Greeked

There's a reason why sorority recruitment is the longest week of the year.  It isn't the extended hours spent making name tags and hanging decorations in the suite.  Its one week of artificial pleasantries.  The theme of recruitment is ELE, "Everybody Loves Everybody".  I love sister-with-the-weird-social-skills who is pouring drinks in the kitchen, I love our advisors who have never said no to a social plan (cough cough I wish), and I even love the loud Latin girls upstairs who insist on doing step dancing while we are in chapter.  ELE. 

Well, the last eight months that I have been living in China have all been a politely posised ELE scenario and now, I am tired. Events from the last week make me think that the game is changing.  First, a very good night in Hong Kong was laid to ruin when conversation turned to mocking my intelligence in front of strangers.  As I always say, I have a memory like an elephant.  I don't forget. Not even the half a bottle of Chinese Absolute vodka will make me forget.  Then the follow up: I woke up this morning to one roommate yelling through the apartment to another at 9am.  They were heading out to go to Hangzhou, a city an hour south where some of our friends live. Hm I hung out with everyone the day before.  I live with the two of you.  I am wake since you can't leave quietly.  Was I invited? No. Strike 3? The Hangzhou crew comes back in time to tell me about their trip at trivia and not include me yet again in their plans to go drinking after.

Fool me once. shame on you.
Fool me twice shame on me
Fool me three time? FUCK YOU.

I am trained in the art of recruitment and you just lost your bid. Its over.

I used my recruitment "turn a smile into a conversation" skills when I made a new friend yesterday.  This is going to sound strange but I was just picking up my mid-morning cocktails (Japanese wine in a can- so good) when I heard a friendly "bon jour!".  I felt just like Belle.  She seemed lost, for mistaken me as French, and she hurriedly questioning how long I have been here.  After being here just 3 days, she found my eight months in shanghai to be unimaginable.  I knew we had to be friends so I invited her to brunch with me. Of course I didn't know the girls were cooking up a storm and I felt bad for inviting another guest. I tend to make good judgments about people and I hope she earned her mail with her pro-American attitude and stories about how she faked speaking Chinese in an interview in order to get her job at the French consulate in Shanghai.

After brunch I went home and did homework (BLAH) and then met other new friends for an amaaaaazzzingly tasty dinner. There were friends of friends at the dinner and guess what... three are ADPis!!!! It was so cool to meet sisters in China!  We made jokes, gave (secret) handshakes, and gave each other the call throughout the night. This was probably the most comfortable and at home I felt in a long time. 

I am still kinda in the dumps because my job sucks, my classes are a waste of time and money and I haven't made any real friend in eight months.  I remember that I chose to be here and my amazing friends back home keep reminding me of how lucky I am to be living this experience.  I am thankful for everyone's support.  I know it seems like this is Francesca's complaints about China blog but, despite all these cultural differences that I am still getting used to, I am happy here.  I don't regret coming here (I might regret doing this STUPID masters program). My days here are limited and I will be oh so happy to return to my family and beautiful friends :)