Karen Goes To China: Midterms Week

It's Midterms Week... :(

Luckily, we had a bunch of fun activities last week that helped alleviate the pressure a little. The optional art classes started last week, beginning with Chinese Painting. There were two classes taught by an amazingly talented artist who showed us different techniques and then set us loose on our own work. Those two classes only reaffirmed the knowledge that am truly an untalented artist....

On Friday, there was Chinese Opera face painting and Chinese paper cutting. For the face painting, the guy showed us what the basic lines were for the face painting and then had us paint each others faces. It was really fun, but it took a lot of scrubbing to get off.

That evening, my Host Mom took me to Wangfujing, or the Night Market in Beijing. Most people have heard of it/seen pictures. It's the place that sells scorpions and sea horses to eat. I had psyched myself up all day to eat a star fish, but when I got there, I totally freaked out. I ended up just eating beef on a stick and the most delicious candy/fruit combo I've ever had.

Also, earlier in the week, Beijing was lucky enough to experience not 1, but 2 blue sky days IN A ROW. It was magic. I also worked on my domestic skills and learned how to bake a cake in a microwave. Most people in China don't have ovens, so everything has to be cooked in a microwave or stove top.

If you look carefully, right in the center of the photo (rising form the trees) is the famous temple from the Summer Palace. Blue Sky Days truly transform Beijing.

Dan's excellent job on my Chinese face painting halfway through. The scribble on my forehead is an interpretation of the Chinese character for Tiger (虎). The teacher went around and drew that on all our foreheads since none of us have that level of skill. All I could think of during this was the scene from Lion King when Rafiki paints Simba's forehead. Hahahahaha

The completed look of our painting. Dan (left) painted my face and I painted Dan's. I'm kind of proud of my handiwork.

Us with the teacher.

I felt ridiculous smiling with such a serious face painting.

Outside Wangfujing (the Night Market) was a giant Chinese Olympics jacket. Olympics fever is beginning to spread...

Tucked in between HUGE megatrons and sky scrapers is the entrance to Wangfujing.

Me at the entrance with some super creepy statues.

This is the market that is always on TV shows in the states. It is where you can buy scorpions and all other kinds of nasties.

More food put on display for foreigners. This is all a giant joke in China. Chinese people don't actually eat any of this. It exists to attract tourists and foreigners; the technique obviously works.