Got my green card

I was finally able to pick up my Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) today. It's taken seven weeks. I was told that mine would take longer than normal because they're switching to new high-tech credit card style ARCs, complete with a built-in computer chip. Somebody lied. I waited all these weeks and got the same old laminated library card that they've always had. Oh well, at least now I can finally open a bank account.

Wednesday after work I had dinner with a couple of other teachers, Patrick and Jack, at Great White Shark (大白鯊 da4 bai2 sha1). I'd seen this place everyday while walking to work, but hadn't yet tried it. The sidewalk in front of the restaurant is lined with aquariums and ice-filled troughs filled with fresh fish, mollusks, crustaceans, and even frogs. The place is always hopping (except for the frogs), so I figured it must be good. Yep, it is. We had Szechuan tofu, beef with vegetables, squid with celery sauce, and fried salted shrimp. It was all yummy. It was the first time I'd ever eaten the entire shrimp—head, legs, tail and all. I was squeamish at first; Patrick advised, "Just eat the head first and get it over with." I did, and found out that the rest of the shrimp is just as delicious as the tail. Man, we waste so much good meat in America!

Here's a blog site where a woman has posted some photos of food she ate at Great White Shark, including those tasty shrimp. I'll have to take some pictures myself so you can see the restaurant itself.