A Friend from the US

My friend Patrice came from the US last week -- and plunged into the Chinese experience. It was wonderful to see it all again through her eyes!

We started out easy...brunch on Sunday -- with caviar and champagne. Patrice loved the homemade Chinese noodles -- as the chef made them like a rodeo lasso right before her eyes.

Patrice sat in on my Mandarin class on Monday morning...and by the end, was saying "Ni Hao" and "xie xie" like a native! We had our first meal at a Hot Pot restaurant...and I shared my love of Chinese beer.

We took a Chinese Cooking class...back at the Hutong where I went to "Hook and Cook". We started with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony. Went to the local Chinese farmers' market to buy the ingredients (they killed the fish right in front of us!) and cooked on a flaming wok.

Patrice helped me organize the apartment for an entire day -- bless her heart! We stayed in and watched the old movie, Lost Horizon...part of our "understanding the mystic of the orient" movie series.

Patrice met my friend Lily and we headed to the Great Wall at Badaling and had lunch at the swanky Commune restaurant. It was the final night of Spring Festival -- and once again, we watched thousands of fireworks burst around the city.

Lily is a Certified tour guide --she took us to the Temple of Heaven. It was lovely...but what really amazed us was the glimpse of Chinese culture.

Here's what people were doing in park:

• Tai Chi
• Singing revolutionary songs together
• Painting Chinese calligraphy in water
• Flying kites
• Exercise classes (with over 200 people!)
• Rhythmic gymnastics with colorful banners
• Ballroom dancing
• Playing cards

We also did a little shopping. When John got home, Patrice and I made supper from fresh ingredients at the farmers' market. Patrice is an incredible cook and grows most of her own produce and herbs. I learned more from her than class!

Patrice sees the world in a refreshing way...and was captivated looking out our front window watching the workers build a new subway terminal across the street. There is even temporary housing like on a mine site. She was amazed by how much they got done in a single day...and begged me to send photos of the progress!

Finally, we bundled Patrice back on the plane to Peoria.

If this week sounds fun, why not plan your trip to China? We'll sing a few songs at the Temple of Heaven... and Chinese beer is waiting...

Eliza Doolittle... My Fair Ning

Do you remember the movie, My Fair Lady? Professor Henry Higgins takes a low class woman from the streets of London and teaches her to speak elegantly.

While he ’s teaching her, she fantasizes about killing him “Just you wait, Henry Higgins…”) And then the joy of finally getting it -- “The Rain in Spain falls mainly on the Plains…!” (When I ordered a glass of wine by myself...or asked where to get tickets.... understood how much something cost...)

Right now, I am a Mandarin Eliza Doolittle…and my Berlitz professors and Yan Shifu are all standing in for Henry Higgins!

They don't want to marry me...but they're a little surprised that I'm working so hard! They don't understand that I worked all my life -- learning Mandarin is now standing in for going to a corporate office everyday. I even wear high heels and hose! My friend Patrice is here from the US and sat in on class. Her Ni Hau sounds pretty good!

In Chinese, the song would look more like, “Zhou, xie, yuey…” words I swear my midwestern mouth will never get right!

Finally Fireworks!

Chinese New Year is wonderful --and we moved into our apartment just in time! First, red is the color of luck -- and I love red! Second, everyone shoots off fireworks -- and it's a huge party!

It's hard to believe...but John and I saw over 100 fireworks displays from the windows overlooking the park -- and they've gone on all week. In Beijing, you don't need a special permit -- people simply light them in the streets. It's fabulous. I'm so happy!







We also went to the Temple Fair in Chaoyang Park across the street -- there's a thin veneer of weiguoren (foreigners) here in Beijing -- we were the only "big noses" (an endearing term also used for foreigners...) in the place. Yan Shifu taught me to say, Xin Nien Kuai Le (Happy Spring Festival) and I say it to everyone. As John says, I've become the trained monkey...the local folks are shocked when they hear you utter a single word of Mandarin!










Everything shuts down for Chinese New Year, even Starbucks. My wonderful Berlitz teachers still made it in -- we were the only ones in the place! And of course, Yan Shifu has been driving me around...and teaching me even more phrases!

Moving Day!

It's finally arrived...moving day! Our new apartment overlooks the largest urban park in Asia. John and I feel like we're in New York -- and looking at Central Park!

Yan Shifu helped...and brought his wife as well (Yan Tai Tai -- Tai Tai is the respectful name for wife in Chinese...don't you just love this language?). There was a big crew -- it got done in half a day. By then end, every mover was my Chinese teacher as well -- pointing to a box of books and saying, "shu..."











Yan Shifu organized lunch for the crew -- they all instantly disappeared with their boxes...and I found them on the back landing, squatting down and eating. They are much more flexible than us rigid Americans!
It's the beginning of Chinese New Year -- and part of the tradition is giving your driver a monetary gift in a red envelope. I found the perfect set -- until the girl at the front desk told me the Chinese characters were for a wedding....

Language is funny -- Yan Tai Tai would simply repeat things to me --as if by saying it often enough I would eventually understand...

Our new kitchen is red, red, red -- and I adore it! Everything is new -- a wonderful way to start.

My only challenge -- keys! I haven't locked a door (car or house...) in 30 years! But there may be some salvation...a single card makes the elevator come to our apartment...and if you don't have that card, you can't get off at our floor.

So an unlocked door wouldn't really be that unsafe.... stop by sometime!

The Corporate hug

We're part of a corporate community here in China -- and had the chance to touch base with old friends. During my orientation day (they show you the ropes in China) I ran into one of my favorite people from Marketing -- and he's going to live down the street from us when we get our new apartment. It was such fun to simply chat and catch up!

That evening, we were part of a corporate dinner and saw more friends from our past. One of my favorite parts of my last job was working with young people -- new to the company, marketing training. Such energy! The future! The Beijing team has these folks too -- so smart and motivated. It was wonderful to connect...

And they corrected my Mandarin! How's that for a terrific deal? I had heard that weiguoren in Beijing are often approached by people wanting to speak English. I'm just the opposite ... everyone in China is my teacher. In the stores. In a taxi. At a restaurant.


So great to feel the corporate hug.

Life with a driver...

Looking from afar -- life with a driver seems wonderful...conjuring images of elegant dark limosines. The reality in China is usually a silver mini van (so much more practical...) and a deep appreciation for the skill that's involved in staying safe on these crazy Chinese streets.

But the days of hopping in the car and scooting to Walmart are over. We try to plan our days... Often, John and I leave together in the morning -- he goes to the office and I go to my language class. We can communicate numbers fairly well (I say fairly because poor Yan Shifu has gotten the wrong info from us -- the numbers 4 and 10 sound very similar).

We try to be respectful of his time -- he works 6 days a week. If we're going to a late dinner, we'll often take a cab home.

Yan Shifu has also become my language teacher in the car. He's so proud of me when I get something right...and he'll drill me until my tones are perfect. I get an image of Megan with Madeline...who at 10 months is also learning words...smiling -- encouraging. Meg says Madeline can understand more than she can say -- just like me!

I can't wait until I know enough Chinese to chat in the morning, "How's Mrs. Yan? What's Yan Yan (his daughter) up to? Does she have a boyfriend? Does she want to get married in the park across from our apartment and have the reception at our house?" The usual stuff...

It should be easier...cleaning supplies

First-- imagine me buying cleaning supplies. And if you can make that leap, imagine me stumbling through the colorful chaos of the Chinese grocery store. How I miss my darling Kim and Wanda! They took such good care of us.

But even I couldn't bear to move into our new apartment without making sure the bathrooms were clean. Yes, bathrooms. John was concerned -- he thinks the fact that I'm nice to him is related to the fact that I've never done any housework....

Thanks to the field trip with my Berlitz teacher, I knew where to go in the store. What I didn't know is the day before Chinese New Year is the day before Thanksgiving in the US...times 1.3 billion people!

I was squinting at the endless Chinese bottles of chemicals when I heard a quiet, "Mrs..?" It was Yan Shifu! John told me he calls me Mrs. He followed me into the store to help. And I did just fine -- including a fairly elaborate pantomine to describe paper towels for 8 darling clerks-- you try it!

And yes, I survived my cleaning of the bathrooms. And yes, John's taking me for a lovely dinner tonight to erase the memory.

Tuesday is the big move!