I've been in-transit in one form or another for the last week, so don't worry, I haven't actually fallen off the face of the earth. And I really appreciated all the emails waiting for me when I finally got online again -- thank you!!

So! The host fam appreciation dinner went beautifully. Ben and my families were at the same table and our host-moms spent the whole dinner gossiping in Chinese about the foods we like/don't like. At the end of the meal, my host mom sadly shook here head and informed me that Ben and I do not have similar eating habits, with the clear and ominous message that this does not bode well for the relationship. Eating and everything surrounding eating is extremely culturally important in China -- I made my counterpart's mother-in-law's day by overstuffing myself for fear she think her food is not delicious (she had looked ready to cry when I paused after two bowls of food). The slideshow went off without a hitch, to much clapping from each family whenever a photo of one of them popped up. Afterwards, we went out to KTV (kareoke) for a bumping good time before finishing off at our regular shaokao (chinese bbq) & beer place for cards and conversation late into the night.

On sunday night my host family took Ben and I out to dinner where we all toasted each other silly and they told me that my Chinese home is with them -- it was wonderful. Monday night I packed up my things and then we all spent one last evening at our regular spot, where the owners wished us luck and safe travels and thanked us for patronizing their business. My host family gave me a beautiful silk scarf, and this really great apron for whenever I can finally convince a Chinese friend to teach me to cook Chinese food instead of hospitably refusing my help in the kitchen. Saying goodbye was surprisingly hard despite nearly all of us definitely being ready to move on to our own places. I have some really great pictures with the whole family and especially the baby that I'll try to post soon.

At the hotel we received our LPI results (I inched my way into an Advanced Low score which I'm really happy about, though am not sure I really deserve), as well as air-filters and water purifiers. For two days we had fairly interminable meetings followed by long nights generally involving wine and 80s dance music (we won't all be back together again until january at the earliest). On Thursday we were officially sworn in by the Ambassador -- you can call me Volunteer Rush now, thank you very much. Over half of the group left for site right after swearing-in which was really rough on everyone. Between some of our closest friends leaving and goodbyes to all our language teachers and training site manager, I was not the only one crying.

Yesterday our bosses (who had been at the swearing-in ceremony) scooped us all up along with our baggage and we all piled onto the train for Gansu. This morning we said more big goodbyes, leaving Emily and the Rosses off in Tianxue, and Ben in Dingxi. We had sent a few bags in the baggage car to leave room on the train, but come to find that the bags are not actually on our train... Pierce and I are hoping that our backpacks show up tomorrow... mine had all my clothes in it, and I need them to layer up. It's already down into the 50s and even 40s at night here!

I finally got to see my apartment at long last. And it wasn't quite what I was expecting at first! I guess I'd just assumed it was identical to Pierce's which we'd seen, but little things I'd counted on like some cabinets and the beds were really different. I'm defintiely PMSing but the moment the door shut behind my counterpart teacher and my Waiban liason, I burst into tears. Don't worry! About 3 minutes later I found some old sheets to cut up and started scrubbing the place down, instantly feeling much better. I also hooked up the computer they provided me, and it has some music on it from the previous volunteer! I don't think I'd mentioned this, but my iPod was stolen about two months back and I've really missed having music around me. Even the small selection on the computer put a huge smile on my face and made the cleaning go more easily. I moved the furniture around and while I still have a long way to go before it's really homey, I'm really pleased and I think it's going to be super cozy before I'm done with it! I'll have internet in my apartment hopefully starting next week, so I should be able ot stay in much better touch than I know I've been doning lately.

My counterpart, who is a Chinese English teacher here who will sort of be my special go-to person for help and friendship, invited me over for a "simple meal" at her home and I had this really simple and delicious dinner crouched around the coffee table in her home with her in-laws and 5 year old daughter. It left me feeling so warm and much more at ease. My chinese is improving, but people in Gansu speak with a much clearer accent and are much easier for me to understand then in Chengdu with the Sichuan dialect. After dinner we walked around campus and the cool crisp weather felt all the world like October in Virginia. I think I'm going to really be happy living at this University. I'm feeling really good right now, and looking forward to shopping tomorrow, lesson-planning like a fiend on monday, and teaching starting on tuesday!

Now just as soon as they fix the broken window in my apartment and my sweatshirt shows up along with the rest of my clean underwear, I'll be right as rain.

love, kexin