Teacher's Day Dinner

So apparently teacher's day is a big deal here. Because they give us the day off. And the government treats everyone to dinner at a fancy restaurant, and then we have a program to say thank you to all the teachers.

Well... a picture is worth a thousand words, and I took a LOT of pictures that night. So rather than try to describe everything, which would take a great deal of time... I will give you a visual tour of our dinner, with maybe an occasional explanation :)

We dressed up fancy. This is right before we left, standing in front of the school. 

Anna, Emma and Megan, almost ready to go!

Apple, Megan Elizabeth and Rachel once we got to the restaurant. 

 So Chinese people have this thing about the peace sign, they do it all the time in photos. We're gradually picking it up. Also. Apple is so funny. I love that girl. She is one of the Chinese teachers we work with, and she speaks very good English.

Emma, Sandy and Anna

 Yes. The whole meal was eaten with chopsticks. And those things they are holding were the first course... they tasted almost like dinner rolls. But they had this filling... super yummy.

This is how everything was eaten. Just take it out of the middle!

Emma and some shrimp. 

Yes. Eyeballs still intact. 

 I guess the good thing about getting food like this is that you always know exactly what you are getting before you eat it.

Duck Feet. 

 Kinda disappointing in their... non exotic flavor. But they weren't bad. Not something I'd ask for everyday though.

Anna ate a duck foot!

I dropped mine right as she took the picture.

But I picked it back up and ate it. Yum Yum!

Not sure what this is. Wasn't the best.

Fish anyone? This made me think of you Uncle Dave.

Elizabeth was working up the nerve.... 

Very yummy. And I mean it. 

 This salad thing was so good. It was warm, and had these fishball things in it. With water chestnuts and celery and carrots. I very much enjoyed it.

Soup.

 Soup here usually looks like dirty water. And is kinda bland. This one was good though. Made from coconut and ribs I think.... mostly you just drink the broth.

Jane passing the coconut juice. 

 The coconut juice wasn't really sweet. I didn't really like it. That brown stuff in my cup: is Apple Vinegar. It was heavy on the apple, and light on the vinegar... it burned as it went down, and I'm not entirely sure that it was good for me to drink. An experience I'd like to avoid in the future.

She did try it!

I think we decided that this was Lilly Root. Interesting texture. 

 One of my least favorite.

Chinese Cabbage. We eat this a LOT. I love it. 

I think this was... pork? With pineapple. Very good.

They just kept bringing more and piling it higher. 

Watermelon for dessert!

The watermelon was delicious and tasted just like home! Apple couldn't believe it when I told her that my family grows watermelon in our back yard. Sh thought that was crazy.

I tried at least one bite of everything. Most of it was delicious. And Dad, I'm happy to report that the Mandarin is almost authentic. It felt like eating at the Mandarin, only in Bountiful the flavors are all more intense. Food here isn't as... forceful? I don't want to call it bland, because it all is flavorful, but just in a different way. And things here aren't as sweet. They generally don't like foods as sweet as we do in America.

Eating in China is always an adventure. I hope you get to try it sometime :)

Oh. And can I just say that I'm getting pretty darn proficient with my chopsticks?