Ni hao, everyone!!

It is hard to believe, but it is my third day in Xi’an, China!  We are 12 hours ahead of you back home on the East Coast.  For this first post, I will largely be posting pictures with a few quick stories.  I feel the jet lag hitting me today, and want to take a quick nap before dinner this evening.

I am teaching at Shaanxi Normal University – there is an old campus… and the new campus.  The new campus is unbelievable.  Really large modern buildings.  Here is the library.

 

I begin teaching on Monday.  Yesterday (Friday), I met one of my graduate students named Winnie.  We had lunch together.  She ordered me pig meat and noodles…and it was absolutely delicious.  Just the right amount of heat.  I ordered a water, and was given this orange soda.  I don’t typically drink soda, but this hit the spot!

It has been humbling to be somewhere that I don’t speak the language, and also can’t read the characters.  This little card is both amusing, and a life saver!  If lost, please return me to…

 

Our hotel is lovely.  In a separate post I will dedicate an entry to lunch at the hotel restaurant today.  A few of us went there without our Chinese graduate students (they have been SO HELPFUL!), and ordering lunch was hilarious (and ultimately, delicious).

This morning, our entire group went to the Ancient City Wall of Xi’an.  It spans 8 miles.  It was truly a meeting of old and new.  At many points on the wall there were people playing instruments and practicing tai chi– the people watching was just as fun as viewing the wall and city views.  Many people asked to take pictures with me. 🙂

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That’s all for today.  I’ll write more later on.  I am about to take a quick nap before dinner!

Kristin