The Day of Food

Last night, Ivy told me that she was leaving for a day to go to a Model UN meeting and wouldn't be back until Monday.  She arranged for her friend, Tina, to stay with us to act as a translator between me and the parents.  This morning, I got up and I was given KFC and corn on the cob for breakfast.  I guess this is what they think Americans like for breakfast!

After breakfast, Tina and I met up with Agatha and Grace (Agatha's host sister) and we went to Grace's dad's friend's house.  It was really nice; complete with a home cinema, mini waterfall... and six bathrooms!  After a tour of the house, all of us kids went swimming in the local indoor pool.  Agatha and I befriended a six year old Chinese girl named Lily.  She was adorable and she could only say "What's your name?", "My name is", and "I love you" in English.  We played with her in the pool and afterwards we went out to lunch with everyone.

Lunch was an experience!  Agatha and I went crazy trying the most bizarre things on the menu.  Among many other things, we tried eel, pig kidney, fried pig skin, an entire crab, and jelly squares.

This is the bin of live eels. I ate one of those guys! 

We weren't brave enough to try one of these squirming frogs... 

 Here is the table full of exotic seafood!

This is the pig kidney that I ate. 

People say to try every type of food once, so Agatha and I have made it our mission to do just that!  It was not the most delicious meal, but luckily I brought plenty of American snacks that we were able to eat when we got home.

After lunch, Agatha came over to my house and we watched some Chinese TV.  Then we had dinner with mama, baba, Tina, and Polo (Ivy's 12 year old cousin).  After dinner, the family took me and Agatha out of our townhouse complex across the street to a mall and shopping center.  We went to a big Carrefour (which is like a Harris Teeter, CVS, and department store all in one) and I was able to get some Honey Nut Cheerios (no more KFC for breakfast!), Goldfish, gum, and coffee.  Then we went over to the 5-star hotel and they gave me a pamphlet of things to do in Shanghai!  Agatha and I decided that we are going to do everything on the list!  On our way home, baba bought us a Ruby Lemon Ade (it was like a pink lemonade) and a chocolate croissant from a little shop called "Paris Baguette". 

Tomorrow it is back to school!

xoxo

sar