Tuesday, June 5

Julia made her first purchase in Chinese today—a fry stick! Breakfast of champions.  She was guided by Maggie and her stalwart pal Alex, and Mr. Lee, the van driver.  We’ve stopped at this breakfast spot several times; here are some photos to give the feel of this kind of spot.  Julia stood in line reciting the phrase to purchase over and over!  While remembering it was not easy, when prompted, I noticed that she was getting tones somewhat or even very well; a basis to build on?!  It cost 2 yuan for that long fat stick—about 32 cents. 

Can you see the process, here?

This is what the little, portable tables look like each morning

Here is Julia, a bit anxious, waiting in line with Mr. Lee, Maggie, and Alex (who is clearly not anxious!)

Practicing her phrase with Maggie

Placing her order!

And the happy result of the whole process - a fry stick!

Maggie told me today that people retire at about 50 here, on some kind of pension (I didn’t press her as to where the pensions come from).  Government workers retire a bit older; females at 55, males at 60.  I was curious about how grandparents are so available to assist in childcare; this helps to explain it.  In a similar vein, Sabrina, Mia and I talked about marriage today.  The Chinese are divorcing at a great rate, different from the old days, when divorce was unheard of.  It sounds like there is still a power imbalance in Chinese marriages, as a rule.  They don’t, typically, have marriage ceremonies, although I think they have parties.  We have seen a few brides having photos taken, and one day we passed a big white limo decorated with red roses, in the back of which we caught a glimpse of the bride.  She and the groom were each texting!  (interestingly, it was Monday morning—so different than the American tradition of Saturday mid-to-late day).  There are a number of underground churches in China, so there may be more ceremonies occurring than is officially noted.

Julia and I headed to a new mall to shop after school; we traveled at first via the boardwalk, as the foggy morning had turned into a really lovely, sunny afternoon.  The tide was one hour from high, a sight we haven’t seen before.  The waves were splashing quite high on the wall, in fact covering the area we often walk on.  It was a great sight.  The pull of the water away from the shore was so visible.  We stood for quite a while watching.  This is a really pleasant walk; we pass the Music Park, where these planters full of pink petunias make a pretty picture.  I really like this walk.  We window shopped in the boardwalk shops for the first time, looking for the right kind of bubble wand that Julia is craving.  She has a penchant for some of the quintessentially Chinese consumer products!

Enjoying the new scooter as we headed to the boardwalk

The very high tide, covering our usual walking path

The bright pink petunias at the Music Park

Our first stop was “Book City”—a 4 floor book store.  Of course most of the merchandise is in Chinese, but there is an English section, and a large section of student materials, some of which is in English.  I contemplated a dictionary for Abe, as well as a ‘primary’ level dictionary for Julia.  Everyone says not to think of the written aspect of Chinese yet!  There was also a good sized stationery section, where Julia and I happily shopped for a good ½ hour.—easy targets!  She found objects that could serve as ‘party favors’ for the big event on Friday—don’t they look pretty, sitting on our baby grand piano? 

Books on a boat!

Book City

Party favors!

Next door is MyKal, another shopping center recommended because it has a good grocery with international foodstuffs, as well as both a cinema and a food court with good Turkish food.  We didn’t attempt the Turkish food today, but did make a quick trip into the grocery.  Hisense is better, frankly, and better organized, a key feature of groceries.  We wanted Goldfish, peanut butter, Lipton tea, and granola bars.  A bust on every point.  We tried croissants from a recommended shop; Julia devoured them on the way to the bus; she must have been starving!  Chinese baked goods do not taste good to me; is it the butter? Everyone says they add too much sugar, but I wouldn’t name that as the element I am repulsed by; it escapes me, though, in part because I do not want to eat more than one bite! 

A hungry girl and her croissant

The next paragraph is not for Dad to read:  we had our closest contact yet with a car while crossing the street at 5:30 pm.  My biggest fear crystallizing before my eyes.  I have been reading the incomparable Robert Caro on LBJ (really, the best thing you’ll read in a long time)—I am at the assassination of JFK—and I have repeatedly felt an affinity with the Secret Service as they frantically survey the scene while trying to move Johnson away from the scene of the murder and then away from the hospital.  That swiveling head, eyes darting here and there, trying to see in every direction at once:  this is what one has to do while crossing the street in China because cars can come from any direction at any time.  There seems to be no rules strictly governing who can go when; it doesn’t matter that the pedestrians have the crossing light, for instance; there will be cars trying to turn, correction, turning, anyway.  Generally, they slow and pull past you, very closely.  This car just drove through the sizable crowd, and not at a crawl either!  But, as a teacher had said earlier in the day, if you wait for the ‘right’ to cross, you will never get across because the cars are constantly opportunistic. 

I took yet another photo (or 4!) of Julia on the community hill; today, she is riding her new scooter, ringing the much louder bell, and happy as a clam.  She is scooting past the store, by the way, which was under construction last week.  It opened last Thursday; it’s a hip looking clothing store, with a flashy persona.  It is also one of 4 clothing stores in this short two blocks; can it survive?

Zooming down the hill!

See the shop, finished and open?

A scooter is a wonderful thing!