In addition to teaching we conduct an hour a week per class of "free talk," informal speaking practice with a few students and the teacher. Sometimes we do that on campus, letting students show us around, or taking advantage of the weather.
For freshman free talk we've invited students to our apt. where they cook a little sample of breakfast, lunch and dinner, American style.
So far the menu has been french toast and bacon; PB&J sack lunches; fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Students like helping set the table, western style, they cook the food and they're are so sweet and appreciative.
This cute couple worked hard but happily making shish-ka-bobs on the streets on Dunhuang. Lots of chili, cumin and salt. Boiled peanuts are good, not at all like the flavor of peanut butter. We shelled and ate them while we waited for our skewers. The cities seem to cater to tourists out here in the desert.
We loved our trip to Xianjiang Province in western China in October.
Our most common restaurant meals are served at round tables. The diner has a bowl of rice and is expected to take bites of food from the lazy susan as things come around. A very small plate is provided to leave small bones, etc. We ate out all the time with our fellow BYU teachers on our tour to the west.
We take a university coach bus to teach our classes three days a week. We each teach several hours, usually having lunch on campus. The "new campus" of Northwestern Polytechnical University is new, sprawling, and well-equipped. Students are wonderful.
