More of the local flavor...

Yum! Duck Head! 

Ok, so I didn't actually eat it, don't worry mom. I can hear her from here... "Amanda, you didn't!?!" 

But actually, duck head is a delicacy. You can order the bird without it for less. But then, you would not get the whole experience, would you?

Beauty

I had the opportunity to visit an elderly home near my hometown. The first picture is one of me visiting a bed-stricken woman. She loved taking pictures with foreigners. Totally made her day.

But I really want to write a little something about this second picture. She is only 55 years old and has Downs Syndrome. She loved to sing songs with use (note the song books we brought along- she really wanted a picture holding them.) 

She said something that struck me. She become very sad at one point during our visit. I caught her looking around at myself, a few other foreigners and young national students. She said, "I'm not beautiful. I want to be beautiful. I want long hair like you." 

I don't know why it affected me so much. Her room was, well, small, dirty, and cluttered. Her life consisted of a monotonous routine. Still, what struck me was her desire to be beautiful in the eyes of others. 

I wanted to say something to her, to let her know that I thought she was beautiful, but it was like my voice was gone. I could only think,  Wow, I can't believe it, everyone actually feels like this. 

I don't know why on earth it took me so off guard. My home here in the east, much like the U.S. is obsessed with image. I have heard my friends here complain that they are too fat, or too short, or not pretty enough. In every heart there is the longing to be loved, to be called beautiful. Its on the three-story billboards I see everyday, and in a small elderly home in dirty, on story flats. 

A new take on viable flavors

Chocolate, vanilla, Rocky Road, and pea? Yup- pea ice cream treats. Only to be topped off with blueberry Lays chips and Corn flavored frozen yogurt cups. If you think I am joking, I dare you to try the meat candy. Looks like chocolate, tastes like smoked beef. And if you are still hankerin for a good snack, try a lovely canned peanut drink and refresh your palette with crisp parsley gum. 

My version of "normal" flavors has totally flown out the door! To simply have the chip choices of ranch, bbq, and plain seems so closed-minded. There must be something about the Asian consumer that is more adventurous in trying new flavors. The realm of possibility is much wider here- and more creative. And by the way, the blueberry chips and parsley gum are fantastic, though the others I probably wont try again. 

Rule number 1: avoid standing liquid

This is the first in a series of blogs... probably a long and full series. I want to let you in on some of the totally normal things in my world!

First one: split pants. 

Diapers are not so normal here- letting children use an "outdoor toilet" is very much so. While this seems to violate every public sanitary norm I have, the logic makes sense, too. Why on earth would you want your child to sit in his own .... you get the picture. 

For this reason, one of the first rules I quickly adopted was to avoid standing liquid. You just never know if it is water... or something else. Do you think these would go over well in the U.S.? I heard that when children are learning to be potty trained, they start asking for their parents to "take them to the grass" rather than the indoor toilet. Well- it's closer usually!

the big day is here... i mean, almost

So, I am pretty excited that the longest election season ever is finally ending. The day of reckoning, if you will. Of course for me... it actually happens tomorrow, but whatever.

I recently had a conversation with one of my classmates about the election. He is from Russia. I was surprised how much he knew, and how much he didn't know- all at the same time.

For one, I admit that I rarely follow the elections of other countries. Rarely. But yet, I would say that he had obviously been paying attention. He also knew about how both candidates felt towards his home country. Ok, I was impressed. 

On the other hand, his entire basis for the election was one easy four-letter word: Bush. Either we would get more of Bush or a change. I mean, he's not that far off of how many Americans think of this election. 

In the end, it was a very enlightening conversation for me. I am immensely enjoying an "outsiders" view of America. The US sends a very loud message to the rest of the world. I haven't fully deciphered this matrix of communication and understanding, but I am very glad to have the opportunity to watch from here. This is a perfect time to get the "world's opinion" of the U.S. while we are in the spotlight with the election. It's just enlightening to see some from their perspective.