Cheers!

So here is an ethical dilemma: When Director of CCAA, high official of the government, host of my trip here, decides to have multiple “toasts” (read: horribly nasty shots) with you, do you accept? Well, I did and I have some brand new hair on my chest because of it. Here is the thing: In China everyone goes around the table and toasts each other and then you have to take a shot with them. If you don’t it is insulting. And everyone claps and cheers and then you have to start over again. Everyone wants to toast the children, then everyone wants to toast their friends in America, then everyone wants to toast the good food, then toast China, then toast Bethany, then toast …. You get the drift. It is a wonder they did not have to carry me back to my villa. At least this time I was smart enough not to eat fish or ox stomachs. I have to say we all had a fun dinner with some good food, some food that even the Chinese would not try. We had wonderful company and lots of laughter. Our interpreters are wonderful people who have a great sense of humor so we laughed a lot (at each other, at our cultures, and our stereotypes). Something good to know, in China they will twirl their finger near their ear to say they are thinking about something. (Not that someone is crazy, which is what I thought they were saying about me) Well my “servant” just brought my night time tea so I am going to grab a cup, change into my p.j.’s and read myself to sleep.