My First Chinese Holiday

So this Sunday was 中秋节(zhong qiu jie) or mid-autumn festival. It was quite the ordeal and was really fun. For the past month there have been people everywhere selling mooncakes. Mooncakes are these little round bread things that are filled with stuff. The filling can be pretty much anything. So far I've eaten a green tea mooncake, a red tea mooncake, a white lotus mooncake, a sesame mooncake, a coconut mooncake, and a bite of an unknown mooncake. The filling is generally kind of a jelly-like consistency but more just like a mashed up something. The taste is definitely different and some are better than others. I liked the white lotus mooncake the best, but it is still something I would not eat everyday.
In China this holiday is generally a three day break and they compare it to our Thanksgiving in how big of a deal it is. Families are supposed to get together and eat food, mooncakes, drink alcohol, and enjoy the moon. Sunday night my roommate and I and four other people went to a big shopping street that is a pedestrian only street. At night the buildings are lit up. The combination of the lights and the crowds of people because it was a holiday made me feel like I was at Disneyland, along with the mickey ears and minnie mouse ballons that could be spotted frequently. We went there and ate some dinner at a very nice restaurant. Afterwards my roommate and I did some shopping, watched fireworks, took pictures, and enjoyed laughing together. There were a lot of people that were lighting these wishing lamps that had a flame at the bottom so the lamp would float like a hot-air ballon. After hanging out watching fireworks my roommate and I took a taxi back to the campus and bought ourselves some mooncakes. We ate the mooncakes in our room and watched a little TV while I studied. I had school the next day so I had to go to bed earlier than she did. :(

This weekend I was able to get out and see a lot more of the city. I didn't understand how big this city actually is. I've spotted my first and second Mcdonald's so far. I've also seen their Wal-mart. They have a lot of Russian stores here and a lot of Russian looking buildings. I'm looking forward to exploring the expance of the city and finding all the fun places to go and see. The weather is starting to get a little cooler here already. It's cool in the mornings and evenings, but still in the seventies during the middle of the day. We get thunder storms pretty often here, and by that I mean we've had maybe three or four since I've been here. I'm taking a calligraphy class now, and that's been really fun. So far I've only learned how to make a dot :) I like my roommate alot and as my ability to communicate increases we are able to bond more and more. Classes are still pretty challenging, but I've decided it's good for me.
I think that's all I've got for now. I love you and miss you all!!

Nicole