Jieru is trying to make us more Chinese...

This picture is a joke.  It is from our trip to the Summer Palace.  We came upon this scenic lilly pad area of the lake in Summer Palace.  Jieru was showing us how to be "Traditional shy Chinese Women".  She posed for us and tried to get us all to try it.  You are supposed to turn to the side, sort of bend one knee suggestively, I guess to accentuate your butt? Or to appear weak?  I really don't know.  For a woman that loves to lift weights, that was funny to me.  Another direction was to avert your eyes by looking at the ground, with little or no smile on your face.  We all gave it a shot.

All of that is soooo not me. In fact, Sara and I have been given the dubious honor as being the loudest room on the floor.  I feel like I may be the loudest one in the group.  People normally know where I am if they just take a moment to tip their ear to the sky I can be tracked down.  Sara and I laugh quite a bit, and although we are enjoying ourselves, it could very well be annoying to others. Anyway, obnoxious American or not,  Jieru claims I held the pose quite well!  Don't hold your breath though, it remains very unlikely that I will return home transformed into a quiet, coy, shy woman.  I will continue to ga-fa loudly and stick my foot in mouth as usual.

Summer Palace was built under the supervision of Empress Cixi.  She took the money that was budgeted to build the military and instead built herself this massive summer home.  The Chinese people are not a big fan of hers.  The woman did not know how to follow a budget, but she had great taste!