This weekend

This Saturday morning I went and took a yoga class. I don't really do much of that here because I just miss Christina Sell's classes so much I think I'm in a state of mourning. I'm sure she would say not to be. But I really think my time learning yoga from her was a gift and I don't even want to replicate that here. I took what was supposed to be an advanced class and although it was moderately challenging during the standing pose sequence, I didn't really gain further insight from the teacher. Now wait a minute you say.... one should be gaining insight.... inside one's self. There is always something to learn... from within. Yes yes, I felt like there's always an opportunity for that, but what I am talking about is in techniques, adjustments, refinements... yes that it's, I didn't externally receive any refinements that made me go, "Ah-Ha."

Chase thinks I should search around the city more and I will find someone who will give me what I am searching for. He mentioned how many teachers it took me until I found Christina and so I should give it some time. Until then, I'm fine with doing a home practice. I guess, it's that I also just miss the Austin Anusara kula. I feel like I was starting to connect and make friends just before moving.

Anyways, after the class I went to a restaurant nearby and had yummy pumpkin, spinach, and mushroom risotto and drank a glass of Earl Grey. I was reading The Beijinger, a magazine for foreigners, in a tiny room where two middle aged woman were having a lavish 3 course lunch with wine. At the tail end of their meal, they started a conversation with me. It was great. I conversed in Chinese for about 15 minutes! Mostly it was me listening to them rant about China and how I should stay here longer than 3 years, maybe possibly 8. And that I should take the best elements of Chinese culture, Indian culture, and American culture and make it my own. It was a powerful, uplifting, and inspiring talk from someone who could have been my mother. We exchanged phone numbers to go have dinner sometime. Yes, I know, they are almost 30 years older than me but I instantly felt their love and warmth. It was such a great moment being in China. And yes, Chase and I are looking into a long term committment to China- it was 2 years last week, it is 3-4 years today. =) At the end of our conversation, they have me a Chinese name. I am officially: Jin Jin!!! It's a translation of the meaning of Svetha, in Chinese. So I'm officially Chinese.

So I went shopping for the first time and bought some good sweaters and 2 pairs of boots at bargain prices. And then headed home.

Saturday night we went to the Kanye West concert at the Workers Indoor Gymnasium. Kanye put on a good show but the circumstances were pretty off for us westerners. First of all, Avril Lavigne came to Beijing last weekend for the first time and the crowd rushed the stage at the end causes mass chaos. So the security and the Kanye concert was pretty rigid. They didn't fill the floor, that was only for VIP. Then the rest of the audience sat very far from the stage and I mean, you had to sit. The security guards came over and told you to sit down if you started to dance. Luckily for us foreigners, this policy was only enforced for the locals. There was an area that was cordonned off if you wanted to dance though.

After that, we went to see a dj that Chase and I like, from D.C., named Dubfire (Deep Dish). It was a good show and I danced a lot. We met a really cool guy from Monterrey, Mexico and another from Sweden. Beijing is such an international city that you are always going to meet new and interesting people.

Sunday I got a manicure and pedicure with Roslyn, a friend of mine, worked out, and watched dinner and a movie. Life's good in the Jing!