Xie Xie peng You Men (Thank you Friends)

This week has been a little like the Muppet movies. I go around, make friends, meet people, and then in the end we get together again, see all my friends, and sing songs. I am Kermit, but chubbier. Sitting here in Beijing, I left Changsha this morning, I can take the opportunity to write the last entry into my China Blog thanking my friends and teachers for a wonderful experience in China. (And also Hannah for letting me come and being my China coach). It is another world, with different rules and a greatly different culture. But it is also a fun one with very friendly and hospitable people.

My send off was great, I was as usual running around last minute take care of things, packing, buying presents, and seeing all my friends. Really beginning on Tuesday, but after Friday till now was non-stop. I went out with the fancy government friends on Friday for dinner, then had a party in the dorms with the Japanese guys. Then Saturday went to buy Hunan embroidery ( the area is famous for it) and sang karaoke for only the third time this week. At night my only Chinese hippy friend who goes by the name Li Xiao Long (Bruce Lee's Chinese name) took Henry, Shou, and I out to a dance bar. The music was terrible, but it was the first time I say some gay men in public, they were all getting down. There was a particular feeling of newness and excitement of a clubs in a small town like Changsha.

Then Sunday I packed and my Chinese teacher took me and Henry to eat Mongolian hotpot (if I only knew earlier how good was I be fatter when I came home), then packed some more. At night, I took Henry, Shou and their families, as well as Peng Lei, my translator, to dinner at the famous La Jiao Chao Rou. It is a local restaurant without a name, so people call it by it's famous dish, fried peppers and meat. Peng lei asked me what am I feeling now. I replied " I am feeling as good as one can be now, I made some very good friends, learned allot, had some wonderful experiences, but I am ready to go home because I miss my wife." Henry then ask, " Do you mean you miss your Beijing wife or your Jewish Wife?"

This morning my government friends picked me up in the government car, a black Honda, all my friends came to send me off, I felt like a real politician, shaking hands and kissing babies. It felt great to see all my friends come to send me off, a little like a parade.

I was also thinking what is great about Chinese friends is how seriously they take friendship, too seriously sometimes. (And also my wai guo friends here, maybe luck or maybe learning from Chinese or both). Chinese people are never alone and are always helping each other (and sometimes cheating each other if you do not know them). Yes, my experience was a fantasy world, but what was real was how people did really help me out and were into being friends. Certainly people were interested only because I am American, a Wai guo ren, Jewish, and have a big nose. But also they like to talk, I like to talk, and I am that chubby happy guy that makes everyone laugh. I can't be too complex in Chinese, so I am left with corny jokes.

Tomorrow off to the United States. Thank you and goodnight.