Update on my trip

To give an update about my trip to the US...yes, I'm still having a good time. Although, I have been very busy since day 1 and I'm getting a little pooped out. This next week looks like it will slow down a bit, though.

During my first week, I have been visiting with friends and my dad a lot. Also, we had a shopping list of items for me to try and find and take back with me...for all of us. So, I spent much of my time visiting different stores, looking for different things. I'm such a horrible shopper. I knew that I would need to get this stuff done in the first week because there would be items I had forgotten or items I would need to return. Sure enough...I have visited many stores 2-3 times already. Ugh...

I finally found the pyrite at the gem show that I had been searching for...for the last nine years. So, that was definitely a highlight.

The time I have been spending with my friends AND my dad has been so wonderful and has gone a long way to recharging my batteries. I miss the kiddos though and I will be very happy to hug and kiss them when I return. Hopefully, they will have a few for me too.

Tomorrow, I go out to bask under the deep blue sky and commune with nature with my girlfriends. I can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday here in my small town. And then, of course, we will be back to party in front of the TV, watching the Superbowl! Go Cardinals!

Happy February 1, 2009! :-)

Something Special

I think it's fairly appropriate to write a special blog about my husband. I have had many opportunities, recently, to think and talk about him to different people. It's amazing what you can do when you don't have two small children to distract you every 2 minutes.

There is no doubt that our move to China started out rough for me and my hubby. I can't remember ever experiencing that kind of stress at any other time in my life, much less our marriage. The stress we were both feeling was indescribable...and both of us had different kinds and sources of stress, every single day. Those who have read my blogs, may have seen a reference to this situation of ours.

And then...something happened. I'm not sure what, but we have done a 180. I have, more than any other time in our marriage, learned to appreciate my husband in so many different ways. With that appreciation comes a deep respect for him, who he is and what he does for his family. Unbelievably, it's taken this long...but I've [re]discovered just how amazing he is.

Let's start with the most obvious. My husband is currently spending his entire week off for Chinese New Year watching our kids, SOLO! Even more incredible, is that he volunteered to do this FOR ME. He knows how difficult it has been for me and knows how much I would benefit from taking a trip back home. He was right. The benefits of taking this trip have been also indescribable. Now, I can't remember feeling so wonderful! I owe all of this to him and his willingness to take care of our kids without me. THANK YOU!

In addition to letting me take this trip, I had a recent discussion with him regarding our future. He surprised me by letting me know his true feelings and thoughts on the matter, but he also went as far as forming a plan that he saw would benefit us, rather than himself. THANK YOU for thinking about our future!

I have had the opportunity to speak with many friends about the nation's financial crisis. Things are not going smoothly for many of them. While this makes me very sad, I should let my husband know how much I appreciate how hard he works to keep us all afloat. And, yes, probably because of me, he works harder than he normally would have to. I don't think I ever thank him enough for that. THANK YOU!

Just today, I was talking with some friends about old times and a story came up about a previous activity we had done together. My friends and I went rock hunting and had taken our brand new Jeep out on a trail to collect some rocks. FIRST, Allen never fussed about us taking his brand new jeep. THAT is commendable since he had been wanting THIS kind of jeep for a very long time. SECOND, we had gotten carried away and put a LOT of rocks in the back of the Jeep. Unfortunately, even though we had laid our sweaters, backpacks and a sheet down, the plastic casing for the rear speaker got pretty scraped up as well as a small section of the rear door. My friends didn't know this, but when I showed Allen, he was understandably upset. However, instead of telling me something like, "I don't want you to take the Jeep out again for that kind of thing." OR SOMETHING like that, he replied, "Next time, please cover up the entire back of the jeep for your rocks." He KNEW how important these excursions were to me and he KNEW I would want to collect more rocks in the Jeep. I LOVE that he knows me so well and I LOVE that he supports my hobbies, even at the detriment of something he cherishes. THANK YOU!

I LOVE that he knows me almost as well as I know myself...and he STILL loves me.

I LOVE that he understands how important my family and friends are and encourages me to support THEM.

I LOVE that he encourages me to have my friends over for parties.

I guess I could go on. And I guess my point is that I seem to have a newly founded appreciation for all that he does and is. Will he piss me off? Yes. And vice versa. But, hey, we're married...for better or worse. This move to China has been a wild pendulum of BOTH. And I'm happy to finally see it swinging the other way.

Chinese New Year

Since I wasn't actually IN China during the official week of Chinese New Year (CNY), I will have to relay Allen's observations, based on his descriptions.

Leading up to CNY, many of the stores had their own CNY decorations out to buy. Many of the decorations were lanterns and stuff to hang around your house as well as the outside of your house. These hangings had objects such as fish, peanuts, children, peppers and money...pretty much anything that represented what's important about the Chinese culture. Red and gold are the colors of choice for this Holiday and it is...everywhere!

Another important tradition for this Holiday, as I have previously stated in one of my blogs, is the Hongbao, or Red Envelope. This is a ritual of giving money to those who are important in your life or who have done good service for you throughout the previous year. Many people will give children a red envelope and the parents save it for a rainy day. Children are also given little toys or candy.

CNY Eve is an important day, as it's the eve of the first day of Chinese New Year. People gather with friends and family for dinner and set off fireworks late in the evening. I have been told that the REASON it's so important for each and every family to set off their own version of WW III, is so that the CNY "spirit?"...called the money man...will be able to see their house and will stop by to give little presents and money for the family so they can prosper in the upcoming year. Doesn't this sound a lot like a combination of our Christmas and New Year's Eve...with a Chinese flair?? I guess we aren't so different after all.

The families or households also set off fireworks 4 days into the CNY as well, with another meal for gathering. And then many set them off anywhere in between those dates as well...and after...and throughout the year...for birthdays...for weddings...for the first day of school...for the completion of a housing project...for graduation...for births...for buying a new car...for well, just about anything you can imagine, needing a celebration.

Allen and the boys went to our friend's home on CNY for dinner and later, they watched the family set off their fireworks. Throughout the entire neighborhood, fireworks were going off so much, you could barely hear and see anything. He described the event like this, "Take all the fireworks you have ever seen in your entire lifetime and multiply it by 100." Wow! That's a lot of fireworks!

Welcome to the year of the Ox! May this coming year bring you health and prosperity.

I'm Home!

From the moment I arrived back home, I have experienced this overwhelming feeling of...relief. I'm home. Thank goodness, I'm home. It feels wonderful!!!! They say many people experience reverse culture shock when going back home, whether it's a slower pace than Shanghai or they don't know just where they fit in anymore, etc.

NOPE!! Not me!! I had a wonderful welcoming committee at the airport who toasted my arrival. I have been breathing [very deeply] in all this clean air. The air smells sweet and earthy. I have already been on one of my favorite excursions with some close friends. The weather has been absolutely beautiful! I have visited with our tenants (again, close friends). I have seen more coyotes and wildlife than I can count. I have visited with my dad! And I still have so many more wonderful things to look forward to during my visit!

Family and friends. Ahhhhhh. How wonderful. Seeing them all again just reminds me how much I miss them...how much I miss our home...how much I miss the nature...how much I miss our small town...how much I miss...EVERYTHING!!

Our little town will be celebrating the Grand Opening of our very first drug store this coming week. I'm actually very glad I will be here to witness that. It feels like I'm not missing out on something important. And, yes, this IS important to our small community!

I'm staying with a neighbor and friend of ours. She has made me feel so welcomed and comfortable. It's as close to feeling like I'm home as I can get without actually moving back into our house.

I have several friends who want me to show them around the gem show...just like old times. :) I LOVE being able to see my dad! How I have missed my family!! I can't begin to describe how wonderful it is to be driving our Jeep Wrangler! I miss driving...especially the Jeep!

Ah...all the virgin land, state trusts, nature preserves, etc., that surround our little town! It's wonderful to see so much wildlife moving around! And the air is as clean as can be! I'm thinking of scooping some of it up into some mason jars and let my kids put their noses in it back in Shanghai. Breathe deeply kids!

I have been able to see and talk to the kids on skype everyday, so far. They seem like they are all doing well. I do miss them and it's a really good thing they ARE back in Shanghai...or else I might have been calling my dear, sweet hubby..."Uh, Honey? About going back to China..." haha

Our wonderful tenants have given their notice and everybody is telling me "It's a sign! Move back!" haha If ONLY it were that easy!!

Tomorrow is another wonderful, wonderful day!! :-)

Wedding in Anhui

Sorry, sorry! Many of you are asking about the wedding we attended in the Anhui province. I have not been able to blog because I have been spending my time travelling since the event!

Day 1


We arrived two nights before the event and our ayi was the most gracious hostess! She directed us to the best hotel available in her very small town, called the Wuwei Hotel. This hotel reminded me of a grand hotel that might have been available...let's say...in the early 1900s. Grand, but a little rustic and just slightly dirty. This one also being very Chinese as well. Although, I was very happy to discover that the toilets in the rooms were western style and not squat toilets. Yes, a Grand hotel, indeed. ;-)

Our ayi walked us through the process of securing a room and made sure we were comfortable before she left for her own home. Being that Wuwei is a very small town, you can imagine that not very many people, if any, speak English. In fact, we didn't see any other foreigners the entire time we were there! And you can well imagine, based on my previous blogs, how much attention we received by the Chinese people...especially the kids!

The next day, we enjoyed a chinese breakfast at the hotel and our ayi had set up an excursion for us during the day...with a [Chinese speaking] guide (her brother-in-law) to show us the way. We drove about an hour out of town to some caves called Bo Shan Dong.



Wow! What a fun experience! We loved it! The cave tour was not too long and relatively easy for the kids to traverse. We were the only ones in there, so we got a personal guided tour (in Chinese)of all the cave features. Good thing mom knows a thing or two about rocks, 'cause we, of course, had no idea what she was saying. However, she shone her flashlight on all of the important parts and I was able to tell the kids a thing or two about what we were seeing. What was really great about this cave, was that, unlike many of the cave attractions back home, the cave wasn't sectioned and roped off. So, we all got to see these cave features up close, where it was easier for the kids to see everything. We saw stalactites, stalagmites, joining of those two, water pools, minerals...we could see and hear the water drops, etc. We even saw the rocks change from limestone to a section of marble! The end of the tour led us out to a spectacular view of the valley below. It was a really great trip.


After the caves, we headed back to our hotel to rest up. The hotel was located next to a good sized lake. We ended up taking a stroll around the lake. The lake was beautiful and beautifully landscaped, with water fountain features and bridges throughout. While we were walking around, we saw several people catching their supper and one lady washing her clothes in the lake.

Later that night, we went to ayi's son's house. We saw MANY of ayi's friends and relatives there. We then all headed to a [very] local restaurant for dinner...like a wedding eve dinner. The restaurant served too many dishes to count! Mostly meat, vegetable and soup dishes. The meats included a wide variety, such as pork, chicken, fish, shrimp, egg and yes, even dog. I was very selective on my choices and while Allen extended himself a bit more to try different things, he did NOT eat the dog dish! In fact, I used the kids as an excuse to leave once the dog was served. I kept asking myself, "Was it a black and white dog? Or a tan and white dog? Or did it have floppy ears?" "Did it have a blue tongue??????" (which our dog has) Agghh! It dawned on me why I only saw small dogs running around this small town. Also, we were told by a Chinese person, that dog is a favored winter meat. Well, there you go...it's winter.

After dinner, we headed back to our hotel.

Day 2


During the day, we decided to go to Wuwei Town to look around. We ended up visiting the town on their market day. There were a TON of people around and a wet market that included live, flopping fish, live turtles in bowls, live chicken held by their wings and feet, as well as a huge variety of veggies and fruits. I also found a great tea shop. Anhui is supposed to have some of the best tea in China.

After resting up at the hotel, we left for the wedding at ayi's son's home. We were greeted by many of the same people. And, of course, the bride and groom. The bride was in a beautiful white gown and the groom (ayi's son) was dressed in a nice suit.


After taking some pictures, we all headed back to the same restaurant and ate exactly the same dishes as the previous night. Each dinner had not only lots of food, but always rice wine, beer and juice were free flowing...and cigarettes. So, needless to say, these rooms got very smoky as the night progressed.

The festivities were accompanied by lots of fireworks, both at the home and at the restaurant. In fact, one of the pieces of debris from the fireworks hit Ryan on the forehead and sizzled a small piece of his skin. Now, he has a small burn mark just above his eye. Thank goodness it wasn't IN his eye!

After dinner, we headed back to Shanghai. But, before we did, everyone was given party favor bags, even our kids. The party favor bags included hard candies and a pack of cigarettes. Brandon was like, "What's that?" haha From what was explained to me, the bride and groom would then head over to their home and several of the closer family members would join them to play "tricks" on them.

A couple of notes...

#1 In the smaller towns, a wedding is a MUCH less formal affair. In fact, it's more of a process. First, the groom's parents visit the bride's family and an "agreement" is made. They eat afterwards. The couple chooses a date. The date is usually chosen around a symbol of luck and/or prosperity. Many couples get married around the Chinese New Year. Then, the eve of the wedding date, friends and family gather and eat together for dinner. The day of the wedding, the groom (and his parents) go to collect the bride. The groom, his parents, the bride and her parents sit down for a meal together. Later, the two families go back to either the groom's home or his parent's home, where the rest of the members of the family and close family friends are waiting to congratulate them. After, pictures are taken, etc., everyone heads to a restaurant to eat again...where the mood is generally jovial and they have fireworks, etc. The bride and groom to not eat. However, they will travel to the restaurant together to have a toast at every table. Then, they will hang around and chat with guests before heading back to their home.

#2 The groom's mother has the same esteemed position as the mother of the bride in the States.

#3 We were told that our attendance at this wedding was an exceptionally high honor for all of the family and that it will be remembered above others because we were there. WE (Allen and I) know that it is not usual for foreigners to be invited to these events, so we felt especially honored to have been invited.


#4 Everyone was exceptionally courteous and very, very nice...not to mention accommodating, gracious and welcoming. This trip was a rare opportunity to see the "softer" side of the Chinese culture. I, for one, felt extremely fortunate to have experienced it. In Shanghai, the culture is one of greed. Everyone is out for something, especially from the expats. In Wuwei, we were attending an event that was all about celebration. Seeing everyone laughing, joking, chatting, and generally celebrating was so wonderful. We were treated with the utmost respect and included in many of the joking and festivities. The children were SO happy were there and seemed especially fascinated by our camera. They LOVED to see themselves on the screen after each picture was taken. The squealed with delight and all their smiles were infectious. Many of the adults as well, wanted their pictures taken...especially with us and our kids. In fact, they wanted us to be included in their family wedding shots! Crazy! haha

#5 Being the small town that it was and the wedding in an even more rural area, it must be noted that the cleanliness definitely does NOT improve. The restaurant(s) were horrendous, with kids peeing in the corridors, the squat toilets not having any plumbing and the glimpses of kitchen were too horrible to describe.

However, with THAT being said, the entire experience was...unforgettable...and we are so glad to have had the opportunity to see more of China as well as the softer side of the Chinese people.

SIX MONTHS!

Whew! SIX MONTHS! Finally! We made it to that ever elusive six-month mark here in China! I can't believe it took so long! I'd like to say it "went by so quick" and "where have the months gone?" NO! It has been an exhausting, long, tedious, although HIGHLY educational and definitely eye opening, but never-the-less, bumpy, grimy journey.

When I think of our first six months here, I honestly picture our family in a desert, reaching, striving, wishing, praying, hoping, grasping for that oasis in the distance. We have finally reached the oasis and sure enough, it's just a MIRAGE!

How many more months do we have???? Everyone says it takes six months to acclimate to a place like this and then, miraculously, life gets smoother. Uh...I don't think so! Just yesterday, I was pulling my hair out and screaming to the heavens, "WHY, for the love of God, doesn't our wireless work and why can't we get it fixed??" The people with all the answers speak Chinese...go figure. ;-)

No doubt about it, we have learned a plethora of things while living here. Yes, there are SO many more things I have an appreciation for now and so many more things still to learn. However, that comment sounds exhausting to me. haha I can only imagine why?! haha

I know many of you probably want to hear more optimistic things like how many beautiful things we have seen here, the people are wonderful, our experiences have been so unique and special, blah, blah, blah. So, please read below for my optimistic points of view:
























I was always told that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

Ok, ok, ok. Really. Here are the things I have truly enjoyed while living here:

Finding my acupuncturist
Enjoying ALL the varieties of teas
Viewing some spectacular architecture
Visiting the aquarium and other fun museums
Learning how to adequately negotiate and bargain in the markets
Meeting other moms from around the world
Going to an Olympic soccer game with Brandon
Visiting Beijing
And I'm sure there are others...

Once again, I have prepared a little Q & A from questions that have been asked by different people.

Q: How do you feel, having reached the six month mark?
A: Tired. I'm exhausted, all the time. It could be my commute each day, or the thick layer of air pollutants, or poor nutrition, or the language barrier, or the cultural differences, or all of the above.

Q: Is life getting any easier, after six months?
A: Hard to say. As usual, some days it seems that way and then other days are just as frustrating as ever. I have not seen nor do I see a "magic" solution in the near future that should make life any easier. Language, culture, air, food, traffic, etc are all still the same for us. By now, we understand and have had to accept some truths and facts about living here...but it doesn't necessarily make life any easier.

Q: Do you want to come home?
A: Yes. For many reasons. Ryan constantly battles with his health over here. Brandon misses his peers back home. I'm not sure any of us are getting the proper nutrition. The air pollution is WAY beyond horrible. I'm still worried about our kids getting hurt without appropriate emergency help. It's dirty, everywhere. I'm sick of battling squat toilets. I still dislike paying $10 for a box of cereal, even more for half a weeks worth of milk, and not being able to find good chocolate. Just to name a few...

Q: Are you making any more friends?
A: Yes! All the time, especially since I have committed to more school activities/obligations. However, making International friends is definitely not as "intuitive" (at least for me) as making friends back home. People back home "get me" (most of the time) and vice versa. I love meeting so many people from so many places around the world, but sometimes, it's just a little harder to connect because of the differences in culture.

Q: What are those "commitments" you mentioned?
A: I have volunteered to take a Board position in the parent association at the boys' school and coordinate all of the Chinese and English speaking class parents. Also, I have committed to helping a few of my new friends in specific areas of their lives.

Q: Are you learning Chinese?
A: Both Allen and I have been taking Chinese lessons for about 1-2 hours per week (not very much). It's been a very slow and most assuredly, frustrating process...mostly for our tutor! haha I don't really want to own up to how many weeks we have been taking these lessons because I'm [almost] embarrassed at how little I, personally, have learned. Although, Allen has picked it up much faster than myself. His co-workers definitely help to educate him along the way. I'm very proud at how much he has learned so far.

Q: What has been your favorite activity so far?
A: I truly enjoyed our trip to Beijing. It's so hard to explain how wonderful it was to see and walk the Great Wall of China and experience all the nuances of the Forbidden City. Also, the city was VERY clean due to the recent Olympics.

Q: How is Blue?
A: Sad, I think. And getting older much faster here than I imagine he would have back home. :-( It's a constant weight on both me and Allen's mind and heart.

Q: How is Ryan doing?
A: Still holding, barely. An hour outside gets him coughing - a lot. So, I'm always trying to gauge where he NEEDS to go outside and for how long. Just playing outdoors is not an option for the kids this time of year, especially for Ryan. It's not fun.


Q: Why can't you seem to warm up? You are always mentioning you are sooo cold!A: Our house has concrete walls, hollow flooring, single paned glass, thin curtains and a heating/cooling unit in the corner of each room...which does not include any hallways, stairs or bigger spaces, like the loft area. PLUS, it's very cold outside and anywhere we go, they usually don't have it heated to save money. Seriously. Everyone wears big, thick coats all the time...everywhere...like the markets, schools, businesses, etc.

Q: What is the winter fashion like in Shanghai?
A: Unbelievably, in this cold weather...and like any big metropolitan city...swanky. Women will wear thick tights and short skirts, a couple layers of shirts, high heeled boots and a thick jacket. I have even seen the younger set wearing shirts that show their bellies or shoulders in this weather. Men dress as usual...casual or for business. I have seen older people out in the alleyways, wearing their thick PJ's...as usual. But, almost all the women are wearing some form of high heels. They will regret that in about 20 years. Many people look dressed up.

Q: What are your 2009 plans for coming home?
A: I'm anticipating my trip back home in Jan/Feb! Although, I'm starting to get very nervous about leaving the kiddos. They will be fine and I just have to get over it. Everything will be fine! We are also anticipating visiting with my mom in Hawaii this summer. We just talked about the kids and I staying from mid-June to mid-August. Allen will visit for a couple of weeks at some point in that time frame. We are so looking forward to breathing clean air, eating tropical fruit, basking in the Hawaiian sun, playing in the waves, enjoying some nature and visiting with my mom and Papa John.

Q: Do you have any plans to travel elsewhere?
A: Next week, we will be visiting the Anhui Province (NW of us) for our ayi's son's wedding. There will be some caves to visit while we are up there. Also, I would like for our family to consider a trip to Japan in either the spring of 2009 or the spring of 2010 to see the blooming of the cherry blossoms. I would like to visit Hong Kong, Xian and Guilin as well.

So, I hope that answers many questions some of you have had. In reflection, I have to say that we have discovered that our hardships over here have somewhat outweighed the benefits of coming over here...for us...so far. There may be something, just around the corner that may change that opinion. An enlightenment of some sort? An event? A goal reached? I don't know. When or if we reach it, you all will be the first to know! I can see how this kind of experience can be wonderful for many people. It's very specific to each individual family, ie, number of kids, the ages of their kids, number of working adults, financial burdens, church/community, etc. There are so many things to consider! Will I be glad we did this? You bet! When we are home, safe and sound. I will have LOVED that we got through the experience not much worse for wear. However, I'm still worrying about the IF we get through it not much worse for wear part. It's hard to enjoy something that you feel threatens you, your kids and your family's needs and growth. If I KNEW, without a doubt, we will all be ok until we get back home, I could relax, enjoy, unwind a bit. But, I don't feel that way. I'm not relaxed. I feel like I can't unwind. So, it's hard to enjoy.

However, with THAT being said, I AM trying to look around while I'm here. I know, someday, I will want to remember many things about being here...with FOND memories. I want the kids to enjoy their time here. We are all learning so much, on so many levels. I'm very happy about that, even if it's sometimes against my will. ;-)

So, here are a few things I have learned since moving to China:

1) A 1/4" of space between cars…is still a 1/4" of SPACE.

2) Fish heads are a delicacy in some parts of the world.

3) Don’t try and translate the phrase, “With a grain of salt…”

4) If you think it can’t be eaten…it CAN.

5) There is a fine line between using the term “literally” and seeing it followed through…literally.

6) The Chinese just cannot pronounce W’s , L’s and TH’s. They cannot.

7) Don’t get too comfortable with the idea of being “good friends” with the Chinese. You’re not THAT good of a friend - ever.

8) I don’t really like truly authentic Chinese food.

9) A smile? A grimace? What’s the difference?

10) No use getting all worked up over a little poop in the pool.

11) It CAN be a crime to cause a serious commotion.

12) ‘Police action’ is a relative term.

13) Bribery is a state of mind.

14) Negotiation is a crucial way of life.

15) Going “green” in China is not a choice…it’s a necessity.

16) Chinese brands...SUCK.

17) Not every screw has to be included when getting furniture assembled. Wobbly often works!

18) Fireworks might as well be Chinese currency...they are so abundant.

19) Don't ever ask a group of Chinese people to vote on a topic. Vote? What's that?

20) The Chinese invented EVERYTHING. They will tell you that.


And these are definitely forms of CHINESE TORTURE:

1) Having a massage parlor on every corner and never being able to get a good massage.

2) Having the city littered with pastry/sweet shops and never able to find anything sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth.

3) Having big brand name ice creams shops here, but they only carry 5 flavors – all the time...two of them being green tea and vanilla with raisins.


For Christmas, I received a gift from my mom and John that I have enjoyed immensely. The founder of Successories wrote a little book about 'Charging the Human Battery.' It's a fun little book about motivation and some really great quotes. I've listed a few of my favorites because they have, in some way, resonated with me about life here in China:

"You are always only one choice away from changing your life." ~Marcy Blochowiak

Whew! Don't I know it!

"Fear kills more people than death." ~General George Patton

No fear! I've felt many things on this journey, but fear has not been a primary directive. Thank goodness...

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward." ~Kierkegaard

That's what I hope we are doing.

"The years teach much which the days never knew." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I'm counting on that.

"Change comes bearing gifts." ~Price Pritchett

I believe that.

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain." ~unknown

I am SO trying...

"Life must be lived as play." ~Plato

I love Plato...

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." ~Eric Hoffer

I've never really been good at math...I must learn to be better at it.

And here's some simple life lessons from Everything I Need to Know About Life I Learned from Noah's Ark.

~ Don't miss the boat

~ Remember, we're all in the same boat

~ Plan Ahead

~ Stay fit (when you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big)

~ Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done

~ Build your future on high ground

~ For safety's sake, travel in pairs

~ Speed isn't always an advantage (the snails were on board, alongside the cheetahs)

~ When you're stressed, float for awhile

~ Remember, the ark was built by amateurs, and the Titanic, by professionals

~ And just one more thing...the woodpecker might have to go!


Just some fun rules to live by... :-) Happy 2009!

A Fair Fight

This is the kind of blog I KNOW many people might have different opinions about. There. I've said it. So, please don't BLAST me with your indignation, concerning this topic! And for those of you who have boys 0-4.5 years, you may not understand where I'm coming from – yet. For those of you with only girls…yeah…you really might not understand. However, those of you with 5+ year old, school age boys, I'm sure you can identify with many of the points I have to make regarding…teaching your boy how to fight.

YES, at some point, boys need to learn how to fight. Whether they learn from parents, or from other kids, or by taking a martial arts class, etc., at some point…boys need to learn to AT LEAST protect themselves. I, personally, think you need to concentrate on teaching a boy how to fight – fair. My mom, who has only raised two daughters, is one of those who probably would be indignant about me even talking about teaching her grandsons to fight. But, sorry mom, it's a truth when you are raising boys. Boys fight.

First, boys wrestle…and LOVE it. Then they go to preschool. Even from an early age, kids are learning where they stand in the hierarchy of their peers. I have a very good friend who has a daughter that went into preschool at the same time Brandon started preschool. I remember her telling me how amazed she was at how early the “manipulation” and mind games started on the playground, for girls. These kids were 3 years old! But, already, her daughter was feeling the brunt of playground tactics with the other girls, ie, feeling left out, being shunned on purpose, name calling…all for the purpose TO make her feel bad. That’s what girls do. Although, I'm sure her daughter has probably learned how to fend for herself by now. Boys? Well, they fight. Underneath the polished exterior of refined culture, lies an animal. That's what we are and if you really watch kids at play, you are swiftly reminded of that fact. They are trying to understand their world and where they fit in it.

But, even in preschool, it's still somewhat harmless. The boys will push each other, “mock” kick fight each other, pull at each other, name call (which, unbelievably, boys find absolutely hilarious…at any age), etc. As a mom, you begin to understand that this somewhat innocuous fighting can turn a lot worse as they get older. Something that we all seem to understand as adults…kids are mean! However, this thought gets pushed back from the forefront of your mind, because you don't WANT to think about your little baby boy getting harmed or causing harm to others. So, you shelve the topic while you continue to watch your baby boy grow…and only insert the occasional guidance to the playground antics. And all the while, you're telling your baby boy how and why to be sweet. “Play nice. Don't push. Don't name call. Is that how you want to be treated?”

By the time your boy enters Kindergarten, you realize all that pushing and shoving and name calling was just the foundation for what is to come. Brandon has reached an age and school level where he is faced with meaner boys. In fact, there is a group of boys in his class that he refers to as “the mean boys.” I have seen a few of them and they are, indeed, pretty rough and tumble…and, frankly, quite out of control at times. Hmmm…still not sure what to tell Brandon on how to handle himself. You don't wan't your boy to harm others, but you don't want him to be the victim either. THAT is also very important. Nobody wants their child to be a victim to cruelty and abuse. Visions of Columbine pop into a mother's head. I once read a book that, even though it was a work of fiction, many of the events paralleled the events leading up to the Columbine shootings. The author had done a lot of research and referenced that actual event many times in her explanations for writing the book. As a mother, the book was right up there with The Shining and other such horror fiction. It was horrible to think about what led these kids to do what they did as well as think about the peer pressure our kids have to face.

Anyway, a few days ago, something very disturbing occurred. I was with a friend who has two boys. However, on this day, she had only brought her 3 year old. We decided to sit for awhile and have coffee. The boys (her one and both of mine) were playing for awhile. But, as usual, not too much time had passed before we were completely distracted by our kids. She is the one who parents differently than I do. Her child was throttling a money tree, climbing over people drinking their coffee, jumping off shelves he never should have been on in the first place, standing on the furniture, breaking metal rods off the decorations, laying down on the cash register counter, banging on the snack stand glass, pulling the plush toys out of their bags…need I go on?? All the while, I'm trying to get my kids to understand that while HE may be allowed to do these things, THEY better not even think about it. After some time, I hear Brandon start screaming and crying. I race around a corner to find that the little boy (who is 3) kicked Brandon in the groin – hard. This was Brandon's first lesson about such things.

While I'm holding and trying to console Brandon, Ryan raced over to the little boy and told him “NO!” and swatted him on his belly. The little boy proceeded to kick Ryan in the groin as well. He probably thought, “Hey…it worked really well the first time and I barely had to apologize for it.” Yep, it was just as effective as when Brandon got it. Ryan started crying profusely and then I had to console BOTH my boys.

It dawned on me that both my boys got their hineys kicked by a 3 year old. Granted, it was an unfair fight since the kid delivered a very accurate and most effective kick to the groins of both my boys. But, life isn't always about being fair, is it? And, in the game of life and in THIS particular instance, both my boys lost the fight in a big way.

This was a disturbing event for many reasons. The more obvious reason being that both my boys got licked by a 3 year old. WHICH, by the way, the mom was barely able to restrain the smirk on her face. Other reasons include that it was very hard to explain to Brandon why the child could kick him and not get punished, when we tell him all the time NOT to hurt other kids. I then realized that maybe the problem was US (Allen and I). For his entire life, we have been telling him not to hurt others, be nice and kind, etc, etc. We have been, unknowingly, grooming him to be a victim.

Brandon is not the kind of kid who has ever needed to be reminded to “be nice”. He IS nice and sweet and sensitive. We have only encouraged his own natural behavior. However, now, it's time to give him the tools and resources to be assertive without being aggressive. So, what ARE the rules?? We came up with a few *ahem* guidelines to help Brandon understand the boundaries to a fair fight. These should stick for many years to come.

Rule #1 – Never hit first. If you are so consumed with your emotions, that you want to physically violate another person, you have already lost. Think with your head, not with your fist.

Rule #2 – If you ARE hit or kicked, be sure to hit or kick that person back even HARDER than they hit/kicked you. What?? OMG! That sounds horrible, right?! No, not really. Think about it. If an aggressor hits you and you hit back with equal or less force, the fight could last a very long time…someone HAS to win. However, if, with punch #2, coming from you, the aggressor gets it back harder than he gave? Most likely, he’ll look to other, easier prey next time. The POINT is not to have your own child be the victim.

Rule #3 – Never hit a girl. We explained to Brandon that girls will always have less strength than boys and it's wrong to take unfair advantage of that fact.

Rule #4 – Never hit another boy in the groin. It's unfair and it's an unwritten rule among boys/men. He remembers how much it hurt him a couple of days ago.

Rule #5 – Never hit someone in the face with anything other than your hand. We told Brandon that if he is holding something, like a toy or book or even a straw…it can really do some damage in several places on the face. And don’t kick the face…especially your brothers.

Circumstances have initiated these five rules for fighting. Brandon has many, many skills and talents. Maybe, even because of us and him being our first sweet, precious boy, fighting does not come naturally to him. If Ryan pins him down, he'll scream to be let up instead of finding a way out of the situation himself. It makes sense. We have told him since Ryan was born, NOT to hurt his baby brother. But, now Ryan isn't so much a baby anymore and can quite easily handle himself. It's time to teach Brandon that if he has gotten himself into a situation, there is always a way out of it. He needs to practice getting himself out from being pinned, or being smacked, etc. We have noticed that he doesn't “anticipate” things like, being hit, or kicked, etc…and thus, doesn't defend himself appropriately. It's time to change that…and it's up to us to help him along.

I wish the world could just be nice. I wish we didn't have to think about these kinds of things. But, unfortunately, we do. Hopefully, neither of our boys will EVER have to use these guidelines their entire lives. But, who really believes that? Their boys…that's what they do. They even practice moves on each other, all the time!

It'll be good to teach Brandon some guidelines…hopefully, it will empower him. Ryan?? We know that kid can handle himself. Haha He's already boxing very well on the Wii…knocks the opponent down all the time! Mommy can't even do that as consistently. While the above rules will help him as well, we might have to set up a few more on WHY he shouldn’t hit/kick first. ;-)

Sheesh! It's like night and day between those two! They definitely keep our lives interesting!

Made In China

I've said this before and I'll say it again... DO NOT BUY ANY CHINESE BRAND!! Yes, yes...everything is MADE here. But, the products shipped to the States or wherever else are made BETTER than anything that is supposed to stay here in China.

We have a Chinese brand refrigerator - Haier. We have a Chinese brand washing machine - Haier. We have a Galanz microwave. And all of our heating/cooling units look to be Chinese brands.

If you read my blogs in the beginning of our adventure, you know how much trouble we were having with our Haier refrigerator, which was BRAND NEW. We have had to call the service people for our washing machine - twice! Our master bedroom heating unit makes very loud noises.

And our microwave, which we have had for only 5 months, just broke beyond repair. The fan works...but the...microwave part?...doesn't. How can that happen?? That's what is does! It's a flippin' microwave! It's supposed to MICRO. WAVE. our food to piping hot degrees! Is it only one wave that's broken...or ALL the waves? WHAT-EVER!!! 5 months? And, of course, the store will not take it back because it's past the 30 days. We could potentially be out a lot of money if we have to replace all our appliances every quarter.

I have given all of you fair warning...DON'T be seduced by the lower prices of chinese brand products. From what I understand, Haier is making it's way through the US market. It's bad enough everything is made so cheaply for the Chinese...let's not contribute to the "madness" back home!

I had someone send me a video that so perfectly displays what it's like to use just about any product you can imagine over here. Products like...toys that fall apart coming out of their boxes...chewing gum that lasts about 30 seconds before the flavor is gone...batteries that last just as long as the chewing gum...packaging that is thin and tears easily...decorations that are the quality of any BAD $.99 store back home...AND TOO MANY OTHER EXAMPLES to name.

Anyway, please view this short video. It's titled NEW CAR FROM CHINA. It hits JUST the right chord with me and I laugh out loud every time I see it. Because it's so true!

Day of discrimination

As I've stated before in my blogs, I have been learning a lot from people of other countries. Most specifically, how they feel about Americans. I learned something today that didn't sit well with me and then something further happened that pretty much confirmed what I had heard.

As an expatriate (expat), many of us are faced with discrimination on a daily basis...some good, some bad. Many Chinese people want to dangle their expat friends on their arm, as a way to show off they do, indeed, know expats - well enough to "hang out" with them. Basically, we're hood ornaments for the Chinese. The local markets reek of discrimination for all travellers, expats, foreigners and tourists. I went with a Chinese friend to one of the markets. She asked the vendor how much something was (in Chinese). The guy looked at both of us and responded, "For you or for her (the "her" being me)?" My Chinese friend told me that is was 3 yuan for her and 5 for me. This is the kind of thing that expats already know they have to deal with and on most days, they take it with a grain of salt. However, there are those other days, you just can't help but feel so mad about something like that!

It's DIRECT and GROSS discrimination...in a society that supposed to handle almost everything with such subtlety in order to "save face". In fact, WE (the expats and foreigners in general) are supposed to bend over backwards to accommodate that #1 rule over here...to SAVE FACE!! But, almost every day, the average expat has to deal with some level of hypocrisy when dealing with a Chinese person.

Back home, we have volumes of issues concerning discrimination. Certain people are looked at funny and they are offended. Some people don't see their language written on a document and they are offended. Some people are offended when others don't give them direct eye contact. Do we base our opinions of others on over-exaggerated generalizations? Yes! I think everyone, around the world, does that to some extent. However, living here, I'm just starting to realize that there are several levels of discrimination. Some of the discrimination issues some people have back home...I want to say, "Grow up! Don't be such a baby!" While I now see that others are truly discriminated against and how that must affect their lives, on a daily basis.

The scenario I described above, in the markets, is a minimized version of, let's say...an employer having two employees in his office, one man and one woman. He looks at both of them and directly announces in front of both of them, that the man will get more money because he is a boy. Imagine how offended a woman would feel in that instance. It's a violation of something you can't control. I'm an expat. That's it. I have to pay more money - for everything. Like I said...some days...that kind of thing can just get under your skin and drive you bonkers!

Today, I was having coffee with two friends of mine, one from Switzerland and the other from Australia. We got to talking about the local markets and the attitudes of some of the [younger set] of vendors. Some of them are extremely rude. Many people have the inclination to think, "Hey, they can't be doing that bad if they can afford to be so rude!" They will sometimes refuse your business outright. Sometimes, they will scream at your back in Chinese, as your walking out the door. My friends and I were discussing this attitude phenomenon and the possible reasons for it.

Somehow, the subject turned to specific instances that my friends had been in and what they had seen in previous visits to the markets. My Australian friend relayed a story of how she witnessed an American woman being refused business in one of the shops. My Australian friend and her UK friend had just negotiated an item the American woman wanted, down to 35 RMB. But, the vendor sent the American woman away because the American woman didn't want to pay 200 RMB...for the SAME item! The vendor would rather not have her business at all, than see her pay less than 200 RMB...for an item my Australian friend was getting for 35 RMB! The American woman wasn't be rude. She just didn't want to pay 200 RMB for the item and left the shop. My Australian friend explained that her and her friend asked why the vendor wouldn't drop her price for the American woman...and the vendor responded that most of the vendors don't like Americans. Ok, this piece of information was disturbing to me...since I'm American. That means I'm really getting ripped off whenever they find out I'm American. And, yes, they ask all the time what nationality I am.

But, the truly disturbing part came a few minutes later when MY two friends started swapping "hate American" stories back and forth...with relish. They just kept going with all the "examples" either they or their friends had of people not liking Americans. They even threw stories into the mix of when vendors mistook them for Americans and they joked with the vendors about being SO offended and how the vendors would apologize PROFUSELY for the mistake. Well, at least everyone had a good laugh about it.

I hated to interrupt (I'm being sarcastic), but did they forget I was still in the room? When I made my presence known, they both had the graciousness to look a little shame faced...a little. But, they were VERY helpful to suggest I pretend to be Canadian...or even Australian. Wow. If that doesn't knock a person down a peg or two...I'm not sure what would. If nothing else...it was definitely an eye opener.

I've referred to this topic before. The world loves America, but dislikes Americans. And as I stated above, disliking Americans may be based on over-exaggerated generalizations...but, undoubtedly, based on some hard truths and actions of American people. We may have earned this reputation...and not in a good way.

Which makes me contemplate the awful behaviour of so many Americans. Granted, there are some serious cultural differences involved. Ones that are very difficult to bridge. Trust me, I know. But, wow. This is first time I've been so close to the darker side of discrimination. Let me tell you...it's not a good place to be.

The same day, my Australian friend and I went to McDonalds for lunch (we both had our kids with us). My Australian friend is a very lovely woman. But, her and I parent differently. While in McDonalds, her child ripped down a poster off the wall. My friend didn't admonish her child for it and she didn't make him pick it up. So, the kids were playing in that same area and the poster frame broke along the top...unbeknownst to us adults. We had just finished eating, when a Chinese employee started yelling and she showed us the broken poster. Guess who she was screaming at...ME and my boys. She thought, for whatever reason, that WE must be the culprits. Maybe because I had two kids and my friend only had her youngest (who is 3 years old) with her at the time?? Because I'm a ruffian American?? Who knows! The point is, my kids weren't the ones who tore down the poster. But, we were the ones who were blamed. And I was the one who ended up apologizing for someone else's kid! At this point, I was feeling the strain of all kinds of discrimination! And my friend had the GALL to joke with me on the way out how the lady was really mad at me and tearing me a new one, in Chinese. Uh, excuse me?

It's days like yesterday and today, that I just don't want to leave the house for awhile. I can't help but feel a little sick in my heart about my recent revelations regarding friends, home, country, the world.

"Ick!" Ever have that feeling? Tomorrow is a new day. There is ALWAYS something new that pops up. Why does that comment always make me feel a little nervous while in China? haha

Immersion? Or not?

We are forced to think about where the boys will go to school next year. It has always been accepted that after this year, they will both go to the British International School (BISS) here in our neighborhood. We have definitely agreed that Brandon will transfer to his "big boy" school (BISS), which he is very excited about. BISS will help Brandon prepare better for his future education, wherever that may be.

Also, BISS is only a 3 minute walk from our house. SOOOO convenient. This year, I have found that I'm in the car at least 4 hours a day, commuting to and from school! It totally stinks and is actually quite draining...believe it or not. The traffic is horrendous.

Last March, when we were scouting out schools throughout Shanghai, we visited an all Chinese school right next to BISS. I didn't think too long about having the boys attend that school because I couldn't imagine placing them in a school where nobody spoke any English. How would their needs be communicated?? That idea seemed like a total nightmare. In March, Ryan had yet to attend any type of school, never mind an all Chinese school...NO WAY!

Well, by the time school starts next year, Ryan will have had a whole year of school under his belt AND a whole year of learning some Chinese. Also, A whole year of getting used to the different faces and accents of China. He will be 3 years old, so he will have an additional year of preschool back home before starting Kindergarten.

The question is: Should we immerse Ryan in an all Chinese preschool (the one right next to BISS) or enroll him in the preschool in BISS...same school as Brandon?

Hmmm...readers of my blogs...we would like your input, opinion, suggestions, etc!

When I talk to Chinese friends about this, they think we are absolutely crazy, NOT to immerse him while we have the opportunity. He is at that perfect age to absorb another language like a sponge. Ryan, himself, has proven it, by knowing and using the Chinese language more often than we do. Of course, only my Chinese friends and our ayi recognize it when he does, because...none of us speak Chinese! haha Even Brandon hasn't had the same ability to learn it.

Allen has voiced some concerns about immersing him when he hasn't been the strongest English speaker thus far. I, personally, think he'll catch up in his OTHER year of preschool back home, before Kindergarten. If not, there are some wonderful programs and resources to help him get on par. Also, we'll be speaking English to him at home.

I'M concerned that he'll feel alienated when he can't communicate his needs to the staff...and not like school. Allen thinks he is so good at communicating his needs by body language now, he should have no problem at school. He thinks that he'll learn - quickly.

I'M concerned with not being able to efficiently communicate with his teachers about stuff, especially on a daily basis. I would need a translator. Allen seems to think I, myself, will be motivated to learn Chinese if that's the case! Uh...I don't think so.

Preschools are pretty much the same anywhere you go here in Shanghai. They have play time, small lessons, nap time, snack time, etc. There really isn't a HUGE concern that he won't be learning enough. However, what he will be learning will be all about China and the Chinese language.

A few people I have talked to seems to think that China is the next biggest "thing" to happen to the world and that knowing the Chinese language will only help the boys.

A few friends here pointed out that even if Ryan doesn't practice it back home, his brain will have formed those "language" synapses and "who knows" what he'll be able to recall at a later date, if he needs it. Also, they feel he can help Brandon pick it up at a later date as well.

What to do? What to do?? We need help! Please post your thoughts or email me directly with them!

Loyalty

You know...recently, I've been learning a lot about myself. On my path to self discovery, I have even more recently learned who I have formed close attachments to here in China. If you asked me yesterday, "Are you close to anyone over there?" or "Will it be hard to leave people you know in China?", my answer would have been "Uh, no...I don't think so." However, today, out of pure instinct, I have learned otherwise. I have learned that I have, indeed, formed some deep-er attachments to certain individuals, which took me by complete surprise.

Those who know me best, know that ONE of my truer and deeper set characteristics is...loyalty. I'm 100% loyal to those I have committed myself to in one way, shape or form. This includes family, friendships and yes, even service providers. I'm completely loyal to my chiropractor back home. I know I will have a very hard time switching loyalties to another acupuncturist after leaving China...IF at all. I really do love my acupuncturist. So, see? That's just one "relationship" I have committed myself to here in China.

In China, only Chinese people with a Chinese ID can sell Amway. Amway is one of the few (if not ONLY) direct sales companies allowed in China. Most of you know that being approached by an Amway person back home means...trouble. Whether it's to sell you Amway's products or to try and get you to be a "downline" for them...it means trouble. For some reason, Amyway consultants are absolutely relentless in their pursuit - everywhere you go!

Anyway, I have a Chinese friend who sells Amway. This person is an unusually motivated and ambitious person...which happens to be PERFECT for Amway! For the longest time, my friend never approached me about Amway. I thought, "Cool!" However, very recently, she has become this relentless Amway consultant. She decided to expand her business to the expat market. As her friend, I have been helping her with translation, etc. She tried to bring me in as her [silent] "partner" (I can't have an account number because I don't have a Chinese ID), because she felt bad that I was helping her and I wasn't interested in getting any money for it. This really didn't make any sense to her and I'm sure she has thought more than once I must be a little loose in the head...for NOT wanting to make money! haha I made it clear that, as her friend, I was helping her and that I wasn't willing to make the kind of commitment it took to be successful as an Amway employee. However, she was absolutely relentless about it and approached me all the time...suddenly. Although I was annoyed, I also knew my own boundaries and I knew I wouldn't be giving in any time soon. So, it became this "automatic" response. She approached me, I told her "no." Over and over and over again.

However, recently, she went too far. I have an absolute loyalty to the two guys at our ayi company. They are young (late 20s), super nice, have helped us tremendously over the last several months WITH a smile every time, and they started their company with a new thought (to China) in mind...creating "harmony" in the work place. I know that doesn't sound like any big deal...but HERE, in China, it's a "far out" concept. Now, with the world's economy slowing down, expats going home, their office being in the "countryside", they are a little worried they might be shut down. So, I asked my Chinese friend to help me refer them to people she knows. She told me "Yes! Absolutely!"..with the typical Chinese smile on her face. Ok, whatever, fine. I could see she probably wouldn't...but, hey, that's her business. However, a few weeks later, she asked to meet the guys at the ayi company because she wanted to talk to them. On the way to their office, I found out she wanted to promote her business by placing brochures in their office. I stopped her, looked her straight in the eye, and asked, "Are you planning to refer these guys out to people you know?" She faltered. She was more than a little surprised that I was giving her such a direct stare while I asked the question. That's just not usually done. She replied, "I will try." I indicated that I don't want her to use these guys to further her business without an equal return.

What surprised ME was that, without thinking, I was willing to forsake my friendship with her, to protect these guys. That surprised me. I made it quite clear and was very specific that, "I'm fiercely loyal to these guys." She was very surprised to hear that from me. She faltered a second time.

Today, I had a very difficult day reconciling some differences between this friend and myself, especially with her Amway pursuit. I came home and saw a packet of Amway stuff on one of our tables. Our ayi indicated that [my friend] wanted her to sell the product and "make more money". I was furious! This surprised me...again! I found out that I'm also fiercely loyal and very protective of our ayi. She is from a rural country, farming province. She, in many ways, is "innocent" to the ways of the world. Remember...back home, many of us have had MANY encounters with different types of sales people. That's not the case here in China. Amway being one or the only direct sales business allowed, many of the Chinese people are VERY innocent to the ways of that business world. WE know many factors should be considered when you decide to sell directly. If you're serious about it, relationships/friendships/etc. can be strained or damaged by your pursuit to sell, sell, sell. There are those who are responsible about selling a product and those who don't care as much, as long as they sell.

So, when I saw the Amway packet, I directly asked my friend if she was the one who gave it to her. Her answer being, 'yes'. This means that my friend is going through me, to the people I know, behind my back, to further her career. Yes...I get it...it's all about networking. Of course, she'll try and do this. However, I'm beginning to sense a predatory aura surrounding my friend, and my ayi, in my eyes, became her prey. Our ayi is COMPLETELY unknowing of these kinds of things. I immediately took on the role of protector and essentially told my friend to "Back Off!" Ok, I didn't say it quite like that, but I DID indicate to my friend that if she wants to approach anyone I may care about with Amway, I suggest she convince ME first how it will improve their life. Whoa! Did I actually do that? Yes! I still can't believe it! But, in my defense, I acted on instinct. I was soooo mad that she would choose to "prey" on MY ayi...behind my back!

I guess the moral of this story is that, yes, I do have people I care about here...unbeknownst to me. My instinctual reaction of loyalty has proven it. My loyalty stems from my heart, not my head. The other moral to this story?? I don't think any more Amway people should approach me any time soon! haha

Mom Leaves :(

A couple of days ago, as one of our final family trips during my mom's visit, we all went to the Shanghai Science & Technology Museum. Uh...WOW!! Another amazing and unexpected venue here in Shanghai!

The Science & Tech Museum is in the new Pudong area and was built within the last 5-8 years or so. The building itself is absolutely stunning. The museum is made up of several levels of...fun. :) Upon entering the building, we visited the 'Earth Exploration' section first (by accident). Uh...WOW!! It took about 2 hours to walk through JUST that section! The entire section was about the earth, rocks, minerals, volcanoes, history of Shanghai in regards to sedimentation and paleogeographical details. We witnessed the [real] sounds and sights of a big volcano! The lights went off, there was loud, booming thunder and lightening, similated spewing ash, lava [lights] that glowed red and creeped down towards us on the walkway. Brandon was scared and exhilerated all at the same time...he's still talking about it! It was just one of the cool exhibits in this part of the museum. Also, this section had [fake] bedding along the walls and real looking rocks along the wall as well. The final part of the section was the most real looking, but entirely fake, cavern with stalagtites and stalagmites, dripping water and pools of lit water...with a wooden, rickety bridge going across it! How cool! :)

We walked out into the sunlight of the museum and ventured over to one of the best kids play areas! Who knew! It was like Magorium's Emporium...for science geeks! Mommy loved it!!! :) The very first thing Brandon wanted to do...out of ALL the really cool things to see and do in there...was "become" a "real" architect and build things. This is an area where the kids put on little hard hats and "go to work!" There is a big crane they can move, a big half finished house to build, pulleys to get fake bricks and tools to the platform, wheelbarrows, blueprints, etc. Brandon had to wait in a long line and wait two whole 20-minute turns before he got in...and this is what he wanted to do first! He just might be an architect when he grows up...who knows! You should have seen him! He was a leader! He went right in there and started doing one thing or another...and sure enough...a minute or two later, other kids joined him in the activities, doing exactly as he was doing. He had lots of fun! :)

We were starting to get a little tired at this point, but we decided to head over to the 'Age Information' and 'Robot' section. We learned how the internet works by watching marbles run through various points of a "system". This is where Brandon finally began to understand this is how he is able to talk to Auntie, Grandma and Papa with the computer. We saw the material they use for computer chips and how it is formed from raw material to the finished chip. Very interesting. We saw robots perform different function, for different reasons...all kinds of robots!

Whew! NOW we were starting to get really tired...and we had only seen TWO major sections of the museum! They was a TON more to see! However, Papa John learned that there is definitely a "max" to kids' attention spans and energy. haha We all headed out to get sustenance at a nearby Brazilian BBQ place, in the copy market.

After eating, we headed back to the museum and watched an IMAX film...Mysteries of the Nile. This was the first time the kids had experienced an IMAX film...and WOW! They LOVED it! We all had reclining chairs (so us old fogies could rest a bit) and watched some amazing scenery on the screen. You should have seen the kids' faces! It was great.

By the end of the movie, the kids were actually ASKING us to go home. They were soooo tired!! Allen and the boys went home and the rest of us headed to the copy market to do some last minute shopping with my mom. We spent another 2.5 hours wearing down and tag teaming the vendors and walked out of the market feeling...satisfied! :) All in all...it was a GRAND last day, in many ways.

Yesterday, my mom and John went home. :( It was sad to see her go, but we have all talked about our upcoming visit to Hawaii this summer. So, we will see her sooner than I was used to seeing her back home. Even so, I was sad to see her go. :(

We will all be happy to visit Hawaii and get some fresh air. I'm glad our trip will be more extensive than usual. We can get a good dose of many things we have been missing since moving here to Shanghai. :) It's a GREAT thing to look forward to in the months to come!