I love this bar

I don't know if the entrepreneurs at Heaven and Hell had a scouting report, market research data, or a crystal ball but they could not have timed their grand opening of a "western style" bar with the arrival of two American foreigners more perfectly. The bar is run by three guys a year or two younger than me. Within minutes of walking into the bar we reached a symbiotic relationship. The owners could not be more pleased to have real Americans in their bar and we were elated to drink at a discounted rate at a place just across the street.

I use the term "western style" very loosely. The walls are adorned with a modge-podge of clashing political figures including fuhrer Hitler, Che, and Winston Churchill. No political statements are being made, they just hung whatever western pictures they could get their hands on. Other random memrobilia that you might find inside a Red Robin are also glued to the fake red brick wall paper. It's usually best to just drink beer, but you need to ask for ice. The mixed drinks are a little peculiar to say the least. I ordered a bloody mary and whether or not you came from Wisconsin you would agree that this one needed a chaser. I think the drink was mixed with dragon fruit and lemon juice.

The night of the welcoming faculty party, we stepped in to pay our patronage to our buddies at Heaven and Hell. After being treated to a royal feast that probably cost my monthly salary I decided to splurge and buy everyone in the place a drink. The action sounds generous but didn't cost more then $4.00. Dancing, clapping, and gan beis followed and soon everyone was speaking Chinglish. When everyone is having a good time, there are no language barriers. *Kassy Insert: Sean also tried to inform the owners of Heaven and Hell that he should immediately be hired to help bring customers into the bar. He did this by literally going out onto the street and putting his arm around strangers and coercing them to come inside. All the while shouting, "He,he, he" (this is, if prounounced correctly, means drink in Chinese- and sounds like huh) Surprisingly, he ushered a few in who delightedly stayed and later took us out for late night barbeque.*  We made it home late that night and began packing for our 8 days of traveling during national holiday which we were to embark on the next morning. Needless to say, we fell a little short of the boy scout model "be prepared." We later discovered that our packing was a little uneven, way too much of somethings and none of others.

I know I have made China sound like all fun and games and that's because so far it has been. Kassy and I received 5 weeks pay to go explore and meet new friends. In one hour we will go to finally teach our first English class. Working shouldn't alter my Chinese experience too much seeing as how my lesson plans follow the same model, all fun and games.