23:20, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013
0700: up for breakfast with Karmen and Clara. We buy asian pancake hamburgers for on the go. It's very nice and very cheap. The weather is freaking colder and windier each day.
0800: Class. Speaking class shows my horrendous Chinese skills, to the point that I don't give a shit anymore. At least the teacher is very nice. Writing teacher just spoke gibberish again to me and was boring as heck. It's hard to keep up. Not only because of the new vocab, but because it takes ages for the new words to sink in. I should probably study more. I'm trialing the lower class tomorrow.
1200: Me, Karmen, Clara and Shirley go for lunch, noodles at a canteen. I order myself again, though I only say 2 words.
1230: Shirley introduces us to sweet potato chips, which me and Karmen kind of like. Then we find out you can pay by meal card (we have too much money on it) and we suddenly buy it like crazy. We get addicted for the rest of the day.
1300: We go to Wumei to buy some more shit. We discover a part at the back that we have not seen, it sells very cheap clothes/accessories/crap/etc. which is awesome. I buy some socks because they were cheap and had cool patterns, as did Shirley and Clara. I also buy some earmuffs because I dearly need them, not just because they look cute. Then I buy a tape measure and a pair of overalls which were 15yuan on sale. They look pretty ugly somehow, I think there's too much fabric that makes it look childish, so I'm planning to cut it to become a pinafore.
1500: After going back to the dorm for a break, we go to Wudaokou again for shopping (the four of us, Karmen's plans though). It is warm and as cute asian clothes, but prices are too meh for me. Even though I need some new ones desperately. Karmen buys a beanie and we walk some more and go back. We may return another day when there's less of us.
1700: Karmen has to meet her parents for dinner, so I go to my room to do homework. I end up browsing the net, and I text Henry for dinner.
1800: I end up following Henry, Katie, and Alise, who follow Daniel Ge, who invited Aaron, Jordon, Theresa, Doug, Alex, and lots of other people for Peking Duck. 15 altogether. We get to Wudaokou and get lost, because Daniel doesn't actually know the place. We walk inside a building three times because we're unsure; someone finally just goes into a restaurant and books seats, but then we find out that the place is across the road. The waiter looks depressed.
1930: I check my phone and realise Karmen called one hour ago. Apparently her parents couldn't come so she called to have dinner with us. I feel like shit because my phone was on silent. :'(
2000: The meal is ok. People are ok. Beer was nice. Obvious split between whites and asians (personalities) and it because more obvious with a drinking game. I feel awkward because I want to join it, but can't; but I also don't want to join in, because I feel bad for all of my asian friends, although I half resent them. It's complicated.
I see a girl from my Chinese class (who moved up) called Perling there and she and I click very, very well. It's great. Probably the greatest achievement of tonight. It kind of sucked near the end, but I don't regret going out. Which is good. I feel sorry for Karmen though. Although she also didn't miss much. Hmmm.
2130: We finally leave. I head home.
Alcohol loosens up your mind, and let's you laugh freely. It's nice, I just wish the people I want to share moments with the most were there with me to make a good one.