The Crew. . . For Now

I've recieved a lot of questions about friends here. I have already met some great people. Of course, most of them won't be around long. I think you can figure out who is who in the photos, which were all taken in the restaurant/pub outside the school. I have most of my meals there; the menu is extensive, food is good and the price is right (about 20 RMB for a meal; 30 if I have a pint).



Brendan is a British actuary, on his first vacation in a few years. He arrived one day before me and has been studying like mad, in the classroom eight hours a day. He leaves Wednesday to galavant around Yunnan, something I intend to do a lot of before leaving Kunming. He is really funny, and not shy at all about trying out his Chinese.

Alvin is a 19-year-old Indonesian with Chinese parents. He's just completed community college in Seattle, and will be studying business at Cal State Fullerton in the fall. His parents sent him here to study Chinese. He's very outgoing, especially with the fuyuan, or waitresses, wherever we go.

Claudia is a New Yorker who relocated to Shanghai six months ago. She's in the jewelry business. Without knowing it, Claudia saved me from the panic I felt in my first 24 hours here. She's smart and adventurous and ambitious. On her last night here, we discovered that we were both born in the year of the goat, and we were both born in Belgium. That plus New York plus the fact we both wound up here, definitely made me feel that we were meant to meet. She reminds me a lot of my friend Donna--someone who is discerning and knows what she wants, but is open to new experiences and people. Claudia has left already, to tour Yunnan and then return to Shanghai. But I'm sure I haven't seen the last of her.

Emily grew up here in Kunming. She hangs around the restaurant, Ao Ma, downstairs, to practice English with the Westerners who come by. Her English is good and improving, and she's helped all of us with our Chinese. She is a 21-year-old medical student. Yesterday Alvin, Brendan and I went to her home. She played the guzheng (http://www.philmultic.com/guzheng/) for us (traditional Chinese instrument); it sounded like a kung fu movie. She is also the captain of her school's volleyball team.

Finally, the young girl in the photo is Helen. Her parents sent her to sit down with us to practice her English.