RELIEF!

Our long day(s) of travel have come to a temporary stop!  Today, Luke, Katherine, and I landed in Wuhan, China, where we were greeted by a fellow American teacher from Shiyan and two Chinese representatives of the school.  After some hurried goodbyes to our travel companions, we were hurried onto a small van and driven to downtown Wuhan for our first meal!

Well, if you have never had authentic Chinese (and I have not), it is an interesting experience.  We all sat down, were offered tea and other beverages as our hosts perused the menu to order dishes for the whole group.  We also each received a hot towel with which everyone wiped their faces (surprisingly refreshing, you should try it sometime).  The dishes came one by one and were placed on the lazy susan in the middle of the table.  Not wanting to offend, I sampled some of the saucy tofu cubes and carrots that didn't quite look like carrots.  From there, we moved on to some AMAZING spicy pork dishes (one looked like ribs, and the other a sort of bacon-like meat mixed in with peppers and spices).  "Water-boiled fish", beef and shrimp, a dish that I would identify as spicy french fries....the list goes on.  

Needless to say, we are all stuffed and exhausted.  Our gracious hosts directed us to our 14th floor hotel rooms where we have hot showers and internet!  As much as I would like to post a myriad of pictures and tell dozens more stories, I am DESPERATELY in need of a nap.  

Peace,

Finn