You watch the Discovery channel on a nightly basis because it's about the only thing in English
You get tired of the Discovery channel so you watch Chinese TV and make up your own dialogue
It takes 3 men 3 hours to hang pictures in your apartment and then they charge you 10RMB per hole in your wall
It takes 3 hours to have your hair high lighted, cut and styled- It was the most meticulous foil wrapping job I have ever had done. It was absolutely symmetrical and each foil was folded perfectly. My whole head had that whole fung shuay (sp) thing going on.
Your kids opera singing bus driver hits another car and the kids still make it to school on time (yes the kids were all fine, no one was hurt)
Your kids see signs all over the compound that are trumpets with a circle around them and a line through them and they think it means no musical instruments are allowed in the apartments. What it really means is that no one is supposed to honk their horns inside of the compound.
You no longer plan what shoes you are going to wear around your outfit, but you now choose your outfit based on what shoes you are going to be wearing. For instance if you are going to be walking a lot, you probably are going to want tennis shoes not heels. If you are going somewhere that you know is really dirty you sure don't want sandals or flip flops. It ruins a girls pedicure in no time at all. :)
You see a dad riding a bike, with mom sitting sideways on the back holding a new born baby on her shoulders, and you cringe for that poor babies life knowing how quickly one small curb can change your life!!!!
You own your own rice cooker and buy bags of rice that are pretty large!
You are about the only parent at your kids sporting events
You have dreams about Meijer because you miss one stop shopping that only takes 2 hours tops as opposed to all day.
You get up early to walk at 7:00 hoping that it will be cool, but it is already sweltering hot out!!!
Off to shower!
Love you all!
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5 comments:
Oh Nats, PRC has a different meaning for me as you know, and for a moment I thought you were going to have your Chinese baby! Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee Hee!!! (For those of you who don't know what I am talking about here - I volunteer at the Pregnancy Resource Center here in Midland).
Once again, I enjoyed your blog and was in stitches most of the time. I totally relate with the shoe thing, from Malaysia. You have to have comfortable feet to walk so much and the outfit mustn't be too too dorky with the shoes! Besides, if one has a pedicure one must show it off once in a while (has your's been repaired?)
Is your new hairdresser as good as Shannon? And I thought a two hour hair job was a long time! Whew.
Another question - is that baby draped across the mom's shoulders? I'm trying to get a mental picture. Very scary. And we worry about selling used car seats at a garage sale.
Well, gotta get ready to go to the six grade honor's assembly. Unlike you Nats, I'm pretty sure I won't be one of the only parents sitting in the bleachers. Who knows, maybe your honor's assembly's are better parental turnouts than sporting events. I'll try not to feel too sad knowing that you would have been sitting next to me today.
Love ya,
Beth
I'm actually surprised there even is something to watch in English. I guess the Discovery channel wouldn't be my first choice, but at least you can watch MythBusters. That's one of my favorite shows!
What exactly is a rice cooker? I always make rice in the microwave. Lately we've been eating a lot of it and it boils over almost every time. It's sad that I can't even cook rice without making a mess. Maybe I should invest in a rice cooker?
Thanks for the update!
Love, Angie
Hi Natalie,
Thanks for the update.
Does the opera singer bus driver have insurance so you just exchange information or what? How are auto accidents actually handled in China. That is the insurance agent in me wondering.
It is sad that parents don't take any more interest in the kids athletic events than they do.
About the holes in the wall and the 10 RMB. How much money is that per hole? Can't you do that yourself? Does everything over there have to be done by someone else?
The weather here today is around mid 60's and gorgeous. Good walking weather. Last week it was ugly with the humidity and heat. I am getting old and would be happy if we could just have low 70's and low humidity. That would be great.
Well gotta go. Have a little more work to do before I go home. I have Fridays off now and I am sure enjoying that.
Love Mom B.
It sounds to me like each day is a new exciting trip that hopefully, will take you without injury. So glad that the boys didn't get hurt through that accident episode. I'm sure they were shook up. Did I hear that Noah was the one that tx-messaged you, or did I misunderstand.
Whew - that's a scary thought about the baby riding on the shoulders of the mother on a bicycle driven by someone else, no less. Guess, I'm like Beth, I'm still trying to get a picture of this whole deal in my mind.
Time to get some dinner on the table. Thanks for keeping us up to date and informed and filled with laughter at some of these comments. We are going to have to take you on an outing at Meijers when you come home.
Love to everyone,
Mom R
I'm betting that the feng shui hair job probably cost you less than ten American buckaroos? I'm jealous...and baffled. Why is it, exactly, that things cost so much less in China? Please feel free to give an Economics-for-Dummies answer. My long-ago MBA training has mentally expired, and I'm pretty clueless on these matters.
Betsy
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