Sunday, February 8th

Since I told my family that I like to eat bread and that cheese and chocolate were my favorite foods, they went out and bought bags and bags of bread! Not only did they have bread, they had: Cheese bread, ham and cheese bread, chocolate bread!

We went to Gary’s company party (for Chinese New Year) at Freshfields Hotel; it had a beautiful view! I wore a blue strapless dress but I wrapped a black shawl around my shoulders to stay conservative.

Karaoke is VERY popular here! There was a singing contest (Paul Whitaker was one of the judges! Kind of like Simon on American Idol ;) and even though people could not sing very well, they got up on stage with crazy costumes and sang their heart out! Very fun and very strange at the same time…
Crazy, retro, outlandish... but if you're having fun, that's what counts, right!?

After the party we went home and I played Wii with my sisters and cousins; we drank Milk Tea with tapioca balls (we got it delivered to our house!); I think that kind of tea is also called “bubble tea” Then we went to Costco with Julie, Winny and her sister (Kelly), Jennifer, and Linda– it looked very similar to American Costco! It was a HUGE store, as usual, and they even gave out food samples! People stared at me, just like they do everywhere else, but I noticed it more here with babies and children. Adults usually have some social decency and aren’t rude about staring at me, but with children/babies, it’s kinda creepy how they stare and follow me with their eyes and whole head for as long as possible, almost exorcist-like twisting their heads when I walk by! They got me some “American” food like bagels, Provolone cheese, Oreos =), crackers and cheese packs, chocolate and Ghirardelli brownie mix for Valentine’s Day, and a shower towel.

Costco pizza is very popular! There are three options: Seafood, Hawaiian, Peking Duck. Many people ordered pizza and ate it there in tables set up… like over 50 people! On the ride home we practiced learning languages. I taught my cousins and sisters how to say “What’s up?” I really enjoy spending time with them, we have fun and laugh all the time! They learn more English and I learn more Chinese every day! We brought Costco pizza home for dinner; two kinds: Hawaiian and Seafood (but different from the seafood pizza I ate in the Philippines)

Just like all the people who ate at Costco, my sisters and cousins ate their pizza with ketchup, mustard, relish, and onions! o It was funny to see the different ways they ate pizza; some with hands, some with knife and fork, and my cousin Jeff ate it with chopsticks!