Hutong Hotel in Beijing

Here is Vic entering our hotel in the hutong in Beijing.
The hutongs which are connected traditional buildings were first built in the Tang Dynasty in the 700's. They were added onto in all of the subsequent dynasties and dramatically expanded during the last Qing Dynasty two hundred years ago. The reason I am so taken with these neighborhoods is because they were where the regular folks lived around the Forbidden City. So families who wanted their boys to have a better life first made them eunuchs (ouch!!) and then sent them up to the royal empire of the Forbidden City.

Here am I getting ready for the day in our hotel. The bathroom is tiny, but functional-- referred to by expats here at "shit, shower, and shave". The other great part of the hutongs is how they are adapted to and lived in now. Here are Marie Laure, Luca and I enjoying a more commercialized section of the neighborhood.
The crowds, as all over China, are massive. Victor shot this photo because he liked the dancing Pooh balloon over the sea of Beijingers.
Here are construction workers fixing the roof...

Hiking Dragon Back on China National Day, 10/2011

After what began as a tough day for some of our family, this turned into an amazing day on Dragon's Back on Hong Kong island. Can you believe that this is the most densely populated city in the world? Look at these views. This city continues to surprise and impress me.
A view of Big Wave Bay....
A slim and fit Mr. Serio...
I like this shot because with a little imagination you can kind of see the bumps in the dragon's back. Right? And oh yeah, the kids are touching AND not hurting each other.

Shekou International School X-C meet in Guangzhou

On September 24th, the SIS cross country meet competed in an invitational 5k in Guanzhou. Although we have a small team, we managed to snag a 3rd place for the boys under 16 division. Well done, Noah!

Victor and I are co-coaching along with fellow SISers, Brandon Little and Hillary Lauder. The coach to runner ratio is a two-to-one; this must be all the talk about small class size in the private schools...

Featured to the left is Cindy finishing her run with Renata next to her. Renata due to her summer illness decided not to compete in this meet. She did happily run the last 200 meters with Cindy, the last female finisher. Great shot, I think.

Below is our whole team. I have grown very fond of these high schoolers and one middle schooler and really enjoy spending time with older students two afternoons a week. Coaching staff rocks as well.

Home?

So this is our new view from our office here in Mount Orchid. As you can tell, it is a smoggy day and also looks like it may rain. I am so contented these days so much that the terrible air doesn't even touch me.

Home, I am learning, is a sense of place for sure, but truly my pack. So for me, that is V, R, and L. It helps when they have friends over and are noisily enjoying the Wii. It helps when cookies are baking in the oven. It helps when NYPD delivers a large cheese pizza promptly at our door. It helps when Discovery has Shark Week on, but even without all of these creature comforts here in China, home is just us four + Patch, but I am not even stressing about his absence. We lived together this summer and he adjusted surprisingly well to all of the home hopping. I have every confidence that he will love us equally when we return to Portland.

I know we only have months left to this very cool international post and I am trying to drink it all in this year. Watching Vic weave in and out of traffic on his e-bike, watching Luca stop goals on the soccer pitch under my gym window, listening to tinny Chinese music in Sihai Park, noticing all of the special moon cakes on display in Vanguard and Park n Shop.

So certainly not perfect, but home, just like our real home.

Amy our ayi

Here is Amy, our amazing ayi. Renata and I just flew back last night. After my shower, I was delighted to see our ayi, Amy, in the office ironing Luca's t-shirts. I know, I know, but she irons everything.
I took her picture and told her that she was the person about whom most folks back home wanted to learn. She laughed and smiled for the camera. And when I showed her the photo, she said, "That's good."
All ayis make ex-pat life easier, but our ayi is especially excellent at helping our life run smoothly. When she helped me unpack my suitcase, she found a skirt with a broken zipper and said that she will bring to a tailor to replace it. She also had our beautiful Chinese tapestry framed for just 180 yuan--about $25 because she compared shopped on our behalf.
Please post questions about Amy or ayis and I will try to fill in any blanks. Renee

What did I learn this year in China?

We've been out of school for 4 days and it seems like a good time to reflect on the year here in China. So here is a list in no particular order of what I learned this year.

1. Kids are really adaptive given time and opportunity

2. Geography is more interesting if you know people from there.

3. Bad air really sucks

4. I am functional in Mandarin, but the worst in my family

5 It only bugs me that Victor is better

6. Ovarian cysts, when bursting, hurt a lot

7. Water is good for you

8.Chinese and Korean children work really hard; a joy to teach

9. Grade 1 rocks

10. Living in an apartment is so much easier than a house

11. Really still miss Patch

12. Skype is a godsend for those of us away from our families

13. My father in law knows so much about China

14 Fresh local fruits are a true treat

15 Starbucks still rules the planet, even here

16 Online news is useful, but not like a real paper

17. Christmas and Easter in China are just terrible

18 Having an ayi is such a luxury

19 Chinese people, one on one, are so interesting and lovely

20. Chinese people are terrible drivers. the worst

21. Driving an electric bike is a thrill every time

22. Sweating all the time really stinks

23 Chinese babies=so CUTE

24 love Facebook now more than ever

25 Reading Workshop really works

26 Raising chicken and duck eggs is gratifying and terrifying at the same time

27 Dog meat does not taste like chicken

28 Turtles should never be part of a soup

29 Miss my mom

30 Moon Festival and Chinese New Year are very cool holidays

31 It is okay to be stared at-- a lot

32 Don't miss any of the processed food

33 But peanut butter is a daily thing for me

34 Dumplings and bao are so good

35 travel in Asia is cheap and quick

36 It is lovely to see my husband so relaxed and engaged

37 Pirated DVDs should cost only 1.00 everywhere

38 Living without a car is really easy

39 Ex-pats take care of each other

40 New Zealanders use some very funny expressions

41 Constant construction is noisy, messy and a pain to negotiate on a e-bike

42 the Corrieas are the nicest family

43 Max and Zoe were the lovely guests

44 It is not so hard to cook a western feast in China

45 Walmart products are really different in China, but still a terrible place

46 Having a mountain behind our apartment is a godsend in a city this congested

47 Really hope we have more guests to share these cool experiences with next year

48 It is easier to drink too much when you don't have a car

49 Thailand really is all that

50 Playing eucher with Vic, Renata, and Luca in various places is still my favorite family activity

Poetry Jam, April, 2011