WE HAVE FRIENDS!!!!!

Oh boy, today was quite the adventure. The days went from tears, to a ridiculous amount of laughter, to just smiling all around!

Part one: "I'm 21 and still pouring my eyes out while getting my blood drawn."

I think that quote pretty much sums this up, buttttt let me explain. Shangri-La requires a yearly health check for their employees, which for us included an x-ray and getting blood drawn. Anyone who knows me, knows that I hate needles, veins, blood, the whole thing.. they also know I'm a big baby. So Ann (my roommate) was worried she would pass out since she passes out every time she tries to give blood. We were legitimately scared. When we get to the clinic, we get a number and are shuffled into this line. First step: take a picture (with everyone in line watching).. then step two: get your blood drawn.. It's basically set up like a bank teller, 3 "doctors/nurses" in a row and you just step up, and get rushed out.. While everyone is waiting in a line behind you watching.. Unfrotunately for them, Sarah, Ann and I went all next to each other because Sarah was freaking out and singing to calm herself and immediately when Ann and I sat down, we started crying.. We're big babies, we know, but they way they just rush you in, kinda makes you feel like your in a production line of sorts, I don't know, it was all just so freaky, but HEY I'M ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!! Take that China Clinics! haha :)

Part two: Poor Rene (our training manager)

Well basically for orientation we are cooped up in this super nice banquet room, but we get a little stir-crazy in that room for so many hours and at some point we just gotta let loose. So all of the sudden we started thinking about how ridiculous we must have looked earlier in the day at the health clinic.. four american girls.. two crying.. one singing to herself.. and the other showing no emotion.. hahahah we were kind of pathetic, but it's okay! We started bursting out laughing and then Rene wanted us to do little skits where we just took complete advantage of it and made our skits very long and we just kept going on and on and on.. poor Rene, she had to deal with all of this haha Luckily an employee named Richard gave us a tour of the hotel later and gave Rene a break. This hotel is so unbelievably beautiful! We also got to see the presidential suite and let me tell you, it is worth the money. Although I don't actually know how much it costs haha

Part three: We have friendsss!!!

So our tour guide Richard was soo friendly and super cool, and we kept telling him that we wanted to explore Dalian but that we don't know where to go, so him and his friend Dennis offered to show us around one of the many squares in Dalian, called Xinghai Square. It was soo pretty at night with all the lights on! And we found out what Chinese Zodiac signs we are, according to the year we are born, and I'm a ram!! Kind of stubborn, makes sense haha Anyways we kept walking and then we had to pee. And the adventure began. For those of you who don't know, China has porcelain holes in the ground, and no tissue paper. #Challenge Accepted Luckily Richard had Kleenex for us girls and guess what it was a #success. FIRST EASTERN TOILET, ALRIGHTTTTTT haha Although I will be holding it until I make it to my apartment from now on hahah After our pee adventure, we went on the top of this little open book momument (not too high up) and then slid down! It was a lot of fun :) Then we walked around the square some more and Richard and Dennis tried teaching us a few Chinese words while we taught them some Enlgish words. And it's official, WE HAVE CHINESE FRIENDS!!! About time. We've been cooped up in the banquet room and then our hotel for the past days, but not anymore! haha Oh and I rode my first double-decker bus #AmIinEngland? haha Anyways, Dalian is pretty awesome and I feel so lucky to be here!!!

Sorry there's no pictures. I'm slacking. And I'm embarrassed about it, I apologize.

Anyways, more adventures to come tomorrow for sure because we are finally having a little tour of Dalian!!!!!!!!!! :) :)

Miss you guys! And 'merican toilets!

Btw I tried sushi today, you should be proud :)