A walk in the park...

After we take Caleb to preschool, Susanna and I often go for a walk in the park along the river. There is always quite a variety of activities going on, and it's a great place to observe culture. Friday morning was gorgeous--brilliant sunshine and cool breezes, thanks to the passing of rainy season. So I thought I'd take my camera along and let you join us on our walk... (I've included links of video clips if you're curious.)

First stop we listened to the beautiful refrain that this gentleman was playing on his flute. It was a cheerful melody that reflected the peace of the morning. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5715798710006929428

Next we passed the street sweepers and a lady washing her laundry in the river--and I was complaining about not having a dryer!

Not much farther we passed through what I call the bird sanctuary. Every day, some men bring cages of birds down to the park and hang them in the trees. I'm not sure if they're selling the birds or what, but it sure does add some lovely natural music to the riverside. It sounds like we're in the middle of a forest as we pass by. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2276035614143735165

After the birds began the tai chi--several different groups of people (mostly ladies) doing many different kinds of exercise to traditional Asian music. The first group we passed Friday was moving gracefully with swords--their music wasn't on yet, so I think they were just doing their warmup while they waited for everyone to arrive.

The next group doing tai chi had clackers of some sort and were a bit more lively. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-28336946438266115

After they finished the clacking routine, they took a short break, said hello to Susanna of course, and switched to fancy, bright red cloths for their next routine. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4717386318618679586

Then came a smaller group of ladies using rings with their tai chi exercise. This was a slower paced routine, and it seemed as if the lady in the red and black was giving lessons to the other ladies. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1354945694268332913

The final group we passed was the largest and liveliest. Their routine was less like tai chi and more like dancing--line dancing to be exact. It perhaps could have even passed for the electric slide... =) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4482065622322684292

Not everyone enjoys group exercises, however, such as these ladies across the river. They preferred solitude and sunshine. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5916992137313876620

There were other lone exercisers all along the way--people walking, jogging, doing situps, pushups, jumping, swinging their arms--you name it and someone was probably doing it. I think it's great that they don't need privacy or a gym to do their workout--they just go outside and get to it.

And of course, interspersed throughout the park were people of all ages involved a number of other activities--heated badminton matches, children playing, ladies knitting, groups of men squatting along the sidewalk chatting, people playing mahjong, and more.

This man was honing his skills with this fancy type of yo-yoing. Pretty interesting to watch; he would balance the orange gadget on the string, swing it around, throw it into the air, and catch it again with the string. As you can see, there are a wide variety of hobbies around here!

Of all the that we saw on our walk Friday, the image that remains in my mind above all else is the face of this lady with her grandchild. I chatted with her a bit, exchanging pleasantries and letting our babies greet one another. I couldn't help but wonder as I looked into her weathered face, what has her life been like? What has she seen, what has she been through, what does she think and believe? I am looking forward with great anticipation to the day when I can really talk to and get to know precious people like these. What a privilege it will be to share life with them. But for now, until I can communicate and understand more, I will just enjoy observing as I take my walk in the park.

A little comic relief

As Bill Cosby says, "Kids say the darndest things!" I'd have to agree. Here are some of Caleb's latest quotes that have kept us smiling...

One afternoon he was having his snack, and he asked me, “Mom, did you get me at the store?”

We recently potty trained him (YAY--we're finished!!! He's officially a big boy now, proudly sporting his Lightning McQueen undies!), so the topic's been on his mind quite a bit. Chewing gum was the reward for each of his potty success, and he's very excited about it. So one afternoon when I came out of the bathroom, he clapped and cheered and said, "Good job going potty, Mom! You get a piece of gum!"

We were having dinner, and as usual he was balking at eating his veggies. The deal was that he could be excused when he finished everything in his bowl. He'd tried several different tactics--spitting them out when I wasn't looking, sneaking them little by little onto the floor, etc. So he decided to try a different anlge. “Thank you for the food, Mom,” he said. I replied, “You’re welcome.” And then with a sly smile and all of his sweetness he said, “Am I welcome to be excused?”

He and Dave were watching a movie one evening. There was a scene where a lady was hiding in a room and her daughter told a friend that she could almost feel her mother's presence in that room. David laughed at the irony, and then Caleb let out a big chuckle and said, "There aren’t any presents in that room! Ha!"

Caleb seems to have developed his Pop's affinity for making up words--I was recently on my way somewhere and asked if he wanted to go with me. He said, “Yeah, cause I’m feeling a little bit splampy.” (Splampy??? Where in the world did he come up with that?!) So later I asked him what it was like to feel splampy and he said, “It feels like I need to go potty.” My goodness. Well, I guess we all feel a little bit splampy sometimes. =)

Bon appétit!

Friday night, David’s school had a party at a Muslim restaurant. In addition to a chance to have fun and meet some of Dave’s classmates, the evening was an exercise in culinary experimentation. Each class made a dish together beforehand and added it to the restaurant’s cuisine to make the meal a wonderful combination of Asian potluck and Muslim delicacies. David’s class cooked a curried chicken soup dish, and then at the restaurant everyone tried their hand at making jaozi (“jowdza”)--a local favorite. The teacher showed everyone how to place the meat and veggie mixture into a dough shell and pinch the edges to form a dumpling, which was boiled in broth to bring about the final product.

When everything was ready, we enjoyed a variety of dishes and flavors, including sushi, rice noodles, spicy tofu, roti, and sticky rice. I must say, though, that the unrivaled culmination was the baked duck—head and all. While eating something that stares back at you is not so appetizing to some, Caleb found it both tasty and amusing, and of course enjoyed his turn playing with it among the other children.


After the meal, we enjoyed some entertainment--a man playing traditional Asian music on a very tiny, high pitched instrument. I don't know what was more entertaining, though--the music, or Caleb's dancing! It was certainly an enjoyable evening, and we're looking forward to the next opportunity to increase our culinary skills and expand our palatal experiences.

A Quiet Festival

A couple of weeks ago, we noticed people burning little piles of paper and such along the river and sidewalks throughout the city. We also saw these blocks stacked along the street with a little red bag atop each block. Our curiosity was piqued, of course, so we asked our tutors about it and learned some interesting things about the culture in which we live. It turns out that locals were recognizing what is known as the Ghost Festival, which falls on the 7th month of the lunar year. Our tutors said many believe that during this month, the gates of hell are opened to free hungry ghosts so that they can wander to seek food on the Earth. Some also believe that the ghosts would seek revenge on those who had wronged them in their lives. It is said that the dead return to visit their living relatives during this “Ghost Month.” Thus on the 15th day of the month—Festival day—they pay tribute to their ancestors and other visiting ghosts and deities by preparing a meal for them, burning paper money called “hell money,” offering prayers, and burning joss sticks. They feel that these offerings reach the ghosts and help them live comfortably in their world, and that they must satisfy the ghosts in order to get good fortune and luck in their own lives.
We also learned that the Ghost Festival has special meaning for Buddhists and is one of their most important festivals, the origin of which can be traced back to a story—“Mu-lien Saves His Mother from Hell." It is the account of a Buddhist who upon attaining enlightenment, wonders what happened to his father and mother. He travels over the known Buddhist universe and finds his father in heaven; however, his mother has been sent to hell and has taken on the form of a hungry ghost. She cannot eat because her throat is very thin and no food can pass, yet she always hungers because she has such a large belly. She is in this state because of her stinginess with money while on earth. Mu-lien eventually saves her from this plight by battling various demons and entreating the help of the Buddha, who tells him to offer food and money for her to use in the afterlife.
It's so interesting to learn more about how the people we live among think--their perspectives and beliefs. We had no idea that all of this was behind those little piles of ashes along the streets...

Caleb's first chopsticks success

Caleb has recently discovered that chopsticks are good for more than just drumming the table... He's been practicing, and this was only his second meal trying!

He sets...














...he shoots... (look how TINY that piece is!!!) ...and he scores!!!

Way to go, bud! Not bad for a two year old!

Quite a grand opening...

Saturday evening, we were on our way to the park when we happened upon the grand opening of a restaurant just a block from our apartment complex. I must say, they really know how to put on a show! Our idea of a grand opening includes a sign and maybe some balloons, but they go all out here. It's quite a production--loads and loads of flower arrange-ments, ladies in formal evening gowns, the local news station, and quite a crowd.



First was the ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by the performance of a traditional Asian band and the releasing of balloons and confetti.



The highlight, though, was the "Lion Dance"--a traditional celebratory dance performed by people in lion costumes. It was so interesting! If you'd like to see a clip of the dance, just click on the following link: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=849168845372760375&pr=goog-sl

All I can say is, wish you could have been there! We were fascinated as we watched the "lions" perform tricks and playfully compete with one another for the master's ball. My language tutor later explained to me that the ball is called a "pearl" and represents wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. The restaurant owner puts his mark on the eyes of the lions at the beginning of the dance and then they go after the pearl.

We are looking forward to learning more about customs like these as we go about our lives here. Who knows what we'll happen upon next!

Christmas in September!

Our first care package arrived from my (Gracy's) parents last week, and WOW was it fun to open! We gathered around the big box with all the excitement of Christmas morning, oohing and ahhing over each item--favorite snacks and goodies, toys and such for the kids, and of course, our hometown newspaper. I don't think we've ever been so happy to see a bag of Combos or a pack of Sour Patch Kids! Anyway, it made our day, to say the least. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

He's growing up!

Well, our little Caleb is growing up--he is now in preschool! After lots of consideration, we enrolled him in a local Asian school, and he has been doing great. It's only a 4 minute walk from our apartment, and it's a very nice, safe, clean facility with an English-speaking principal and at least one English-speaking teacher in each class. He goes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning until lunchtime, and has adjusted very well so far.

Last Monday was his first day, so I stayed with him for the first couple of hours to get his books, talk with his teachers, and help him settle in. It was so cute watching him with the other kids! First they had breakfast--scrambled egg with rice noodles and broth--and he slurped it down!


After a potty break was language class. They did activities, learned some new vocabulary, read a story, and sang songs, but I think Caleb was more interested in the little girl sitting next to him... =)


Next came snack and of course another potty break, and then exercise time. As I was leaving, the kids were marching and swinging their arms to the music. Caleb shed a few tears when I said goodbye (I waited until I got home to shed a couple myself!), but I told him he'd be okay and would have lots of fun, learn alot, and make new friends. Sure enough, when I picked him up, the first thing he said was, "I was okay, Mommy! I was okay!"

Anyway, so far it's been a great experience, though it's hard to see him grow up so fast. I suppose that letting go is an integral part of parenting, however painful it may be at times. But I'm excited for him to make new friends and learn the language--he's already teaching me new words! I'm sure he'll be fluent in no time--if he can keep his attention on the teacher!

More experimental cooking...

Big hurdle Saturday night—we had our first Asian guests over for a meal. It was David’s tutor and his wife—both of whom speak some English, so that expanded the conversational limits quite a bit! We’d been told that typically the locals don’t like Western food, so I tried my hand at authentic Asian food , and I was so nervous! The custom is to have at least as many dishes as there are people eating, and keeping them all hot can be a bit tricky when you have no oven and only two stove eyes! But it all turned out—they seemed to enjoy the food, and she even asked for my recipe for one of the dishes. =)

We had a good time getting to know them a bit more. They especially loved the kids, and the kids enjoyed them. They’ve been married for a few years and I think they ’re getting the baby bug a little... =) Caleb was full of conversation and laughter. He told her he loved spring rolls, so she said that would definitely be on the menu for when they had us over. Susanna enjoyed being held and talked to. And both kids found their new interest--Asian comic books! =)

Anyway, it was fun practicing language and learning more about them, and we're looking forward to building more friendships like these.

Cakies and a hot date for the birthday boy!

Last Wednesday (August 29th) was David's birthday--our first family celebration here in Asia. I was able to find ingredients for his favorite kind of cake (chocolate with vanilla icing!). Only one problem: I don't have an oven. So what to do? I thought of several options...buy one at a bakery, bake mine in a friend's oven, etc...but I was feeling a little unconventional and decided to cook the batter on the stove like pancakes. So while Dave was at class Wednesday morning, Caleb and I set into our experiment. To our delight, it actually worked, and when David arrived home for lunch he was greeted with a warm meal, a hearty rendition of the birthday song, and hot-off-the-stove dripping-with-yummy-icing birthday "cakies." David thorougly enjoyed them; in fact, we all liked them so well that we declared them our new family birthday tradition!

Well, the celebration continued that night--while Caleb played with some friends, Dave had a date with his two favorite ladies (Susanna and I, of course!). We went downtown for dinner at a Western pizza place and the weather was absolutely gorgeous, so we ate outside. After buying his gift, we went to a movie at the theatre--Shrek 3--the only one playing in English! But it was very enjoyable and we had a great time. It was nice to be able to do something special to celebrate such a special person... =)