Cross-cultural experience

Have I mentioned what an awesome group of friends I have? Tonight our regular card group got together ("card group" is woman-speak for "get together with lots of food, lots of laughter and an occasional round of cards") at my place. Everyone was agreeable (see previous post on agreeableness of Wisconsonites), so I also invited my MU International Program student friend, who is from China.

We had a blast. Hao is so open to trying new things, explaining the differences in how things are done in China versus here, and in her excitement about her studies and her future. In return, my friends were curious, patient, willing to try to pronounce Chinese words and explain our rather odd jokes. I'm not exactly sure how "typical" my own American life is compared to others, but I can at least expose her to my experience.

Next up is the Elegant Farmer; I hope to get some of my young friends (Holly?) to join us on a Sunday afternoon to go pick apples, then bake a pie or two. I'm sure Hao would be much more interested in American culture as experienced by people her own age, rather than by someone who could be her mother.

Off to explore the kitchen, and see what leftovers people hid and didn't take with them. As we were giving Hao a bag of leftovers to take home, she asked if this were a cultural thing. As I explained, we always have much too much food, and all of us have one or two person households - we argue over who has to take the leftovers, rather than who gets to take the leftovers. Experience tells me to check the freezer - Cindy insisted on leaving the two pieces of apple pie, and I think she may have left the ice cream as well...