We also found our favorite marriachi band. :). Same grand opening!
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Friday, June 28, 2013
We had our second date!
2nd date. We stumbled upon a grand opening. Lots of fun.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, June 3, 2013
Beijing Etc.
Where to start!! Well we took a trip to Beijing and that was a lot of
fun. Ok well the kids will tell you they had fun and we have great
pictures but it was quite a working vacation! We realized how spoiled we
are here in Shanghai and how many western comforts we have. The water park there was amazing, they transformed the Olympic aqua park into
this fabulously fun water park. Kids loved it and John did some crazy
demon drop slide. He said there was no line to the slide, which in China
is a really rare thing. He climbed into the capsule and the man locked
the door and a loud countdown started before the plank beneath his feet
retracted. He realized why there was no line to this slide and we
laughed as they must have been thinking look at that crazy American
riding the slide everyone knows NOT TO RIDE.
We have all learned
to understand that the green light here to walk across a street does NOT
mean that it is safe to walk. It simply means that there will be less
things that will hit you , it' s really a ratio thing. So walk when it's
green , but still watch out out for scooters, bikes, cars, buses, well
you get the picture.
I have continued to watch our kids adapt as
the other night Gavin slurped down a bowl of noodles with chopsticks
while holding the bowl close to his mouth.
We are learning badminton and
Savannah is taking up Tai Chi all on her own. At the museum the other
day Gavin got pushed out of the way by a grandmother wanting he
grandchild to have a turn at a laser display. He got really mad and said
why is the "Chinese culture so mean". I explained that a lot of things
Americans do are perceived as mean. He got over it and decided to go
back for another turn only this time when he was done he screamed for
his sister with elbows up and full defensive mode waited for her to get
up to his spot before he would let go of the laser! He had figured out
how this thing works! We have learned a lot about tolerance ,
difference, similarities, such great life lessons for all of us!
Gavin had discovered that women can smoke, apparently he was not aware of this until our move but it continues to surprise him.
Savannah
generally enjoys being moderately famous. Gavin avoids it except now
and then when he steps out to make sure he is just as famous as her,
when he wants to be.
Gavin continues to give the same answer
when people ask what they can mail him from home: corn dogs. So if anyone
can figure out how to ship corn dogs half way around the world feel free
to let me know.
John and I are starting to understand that not all white people in China are Americans; which is apparently a new insight for us!
Until our next update! Bye!
Photo of a typical alley
Bugs etc.9
fun. Ok well the kids will tell you they had fun and we have great
pictures but it was quite a working vacation! We realized how spoiled we
are here in Shanghai and how many western comforts we have. The water park there was amazing, they transformed the Olympic aqua park into
this fabulously fun water park. Kids loved it and John did some crazy
demon drop slide. He said there was no line to the slide, which in China
is a really rare thing. He climbed into the capsule and the man locked
the door and a loud countdown started before the plank beneath his feet
retracted. He realized why there was no line to this slide and we
laughed as they must have been thinking look at that crazy American
riding the slide everyone knows NOT TO RIDE.
We have all learned
to understand that the green light here to walk across a street does NOT
mean that it is safe to walk. It simply means that there will be less
things that will hit you , it' s really a ratio thing. So walk when it's
green , but still watch out out for scooters, bikes, cars, buses, well
you get the picture.
I have continued to watch our kids adapt as
the other night Gavin slurped down a bowl of noodles with chopsticks
while holding the bowl close to his mouth.
We are learning badminton and
Savannah is taking up Tai Chi all on her own. At the museum the other
day Gavin got pushed out of the way by a grandmother wanting he
grandchild to have a turn at a laser display. He got really mad and said
why is the "Chinese culture so mean". I explained that a lot of things
Americans do are perceived as mean. He got over it and decided to go
back for another turn only this time when he was done he screamed for
his sister with elbows up and full defensive mode waited for her to get
up to his spot before he would let go of the laser! He had figured out
how this thing works! We have learned a lot about tolerance ,
difference, similarities, such great life lessons for all of us!
Gavin had discovered that women can smoke, apparently he was not aware of this until our move but it continues to surprise him.
Savannah
generally enjoys being moderately famous. Gavin avoids it except now
and then when he steps out to make sure he is just as famous as her,
when he wants to be.
Gavin continues to give the same answer
when people ask what they can mail him from home: corn dogs. So if anyone
can figure out how to ship corn dogs half way around the world feel free
to let me know.
John and I are starting to understand that not all white people in China are Americans; which is apparently a new insight for us!
Until our next update! Bye!
Photo of a typical alley
Bugs etc.9
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Love this video
This is a good visual summary of what our days are like here!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Pet and more
We have a pet. A Chinese pet. We think.
Our driver gave our son a grasshopper in a little cage, or we think it' s a grasshopper but we aren't sure since we don' t speak Chinese and of course he doesn't speak English. One friend pointed out that perhaps we are confusing the gift of a pet for the gift of a snack. I did ponder the idea and cannot completely refute it as I have seen many pet like things served around town as dinner. So, I guess we should say we have a pet, a rescued pet.
In other news I can tell you that if a woman is forced to go more than 10 days without a flat iron (or hair styling product of choice), she may have a minor breakdown on day 10 sending her husband out into China traipsing about the streets in hunt of either a flat iron or a converter for her flat iron. If that husband finds the flat iron , the wife will be magically transformed into an agreeable human and he will be mystified but grateful. This is all hypothetical of course, I'm just saying it could happen.
Finding napkins in China has proved to be very difficult. They are difficult to purchase yet very easy to come by in restaurants. We have stooped to becoming much like those ketchup and barbecue sauce hoarders in the states. Mr. Washam has kept our napkin stash quite healthy, although I wander if this behavior might get into hoarding of other items and perhaps not subside upon our return to the states. We shall see.
It's been two weeks since we started this adventure and Sav has now realized she is not in Chicago and wondering when this vacation is going to end! Gavin just keeps telling us what a great opportunity this is. We aren't sure if he really feels that way or if it' s because we have said that over and over to him. Either way we continue to reinforce the idea because it works in our favor.
If you call and hear a really loud screeching in the background don't be alarmed it's our rescued pet/snack.
Goodnight/Goodmorning
Our driver gave our son a grasshopper in a little cage, or we think it' s a grasshopper but we aren't sure since we don' t speak Chinese and of course he doesn't speak English. One friend pointed out that perhaps we are confusing the gift of a pet for the gift of a snack. I did ponder the idea and cannot completely refute it as I have seen many pet like things served around town as dinner. So, I guess we should say we have a pet, a rescued pet.
In other news I can tell you that if a woman is forced to go more than 10 days without a flat iron (or hair styling product of choice), she may have a minor breakdown on day 10 sending her husband out into China traipsing about the streets in hunt of either a flat iron or a converter for her flat iron. If that husband finds the flat iron , the wife will be magically transformed into an agreeable human and he will be mystified but grateful. This is all hypothetical of course, I'm just saying it could happen.
Finding napkins in China has proved to be very difficult. They are difficult to purchase yet very easy to come by in restaurants. We have stooped to becoming much like those ketchup and barbecue sauce hoarders in the states. Mr. Washam has kept our napkin stash quite healthy, although I wander if this behavior might get into hoarding of other items and perhaps not subside upon our return to the states. We shall see.
It's been two weeks since we started this adventure and Sav has now realized she is not in Chicago and wondering when this vacation is going to end! Gavin just keeps telling us what a great opportunity this is. We aren't sure if he really feels that way or if it' s because we have said that over and over to him. Either way we continue to reinforce the idea because it works in our favor.
If you call and hear a really loud screeching in the background don't be alarmed it's our rescued pet/snack.
Goodnight/Goodmorning
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Date
This was our first date in Shanghai! Totally normal.
Random date photo
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Random date photo
Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, May 10, 2013
Undercover
Please enjoy this under cover video by Savannah.
Apparently she's putting together a documentary.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Apparently she's putting together a documentary.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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