大/小 熊猫 & etc

Sorry for the infrequency of posts lately; we've settled into a day-to-day routine and there is not much to report!

It's the rainy season here in China, and while there hasn't been much in the way of torrential downpours, we had pretty steady rain today. It's pretty discouraging to head out to class in, but we still managed to make it to our 2 favorite street vendors for food for lunch. I'm really going to miss that when I return to America.

Pete passed this article on to me this morning about Transformers and film propaganda in China. First off, Transformers definitely will be released here; we saw a poster advertising it at the cinema only yesterday. Its release date has been pushed back several weeks, however, and we are far from Beijing, so perhaps that has something to do with it. There are metallic Transformers icons on countless cars in this city, so it's obviously very popular here.

Also, I haven't really noticed much propaganda here, and I've been sort of surprised by that. I have seen a lot of rather scary fervor among a few 12 year old students I met awhile back, but the students in their 20s don't seem the same way. Our professors also have been very open minded, global thinkers - though perhaps their travel has something to do with it. And all of the subversion you hear about in articles like this ("May 35th" terminology) hasn't been very clear here, either. Again, we're not in Beijing, and I think things are different out here by Tibet. But it's still interesting.

Anyway, last Saturday was our trip to the Panda Research Center! I am not as obsessed with pandas as many of my friends are, but it was still a fun time. It was also my first time seeing the "red pandas," which I must say I liked much better - they're an adorable, fluffy cross between a fox and a raccoon. I mean, come on!

Unfortunately, my camera's batteries died at this part. I attempted a whole bunch of great shots of the red pandas, but my camera shut down as I took each one. I'll get the pics from a friend and add them later. :)

Finally, a pic of Reid and I at our Canadian friend Harry's house last Friday! His dad is a geologist for Shell (and therefore makes shit tons of money), and they live in an incredibly nice house here with a maid and driver on hand. I'll take pictures if we go back, it's unbelievable and nicer than many houses I've been to in the States.

We went there to go swimming on Friday - the weather was absolutely perfect, as was the water; after a nice relaxing swim (well, Aaron, Duncan, Reid, Harry and I swam; no one else wanted to for some reason) we headed back to Harry's for cheese and crackers (cheese and crackers!!!) and wine and watermelon and pasta and Fight Club and all sorts of deliciousness. Let me tell you, after an immensely relaxing pool endeavor, cheese and crackers and a few glasses of wine on a Friday night - especially when you haven't had cheese!! and crackers in such a long time - is simply sublime.

It may take you a moment to figure out exactly whose legs are whose, but I was a few glasses in by this point. Don't judge. :) (Here you go, Katie - your two favorite people! :P)

Being cozy with some wine on the window sill (This one's for you, Katie! <3)