Gonna need to sew some more!

I took this with my new Kindle! 

Went out and got some of my favourite street noodles. 

I love how they make them, as I feel it shows a great deal of skill!

The best packing decision I made this trip has got to be to bring my garb and costumes!

They have come in handy so many times, and I am over and over again thankful to have them in my closet!

Right away, I used them in the dramas we did at camp! Not only was it nice to be able to come up with my own idea for a Gideon costume, but the fact that I owned the pieces meant that Gideon could 'revisit' the kids during winter camp. It also meant that we didn't have to scramble to find something that would fit someone of my size! I custom made these clothes for me already so there was no need for worrying. {Ok...so truth be told my black and red ball gown didn't fit when I first came to camp, but a few months later I was back to being able to zip it up! 

I had hoped to be able to get lots of use out of them by going to visit Orphanages as different characters. Sadly, however, I have not been to any O's at all this semester and very very few since I got here in the first place. Out of everything that is my biggest regret about this trip! I have not spent anywhere NEAR enough time around little kids in general, and more to the point, orphans. 

This time, my costumes are to be used in our 汉语比赛Chinese Language Competition! We had our first practice {Well, brainstorming and then practice} yesterday and decided that we would bring whatever clothing we thought might be good to use in it today for our second run around. It was suppose to be that everyone would bring what they wanted for their character and then bring things that might help others if they didn't have anything. So I brought all of mine. As it turned out, things such as my large cloak, my gypsy costume {AKA: Gideon's garb} my black and red dress, and the belly dancing coined sash will all take stage with us when the time comes. Nothing seemed right for the main character, for the first half of the act, so they all turned and asked if I had anything left behind that night work. We came back to my room after rehearsal was over and he chose a skirt that will serve as a tube like dress and a crochet vest jacket for over top of it. {Yes...you read that right. He chose a dress.} 

I'm not clear on when we will have to perform this for sure, but I will be having someone record it for me, no doubt!! It is sure to get people laughing....I just hope we can all keep a straight face through the entire thing!

#ItsTheLittleThings

Along with this play, many of us are to participate as individuals. Because I am the only

 American in my class, I will be representing the US {for my class and level at least} 

by giving an introduction of myself and being asked questions based off of that

introduction, and then also giving a performance of some kind.

My hope is to get a song from the live action production of Mulan approved as I really love 

the sound of the song and feel I can pull it off pretty well. Since I have been singing along with her on it for a long time now, even when I couldn't understand any of it, Having a better

understanding of the language,as well as watching videos that translate it,

and using translators to translate the song as well, I also like the meanings of the song

that I can find. There is the one side of it that it is written for the movie itself

and so it is pretty specific to Mulan's story. But there are lines in it like "I tell myself there is no retreat" or "I ask the heavens if it is for good or bad"

For me, I can see in it many correlations to anyone who feels they are in a 

fight of some sort. Of just wanting to be back in the safety of their families

home, drinking from their well, and yet here they are instead

having to endure these hardships and trials. 

I don't know if I am reading into it too much or maybe even the wrong way! 

I hope not, cause I really love the song and how it feels 

to sing it! {It has such a great tune to sing! I love how the Chinese

words feel in it} Not sure if my teachers will think that it is too 

sad or maybe of a touchy subject since it speaks of war instead

of a goofy fun love song like is often chosen by International students 

for this competition. I don't mind being different and shaking things up though!

Really don't feel like singing a love song, and I doubt

they would be thrilled with the other kinds of songs I listen to!

This competition is all about Language, Culture, History, and our grasp of it all!

Why not have me sing a song from something that 

depicts one of their legendary heroes!?

We shall see. 

Here, what do you think?

I will not be offended or upset if someone has a differing 

opinion from me on this! If you have any thoughts, even if they are 

against me singing this, please feel free to share them with me! 

As I said, I may be reading into the song too much and missing a more obvious 

meaning, or I may be looking at it in the wrong way and missing a glaring error

that would make my singing it just down right wrong. Or I could be not reading into it

enough and also causing myself to er! :)