Is it Love?

Classes are going well. I still only understand about 35%. Is it possible to get worse?? Definitely a product of "The more you know the more you realize you don't".

On to the good story. I joined my Yao Ming gym on Tuesday, or California Fitness: Yao Ming Sport, and it is BEAUTIFUL and really hard to believe a product of 24hr fitness. Especially if you've ever been to the Marina 24Hour like I was forced to. For those of you who have no idea what the Marina is, it's the neighborhood I lived next to in San Francisco (I was in Cow Hollow...don't laugh SF people!) and is renown for the world's smallest gym. Anyway, this gym here is about 3 times the size and has every amenity you could want: Sauna, steam room, boxing ring, yoga studio and more. No one should ever be as giddy as I was to work out. And to make it even better, because I am a 24 Hour Fitness member in the US I get to use it free of charge. Normally it would be $140/mo! Considering I've been blowing through my hard earned savings enjoying the playground that is Shanghai, this was a major coup. But I digress. I was feeling fantastic after I had broken a sweat for the first time in maybe 3 weeks- since I contracted the plague w/ everyone else at Jacque's wedding I was out of commission the week before I left- and decided I would do some ab work before getting a good steam in. So picture this: I am lying down mid-crunch when I hear a very enthusiastic but heavily accented, "Hi"!! Oh no. Sitting up, I was greeted by one of the trainers. He repeats his happy "Hi" and asks my name. So I tell him and he tells me his name is "John". Not only is John studded out in his Personal Trainer uniform of a very, very tight shirt and black work-out pants but he also rocks the faux-hawk. Sooo not kidding here. His english is verrry broken and I see that he doesn't really understand me when I answer in English. Being overly confident I start to answer in Chinese and realize he is even more confused (siiiiiigh). The conversation starts out pretty standard: Where are you from, when did you come, why are you here. I answer... and then he brings out the big guns. 

Him: You like to go out in Shanghai? 

Me: Yes. I like it (where is this going?)

H: Where do you like to go?

M: Um... (don't say dancing, don't say dancing) Dancing

H: Ohh (glee on his face). I know best Shanghai places for dancing.

M: Oh...(hide fright) nice.

H: You have boyfriend?

M: NoYes. Yes I do.

H: Where is he?

M: At home

H: Oh. That is very far away....

Mom, before you start picking out cribs, I should say that I don't think John and I really found our spark. We continued talking about long distance relationships and how hard they are for about 10 more minutes (which seemed even longer since the conversation didn't exactly flow) all the while he was asking his other trainer-friend to translate certain words for him. The whole time I was thinking, no way am I getting hit on a) in a gym and b) in China!!! It's such a cliche! I can't wait to blog about this! :) I saw John again the next day and we said hi but I think for now we will just be friends. 

XOXO

Gossip Girl

(i've watched it waaayyy too much)