Things I learned this month

1. There is no difference between a hard sleeper and a soft sleeper...they are both hard
2. Chinese trains have electric plugs for your computer but only on the aisle row.
3. I no longer fear cars when I bike...this is really bad
4. Chinese citizens fear and cheat their own government. Taxi drivers run the meter for friends to get tax deductions. Restaurant owners give free drinks instead of receipts so they don't have to report the service. Yet, it's controlled defiance. to be able to do good and bad is the basis of personal freedom and I think the Chinese government knows this so they give people the illusion they need. Perhaps in cheating the government out of little things, the people feel a sense of guilt and fear...hence there are no greater forms of dissension within the masses. Someday, when I'm old, I will write more on my views.
5. I can easily get fat here and easily get lung cancer.

Xian

Since I've been back, I've felt a sense of urgency to travel. I realize that I haven't traveled enough so I went to Xian with Paul...or rather...he went with me. Paul is one of the new foreign teachers from Manchester. He has a very heavy accent so sometimes, it is hard for me to understand him but never-the-less, I was pleased to have his company.

I guess I should insert here that we have three new teachers: Paula from Manchester, David from the US, and Taj from Tianjin. They are all relatively young and unattached (by this, I mean not married) so it's nice.

Anyways, Paul and I did the traditional Xian tour...terracotta warriors, goose pagoda, Muslim quarters, and the wall (one of the only remaining city walls). I was surprised by how accurate online information was concerning buses to and from various places. Now that I have more experience planning/traveling, I think I will have to do more in the future.

Above are some pictures and below is a video from the trip....next up Shanghai, Beijing, and hopefully Qingdao/Guilin.

Nostalgia

Nostalgia overwhelms me today as I walk around my neighborhood. The scent of fallen rain fills me with distant memories of puddle-soaked pants and sugar drips down my arm as I lick my red-bean popsicle. Winter is ending and all too soon pink flowers will blossom in the trees but little Chinese girls pick at frozen streaks of snow...prolonging the season a little longer. I wish grandfather was alive to see me...back...here...in his homeland.

Yi Er Shan

The soldiers march left and right
Young boys with eyes so bright
An old women comes running by
Shouting that the soldiers must all die
Boy 1 looks at Boy 2 and 3
No one here is really free
So the old women disappears
Between boys marching in pairs.

Walking

Yesterday I saw a man walking home slowly...taking in the scenery as he went. Perhaps he has no one to return to or pehaps, like me, he was avoiding the inevitable meeting of "other people". Either way, for a brief moment I felt myself a part of his individuality and I rejoiced in being both singular and plural at once.

I got in....

I got my first acceptance offer! Here's the email from the Dean:

I wanted to speak with you directly—but the most important thing—I want you to come to Utah. The University of Utah MD/PhD has accepted you. We will send the letter to your home address. We want to be fair to others who would like to come—we want you to make a decision by a certain time (defined in the letter).

Tell me what you need from me so that you will accept the University of Utah’s offer. What are your thoughts? How do you think about where you should go? I am happy to skype with you—or give me a number and I am happy to call you. I want to know how you are thinking about it. I KNOW that you will be part of a a remarkable class..

Finally—if you don’t accept—I am gonna take it out on your wonderful baby sister :)

America

The US embraced me like a beautiful dream. It was everything I had imagined...coffee/ice cream with friends, Chano's, Catch Phrase, Denny's at midnight, strolls along Wasatch Blvd...Yet, interlaced between the familiar were new cities, new people, and new possibilities...I met the first guy I have ever kissed, I finally got to see Mayo, I learned to ski better, and like I imagined...it all felt surreal.

Thank you to my friends who welcomed me (and in many cases hosted me). Thank you America for reminding me what I have. I am glad it was so surreal that I can fool myself into believing it was all a dream...it makes coming back so much easier.