So, we've been very busy lately. On Saturday, we went to Nanjing Road (Nanjing Lu in chinese) to go shopping. But, first we went to the Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bo Wu Guan)and saw many exhibits of Chinese culture and art. Then we walked around a bit in the People's Square (Renmin Guangchang) and went to the Park Hotel for lunch. Supposedly, it used to be the best hotel in all of Shanghai...I wonder what's changed. Lunch was very nice, and then we went to the Bund (Waitan) where the river is and all of the modern architecture that is characteristic of Shanghai is. After the Bund, we walked with Luo Laoshi to Nanjing Lu to do some shopping. At first we stayed on the main road and went into some of the shops we were familiar with like French Connection, Levi's, and Puma, but things were really expensive. Then, while we were walking, we spotted a back alley (with Lizz's help) and Julius, Calvin, Lizz, and I stood awkwardly in front of it in the middle of the busy street looking down the alley. Luo Laoshi asked us what we were doing, and if we could decide where we wanted to go. Pretending we didn't know what was in the back, we asked if we might just walk and look. Reluctantly he agreed and we walked down the back alley where there were many random people sitting around looking at us, making food in these very strange conditions. Then, we stumbled upon some stores that sold the standard pirated movies, knockoff bags, watches, and shoes. We walked up the stairs and Lizz began to bargain for some DVDs. At first I was surprised at how assertive she was, but eventually I learned to bargain well.

Throughout the day, we went into various back alley stores, wandering down wet and dank passages, around corners, and into "secret rooms" where the best of knockoffs were kept. We bargained for hours, and eventually I bought a few things at my price (though I guess I was sort of ripped off on my new bag...it was 260 kuai but I really liked it). Bargaining is my new favorite activity.

On Sunday, I got my roomate. She showed up around 2 in the afternoon and it was really awkward at first. Lizz was called into the lobby to meet her roomate first, so Calvin and I came with her and waited in the lobby. Once it got crowded, the two of us sat outside and waited. Our roomates seemed to come very late, and "Sally" (Hu Cheng Di) came with her mother in a cab and pulled up right in front of me on the stairs. They seemed to look at me very funny, and Sally seemed a bit nervous. She walked into the building and Wu Laoshi said "Olivia, she is your roomate." So, we had our awkward introduction and went to an informational meeting with her mother. Then, her friend "Tracy" (Bonita's roomate) came with us and we walked around campus. The two girls are basically inseperable and even now they are sitting in my room talking...after curfew and room checks, nonetheless.

There has been a bit of drama with my roomate and her friend even so far, but actually tonight, things have been better since Sally sent me a very cute e-mail saying she was very happy to be my "room partner" and wants to become best friends. I guess that helps for now, I think even though things have been kind of rocky, this may be manageable. However, I think talking to her in very standard and clear English makes me talk (and even write) in very awkward language.

However, tonight I had some difficulty. I was talking to Julius as we walked to play volleyball about how much I want to come home. It seems like I always think about home, when I will come home, etc. I keep a calendar in my notebook and cross off days and count how many I have left. I keep looking forward to the next day, the next activity, etc. Right now I'm simply looking forward to the weekend, then after that we go to Beijing for the weekend without our roomates...but then when we go back, we have homestay in our roomate's house for two weeks. That will be especially difficult, and I'm not looking forward to that. But then, the last week, I will have freedom alone in my dorm, preparing to come home. I can't wait. Maybe 5 more weeks isn't that long, but it feels like an eternity.

That was a long post for tonight!