Snake Soup

Lunch today was delicious--noodle and snake meat soup. Seriously! I actually don't mind the snake, and the noodles and vegetables were quite satisfying.
I had another strange dish this week. At lunch, all the teachers were eating some kind vegetable and seemed to be enjoying it. Tracy gave some to me, and I asked her what it was. "Grass," she said. At first I thought it was just a poor translation for sprouts or something like that. I tried some. It was really good. Suddenly, I remembered how earlier that morning I had seen the gatekeeper and a member of the kitchen staff weeding the playground field, or so I had thought. There was no translation error--grass it was.
After lunch I have been talking to the kids and playing with them before they go in for their naps. I am getting a little more confident at speaking my few Chinese phrases to them, and we have a lot of fun. I have been practicing with those flashcards I bought on Saturday.
Today I went on a walk. All the middle-schoolers were out for lunch, and three girls, probably twelve, were very anxious to practice their English with me. After a brief introduction, there was an awkward pause, and I said, "Nice to meet you. Bye!" and continued walking.
Thirty seconds later I heard running feet behind me and the most outspoken girl had remembered an English phrase: "What's the time, please?"
Her friend was holding her watch out to make sure I understood them.
"It's twelve seventeen," I said.
"See you!" The three girls left giggling.