The day after the storm

Last night we went back to our hotel after a loooong day of looking at apartments and translating through other people, etc. Ready to crawl in bed, our dear friend John called to tell us we must vacate the hotel before midnight (this call came at 11pm). Why? Because although the hotel originally said they could take foreigners they found out they really did not have the correct permission to do so. When we check in with the Police about where we live (which must be done within 10 days of arrival), the hotel will get in trouble for having us. So we packed up and met John in the lobby to head to a new hotel. Only in between the call and the meeting, Laurel had her first panic attack. I am usually such a good traveller and this time I am just so nervous, I don't know if it's because the language is so foreign or I am getting old. I feel helpless and scared and that made me completely shakey, hot, faint and sick last night. I'm sure it was a build up of everything, moving away, changing everything for so many uncertainties, fatigue. Today is a new day though. I must continue to remind myself of this.

Levy crushed a cockroach in our hotel this morning but otherwise it doesn't seem so bad. We headed to campus for some help and information. They were not so informative but we did meet more people. then john made us a big breakfast of mackarel, rice, spam, fruit and some other Korean sides. His landlord took us to see some more apartments, which weree nice. When in the early afternoon, Wen our friend from Chicago called saying that she met a Nigerian from london who was looking for a roommate and room and didn't know where to begin. The landlord Mr. Du shoed us all some 2 bedrooms and eventually we made a final decision. YAY!!! we've signed a contract, we now have a home after looking at 15 apartments. Tomorrow we move in.
In celebration we all went to Hot Pot, a chinese style restaurant with a hot plate in the center of the table with a hot (spicy) broth and a spiced but not hot broth in which you choose things to boil inside and eat, like fish balls, sheep meat, seaweed, cabbage, all sorts of option. mmm mmm good on a cold cold night. Following, was our first Kereoke night in China, apparently THE thing to do, KTV they call it. A room like a sound booth with a table, couch and big screen, 2 mics and a screen to choose songs. Our new roomie, Tboy, Wen, John, Mr. Du, Levy and I rocked out. Hahahaha, lots to adjust to here. More to follow soon. I haven't even touched on some of the crazy culture and daily living of China.
Please send me words of encouragement, I know have to embark on what seems like an all too challenging task of finding work.

xoxoxox Lolo