#2012.08.23

Since it's Joanna and my last few days here, her family treated us (and Steven!) to some ramen. It was pretty far from Nanshijiao, and we had to transfer lines to get there. We met up with Steven outside of the station and then... got lost.

None of us were familiar with the area (I forgot what the name was, I'm sorry!) and so we were pacing through a night market asking directions. I'm glad the people I was with are fluent. I know I would've had trouble asking for directions!

A random break in storytelling to just inject some culture. My Chinese isn't the best, but whenever I ask for help in my fragmented speech, people will earnestly try to help me. I've heard plenty of stories from family and friends alike where someone might be asking a driver at a red light how to get somewhere, and that driver will actually let you hop in the car and gt a ride for free. Me being a defenseless tourist, I wouldn't do that, personally, but it's a nice gesture all the same. I guess it's not the safest way to go about things, but I hear it as a favor more than as some mugging attempt or something of the sort. Whenever I was here with my parents and they asked for help, everyone will try to help and point us in the right direction. Funnily enough, a lot of the times, their directions will completely contradict each other's. I guess it's the thought that counts.

Anyways, by some miracle of other family members showing up and escorting us (we were pretty lost), we made it to the place. I do have to add I was a bit envious that everyone could speak Chinese fluently; mine was the worst of the group. I'm glad Joanna and Steven were both there to help me out.

I took a few places of the ramen place, but nothing else.

Looking into the restaurant.

It was already pretty late (Joanna and I sleep a lot, so we didn't really get up until it was about dinner time...) and Steven just headed home. We went back and lounged around like we usually do!