey Day

    My 3rd thanksgiving will be here soon.
   What's my plan? Hummm..staying at this tiny town. :) Not going to anywhere but Peoria, but I will love it. It will be a wonderful relaxing break. :)
   This kind of holiday reminds me that how I spent in the past.
   My 1st thanksgiving was in New York City. Stayed at Brooklyn, walked down the street to the subway station, crossed the famous Brooklyn Bridge, arrived at Manhattan, jumped around the crowd on the Fifth Avenue, watched the well-known Macy's Parade, went to Statue of Liberty...
   It was a great time. Exploring world center with three other girls with no worries, I was so glad we did that. Even though we got lost sometimes, we always found something  new for us. Chinatown in NYC might be my least favorite part. Sorry, but it is true. From my society class, Chinatown is just a comfort zone for people who are new and not knowing English. It doesn't matter how little English you speak, you can still find a job over there. It is just like little China. No language barrier. However, it is very old fashion. It is not the new version of China, but very very old one. When I stood under the railway rail, listening to the roaring old subway, I saw many people in old fashion clothes spitting on the street. Sometimes, place like this is good for those are new immigrants and those who don't know English. It is a harbor for them. No storm, no danger.
But I still like NYC.
   So it was my first thanksgiving.
   My second one?? I guess there must not be anything big happened because I don't even remember. I just remember that I didn't go to Black Friday shopping. :P
   My third one is not here yet. But planning to eat, eat, eat, and eat!!!!!! And gain some turkey weight. :P Also, plan to experience so-called crazy Black Friday with my new friend from Saudi Arabia. It should be very fun. :) OOOOOOOOoooooooooh!!! HAVING HOTPOT TOMORROW with only Chinese friends!!
   What is hotpot???
   First, it is very common way to eat in China when it is winter time. Second, you have to have a pot. :P
   Here is a picture about the material from the last year.

      This was taken at a hotpot restaurant. Look at the steaming pot. You can choose whatever broth/soup you like and boil it. Then you can have whatever meat or vegetable put into the boiling soup. Since the temperature is high, everything is cooked very fast. Then you can pick them up and dip any source you like. Seriously, nothing is strict. IT IS ALL ABOUT HOT AND FRESH! That's why I haven't really explained what you need to do and what you eat. Just eat what you think is yummy.
      I guess I had at least 10 times of hotpot last time I went back to China. Everytime I went back was in winter. So hotpot is not avoidable. :)
     This kind of thing is what we are doing tomorrow. We are going to buy some meatballs (not like American style one), it can be made of pork, shrimp, fish, and beef!! Beef one is my favorite. We also will buy crab sticks, all kinds of vegetable, beef, tofu, and so on so on. Just depend what people like, really.
     Going to gain some worthy weights in this break. HOHOHOHO...
     May post a picture of tomorrow's hotpot in next post. :))))))
    
     Well, I told you my blog is very random...from thanksgiving to NYC, to hotpot..hummmmm..jumping thoughts. :) Have a good thanksgiving! And thanks for whoever is reading!! :)

Reunion

       So today we had a reunion for Charlotte.
       She was one of the nine exchange students two years ago. She married Eric in China in August. Now they are having honeymoon here because Charlotte wants to show Eric where she studied, where she stayed, and her friends.
       We had dinner at Sushiko on the University Street. As far as I known, a lot of Chinese and also many Americans love that restaurant. The boss over there is super nice and hospitable.
We had 27 people in total at the party room. It was packed, but it was really fun. Our American grandpa joined us also. He is the one who is taking Charlotte and Eric to Florida tomorrow. We had a few Americans, and most of them have been different areas in China. To be honest, they all went to somewhere I have never been. Shame on me.
       Grandpa got to know a lot of young people..That's why I encouraged him to join us because he could stay younger..:P
       Mitch is an American. He told me that he was so surprised that there are these many Chinese around here. Guess what, Mitch...there are more all over everywhere! :P Mitch stayed in Beijing for two years and speaks pretty good Chinese. And he loves this restaurant.
       Overall, all of us had a great time (hope so). At the very end, after we appreciated the boss' making all those sushi, he offered a free Japanese drink to whoever wanted to have a drink. So people went crazy. Some girls and I didn't have any but watched they competing. It is kind of tradition. In China, it is very common the young people drink with friends. It is different culture. Drinking is very normal even just simple holiday. My dad will drink and have some snacks with his friend and talk. Surely, it is just for relaxation and talk. In college, people drink because it is fun?? I don't know. It is not fun actually. They always try to get you drunk or something, not sure why. They just drink when they have reunion or sing in the karaoke...(The karaoke in Asia is in private room, not in public.) There are bars in China, but I haven't been any yet. So I am not going to talk about this since I don't really know how exactly it is.
       Anyway, it was loud at the restaurant because we Chinese were there. :P (stereotyping)
       I really appreciate everybody came and had a little bit reunion. :) It was fun.
      

stereotype

So this was what happened today at the XXX medical field department,
"You are from China? So your next TB test should be positive and you should go to your doctor and have chest X-ray. There are more germs in China..."
I don't know how you will feel when people say things like this to you. For me, I don't feel very comfortable with this.

During this two and half years in this country, usually everything is very good and I like it. Just only twice I felt offended. One time was in Chicago and the other one was today.

Just like a student from Kazakhstan said that people thought they didn't have cars and normal machine over there! People thought they should ride the camels or something. Come on people. This is 21st century. Every country has its advance, even though some of them might be very very poor in general. Just like people think everywhere in U.S.A is like New York City, San Francisco, Chicago, all those big cities. But guess what? People might be shocked when they see the huge corn field! They might be surprised that they can't go to anywhere without car! and so on. So stop stereotyping.

well. just not feeling very comfortable with people saying things that they have no idea with.

11/7

                I've heard it is snowing in NY and MA crazily. I guess snow flakes might come to Illinois pretty soon. First snow always makes people excited. But once it goes on and on, not many people will like it. It never snows in Shenzhen where I am from. So not until two years ago that I saw the snow, and it was a big one: blizzard. :D Win win~It was really fun. We went sledding around the house instead of going to school because the road was blocked and school got cancelled. We made snow angel. We had hot chocolate after that. Every single thing seemed so new and interesting to me.
                It becomes not like that fun any more until I have to drive by myself. Last year was not too bad. It was a warm winter for here, even though it was still cold for me. Obviously, the winter is coming pretty soon this year. Every season looks weird this year.

              Today was the day working at the Chinese restaurant. I am very used to it now, including answering calls, serving people, changing orders as how customers like, and being positive all the time. 99% customers are very very friendly. They are willing to talk. Well, I guess this is kind of American thing, in a good way. I like it. It just seems like there is always somebody cares about you, even though it is not real. I am sort of like answering machine or a robot. Whenever there is a customer coming into the restaurant, I immediately say, "Hey, how are you today?" It never changes. Apparently, most of the answers don't change either.
              However, I love doing this plain thing. Many customers say that I am very positive and happy. Sometimes I feel like I get spoiled by them. They tip me very well even though I have to give it to the boss. One time, there was a couple tipped me $10 after their dinner. I was shocked. Seriously?! It is just very unbelievable for me.
             Today I got heartwarmed by an old man who walked very slowly with his humpback. I had him sit while he was waiting for his carry out.  I talked to him every once a while before the food was ready. When he was about to walk out of the door, he came back and gave me $1. I guess I almost cried at that moment. He didn't say anything but still made me feel sad. I just can't stand the elderly doing everything by themselves...They should have people take care of them...But here, independence is throughout a person's whole life since people learn to be independent.

             This semester is getting closer and closer to be wrapped up. Just three weeks of school and finals. CRAZY!!! I am very looking forward to going to OSF, the nursing school, but I am not ready yet.

A visit from China

Hi, blog, it is me again, your poster. Couple weeks ago, I got you some fishes, a calendar, a prayer frame, and maybe two new posts.

Today, Charlotte and her husband came to visit from China. Charlotte was one of the nine exchange students two years ago. Now she is married and back to here with her husband Eric. I was very excited to see them.
Our American grandpa took us to Olive Garden. Charlotte and Eric ordered hot water, which most of Chinese usually will do in China. The waitress kept asking whether they wanted teabags or not...surely, she doesn't know we Chinese are weird. We drink plain hot water..When Eric saw me drinking lemonade with ice, he was surprised and asked me, "don't you feel cold? it is so cold outside." Probably like this face @.@ It is his first time to visit this country and not used to icy drink, cheesy and creamy food yet. Now I can completely know how Americanized I have become...which I don't know it is good or not...They brought me stuff my sister bought for me. I was overexcited. I guess this is first time for me to get real Chinese stuff from my friends. :D We had a very nice night.

Last night my aunt from Hong Kong called me. Now I really feel spoiled. :) People who studied years ago mailed their letters back home and waited for replies forever. Maybe sometimes some of them got lost on the way to China...maybe in the shark's stomach, or in the Pacific Ocean, or somewhere impossible. How blessed we are living in this high-tech age. Then I facetimed with my second older sister today.
It was really awesome to catch up with family back home.

Tomorrow is the president election day of U.S.A. From my racial sociology class, I learned ethnic groups do not usually vote. They concern about their daily life instead. Well...I believe that...especially when my Chinese friends told me that when she and her sister went to vote, every single person looked at them with big big eyes...

Things are complicated. So make it short, goodnight.

Hey November!

Hello November! You are so beautiful. It has been getting cold these days. I wonder whether Miss Snow is gonna come to visit us pretty soon.
Today I had "coffee" (at Starbucks, he had hot chocolate and I had tea. so I used " " for coffee) with Rob, who was one of 16 classmates from my science field trip class last summer. He read my blog one time and we talked a little bit about it today. Both of us reached agreement that there is not very many things to do here so that I don't know what I should write about. It seems like everyday sounds the same. Coffee shop, study, shop, home, etc...
HOWEVER!!!
Life is grand! Rob always says this and I do agree with that.
He is such a good friend of mine now since he interviewed me in September. To be honest, I guess I should feel privilaged...That should be my 4th or 5th time to get interviewed...as an international person..:P
We got to know each other a little bit. It does take time to know people and their stories. He always has good attitude of everything. He has a very nice family, sounds like. His daughter just graduated from pharmacy school with honor. She is a good example of this medical field. That motivates me a lot. Rob's wife works for CAT and knows a lot of Asian people. I am trying to convince Rob to take Chinese class for his second language class. Well, having an awesome Chinese friend like me, there is no point of not having Chinese class...haha. just kidding...



Since I moved, I have made myself porridge/congee a lot. It is like rice soup with whatever material you want to add other than rice and water.
This is one of billions kinds of breakfast choices in China...It might sound weird to you...but we do have things like noodle soup, rice soup, fried rice noodles, western or eastern buns, hot soy milk, steamed rice noodle rolls, and so on so on so on so on....MAN!!! This just reminds me of the food over there!!
Anyway, these are kind of our breakfast, which you may think they should be for lunch or dinner, but not for breakfast.
We barely have cold milk with cereal as our breakfast, which is super common here. I get used to it now because it is quick and easy...now I am becoming lazy...
We eat differently too. People from north of China mainly have various noodles and buns while people from south have rice as main meal. Surely, it comes with many other dishes, vegetable and meat.



Sometimes, I can't keep writing just one topic...such as the one above...My lazy cells are occupying me now.

Today I stayed at the Starbucks for almost a whole day to finish my BLS (Basic Life Support) book reading for tomorrow's CPR class. It will be from 8a.m. to 4p.m. Wish me luck with finishing that class and get my CPR certificate.

Sometimes, it is kind of weird but in a nice weird way...Like when you go into a coffee shop, they know what you wanna get...I started to notice that I have been to a coffee shop so much that they remember to add honey in my tea...OK..How about ignoring the fact that there is not many Asians in this little town? :P

Time for bed. CPR. I am ready. ( ^_^ )