Just the higlights

Well I went to Lily’s wedding and that was interesting. Chinese weddings are very quick and very strange. First the MC announces himself and comes out with everyone applauding. Then he has a bit of a monologue. Then the bride and groom come out and they do this bit of a show. It was very bizarre. At one point I felt like I was in a bad Chinese sitcom or some kind of talk show. There was the constant rise and fall of laughter and clapping. I just clapped along but had no clue of what was going on. Plus I was so hungry I had no intention of wanting to know what was going on. Then after they do that, they do this bit with a red dunce cap. Then the food comes out. Everyone has their fill and then they all get their coats and start to leave. The entire thing from start to finish took 2 hours. Blinked and you would have missed it. However, I got some lovely parting gifts. I don’t like Chinese wine but there were 2 bottles on each table so I took one. It was a very good brand and does make the difference. Plus I got 2 packs of cigarettes, which were also on the table. I was the only smoker so I lucked out. Angela and myself also got a plate of candies each. When the food finally arrived, it was both interesting and very good. When we were leaving we all saw the strangest thing. People were putting the left over food from their table, and in some cases from other tables, in plastic bags. And I’m not talking like individual zip-lock bags or anything like that. I’m talking about your regular everyday run of the mill grocery bag. And they are just putting any and everything that was left on the table in that bag. So when you look at the bag, it’s just a mess of gravy and meat and dumplings and all kinds of stuff that would now be classified as gross. It was disturbing.
Anyway, the week that followed flew by and I was busy doing all kinds of things but then on Friday after I got my morning dumplings at my favourite place, I didn’t feel right in the stomach. As it turns out, I got food poisoning….. yet again. I think this is my third time now. The first time was the worst. Anyway, by Friday night I wasn’t doing so good. I was up most of the night and spent the entire day in bed on Saturday. Seeing as this has happened before, I knew exactly what to do to feel better soon. After a good night sleep on Saturday, plenty of fluids and eventually a good meal, by Sunday morning I felt better. Now this week has been going by quickly and then next week is Christmas. I still have to buy my present for my secret Santa person and I have to buy something for our potluck on Christmas day. Luckily we have Christmas day off and the school will be taking us out for dinner tomorrow, so that should be good. Matty stix may or may not be going on a trip this weekend but if he does, I’ll be working his Sunday classes for him this weekend. Then exactly a week after Christmas is my birthday and I don’t know what the plan is or what I want to do but I have to start thinking. I know on my birthday we’ll be going to the Brazilian restaurant for dinner but for New Year’s Eve I don’t know the plan. I want to do something. It’s my last new years in China. I guess I’ll have to see how the flow goes.
In other news, Angela and Roy are expecting (congratulations to them) but because of this, they have decided to cut their contract short and go back home at the end of this semester to have their child. This leaves the school in a very difficult position because now they have to unexpectedly find 2 teachers to fill those spots and the 2 teachers would most likely have to be a couple because there would be no room otherwise. Somebody has to tell me what happens.
TTFN