...I don't know all the words...

I'm gonna sing you a song,
Even though I don't know all the words.
That never stopped me before--
Even so, I don't know all the words...

I have no idea what that song is all about, but it's a beautiful song. And whatever it means, a bit of that song took on a new meaning yesterday.

Yesterday was Kiana's early birthday party. Most of the foreigners here are leaving by April, so this was sort of a farewell party, as well. What was nice was that there was a family of foreigners who left last year and are not coming back here except for this visit (and maybe another visit, but I doubt it, and anyway we probably wouldn't be there). We went to a playplace by Dico's. What was nice was that it wasn't so strict as it was in America. I know that some rules are for safety regulations, but I have been prohibited by height and age to get in a ball pit for ages. I love ball pits! So I had fun.

Preston and Alexander, two foreigner kids, began socking balls at me, and I socked them right back. I noticed a three national kids watching me. All little boys a bit older or about the same age as Preston. After awhile, Preston and Alexander left, but the boys began throwing balls at me. I was happy. In America, when I was eleven and twelve, I would play with little kids on the playground, and I had fun doing it. Parents would be asking me if I babysat, so I guess I made some sort of impression on them. The babysitting questions annoyed me some (I hate looking older than my age), but I managed to keep answering politely and pleasantly, "No, sorry." But I enjoyed playing with the kids, and it made me happy to do it again.

Anyway, it was soon chaos. Two of the boys socked balls at me and one little boy who kind of became my shadow. Two girls watched us, then began making a fort (behind the slide) and sending balls in waves towards us. Alexander showed up and also began throwing balls, crowing, "Boys against girls! Boys against girls!" It was hilarious! It was also tiring.

Oh, how I wish I was fluent in Chinese! I love to play, but it makes me feel bad when I can't understand what they're trying to say to me. Thankfully, I think it didn't really matter too much, yesterday. But I still wish...