Tuesday, May 15

Today, Julia had a more normal kid-oriented day; at last!  She played a silly, simple finger game with the 2^nd grader who daily rides the school van with us; she ventured out for recess with the gang of 2^nd and 3^rd graders who were playing soccer; she went to the after school club for hip-hop dance class.  In sum, she hung out with other kids and didn’t feel anxious about it.  Will she make a lifelong friend here? Not really her style! But I feel hopeful that she will feel more belongingness.  She did routine and ordinary homework tonight, just as though she were home. 

This is the 2nd grade boy who rides in the van with us and with whom Julia played today

What fun! Do you see all of the fog? This is what the mornings often look like in Qingdao

Some mornings it takes us nearly 60 minutes to thread the traffic from the apartment to the school; the traffic can be overwhelming!  I will note, though, that someone told us today that the traffic in Beijing is ‘worse than in LA.’  Apparently it is wall to wall cars inching forward nearly 24/7.  I heard of a bus ride over 10 stops that took 2 hours!  Our bus ride from downtown to the apartment, about 10 stops, takes about 35 minutes in rush hour; we’re lucky, apparently!

Here is our cute girl at the school!

We wait at the gate of the community for the school van to pick us up each morning.  And we wait with several children who are catching buses to other private schools in the city.  One 10 year old boy has been open and friendly every morning, even though he doesn’t speak English.  In the last several days, he has been joined by a growing group of girls, now numbering about 5.  We said “Ni hao” (hello) this morning to Boy, who was licking a lollipop.  In my best social manner, I remarked on the interesting plastic contrivance that was the ‘stick’ of the lollipop.  He showed us its profile, and then reached into his pocket and brought out an identical pop which he offered to Julia—woo woo!  Sugar breaks the language barrier!  This particular sweet has a nifty plastic handle which hinges, something like a pocket wine bottle opener.  Julia loved the handle and stood clicking it open and shut.  The lollipop itself was papaya flavored (based on the illustration), which did not appeal to her!  As she fiddled with the device, two girls joined us, and I continued my social ways by commenting on the lollipop one was licking (had a memo gone out that today was sweets day?).  And she immediately whipped out another for Julia!  A bonanza of sugar.  So of course I took this all as an invitation to take a group photo; commemorative of a good kid day.

There they all are, waiting for the bus

Julia demonstrating the nifty lollipop device

Papaya may not be her favorite, but this girl does love sweets!