What a difference Lily has made to our life here in China! Her sunny personality, her sense of humor...and willingness to help us at all hours of the day has created joy here in Beijing.Lily is a special girl. Her parents went against the one child policy in China to have her -- her Chinese name is "welcome". When she
was born, her father was fired from his job and had to pay a fine equivalent to two years salary. He also went to jail for three days and was interrogated.Lily is getting married on the first day of the Olympics in August -- no big party...but a very lucky day to start a new life.
We were thrilled when she invited us (and Yan Shifu) to lunch at her fiance's apartment. He's basketball crazy...adores Michael Jordan -- so his English name is Michael. But we love his Chinese name -- translates as Fast Monkey!The first thing I did was buy some flowers -- they're amazing here. I watched as the bouquet of lilies (of course...) got bigger and bigger! Soon it was bigger than Lily herself!
The apartment is in Beijing...but over an hour's drive from our house. It was small but modern -- Lily and her best friend cooked all day. Sadly, Fast Monkey
was working and couldn't be with us. It's not unusual for Chinese people to work 6 even 7 days a week!As Lily took our pictures at her table, she called it a "dear diary moment" -- sometimes I wonder where her quaint English phrases come from!
But what an honor to be invited into a Chinese home. She was so happy John could be there, too.
Lily's vocabulary this week: explain the difference between impede and inhibit. Could you do it?
