Danny decided he wanted to do a "guest blog" after our mishaps in the car yesterday. I will apologize early for any offensive language he uses!!
Yesterday we were making our way back from a quick weekend in Beijing when all sorts of madness happened in the car. First, we had to use our mini potty within the first 20 minutes for Coop to go. Thus, one bag of urine was sitting in the front of the van early on! And then, this scene occurred about an hour from Tianjin...Danny and I couldn't stop laughing while we discussed what our driver must be thinking!!
Inside Lao Tang's Head (our driver)
Ethan: “Mom.... I think I’m going to throw up”...
Kimmie: “Ahhhh! Danny!!!”
Lao Tang: Pondering: (Hmmm... what are these disgusting foreigners doing? The little one seems to make the noise from the mouth... sounds of the horses from the Yangtze River delta...)
Danny: “Oh crap!!”
Ethan: “Uggghhhh.... It’s coming....I’m going to throw up!!!!”
Danny: “Kimmie! Get me a bag!! Hurry!!!”
Kimmie: “I’m trying!!!! Ahhhh!!! Here it is!!!!! (gives an inside out bag to Danny)
Lao Tang: thinking to self: (The foreign boy makes the Yangtze war cry again... Perhaps he speaks to the ancient Budda’s spirit from this disgusting noise? What could this be??!)
Ethan: “Blaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh Bluuuuuhhhhhhh !!!!!” (Barfing violently)
Danny: “In the baaaaaag!!”
Kimmie: “Ahhhhhh!!! I’m going to be sick!!! Uhhhhhhhgggg!”
Lao Tang: thinking to self: (The little Dragon child spews the venom of the foreigners from America... By the Temple of Heaven - the smell.... oh Lord, the smell....!!)
Danny: “It’s all over the place! Wipe it from his nose!!! Ahhh!”
Ethan: “Blaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!”.... (Yup... it’s still coming out...)
Kimmie: I can’t do it!!! I’m going to throw up now too!!!!” Ahhhhhhh!!!
Lao Tang: thinking: (The foreign woman too?... she too makes the horrible noises... Do all foreigners do this? Is this normal for these putrid foreign species?? I will attempt to pretend that I can not hear this ruckus....)
Ethan: “Gllllllluuuuuuuhhhhhhh, Blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!”
Lao Tang: thinking: (Can not take it much more... can’t pretend... oh - the smell... the foreign Emperor’s child spews again...!)
Danny: “ok - I think he’s done... What do I do with the bag??!!”
Kimmie: “I can’t look!!!! I’m going to be sick!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!”
Danny: to self: “this is what my life has come to?... Try to stay calm... geez - this is kinda funny, though.... My God - I wonder what Lao Tang is thinking??!!”
Danny: To Lao Tang: “Hao bu hao”? (everything ok?)
Lao Tang: To the St. Martin foreigners in Chinese: “You sick bastards.”
And so, we made it back to Tianjin with three bags of bodily excretions in the van...our poor driver!!
Monday, November 9, 2009
A unique relationship!
I’ve decided that China and I have a love/hate relationship. There are plenty of reasons why I love living in China, but there are also plenty of reasons why I get very frustrated living here. Some days I wonder why China is still considered a “hardship” country, and then the next day I am quickly reminded why we are given an incentive to live here!
At the moment I am typing away on my Mac while we are driving through “big fog” on our way to Beijing. I began pondering my thoughts on living in China over the past four hours while we wasted time waiting for the highway to open. The highway closes often during the months of November through March due to fog. I have mentioned this before, along with the fact that many pregnant women from Tianjin and TEDA must go to Beijing 3 - 4 weeks before their due date because the last thing they want to do is be stressed about getting to the hospital when they are in labor. I digress!! Anyway, we are getting close to our 18 months (halfway mark in our contract) of living overseas, so really there is no better time than now to reflect on our life here!!
As I said before I love China for many reasons!! I love watching China change and modernize in her own special way. The people here are keen on their customs and beliefs, but at the same time they are curious about the world outside of China. For the first time, EMart (our local superstore) carried Halloween items. There was not a lot to choose from, but the interest is there and I bet next year there will be even more variety! There is a sense that they do not want to be completely westernized, but they do want to enjoy many traditions of the western world. I cannot wait to visit in 10 years and be amazed at how they modernize in their own way!
Although I do believe they are modernizing, I also believe some habits die hard. The spitting on the sidewalk is disgusting. And when my ayi insisted she must have the flu shot because she is surrounded by foreigners, I almost fell out of my chair. The hygiene practices will eventually improve, but for now, it is a daily battle to avoid being spit on!
I also love the people of China (for the most part!). I do not love all of their habits, but I do admire how they are grateful for what they have. In America we have many expectations of what we think we deserve. Many times hard work and perseverance are not part of the equation. Here, because of past events in this country, people are thankful for what they have and in my experience, even if they don’t have much, they want to share with you. For example, our art teachers do deserve to be paid for traveling about 40 minutes each way to and from our house, preparing a lesson, and then teaching a lesson to Ellie, however, they refuse any money that I offer. One of them summed it up by telling me that she was influenced at a young age by an art teacher that came to her house and she really desired doing that for someone else. I know there are many Americans that would maybe do the same thing, but sadly, I think most Americans would want something in return for their time and efforts. Sometimes I think, myself included, that we are so busy pursuing the American dream, that we forget to be thankful for our daily blessings.
At the same time, their gratefulness for “things” can also cause a lot of frustration for me. My ayi loves when I give her things and I am more than happy to do so when I do not want something. But when she digs through my garbage, I get a bit irritated. I obviously throw things away for a reason, they are either broken, spoiled, or not healthy. Yesterday I was throwing away yogurt that the kids did not eat at lunchtime and it was warm. She couldn’t believe I would throw it away. I attempted to explain that yogurt should be kept cold, but she wanted it anyway. I’m sure in her mind she is helping me be less wasteful, but it drives me crazy at times!!
I also love being part of a diverse community. This includes the Chinese, but it also includes all of the other countries represented in Tianjin. I know that when we return to the US, the kids will listen and care about happenings in other countries because that is where their friends will be. If a report comes out that the president is going to visit China, Japan, or Scotland, they will understand. If an earthquake strikes anywhere in Asia, they will immediately be effected and concerned. Our little world has grown immensely over these past 18 months!
But, as our world begins to encompass traditions of our friends and host country, I think we lose a bit of our American traditions. Last year I did not put much effort into important holidays and traditions because I was so busy taking in our new environment. This year I’m really trying to give the kids some of what they are missing in America. Our Halloween was fantastic, so now I am preparing for Thanksgiving. The kids are not taught about our Thanksgiving and why we celebrate in school. It is now my job to teach them and try to make memories with them. The only problem is, the memories I have from when I was young on holidays were being surrounded (literally) by the family I love so much, I truly wish I could give my kids that!!
We are very spoiled in our expat world here. Compared to locals, we live in luxurious accomodations (of course, we sometimes think otherwise!). We do have help in our houses which allows me to spend extra time with the little ones!! Pampering oneself is quite cheap and a great stress reliever! We get to go on quite lavish vacations to see parts of the world I never thought I would see!! We have drivers who somehow (it’s a miracle some days!) get us from point A to point B.
Of course, with these perks, comes the fact that we lose some control of our environments. Most people think having a driver is wonderful - who wouldn’t like to be chauffeured around on a daily basis, especially when you can play on your Mac! But, what many people don’t realize is that with a driver, you must have an immediate trust of their abilities, especially when you have three pieces of precious cargo!! I do not have that trust in my drivers, so instead of relaxing in the car, most times I sit on pins and needles praying that we make it through the intersection unharmed. Also, most drivers have very little formal education so they do not know any English, so if I want to go anywhere new, I have to figure out how to relay this to the driver. Then, since I can’t read the signs on the road, I have to just hope for the best! Letting go of control is not in my nature and at times, this really affects me in a negative way.
Many things have changed for us over the past 18 months, but the hardest thing about living overseas for me continues to be missing family and friends. I have grown used to being apart from my family because that is my new normal, but I can attest that it has not gotten easier!!
Sometimes it is necessary to vent and at the same time appreciate this journey we are on! We are excited to see what the next 18 months will bring, but at the same time, we are excited that the cup is truly half full and in the not so distant future we will get “the call” saying it is time to come home!!
At the moment I am typing away on my Mac while we are driving through “big fog” on our way to Beijing. I began pondering my thoughts on living in China over the past four hours while we wasted time waiting for the highway to open. The highway closes often during the months of November through March due to fog. I have mentioned this before, along with the fact that many pregnant women from Tianjin and TEDA must go to Beijing 3 - 4 weeks before their due date because the last thing they want to do is be stressed about getting to the hospital when they are in labor. I digress!! Anyway, we are getting close to our 18 months (halfway mark in our contract) of living overseas, so really there is no better time than now to reflect on our life here!!
As I said before I love China for many reasons!! I love watching China change and modernize in her own special way. The people here are keen on their customs and beliefs, but at the same time they are curious about the world outside of China. For the first time, EMart (our local superstore) carried Halloween items. There was not a lot to choose from, but the interest is there and I bet next year there will be even more variety! There is a sense that they do not want to be completely westernized, but they do want to enjoy many traditions of the western world. I cannot wait to visit in 10 years and be amazed at how they modernize in their own way!
Although I do believe they are modernizing, I also believe some habits die hard. The spitting on the sidewalk is disgusting. And when my ayi insisted she must have the flu shot because she is surrounded by foreigners, I almost fell out of my chair. The hygiene practices will eventually improve, but for now, it is a daily battle to avoid being spit on!
I also love the people of China (for the most part!). I do not love all of their habits, but I do admire how they are grateful for what they have. In America we have many expectations of what we think we deserve. Many times hard work and perseverance are not part of the equation. Here, because of past events in this country, people are thankful for what they have and in my experience, even if they don’t have much, they want to share with you. For example, our art teachers do deserve to be paid for traveling about 40 minutes each way to and from our house, preparing a lesson, and then teaching a lesson to Ellie, however, they refuse any money that I offer. One of them summed it up by telling me that she was influenced at a young age by an art teacher that came to her house and she really desired doing that for someone else. I know there are many Americans that would maybe do the same thing, but sadly, I think most Americans would want something in return for their time and efforts. Sometimes I think, myself included, that we are so busy pursuing the American dream, that we forget to be thankful for our daily blessings.
At the same time, their gratefulness for “things” can also cause a lot of frustration for me. My ayi loves when I give her things and I am more than happy to do so when I do not want something. But when she digs through my garbage, I get a bit irritated. I obviously throw things away for a reason, they are either broken, spoiled, or not healthy. Yesterday I was throwing away yogurt that the kids did not eat at lunchtime and it was warm. She couldn’t believe I would throw it away. I attempted to explain that yogurt should be kept cold, but she wanted it anyway. I’m sure in her mind she is helping me be less wasteful, but it drives me crazy at times!!
I also love being part of a diverse community. This includes the Chinese, but it also includes all of the other countries represented in Tianjin. I know that when we return to the US, the kids will listen and care about happenings in other countries because that is where their friends will be. If a report comes out that the president is going to visit China, Japan, or Scotland, they will understand. If an earthquake strikes anywhere in Asia, they will immediately be effected and concerned. Our little world has grown immensely over these past 18 months!
But, as our world begins to encompass traditions of our friends and host country, I think we lose a bit of our American traditions. Last year I did not put much effort into important holidays and traditions because I was so busy taking in our new environment. This year I’m really trying to give the kids some of what they are missing in America. Our Halloween was fantastic, so now I am preparing for Thanksgiving. The kids are not taught about our Thanksgiving and why we celebrate in school. It is now my job to teach them and try to make memories with them. The only problem is, the memories I have from when I was young on holidays were being surrounded (literally) by the family I love so much, I truly wish I could give my kids that!!
We are very spoiled in our expat world here. Compared to locals, we live in luxurious accomodations (of course, we sometimes think otherwise!). We do have help in our houses which allows me to spend extra time with the little ones!! Pampering oneself is quite cheap and a great stress reliever! We get to go on quite lavish vacations to see parts of the world I never thought I would see!! We have drivers who somehow (it’s a miracle some days!) get us from point A to point B.
Of course, with these perks, comes the fact that we lose some control of our environments. Most people think having a driver is wonderful - who wouldn’t like to be chauffeured around on a daily basis, especially when you can play on your Mac! But, what many people don’t realize is that with a driver, you must have an immediate trust of their abilities, especially when you have three pieces of precious cargo!! I do not have that trust in my drivers, so instead of relaxing in the car, most times I sit on pins and needles praying that we make it through the intersection unharmed. Also, most drivers have very little formal education so they do not know any English, so if I want to go anywhere new, I have to figure out how to relay this to the driver. Then, since I can’t read the signs on the road, I have to just hope for the best! Letting go of control is not in my nature and at times, this really affects me in a negative way.
Many things have changed for us over the past 18 months, but the hardest thing about living overseas for me continues to be missing family and friends. I have grown used to being apart from my family because that is my new normal, but I can attest that it has not gotten easier!!
Sometimes it is necessary to vent and at the same time appreciate this journey we are on! We are excited to see what the next 18 months will bring, but at the same time, we are excited that the cup is truly half full and in the not so distant future we will get “the call” saying it is time to come home!!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Not sure what to think!!
Those of you who know my Eens, know that his mind is crammed full of creative ideas. He loves make believe play, but at the same time he can sit for hours and follow his directions for Legos. He constantly makes me giggle and this past week was no exception! These are two of his creations...
This is his pumpkin, and no, the picture is not on its side!! Hmmm....
Here is, of course, a bed for Mr. Bear (a travelling bear that he brought home from school!). There was a drinking area, an eating area, and a snuggle area!! 
One other thing he said to me this week...I was talking to Cooper about going to Build A Bear in America and making his bear. Eens asked if he could go too and I said, "yes, of course". Then he looked at me very seriously and asked, "Is daddy going to be there?" I said, "no". And he replied, "Good, cause mine is getting a dress!"I love his little mind and I hope he is always as creative and passionate as he is today!!
Let the Races Begin!!
As I have said numerous times, one of the greatest things about living in China is learning about different cultures throughout the world. On Tuesday I enjoyed my first Melbourne Cup racing event. My friend from Melbourne invited people over for a lunch and the opportunity to watch the main race. We were lucky in the fact that there is only a three hour time difference with Australia, so the main race began at about 12:00 our time.
My friend was so well prepared! The lunch arrangement was delicious - we all brought favorites from our countries. She also prepared a mini betting game. We each put in money and then we picked a water bottle. Each water bottle had a name of a horse in the race and all their stats - very clever!! I picked two horses, Newport and Shocking. And schockingly enough, Shocking WON!!! It was a last second come from behind victory, but apparently this horse was one of the favorites! I used my hard earned money to buy a new vaccuum cleaner - I am way too practical (Danny's just happy I didn't buy more purses!!)!
The Melbourne Cup is very similar to the Kentucky Derby in that we all had to wear some sort of hat or hair piece! It was so much fun to dress up during the day. Granted, I got stared at plenty in my heels when I went grocery shopping afterwards!! Some of my friends went all out with their lovely attire! 
Monday, November 2, 2009
Thanks for the snow Beijing!!
Yes, it was almost 75 degrees on Thursday, but snowing on Sunday!! Beijing apparently decided that they should interfere with the drought occurring in the North and create some snow for all of us to enjoy! On Sunday we suffered freezing cold temperatures and snow for a good part of the day thanks to the manipulation of the weather by the authorities. I was not prepared for snow so soon, so the kids didn't get out until later in the afternoon! They couldn't stop touching it and trying to make snow balls!! It was quite pretty on the trees, but I'm hoping we don't have anymore for a while!!
Secret Life of a Tianjin Tai Tai
Many of you probably wonder what it is I do all day when the kids are in school. I have to be honest that I often ponder this too because there are many days that I realize at 4:00 that I have gotten very little done!! I really don't do housework and I only do laundry on the weekends thanks to my ayi!! She also does most of the cooking during the week, so I can't even complain about figuring out meals, which is one of my least favorite things!
So, a lot of time is spent searching for ingredients, supplies, and comfort items. I sometimes have to go to four different import stores before I find sour cream! Also when I do have to buy an appliance or something for the house, it is usually a half day affair. The procedure is such that I first have to point out what I want, then the salesperson will go check in the stock room to see if it is available, then they will take me to the cashier to pay, then I have to present my receipt to someone else and then wait for them to find the actual product. It is tiring and usually results in a headache, but lately I have been successful and gotten the product home!!
Of course, a big chunk of my time is spent with my friends. We love to go to coffee, lunch, and shopping - just like at home!! We can sit for hours discussing our lives here in Tianjin - the good, the bad, and the humorous. We know how difficult the expat life can be, but we try to find all of the positives and if we can't, it's nice to know there is a shoulder to cry on!! Building these relationships has made my Tianjin life so much fuller, so even though I don't check off of my to do list during this time, I know my time has been well spent!!
This year I have also been spending more time at the school. I love being close to the kids and gaining a better understanding of the curriculum. I even subbed for the first time last week. I realized instantly why I decided to teach. I absolutely love watching children learn and discover new things. I love watching their creativity and the way they interact with their peers. I also love guiding their inquiries, and learning with them!! I even briefly thought that maybe it would be a good idea to go back full time to work. By 4:00 those thoughts dissipated when I still had to pass out invitations, go to the grocery store, then an import store to pick up milk, and then help the kids with homework. By 8:00 I was thoroughly exhausted!!
So, I did one of the things I have learned to do best with my time while being here in China, and that is to take advantage of the pampering opportunities. I spent my wages that I made from subbing and got a facial and a foot massage at the same time. I did feel a bit naughty having someone rub my head and someone else rubbing my feet, but that didn't last long!!
Of course, my favorite part of the day is when my little munchkins get off of the bus and give me big hugs!! Even on the days I don't feel like I have accomplished much, I look at El, Eens, and Coop and realize that just being their mom is enough!!
So, a lot of time is spent searching for ingredients, supplies, and comfort items. I sometimes have to go to four different import stores before I find sour cream! Also when I do have to buy an appliance or something for the house, it is usually a half day affair. The procedure is such that I first have to point out what I want, then the salesperson will go check in the stock room to see if it is available, then they will take me to the cashier to pay, then I have to present my receipt to someone else and then wait for them to find the actual product. It is tiring and usually results in a headache, but lately I have been successful and gotten the product home!!
Of course, a big chunk of my time is spent with my friends. We love to go to coffee, lunch, and shopping - just like at home!! We can sit for hours discussing our lives here in Tianjin - the good, the bad, and the humorous. We know how difficult the expat life can be, but we try to find all of the positives and if we can't, it's nice to know there is a shoulder to cry on!! Building these relationships has made my Tianjin life so much fuller, so even though I don't check off of my to do list during this time, I know my time has been well spent!!
This year I have also been spending more time at the school. I love being close to the kids and gaining a better understanding of the curriculum. I even subbed for the first time last week. I realized instantly why I decided to teach. I absolutely love watching children learn and discover new things. I love watching their creativity and the way they interact with their peers. I also love guiding their inquiries, and learning with them!! I even briefly thought that maybe it would be a good idea to go back full time to work. By 4:00 those thoughts dissipated when I still had to pass out invitations, go to the grocery store, then an import store to pick up milk, and then help the kids with homework. By 8:00 I was thoroughly exhausted!!
So, I did one of the things I have learned to do best with my time while being here in China, and that is to take advantage of the pampering opportunities. I spent my wages that I made from subbing and got a facial and a foot massage at the same time. I did feel a bit naughty having someone rub my head and someone else rubbing my feet, but that didn't last long!!
Of course, my favorite part of the day is when my little munchkins get off of the bus and give me big hugs!! Even on the days I don't feel like I have accomplished much, I look at El, Eens, and Coop and realize that just being their mom is enough!!
More Halloween Fun!
I think I am finally Halloweened out!! We spent the greater part of last week and this weekend going to parties and having parties! I realized this year that one of the things I didn't put much effort in last year were special holidays. Most of our friends from other countries make it a point to have parties and "teach" us about their traditions, but I guess I couldn't find the energy!!
My last post was all about the Halloween party we had for the kids last Thursday. On Friday morning I went to the school and helped decorate the gym for the school celebration that night. The turn out was much bigger than the teachers and PFO planned on, which was great, but hectic at the same time. My kids loved seeing their friends and teachers all dressed up! 
On Saturday we went to another American family's house for a cook-out during the afternoon. Thankfully she was just as much in the spirit as I was, with decorations and jack-o-lanterns throughout the house!! After the cook-out we went to the Sheraton for a little party before the trick-or-treating began in our compound! At our house, I had the porch decorated with cobwebs and our motion detector cackling witch! The kids in the neighborhood really got into the whole thing - especially their fantastic costumes made by our tailor!! After the trick-or-treating we invited some families to our place for some chili and family time!!
The kids had a wonderful time celebrating Halloween and sharing this tradition with their friends! I loved spending so much quality time with the kids and Danny as we prepared everything for all of the get togethers!
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