Halloween, China Style

We hosted a the first annual Horizon Halloween party. Best part, the three page email explaining what Halloween is, including a glossary of terms.  It was a great party but...I learned a few lessons during the process.

First, be very specific when sending someone, of Chinese nationality, to purchase American/Western food.  I made pulled pork for sandwiches but was counting on hot dogs to be the staple for the kids.  I asked my driver to go and get the hot dogs (buns had already been purchased at IKEA, but IKEA hotdogs tend to emanate a greenish hue so I was trying to avoid them).  I did my best translating and sent her to Metro, the Chinese version (that is not even close) of Costco.  She returned with half the requested number but spent double the allotted amount.  So in the end, the kids each got half of an imported, 100% organic, Kobe beef hot dog.  Good Eats.

 Our balcony, filled to capacity.  Good thing I trust Chinese engineering because I think weight limits were exceeded.

                         

Our little hot dog.

Second lesson, do not write, 'Feel free to forward this invitation on to anyone else that might be interested in participating.'  Oh, it got forwarded and forwarded and forwarded.  I knew, maybe 25% of the people that showed up.  The following picture does not include everyones shoes.  It took as much time for everyone to find and replace their shoes as it did to serve and eat dinner.  No one would have considered leaving their shoes on...not after using a public restroom in China.  Shoes off at the door because who knows what you've stepped in.

What's that smell?!

 Overall, good times and of course we'll do it again next year!

If the overpriced, international education does't pay off, Matt has a back-up plan.

as does Lily.

Random

I meant to include these photos with the first post.  This is the flight from the beautiful city of Detroit to Shanghai.  I will never fly United on an international flight again (shoot this was a roundtrip ticket)  I will never fly United after that!  Terrible food (because airline food is typically soooo good), No TVs (I'm a TV Nazi but on a 14 hour flight, they are a Godsend), really small seats.  Which is why Rich was kicked out of his so I could lay down.


My friend, Maren, has a 10 week old baby and she lost her last binki so I went on a desperate hunt.  I finally found a baby shop that carried them as well as other necessities, like Red Bull.  The picture is a bit fuzzy, but there it is next to the formula...brilliant product placement!

Our apartment is quite nice and ridiculously expensive (is that tacky?...I'm trying to make a point, so don't judge me!)  On to the point...mold!  Nasty, black stuff that will probably kill one of us before our landlord addresses the problem.
 I didn't know it was there until Eli saw a little crack in the paint and proceeded picking it off.  I'm fairly certain he ate some paint in the process so if the mold doesn't get him the lead paint will.  China has not been good to him so far!

 Eli does eat plenty of other things besides paint.
 The mess I allow him to make with food makes my Ayi crazy!  She told Rich I do it on purpose.  Which I guess I do because it makes for a cute picture and allows sensory development!  She doesn't see those as valid reasons for making such a big mess. 

Here's an OINC (only in China) for you.  We were heading to Shanghai and I said I was really thirsty.  Our driver pulled over onto the median, halfway up the freeway on ramp and ran back down and across the street to buy a case of water.  She is a very dedicated employee!
 BTW this would never be grounds for a traffic citation...in the States it would guarantee you a court appearance!

Shocked

I hate to be a downer but this really shook me.  Matt came home and told me about this 'cool trick' they were doing at school.  It was a version of the 'choking game'.  It didn't use a ligation device so, to him it seemed harmless.  I jumped online and found all the scary statistics and notified the school.  The guidance counselor found the following website and they are having an assembly today to make kids aware of the dangerous involved.
http://www.gaspinfo.com

Goes to show you there's no outrunning the stupidity of youth.  America or China humanity is what it is.

I promise more sunshine and chicken feet with the next post.

Chen's Do China...Again!

Here we are, two years later, back in China. The last two years have been crazy with Rich constantly traveling and the kids and I moving three times. It made the decision to move back here easier knowing our family would all be in one place and it should be the same place for a few years.

The other factor that helped sway the pendulum in favor of China is an Ayi: Ayi is the Chinese word for aunt. It is what you call all women, unless they're really old then they're a Nai-Nai; or really young then you're a Mei-Mei. The first time we came to China, before I was China-savvy, I asked Rich why so many women were named Ayi?

Nearly everyone, foreign or not, has an Ayi that works in their home. Foreigners just pay their Ayi more since we require the use of crazy stuff like dish soap and disinfectant. There are so many stories of people that realize, after several months, and a few stomach viruses, that their Ayi isn't using soap, for anything; just water and friction.
So we have an Ayi and she does all the laundry. I hate laundry. It is worth living here just to have someone do our laundry for $3/hour.

Hold on! I am waiting in line for a roller coaster while I type this and the girl in front of me is eating squid on a stick; full on tentacles, eyes , the whole enchilada.
Small example of why his country smells so bad! People eat anything, regardless of looks or smell.
Sorry, tangent.

I feel a little guilty for having someone clean and do the laundry but it gets so dirty here so quickly all I would do all day is clean and I can do that in Texas. Also, the dryer is miniscule so most laundry gets hung outside and needs ironed. Just justifying my guilt.

This is Eli's first experience in China. He's doing great, except he is such a juicy fruit the mosquitos can't resist him. He currently has 45 mosquito bites!  Poor baby!

5 Chens go Home

So here we are, back where we started; Rich in China, the kids and I at my sister's house in Utah.

Trying to look on the bright side, what have we gained? An unbelievable experience right in the heart of China. Rich and I toyed with the idea of just coming for a few weeks of vacation but it wouldn't have given me the perspective I've gained over the last six months. I love my husband, I just don't always understand why he thinks and acts the way he does. Now, I  get it, at least some of it.

I feel a little bit like a deserter. I said I would give China a year but after six months and a new school year approaching we decided that the kids need to be in school. Good for all of you moms that can homeschool. I envy your caliber, I just don't want to emulate it. I gave it a try and I failed miserably.

Rich has stayed behind and is working on securing a job that includes a schooling stipend. Matt and Lily need to be in an international school. Mia and Piper are still young enough to attend a local school. We looked into putting all of the kids in a local school but they would be placed according to their Chinese ability; which would put both Matt and Lily in kindergarten. How's that for an esteem builder? I figure they'll already need to undergo years of therapy, why add to it.

Until that amazing job is found, the kids will attend school in Utah. The public school system may be flawed but it is leaps and bounds ahead of me.

We are headed to Austin on the 17th. My new cell is 435-979-7175; give me a call if you want to get together while we are there.

See ya'll soon!

S

OINK

Only IN China; I know China starts with a C not a K but if I had wrote ONIC would you have said oink? That’s what I thought. There are so many things that are commonplace in China that you would never see anywhere else, okay that you wouldn’t see in the States.

If I took the kids out during the winter and any flesh was showing, people would stop me and beratted me in Chinese. I’m sure if I had known what they were saying I would have been offended. Ignorance is bliss. (My Chinese motto.) The Chinese have an innate fear of cold that I don’t understand. Cancer is caused by cold, the flu is caused by cold, canker sores are caused by cold. The problem is, cold seeps into your body and chills your CHI. Not joking, this is the theory. Rich went to a Chinese doctor because his back hurts so much he can’t sleep. He came home with bruises the size of oranges all over his back. He said it is called cupping. A cup is placed on your back, a fire is lit and your cold CHI is sucked out. After ten treatments, you‘re healed! Rich is in so much pain it’s worth a try. I’ll keep you posted. Suppousedly you can buy ‘Do It Yourself’ kits and maim your friends and family in your own home. Maybe I’ll set up a clinic; I wonder how much liability coverage I’ll need?

Another ONIC. Men walking the street in nothing but boxers, rubbing their bellies. I thought summer in Austin was hot and sticky. It has nothing on Shanghai . The temperature doesn’t get as high but the humidity is unbelievable. I am always sticky and since the Chinese don’t seem to sweat, AC is a luxury, not a necessity. To keep cool men walk around with their shirts pulled up rubbing their bellies. I have asked why all the rubbing but know one seems to know.

When it is really hot you’ll have the privelage of seeing men walk around in nothing but their boxers. Typically, only old men do this but it’s not discriminatory. If the heat carries over into the night the men then pull out their bamboo mats and lie out on the sidewalks in their boxers. If you’re lucky they’ll put on a wife-beater. I’m glad this society hasn’t embraced the tighty-whitey, that could be awkward.

That’s how the men handle the heat. The women just wear nightgowns day and night. Which isn’t too bad, unless the material is transparent, yikes!

I know I’ve mentioned food before but I have a few new additions.

Yes, those are real ants.

Donkey meat.

Turtle soup, made in my own kitchen, but not by me.

Snails, Piper can’t get enough.

The rest of Beijing

A few more pics from our trip to Beijing.  You may have noticed we were two kids shy.  We left Mia and Piper with Rich's parents.  We didn't think the stroller could take the steps at the great wall.

Matt and Lily on the train to Beijing. 

When we told the kids we were taking the train, their initial reaction was, 'No'.  They imagined the train to be the same as the metro (subway).  To get them pumped, I showed them some pictures of sleeper cars and told them this is what we are riding in.  Little did I know that we were riding economy, hard sleeper class.  It did not look at all like the pictures and I'm sure if those pics had been scratch and sniff I would have realized the smell was off too.

Matt and Rich on train.

This picture typifies both personalities to a tee.  Matt too crazy (he is a nine year old boy after all).  Rich too serious (he is forty and Chinese, what else did I expect?).

The Olympic Village: Bird's Nest and The Cube.

There were these sculptures all through the Wang Fu Jing shopping center.  

Yuan Min Yuan is this cool park that used to be the Emperor's summer palace and garden.  It was enormous and exquisite but also the focus of many raids.  The final pillage was during the Second Opium War.  The compound was set on fire and never rebuilt.  The guide told us it was to serve as a reminder of foreign aggression and humiliation toward China.  Ouch! 

Matt and Lily loved it because it was one of the few places that didn't post 'No Climbing' signs.

This is Tiantan, translation: the temple of heaven. 

We had to be on the bus at 6:30 every morning, crazy, I know!  By afternoon, the kids were wiped out and would sleep while we drove from site to site.  On this particular day, Lily was awake while Matt slept.  We thought his appearance could us some improving so she took care of the lipstick while I covered the facial hair.  I thought he looked great!  All of the old ladies on the tour thought he was adorable. 

He has since gotten us back by drawing full beards on the girls at night.  Lily, who can dish it out but can't take it, screamed, cried and then wouldn't talk to anyone the rest of the day.  Mia, loved it and didn't want to wash it off.  Piper was clueless.   Nothing unexpected in any of those reactions.