I recieved a few complaints about my blog on fried rice because I left out pictures of the person who did the cooking. Frank. In my own defense, they were left out because they didn't turn out well. But here it is. Frank has taken on all kinds of domesticity here. He cooks, washes dishes, cleans the bathroom. He's amazing. It's very nice to have the help.

Mandy

中国衣服 (Chinese Clothing)

An update on my clothes. After I ranted and raved about how terrible they were, I went back Sunday morning and everything was done! Not totally what I wanted, but close enough, and I paid them and left. It was actually better than I expected so I'm happy. After all, I was able to put my shirt over my head this time! There was a different girl there this time, the sister of the other woman, she was very sweet too and wants to get together with me next week if we have time. Bonus!
Mandy

Tennis!

I finally got to play tennis yesterday! I was excited the whole day. It has been very difficult to schedule regular physical activity. Frank has his basketball every Monday, but I couldn't get anyone to do anything with me. (Is that supposed to tell me something?) I bought badmitton rackets that now collect dust, because schedules just never matched up. We did try one day to play volleyball, but all the courts were taken and we got in trouble for playing on the grass. So, when a friend finally said yes to tennis, I was stoked! Frank even agreed to play. I soon realized how rusty I was, but so were the two guys so we just had fun. Then an Indonesian guy who was watching, asked to play. When he hammered my return into the ground, we realized we had agreed to play with fire. He ended up on Frank's team which kept him smiling for the next hour of play since there was no taking this guy down. I was just grateful for the chance to play and can't wait till next time. It is nice to have a regular routine of something physical. I hope I can turn this into one. Tennis Rocks!!!
Mandy

You're American? Really?

Do I look Chinese? Come on, you can tell me. How about Thai? No? Then why are people always asking me if I am? Two days ago I was talking with a shop owner and two ladies came up to me to ask the price of something. "Oh, I'm not the owner", I told them. They looked surprised and said, "but you were speaking Chinese". They should have listened for a few more seconds and then they would not have made the mistake. My conversation skills have a time and topic limit. It doesn't take long for the dictionary to come out. The only time I might be mistaken for Chinese is in the morning when I just get out of bed and can't open my eyes yet. My skin complexion however, is very similar to theirs so I'll give them that. If I walk around with shades on and don't talk, perhaps, maybe, I could fit in. Not really.

Growing Pains

I took this picture in front of a kindergarten yesterday. It says so much about this system whatever country you are in. There is a facade of freedom but the truth is, very few are truly free. I find that people here are just beginning to get the urge for it, still hesitating to think for themselves but wanting to. They embrace Western culture because of the relative freedom we enjoy. One example is their view of children. I have never seen more babies and pregnant women in my life. It seems as though that is their goal in life, but what then? Many women go off to work, leaving the baby to be cared for by grandparents. Many of the mothers to be are so young, married out of a sense of responsibility, not love. But, like a seedling fighting through the winter snow, individuality is struggling to surface. I met a woman who had been married for awhile but with no children. She felt that life was too difficult to have children, and they had made the decision to wait. It was a shock to me. I am usually looked at with surprise and pity when people find out I have been married for almost 13 years and still have no children. "WHY?" That it is our right to decide for ourselves to have or not have, is strange and as foreign as our faces. Being here is like watching an entire population growing up, trying new things and ideas, many adopted from the west and not all good. Some of it saddens me since Western culture has so many vices and those are adopted more quickly than other ideals and principles that many Westerners are taught from infancy. One day, the childlike curiosity and enthusiasm will pay its dividends in 20/20 hindsight. I understand how parents feel, never wanting their young ones to fully grow up and lose that innocence.
Mandy
“People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

Tailor Made?

It has been almost 2 weeks since I ordered some Chinese clothes. I have learned a valuable lesson. Don't order Chinese clothes. Last week I went by twice, only to be told that nothing was ready except my wrap skirt, which really wasn't when I put it on. Yesterday morning I went by again. They were closed for the Chinese Labor Day, but I could see the dress I ordered thru the window. I checked back in the afternoon, this shop is quite a walk from my home by the way, and they were open but no one was in. So, I took the dress, went in the back and tried it on. No go, they cut slits up the sides and had way too much fabric up top. Finally someone showed up and I explained the problem. They casually listened, not really hearing me, so we will see what it looks like in two days. I also was expecting a shirt and my shorts. I actually had to ask about the shorts before they finally told me that they had been unable to find the fabric I wanted and I should pick out something different. Couldn't they have told me 2 weeks ago????!!! I asked for my old pair back and had them take the price off my bill. I still don't have shorts! The shirt was beautiful but had the wrong color trim on it. I figured I would just deal with it and went to try it on. I couldn't even get it over my head! The neck hole wasn't big enough for anyone but a baby's head! What exactly do they do in the sewing room, watch TV and never look at what they are doing? So basically, I still have nothing to show, they didn't even have my wrap skirt and that was the easiest of them all. I have learned my lesson but I still have to deal with the problem until it is over! Ah, China!

Fried Rice

Here is a simple recipe for Fried Rice:


The most important thing to remember is start with cold rice. Use last night's leftovers, rake a fork through it to loosen the grains. This recipe uses about 3 cups cooked rice.


Fry 2/3 pcs of bacon in your wok. Cook until crispy then chop finely
Beat one egg and set aside
Chop an onion and saute it in the bacon fat.

Dump the separated rice into the hot grease, make sure it's not too much grease for you or add oil or butter if not enough. There needs to be enough to keep the rice from sticking to the pan. Stir constantly to separate all the grains. Make hole in the middle and pour in the egg. Cook slightly then stir egg into rice mixture. Pour a few tablespoons of soy sauce down the side of the wok and incorporate into the rice mixture. Keep stirring until it starts to stick to the bottom and it's ready to serve!

Variations: You can add vegetables, green onions and garlic are nice. Saute them with the onions. Leftover meat is great too, chicken and shrimp are my favorite. Chop them up and add after the rice. Pouring the soy sauce on the side of the wok allows it to smoke before it hits the rice, enhancing its flavor.

"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach"

-Wise Woman

Lost at Sea

Yesterday, a friend and I braved a local market. Let me explain braved. This area is where most people go to purchase goods for resale in their own shops throughout the city. You are not able to see the streets for the thousands and thousands of heads. It is like being lost at sea, tossed this way and that by the passing waves of bodies. If you do not know your way around, you can easily get sucked into the undertow and not be able to get out. The market goes for miles. It is somewhat organized though, there are districts; the shoe district, the district for knitting wool, the fabric district, clothing, watches, cigarette lighters, and so on. But, within each of these districts is a maze of winding streets, some that turn back into others and some that just dead-end. I have never seen so many shoes in all my life. Acres and acres of shops, buildings with three or four stories all filled with shops selling the exact same shoes. I guess with millions of customers, there is no need for competitive pricing or location. We were on the hunt for fabric and people to practice Chinese with, and a nice young man drew us a map to help us on our way. Surprisingly, the directions were spot on. Usually we get turned in several directions. Even the fabric section was overwhelming. We wandered through booth after booth, following people who wanted to show us their wares. It was exhausting but served as an excellent language practice session since we had to learn new vocabulary: fabric, yards, clothes, etc. We must have been treading water out there for almost five hours. Needless to say, as soon as we reached our apartments, we crashed!
Mandy
“Don't open a shop unless you like to smile.”
Chinese Proverbs

“A blind bloke walks into a shop with a guide dog. He picks the Dog up and starts swinging it around his head. Alarmed, a shop assistant calls out: 'Can I help, sir?' 'No thanks,' says the blind bloke. 'Just looking.'”
Tommy Cooper

回国家 （二）

There are many things I will miss about being here, even for only three months. My new friends especially, they are what makes being here worth the sacrifice. I know we will be missed here and that is something special. I know our friends at home miss us, really miss us (right?). That knowledge, along with being accepted and loved just for who we are is a special gift and I thank you. Having that no matter where we are is, well, indescribable. There is a kind of freedom that comes with not having to prove anything to anyone, just being me. I have found a bit of inner strength here too that I was unaware of. The necessity of traveling alone in crowded buses or riding my bike in busy streets at night or any time I face the city on my own has forced me to step away from the wall and even from Frank's shadow! I am even more convinced that I am never really alone and my appreciation has been taken to a new level. For these things, I am grateful for this opportunity.
Mandy

Chinese Students

Chinese children are very good students. Their classes are strictly regimented. They are taught to memorize everything. This can make it difficult and easy for those of us who teach English. They can memorize very complex sentences but many are unable to understand what they mean or how to respond to questions about the sentence. This is where our TESOL training comes in handy. With games, dancing, singing and pantomime, we help them get the sense of what they have memorized and can increase their vocabulary. It is much more productive to get them out of their chairs and talking. You should see their faces when they get it. It is fun to get them out of the normal routine of following everyone else and see their personalities come out.

Mandy

" A mind is a terrible thing to waste"