Cooking with Friends

With my last few months going by faster than ever, Jenny, April, and I have tried to get together as often as we could, classes and personal lives permitting.  Cooking with people you care about has always been something I have enjoyed, the secrets shared while preparing dishes creating a special type of bond that can only be found in a kitchen, enhancing both the relationships and the food.  

On this day, Jenny wanted to learn how to make pasta sauce from scratch.  We all took turns dicing the tomatoes while the others looked on, catching each other up on the latest.  Without following a recipe, I dolled out measurements for various items, giving suggestions on ingredients that could be added, trying to be as specific as I could, knowing just how important it is to have definitive answers when cooking a dish for the first time.  

The three of us worked together while preparing the sauce, then April and I taught Jenny a card game that I had taught April and Xiao Bo while on our road trip.  Jenny was a quick learner, and soon I was the one without any luck, being beat by both of my friends.  

Dinner was enjoyed with a little hot sauce for added spice.  We do live in Sichuan province after all!  

Throughout the meal and after, we talked about our ideas on relationships, men, and what we want out of life.  I am amazed at just how much they have changed and grown since I first meet them, making me wonder what changes they have seen in me.  They are both such strong individuals, leaving me in awe of all they have faced over the two years and all they will achieve in the years to come.  


There is nothing more important to me than the relationships I have made and continue making here in China and around the world.  I never thought I would have such amazing friends as April and Jenny when I first came to Panzhihua, and now that I do, I can't imagine parting from them.  They have been sources of comfort, understanding, support, and, of course, laughter.  Jenny and April have given me a friendship that few are only lucky enough to find.  To me, they are treasures and examples of what I love most about my life in China.