My time at Lobby Lounge is definitely one of my favorite memories now. Every time I'd clock in, walk across that luxurious carpet, be greeted cheerily by my colleagues I would sigh happily, and also remember my time here is dwindling down quickly. I am surprised how fast the rotation went by, and all five weeks seem a blur now of cappuccinos, sneaking cookies and peanuts and laughing at the antics of En. I learned how to properly serve English tea, how to make a decent looking foamy drink and of course how to walk around in a manager suit and confuse people by being American, instead of Chinese. (or Italian, or German, or Russian).*
Overall I'd say the lounge is very well run, the girls are trained incredibly well and they will always have a special place in my heart. I'm gonna miss the goofy conversations we'd get into when they wanted to learn English from me. Most of the words on their drink menus were not fully English, and my French/Italian is rather rusty...in that I know next to nothing of either. However, I did discover they have a really great Spanish accent, and can pick up a foreign language besides English much faster. On my last night there, the girls wanted to have a surprise going away party, but because I leave before the shift ends, they couldn't tell me to come back without ruining it...so they instead told me they were having a surprise party for me later. I had a good chuckle at that one, and boy I'll tell you, I was so surprised!
They took me to a little restaurant with fish tanks on the wall, and a balcony seating area. We rushed upstairs and became the loud and obnoxious group of girls giggling wildly and saying inappropriate things...which I may or may not have taught them.
I feel like I've been missing out on a huge cultural thing. I don't know any swear words in Chinese. I only know how to call someone "stupid" which is the equivalent of a five year's insult...and I feel a little silly going around only armed with a five year old's sense of what is 'mean'. They had a great time thinking of bad words for me, and I spelled out some bad words to them- it sounds much more awful putting it out on this blog...but it was a lot funnier at the time...
They also ordered a slew of odd dishes and delightedly cackled at my many faces and expressions while I sampled them. I tried chicken congee, preserved egg congee, beef stir fried noodles, some kinda tofu dish with mushrooms, glass noodles with cabbage, spinach with preserved egg (which smells and tastes like death) and the crowning dishes of sliced pig's ear, and spicy pig's ear with table onions. I have to say most things were actually tasty besides the congee dishes and anything with the preserved egg. Preserved egg is black, mostly translucent and gives off an odor of oldness....like socks washed in poopy fish water.
I had so much fun with them though, and they told me how much they'd miss me. I've been finding it harder and harder letting myself get too close or attached to people because I know I'm leaving soon, but those girls were like instant sisters. I think of everyone I'll miss them the most. So with that, yet another chapter in my life here as a trainee monkey in a manager suit is now and forever closed.
I start F2 tomorrow, our bar, and I have to say I thought the awesomeness of my uniform had come to an end when I left Nishimura...turns out F2 has a uniform too. It's not as epic as my poop coat for room service, nor as comfy as my flowy gouchos, or black ninja pj's...but there is velvet involved. You know its gotta be good when velvet is part of anything.
Thursday is the new presentation day, and I present in the afternoon. My shifts start at five so I'll have time to calm down afterwards, and hopefully my knees will have stopped shaking by then. Friday is English corner for Front Office, Saturday is my Chinese final...then its home free for the next couple weeks. There's the slight issue of our reports for the study abroad class, and the final report for our projects...but that's what 15 hour plan rides are for...right?
Winter finally hit Dalian. It hit like a ton of bricks, suddenly a bitter wind sweeping through the city, and I am still unprepared for the temperature dropping. I posses my own sweatshirt now, and some other kinds of shoes beside tennis...but nothing near warm enough for the frigid temps Dalian experiences. Despite it being so cold, the crisp new weather is exciting and a refreshing change from bland warm days and nights. This also means November is creeping up, and how can I not be excited for that?!
Can you believe its been five months?
Also we have a themed party planned for F2...guess who gets to be subjected to a "Vampire Diaries" night? I told the manager Kobe I had unfortunately left all my leathers at home. He was nonplussed for about two seconds, then regained his footing and informed me they would supply me with an outfit. Joy.
*If things weren't bad enough an American came up to me and asked me if I spoke English. She thought I was Russian. I give up. Paruski it is!!
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