To LinPing

Everyone we meet in China claims to have the best hometown. I know that at home, Knoxville people think Knoxville is best and Cleveland folks say that Cleveland is best... But here in China, it is taken to a totally different level.

Every town--no matter how small--is famous for something. If you've ever been to China, you know exactly what we're talking about. One town is famous for its umbrellas, another has the best apples, another has the cheapest shoes. We live in Hangzhou, which actually is a famous city--it's known for West Lake and is often written about in ancient Chinese literature. The suburbs of Hangzhou are not so famous. We live in Xiasha--there are people living in downtown Hangzhou who have never heard of it. Another suburb is called LingPing. Until two weeks ago, we had never heard of it, either. A friend's boyfriend kept going on and on about how LingPing is so much better than Xiasha (it wouldn't take much) and how we just HAVE to come visit there.

These invitations to our friends' hometowns come often. Who knows how many times we've been told, "Welcome to..." Nothing ever comes of it, though. Even when we wish it would--like when we have students who come from really cool cities.

This time, however, the invitation to LingPing has come through. Although our hopes for the actual town are pretty low, we are excited to visit our friend and her boyfriend in their hometown and meet their families.

We'll let you know how LingPing is...