We are stardust

It has been a while since my last post but since I haven't been in China (and this is a China blog) that makes sense. And as my wonderful dad died on the 21st Dec, I haven't really been feeling like writing. Anyway, as my mum says, "life goes on," and so here's my latest update.
I got back last Thursday to a flat that hadn't changed since I left (what was I expecting?!) Everything still in one piece, everything still working, and all my belongings where they should be, which made me feel "home."
I had lots of presents to give out in return for the kindness shown to me by my friends in Danfeng the day or two before I left.
On Friday night, my school took me out for a "welcome home" banquet, where I tried quite a few new dishes including some kind of baked flowers from a tree (delicious) something called "wild plant" fried with garlic (edible with the garlic - would be less edible without!) and something which came with the vegetable course and so fooled me. It looked beige and bland so I took a slice but once it was in my mouth, it was clear that it was NO vegetable. "Zhe shi shenme?" I asked. "What's this?" Pork, I was told, which I immediately realised meant a slice of pure pork fat! Bleugh! I let it slip down my throat but I'll be more careful in future...
Today I walked around Danfeng and it was nice to see everyone, even though for a lot of people it seems to be like I was new in town again and they're back to staring and pointing. Sigh...
The students have exams for the next few weeks so there's little work I can do with their teachers so my goal for the next three weeks is to make proper inroads into Mandarin. It's embarrassing how little I can speak now.
Case in point: I bumped into my boss's mother today on the way back from the supermarket. She's an old woman and she grabbed my hands and pulled me back to her home.
Obviously it's nice to feel wanted and part of things but after the basics of "I came back three days ago" and "yes, I've had lunch" (very important in China!) I found I couldn't say anything that she could understand. I tried asking where her granddaughter was ( my 2 year old pal!) but I obviously didn't make sense cos she smiled and nodded instead of giving me a place, and then I tried a few other conversational gambits to no avail.
So, written in black and white (er, or purple) my New Year's Resolution is to reach a decent level of communication in Mandarin in the next month or so. Will keep you posted on my progress...