Rebecca A. Foster

Note: this is a bit longer than most of my entries; it's something I wrote for an essay compilation a few years back. I hope it makes you laugh a bit. Hope you all have had a great weekend!  A couple of years ago I was in Washington , D.C. visiting m y cousin at Georgetown University and staying in the  fabulous old-school townhouse he shared with five other guys.  I had a friend with me and it was her first time in D.C., so on a Saturday the lot of us loaded up and went to Mt . Vernon , George Washington’s home, now a museum with various living displays of How Things Used To Be.  Along for the ride were three of their female friends, Tiwi, Kiwi and Regan. (I can't remember Tiwi and Kiwi's real names, but my cousin called them Tiwi and Kiwi, so I do, too.)  We had been at Mt. Vernon only a short while when a big storm blew in off the Atlantic , complete with tornado/severe thunderstorm/hail warnings etc. We were informed by bullhorn they were shutting ...

Most of you know Chinese culture views privacy differently than American culture, most easily explained as 'there isn't any expectation of privacy in Chinese culture.' I knew this affected personal space, family and friendly secrets, neighbors knowing what you're up to all the time, everyone always in your bidness, etc.  but I didn't realize it also extended to the body. It does. In my experience, bodily functions aren't considered private in China. Sneezing, burping, coughing, passing gas, peeing: all these things are viewed as natural functions of the body, so you don't have to say excuse me, you don't God Bless anyone, and you definitely don't feel embarrassed when they happen...if you're Chinese, that is! Many North Americans...it might take a while to get to that point. (I think this is also why babies and little kids pee everywhere and no one freaks out. Babies pee and poop...why NOT on the sidewalk?) When you first get to China, you...

Two stories: R. went to Beijing last week with some visiting American family and friends. They were on a bus going to the Great Wall, discussing China, Chinese culture etc. They were also jockeying for new seats and started talking about an empty seat next to a Chinese guy sitting in front of them. R. to her sister, in English: "Do you think that seat is available?" Chinese guy, in English: "Yeah, this seat is available." R., in her head: "Oh crap, he just understood everything we've been saying about China!" R., to the Chinese guy, in English: "Your English is really good! Which [Chinese] province are you from?" Chinese guy: "Ontario." Hahahaha, this still makes me laugh! And it reminded me of the time last year when N. and I were checking into our hotel room and having trouble with the card key. These two kids, and their mom, were opening the door to their hotel room across the hall at the same time we were struggling. T...

A few of us get together on Wednesday nights to kickback and drink pijiu at an outdoor beer garden ("pee-geo" = beer). After weeks of cramming Mandarin into my head, eating new foods, walking new streets and generally facing the unfamiliar every day of my life, Pijiu Wednesday is an oasis. And I always laugh really, really hard- my friends here are hilarious. The best mental health medicine ever. I snapped this recently about halfway through the night. Guess which drink is mine? (And that's my new phone on the table, which I also love. Seriously.) P.S. Today is Chinese Valentine's Day. I love you all!

Yeah, I'm a little late to this party, but that's when the party gets good, right? I felt a slight twinge of peevishness when 30 Rock beat The Office for the best comedy Emmy this past year. But then I watched 30 Rock . And guess what? It's better. It pains me to say that, John Krasinski, but it's true. And I don't have broadcast TV, which means I go out of my way to catch up on 30 Rock . Rent it, borrow it, buy it, watch it on YouTube, but just get it. I'd tell you why, but if you watch it, you'll know why. If you must only watch one episode, I recommend Black Tie . Or The Source Awards . LL Cool J and Alec Baldwin sparring, does it get better than that? It does. Which is why this show is amazing. Other fave moments: "Guns! What is it with men and guns?" "I think I speak for both of us when I say 'metal penises'" Will Arnett. And "You can settle it with a talking like this contest" Tracy's "Imagine...

I have a subscription to Esquire magazine and each month they ask one women to share "10 Things You Don't Know About Women." These are some I liked. 1. We love the back of your neck, the shape of your head, and watching you shave. Ooooh this reminds me of two things: A. A guy in one of my 7:30 AM classes who had really beautiful tan skin, dark hair and green eyes. I was very attracted to him. His neck was amazing. I would sit behind him and didn't know his name for a long time, so my friend and I called him "Neck Boy." He got me to that class on time, though. I used to sit and fantasize about his neck. (Hey, it was a 7:30 AM class, anything that got me there was a good thing. And he actually asked me out. I think he could sense the drooling vibe coming from the seat behind him.) B. Watching a guy shave is hot. Maybe because we don't do it? It's a bit of a mystery. Even if you're kinda ugly, you look hot shaving. One more thing: I like it when I ...