Today we had the chance to spend the entire day with our host families! This is our last full day with them before we leave Quzhou tomorrow to go to Beijing. Instead of meeting as a group at the school, we spent quality time with our Chinese host family. I'm sure each of the families did something different, so I will only be writing about my experience.
After a well-deserved morning of sleeping it, my host mom made me a delicious breakfast to start the day. Later, they took me out to eat for lunch. We ate at a really nice restaurant downtown that served boiling soup dishes. Each of us had our own bowl lit by a fire underneath, and the waitress would bring different kinds of vegetables and meats that we could cook in our soup. I've never eaten a soup-stew-style lunch before, but it was probably one of the best meals I've had on the trip so far.
After lunch, they took me to the heart of downtown Quzhou to do some shopping. I bought my parents' gifts and other things for myself (a.k.a. shoes). Downtown Quzhou has so many nice stores that it was hard for me to choose where to go next! You can pretty much buy anything in one of the many shops here. Of course I couldn't walk through town without being stared at, but I'm used to it by now and I don't think any of us mind anymore (after all, we're celebrities here.) I really enjoyed shopping together as a family, especially because they gave me helpful advice on where to buy the best (and cheapest) goods. My host parents even helped me bargain and they saved me a lot of money!
Later we went to a fresh produce market to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner. My host mom let me choose what vegetables I wanted to eat and bought fresh fish for me. Seeing the live fish be killed right in front of me was a little disturbing, but it still ended up tasting really good. After I savored my last home-cooked dinner in Quzhou, my family and I relaxed at home just to enjoy each other's company. We played card games, watched American movies (with Chinese subtitles, of course) and chatted with each other about American and Chinese culture.
I can't believe this is the last full day in Quzhou. Even though we've only been here for a few days, I really feel like I've adjusted to the culture. I'll admit that on the first night, I was a little home sick. I was apprehensive about eating the food, and it took me a while to get used to a new setting. However, now I find myself asking my host mom for seconds and can talk to my host buddy like she's my sister. My host family's hospitality was amazing, and they did everything they could to make me feel like I was at home. I'm so glad I got the chance to spend the day with them today. Most of our buddies have final exams tomorrow and the rest of this week, so you can imagine how busy and stressed they are. However they all took the time to accommodate us and give us the best possible experience in Quzhou, and we're all so grateful to have been their guests. I only wish I could have more time with them. It will be hard to say our final goodbye tomorrow, but I know I will definitely keep in touch with them.
Tomorrow we will have our last day at school and say goodbye to the students and teachers, who have given us a warm welcome throughout the entire trip. Then off to Beijing!
再见 Quzhou!
-Takiyah
After a well-deserved morning of sleeping it, my host mom made me a delicious breakfast to start the day. Later, they took me out to eat for lunch. We ate at a really nice restaurant downtown that served boiling soup dishes. Each of us had our own bowl lit by a fire underneath, and the waitress would bring different kinds of vegetables and meats that we could cook in our soup. I've never eaten a soup-stew-style lunch before, but it was probably one of the best meals I've had on the trip so far.
After lunch, they took me to the heart of downtown Quzhou to do some shopping. I bought my parents' gifts and other things for myself (a.k.a. shoes). Downtown Quzhou has so many nice stores that it was hard for me to choose where to go next! You can pretty much buy anything in one of the many shops here. Of course I couldn't walk through town without being stared at, but I'm used to it by now and I don't think any of us mind anymore (after all, we're celebrities here.) I really enjoyed shopping together as a family, especially because they gave me helpful advice on where to buy the best (and cheapest) goods. My host parents even helped me bargain and they saved me a lot of money!
Later we went to a fresh produce market to buy ingredients for tonight's dinner. My host mom let me choose what vegetables I wanted to eat and bought fresh fish for me. Seeing the live fish be killed right in front of me was a little disturbing, but it still ended up tasting really good. After I savored my last home-cooked dinner in Quzhou, my family and I relaxed at home just to enjoy each other's company. We played card games, watched American movies (with Chinese subtitles, of course) and chatted with each other about American and Chinese culture.
I can't believe this is the last full day in Quzhou. Even though we've only been here for a few days, I really feel like I've adjusted to the culture. I'll admit that on the first night, I was a little home sick. I was apprehensive about eating the food, and it took me a while to get used to a new setting. However, now I find myself asking my host mom for seconds and can talk to my host buddy like she's my sister. My host family's hospitality was amazing, and they did everything they could to make me feel like I was at home. I'm so glad I got the chance to spend the day with them today. Most of our buddies have final exams tomorrow and the rest of this week, so you can imagine how busy and stressed they are. However they all took the time to accommodate us and give us the best possible experience in Quzhou, and we're all so grateful to have been their guests. I only wish I could have more time with them. It will be hard to say our final goodbye tomorrow, but I know I will definitely keep in touch with them.
Tomorrow we will have our last day at school and say goodbye to the students and teachers, who have given us a warm welcome throughout the entire trip. Then off to Beijing!
再见 Quzhou!
-Takiyah