Sept 8, 2007 (by Jess)

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday I had 2 classes, because one had been rescheduled from Thursday. When I came into my second class, there was the excited murmur of “oooohhh…” that follows Americans everywhere, and then a low repeating whisper of “jessica…jessica…jessica.” This impressed me because it was my first time teaching this class, and I hadn’t even introduced myself yet. Following this was a low murmur of “brad…brad…brad.” This surprised me even more because they apparently already knew that I was related to him. At the end of class, when I asked them if they had any questions about me, they asked if I could talk about my relationship with Brad! I don’t know what it is that caught their eye…perhaps his size and amazing good looks?…but they have noticed Brad. After class, students asked me if Brad would play soccer with them, if Brad would come to their sports meetings, and if I ever ran with Brad around the playground? It was very funny, and Brad got a kick out of it when I told him later. In addition, it was funny because the student asking a lot of the questions chose “Forrest Gump” for his English name.

Otherwise, yesterday was date night. Brad and I went out to Walmart which is right next to a giant mall. In front of the mall was a huge musical fountain shooting water into the air, and lit by colored lights. Inside the mall it is at least four stories. From top to bottom in the middle of the mall are waterfalls running down glass, lit with white lights. From the ceiling hang giant round balls (like Christmas ornaments) covered in all varieties of bright flowers. Each floor in connected by glass-sided escalators, with brightly colored flowers filling the entire area between the pairs of escalators. The first floor had red tulips between all of the escalators! The mall had most of the same kinds of stores you would find in the U.S., including Nike, Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, jewelry, winter coats, KFC, and more. Afterward, we went over to Walmart and found tuna, peanuts, raisins, relish, maonnaise, peanut butter, bananas, milk, sugar, water, lightbulbs, and Mr. Muscle. We already have eggs, oatmeal, honey, jelly, and bread, so we are learning to make our American favorites for breakfast and lunch to balance all of our Chinese dinners.

After Walmart, we got into a taxi, thinking that the driver understood our broken Chinese as we told him where we wanted to go. Instead, he turned and went the opposite direction! Brad started waving his arms and the driver tried to get him to write in Chinese where he wanted to go. But Brad and I can’t write Chinese of course! After parking and turning on his 4 ways (in the middle of the road), the driver did a u-turn in the middle of the highway, and Brad had to point the way back home. It was funny as the driver kept muttering in Chinese and Brad kept trying to tell him the number of yuan in Chinese. It was comical ride, but we made it home okay.

Today was “Teacher’s Day,” so the kids brought us both fruit baskets and cards to thank us for teaching. The baskets have grapes, bananas, plums, watermelon, pears, oranges, and apples in them, to add even more variety to our diets! So we are getting on well. I hope you are doing well in the U.S! Today we are off to People’s Park to spend the afternoon walking around the park and shops. Talk to you later!

Love, Jessie (and Brad)