The Last Days, Gladiator Style

This past, and last, week in Jinan has been spent doing the things I love most here, and, at the same time, doing whatever necessary to avoid beginning packing.

With my close friends, I have eaten one last time at my favorite restaurants. I have made final stops at our favorite DVD shops (adding to an already impressive collection). We've had movie nights, girle sleep overs with my favorite Stephanie, and played basketball in the dark deserted court yard.

Wednesday, two long term laowai (foreigner) fixtures at Aston, Gary and Tom, were granted the opportunity to compete in the Chinese version of the Gladiator TV show. We were all told to meet at Aston at a certain time, and expected to be simply sharing rides to the studio to watch the event.

Arriving at Aston, we found mounds of stuff waiting for us. Aston sweatshirts, huge signs, clappers, pom poms, whistles, and so much more were thrown at us. It was crazy, and so much fun! We headed as a group over to the Shandong Television Studio, where we watched the first event take place over a 2 hour period. 

Tired from the lights and slow moving take on the production, Stephanie and I headed with Josie, a chiense teacher at my Aston school, and her 3 chinese friends to a famous ourdoor chuar place in Jinan.

Here, I informed them that I wanted something so spicy that it would me my cry. And my wish was granted with the 'la hou' mutton - literally, 'burn your throat' spicy meat. Wow, it was great! We had a grea t night laughing with her friends, and practicing our chinese.

Tomorrow is my last full day of work. Though leaning more towards excitement, I still do have mixed emotions about leaving. It's always hard to leave an adventure behind, knowing it will soon fade into mere memories.

Packing will eb left to Sunday morning. I have most of it done, but, unfortunately, my suitcases seem to have shrunk somehow. Hmph. It must be the smog.