No Jesse today. Yesterday he went to play golf and we dropped him off on the way to the 120 center. We haven’t seen him since. We were supposed to pick him up after class, but he was already at the hotel and didn’t tell us this. He didn’t show at breakfast and when we all hopped into the 120 vehicle he wasn’t there either. The driver asked us where he was as best he could despite the language barrier and we just shrugged like a bunch of dumb white people! Pu had told General Dave that they were going to take us out to dinner tonight, so not having Jesse would be an issue unless we could steal an interpreter for the night. Stay tuned.
The day was all practice in the morning and testing in the afternoon. We kept on the mantra of let them teach each other, and it worked flawlessly. There were lots of questions to answer throughout, so it wasn’t like we were just standing around. I also got into a big discussion about some cultural differences between the US and China. In the US, doctors and paramedics can pronounce a person dead if they meet certain criteria. In China the only time resuscitation efforts can end is when the family says to. It doesn’t matter if there heart has been ripped from their body or if they have been dead for hours and are stiff, if the family wants something done, they do it. This can mean hours of CPR. I even had one doctor tell me that he did compressions on 2 people AT THE SAME TIME! I’m pretty sure they were ineffective. You can’t even sign a DNR (a document that states that if you go into cardiac arrest you don’t want any resuscitation efforts, for those that don’t know)! To us, it is odd. To the Chinese, it is perfectly acceptable. I asked the question, very diplomatically I might add, so someone who has no medical training can tell you, the doctor, that you can save them when there is absolutely no chance of this? Yes, otherwise family will sue. In the US they would certainly lose that one, but not in China. Family has all the power, despite the fact that they don’t have any idea what death really is. I even mentioned that there is tons of research into this, but it didn’t matter. That is just how it is here. Better get used to it!
The big news of the day was that I struck a deal to go to KFC for lunch! I already hit up McDonalds, now it was time for more American food! This was not a normal KFC though. Leo told us that McDonalds just has the menu that doesn’t change, but KFC is more progressive. If something isn’t selling, they change it. They listen to what the consumers want and constantly change the menu. This gave KFC in China a decidedly Chinese menu. Sure, you can get original recipe chicken that actually tasted exactly like it does back home. But the mashed potatoes do not. They were actually quite gross, and we all agreed on that. The gravy was runny and just not good. The menu also hosted a few seafood items. What does seafood have to do with chicken?? I suppose if you ask Jessica Simpson, chicken of the sea might qualify! There was a shrimp ‘burger’, cod pieces and various other oddities. They did have a New Orleans style bbq sandwich that actually was pretty tasty. So, outside of the chicken itself, nothing was the same. Including the sizes. In America we are used to super sized everything. In China it is micro sized everything! The mashed potatoes were in a container that is maybe the size of 2 shots! We received one piece of chicken as part of a meal, and I had to go back for more. No wonder there isn’t a weight problem here! When it tastes so good, how can you say no to more? Leo even picked up the tab for all of us. The generosity is astounding.
So they took us to dinner again. And yes, they actually got close to getting one of us drunk. Me. I say close because it was. I did not get drunk, and it was as much an effort on my part as it was my fellow Americans, Paula and General Dave. I am writing this from my room with a good buzz and also devouring chocolate Oreo’s that the General bought me several days ago. I just finished skype-ing with Jenn and filling her in on the days events. I really miss her, and every opportunity to see her smile I cherish. Those that have seen that smile know that it is special, and if you don’t agree I don’t care because I think so and it is my blog!
Back to the dinner. It wasn’t the best dinner we have had, but it was good. We all had to have the snake, and I got a really good picture of Paula eating it. Snake is good. I have had it once before, but this time was different. Last time, it was ok. This time it was MAGNIFICENT. I don’t know if everything tastes better in China or that they just know what they are doing when they cook it, but food rocks here. The snake was some of the best food that I have had, here in China or back home. I want to eat it again. Soon. Because of the fact that I made a fool of several Chinese, including Dr. Ho and Dr. Miao, (that is correct spelling now) I am now a target on the subject of alcohol. So, they attacked me with a fury not seen before in the Chinese, not even during the cold war! And yes, Jesse was with us, and there was nothing he could do – or so he says!
Chinese wine, or really liquor, is disgusting to me. Those that know me well know that I don’t drink liquor, I drink beer. I tried to do this exclusively tonight. They don’t care to understand that fact. Several times I was challenged to drink a ‘cocktail’. This cocktail consisted of beer, red wine and the previously mentioned horrible Chinese wine. So the beer here is ok, the wine is good but the Chinese wine is gross. That fact alone made this cocktail wretched. It tasted like pure gasoline. The Chinese liquor alone made me want to vomit, but together it was worse. The pictures will tell you. I don’t know how I made it through. Shockingly, I held my own, and maybe even did Americans everywhere proud. Ok, let’s not go that far! But I did survive the incident, despite the best efforts from our hosts. My liver is crying uncle!
The Oreo’s and plenty of water are doing wonders for this. I now feel as if I can go to bed with no ill effects. It is a shame I must get up in less than 5 hours….
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