When I was home last summer I stayed with my parents and loved it. My parents are awesome and it was cool being at home not only because it was comfortable and peaceful but also because it was nice having them around and available to talk or hang out with. It was nice never coming home to an empty house and instead I usually was met with my dad watching television and eating popcorn with my dog, Uno when I came home in the later hours of the evening.
Tonight, though, I was reminded of my mom as I puttered around my house doing laundry, washing dishes and cleaning all while listening to my ipod. At first, this summer I made fun of my mom and her portable CD player (just recently changed over from cassettes) as she listened to books on CD from the library when she worked in the garden, did little jobs around the house or cooked in the kitchen. She also always listened to books on CD on the drive to and from work. However, I gave books on CD a try and soon I was hooked as well. Sometimes I even made excuses to go into town so I could just enjoy the story in my car.
In China, I have been using my ipod more and more for this purpose. Though I suppose I could attempt to download books and listen to them, I have become addicted to podcasts. I listen to them when I am doing boring stuff around the house, when I am riding the bus, when I am walking across campus and when I am running on the track. Podcasts are great! And it is fun to listen to a variety of them. Currently I am listening to Chinese pod and Spanish pod but also several podcasts from Chicago Public Radio and National Public Radio. I am really enjoying "A Prairie Home Companion" and "Culturetopia" but my absolute favorite so far is the program called "This American Life." If I have time I also listen to: "Talk of the Nation," "NPR Topics: Asia," "Foreign Dispatch," "Fresh Air," "It's All Politics," "Planet Money," "Story of the Day," "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" "Your Health," "The Onion Radio News," "PRI Selected Shorts," and "Stuff You Should Know."
It has been nice to try and keep up with news and current events and listen to English speakers when I don't have a television. Because I am using Witopia to get around the firewall, my browser thinks I am in the United States and because of this I can still use Pandora (internet radio) and watch American television shows online.
I also think I am turning into my mom because sometimes she makes a cup of coffee but then constantly re-heats it in the microwave over and over again. As I am sipping my mug of instant coffee warmed up three times over I realize that maybe turning into one's parents isn't so bad after all. I love you, Mom! =)
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