Disney was right...

It is a small world after all.

Today I had the strange feeling that I live in a real-life Epcot.

I rode the elevator to class with a group of french girls wearing no more than napkins and sat between a guy from Afghanistan and a girl from Germany in my classes (love them). I had lunch with a guy from Burma, a guy from Hong Kong, and a girl from Italy. Was offered a smoke by a classmate from England (declined) and then went into intense debate on the status of education reform in Chi.na. A Russian girl asked me what "state of affairs" means in English.

I debated dating chin.ese guys or spanish guys with a good friend from Kazikstan. I met some new dorm mates from Sudan, Ghana, and Oman. I spoke Chin.ese with my dorm neighbor who is from Sri Lanka while we hung our clothes out to dry. A Ukranian friend brought me candies from her visit home this summer. My friend from Minnesota and I skyped with our mutual friend from Holland who has gone home and we watched her and her mom make dinner and hold their family dogs in front of the computer camera.

(ukranian candy) ...

Later, a North Kor.ean told me to take down my clothes from hanging outside because it was going to rain.

And my head teacher wrote me a note in Chin.ese on my homework:

That says, "hao" or "good" if you are so inclined to use English.

And all those connections were just today.

Everyday contact with dozens of nationalities is awesome. When people ask me what my favorite part about living in China is, about 10 things run through my head (travel, noodles, spontaneity, nothing, new experiences, I always wanted to be good at riding a bike in traffic, etc) but the number one answer was and always will be: the people.

When a guy from Kabul, Afghanistan and a girl from New Port Richey, Florida can be desk mates in a classroom and giggle all the way through class: there is hope for the world. One interaction at a time.

Now, I'd better go heed that N. Korean's advice and take down my underthings. It's starting to rain, guess he was right.

walk slow. xoxo.