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I mentioned before that the yogurt here is mostly the drinkable variety. It comes both in individual sizes and in quart bottles. Today I got two new flavors. One is cucumber kiwi, and we really like it! I know it sounds like an odd combination, but it's very refreshing. The other, which we haven't tried yet, is honey flavored. I'll have to let you know about that one. Of course I'm only going by the pictures on the bottles, since I can't read anything on the label! ......................................................
We went to our new church this past Sunday afternoon. This church, which I mentioned in a post several months ago, after our first visit, is called Abundant Grace International Fellowship. It meets in a Chinese congregation's building, and so the service is at 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, which is when the building is available! I met a woman in the nursery who was very friendly. She and her husband and two children have been here about 15 months. They moved here when she was 7 months pregnant... talk about having to navigate the health care system! We enjoyed the service so much, especially the worship. It's so amazing to worship with a group of people you've never met, and feel a connection because of our common bond, the One we are there to worship. .....................................................
We were at the pool/beach in our complex this afternoon. The kids were all occupied, so I sat and just listened and observed for a bit. It's not the first time I've noticed this at the pool... there are definitely more languages than Chinese and English being spoken. I know I heard Spanish, and I think German too. I'd love to know every one's story.... ....................................................
We have a wonderful lady helping us at home. Her name is Mrs. Shi. Yesterday she took us to a local market, just a couple of blocks from our complex. We all walked there together, and were definitely a spectacle! In the back alley leading to the main part of the market, we saw all variety of creatures for sale. Madelyn thought perhaps they were for pets... but I know otherwise. Just a little frog-scorpion-eel-turtle soup for dinner, right?! Mrs. Shi was choosing ingredients to make dumplings for dinner. She told me that we wouldn't want to get any produce in the supermarket because it isn't fresh there. She bargained with every vendor, and walked away if the the price was too high. We got onions and garlic from a vendor who had them spread on a blanket on the sidewalk. I think we paid 1 yuan, total, for three large onions, which is about 12 cents. The dumplings, which she filled and carefully folded in tiny pleats before boiling them, were delicious! ....................................................
We realized today that now that we have Vonage hooked up, with our old Chicago phone number, that we will still get US solicitors phone calls. I got one tonight at eleven p.m. local time. When I told him he was calling Shanghai and that it was eleven o'clock at night, he was very apologetic! .....................................................
Gwen's clavicle seems to be nearly completely healed. It's only been ten days! Thank you to my friends and family with medical expertise who assured me that kids heal so quickly from this type of injury. Although I know it's supposed to be a couple more weeks until the bone is completely fused, she doesn't have pain from the fracture anymore. She does hold her right arm more still when she runs, rather than swinging it wildly like the other one, but even that has lessened in the past couple of days.
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I've met a another friend here in our complex. Her name is Kate, and she is here with her husband and two children (who just happen to be roughly Caleb and Madelyn's ages) for 8 weeks this summer. The kids have gotten together several times to play, and Kate has led me to the nearest dry cleaner and helped me communicate "heavy starch" with her pocket translator, told me where to find nail polish remover, bought chicken breasts for me at the Western grocery store, walked me to the nearby Chinese supermarket and showed me the brand of ice cream bars her kids like best, and shared some good conversation. The bummer is that she and her family are only here for four more weeks. But as an experienced friend told me tonight on the phone, such is the nature of expat friendships. People are in and out of your life quickly, as assignments end and families move on to a new country or back to their home country. I guess that's part of the package of being here, not holding on too tightly to relationships. What a lesson....
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I guess those are all my thoughts for now. Thanks for listening, and good night! :-)
2 comments:
I didn't know VOnage was set up! Yippee! I want to call you now - but it's 1am your time! So...I will wait! :)
oops - that was Lana :)
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