上课！

My best friend in the WHOLE world got married on Saturday. In America. Luckily I was able to fly back for three hours and make it to the reception. NOT!!! I was here in China, sleeping soundly when they got married and getting ready for church during the reception. Luckily I was able to Facetime the beautiful Natalie Fielding during the reception so I could say hi to her, but it was not the same. I missed the most important day in my best friend's entire life. And no matter how many baby births (probably eleven) or anniversaries (one million) I will get to congratulate her on,  I will never be able to change history and be there to celebrate with her that one special day when her life changed forever. I feel like this is yet another evidence of me choosing my future career and life goals and whatever over my family and friends and things that are actually important. Is this going to be who I am in life? That girl who really wished she could be there but was too busy doing things that actually don't matter? Just some food for thought. Yucky food like hairy meat or black bean sesame balls. I'm sad, guys. But I am still ridiculously excited for her and know that I will get over it.

Good! So I'll stop being such a bummer. On the awesome side of things, China is still awesome, and usually never fails to make me smile. I went to my first Nanjing University direct enrollment class yesterday! It took me an hour to get there because it's in a different campus in Nanjing, and I walked in completely terrified and sure that I was going to forget how to speak Chinese and then die. Other students started arriving, looking at me strangely and then whispering to each other. I attempted conversation but couldn't think of anything to say, confirming the former of my fears. And as more students came in staring at me, I was pretty sure that my face was going to burn off from embarrassment which would have confirmed the latter of my fears. Don't worry, I am still alive and can speak Chinese. But then the teacher walked in and made me feel much better. He was extremely welcoming to me specifically and asked me my name and where I was from. He had studied abroad in America previously and mentioned it a lot during class, looking at me like we were sharing a special secret. During the class break, he asked me if he was speaking clearly enough for me to understand. It was very comforting. After class, I conversed normally with the other students, walked around campus for a while, and got on the train back home. I didn't die! and my next class is closer and I have a friend in it so I am much less nervous. I can do this! I think I can I think I can.

Last Saturday morning, I finally made time to go out and get groceries, and I decided to go to Carrefour, which is the greatest Western influence in the whole of China. I bought spaghetti and broccoli and peanut butter and Doritos!

sooo good

 

Never before have I seen Doritos in China. It was basically the best trip ever. However, I had decided to treat myself to wearing short shorts and a tank top because I have been super awesome at keeping the honor code lately and felt like I deserved a tiny break. It was a Saturday so I wouldn't be a bad example of BYU because no one I knew would see me right? Wrong. The second I got to Carrefour, I ran into a member of the bishopric and two other older guys in the ward. Really? Really. We had just had a lesson on For the Strength of Youth the Sunday before, talking specifically about dress standards. Mega fail. And then later that day when I was going to pay my rent,

￥12,000 to pay rent with. Rollin in the Mao's

 I ran into a bunch of the BYU study abroad kids that had just arrived and were looking for a house. DOUBLE mega fail. I'm so bad at rules! Working on it.

I'm starting to get to know the neighborhood a lot better. I am almost a regular at a couple of places, and I'm riding my little scooter around everywhere. Some people are starting to recognize me in my building too. There's this little grandma lady that glares at me every time she sees me. I think some Chinese people are still really afraid of foreigners and will therefore not be my friends. I blame Chairman Mao and the cultural revolution. Not your best idea, sir.

That's all for now! I'm headed off to my second direct enrollment class. Wish me luck!

China pic of the day:

China comic book store. I had no idea they liked ET.