Plane ride

So I've been in Austin for a few days. My birthday here was great and it was nice to see family. We just mainly puttered around the house. But I really want to mention my plane ride here. The ride was not that great. Veggie entrees on planes consist of boiled rice and boiled veggies. So most of the time I slept and squirmed and got up to walk around and increase circulation in my legs. My circulatory system is pretty weak.

Anyways, what was notable was that I left China on their New Year's Eve. And so most of the few days before that were in preparation and I could hear fireworks going off all day. But as the plane took off the sun was setting on the last day of the year and we flew over north eastern China I looked out of the window and I could see explosions all over the ground. They looked like flashes from thousands of cameras. They were everywhere. I imagine it's like the blinding light you feel if you are famous and paparazzi are following you.

As we flew closer to North Korea the flashes were concentrated more in pockets rather than all over and as we were in Russian air space it was really sparse. I enjoyed just watching the colorful light, not that you could actually make out what shape or type of firework was used. But I am relatively an outsider and I don't really know how important of a holiday it is to them, but I had a great first hand view of the collective festivities that surrounded me. And each day around the world, people celebrate. They love and they cherish the time they have with each other. And in India, millions were celebrating Indian Republic Day. And in a month we will be celebrating Holi, one of my favorite Indian holidays. You get to go around playing pranks on people, shooting water guns filled with colored powder, throw water balloons, and just making merry. People's clothes, face, neck, hair, and all over the ground is stained for the day. No one cares.

When I go back to Beijing in a few days I will be catching the tail end of the festival so I'm looking forward to that. But for now, my days have been filled with wedding planning and spending time with Lola who is as cute as ever. I mean, we just fell back and it's like we didn't miss a beat. She's been following me around all morning probably because she knows I'm taking her to town lake in a bit for a run. She's been cooped up for a day because it's been icy here in Austin. I'm looking forward to driving for the first time in about six months. Watch out if you're driving in Austin!

On Vacation!

Chase and I just finished watching Slumdog Millionaire in honor of Chase's departure for India tonight. Yes, we already have the DVD in China. A whole $1.50. The movie was great. And what I really liked about it was the scenes of Indian life and landscapes. I am so jealous he's going to India. I love that country so much. And watching the movie made me fall in love again. Bollywood movies do not do that for me. So if you haven't seen it already, it's a must-see before the Oscars on the 22nd of Feb.

So he'll be in India, mostly New Delhi and Goa and maybe a visit to Varanasi and Agra if he has time. It's nice to be in vacation mode today as well. I am really wound up when it's work time and when I have time off my body really knows how to relax. Which is a good thing, but I wish I could moderate myself a little better during my working days. At any rate, my trip to Austin is going to be great! I can't wait to see my Lola. She's going to get so much cuddling and kisses. And we are going into the greenbelt every morning or the dog park. And then of course, my family. I can't wait to eat my Mom's cooking again. And I can't wait to see my yoga friends at yoga class and my non-yoga friends! Woohoo. It's going to be great.

Anyways, I thought I would share some pictures of our life here. A few weekends ago we went to see the South Rakkas Crew from Miami. Not necessarily my favorite type of music (hip-hop, funk, booty music, etc.) but I was ready to dance. So Fernando and BeiBei came with us. Here we are giving props to the ATX. That's because they put on a song, and I can't remember what the name of this house track is off the top of my head but all the Americans in the crowd started dancing because we all loved it and then they were asking where everyone was from and we reprezented Austin! We got a couple of shout-outs after that because we were shakin' our booteezz so much.


We were figuring it out.


ATX in the Hooouuusseee!


Chase and Mo, who's a Beijinger transplanted from Miami. We love dancing with Mo cuz he's got great moves.

The next thing I wanted to post about was the absurd amounts that we get spoiled here in Beijing. Having an A-yi come to clean every day of the work week is great. And then to have another come and cook twice a week is another. Here's some dumplings we had the other night made from scratch of course. They were filled with eggplant, egg, and mushroom. Me, Chase, and Fernando, who came over for a meal finished all these!



Here's a picture of our wonderful cooking A-yi hard at work in the kitchen. She has won our love through our stomachs. She's on the short list of permanent nanny-style-a-yis if we end up in Asia with babies in a few years. I say that half-jokingly.


But speaking of cooking. I am looking forward to getting to Austin and doing some cooking myself. My Mom's kitchen is huge compared to our kitchenette in China and I'm going to bake, cook, etc. also because I will actually have time! But first, my sister and I are going to buy our parents a good set of knives. They have used the same cheap CostCo set for the last ten years and have never sharpened them! A shopping trip to Williams-Sonoma is in order!

I am so proud of America. I am proud of the American people. We have an idealist, a new thinker, and a believer of change in the Oval office. I stayed up until 2am last night so that I could watch the speech in real time instead of over YouTube. In any case, I was watching it on the laptop. No Chinese television stations were covering the inauguration and our Satellite connection has been broken for some weeks now. In fact, I am up this morning to notice that on the only English channel available on Chinese television their news show does not start their broadcast with the Inauguration. Pardon me for seeming America-centric but this is important! He's not just the leader of the American nation but of the "free world." When leaders of nations are newly elected or assume their position, there is reason to stop and notice, but the President of our nation makes much more of an impact on the rest of the world. It's strange that they don't even have a news story about it. Ok, few, finally, it's the third story they are covering on the news now but only in how it affects China-US ties, not on the man himself. Wow, it's a new perspective for me. Not even a picture of Obama or the Capitol. Ok, now they are showing shots of Obama, but from several months ago when he was on the campaign trail. Weird.

Anyways, I enjoyed his speech. It was very sobering at the beginning but he did bring a sense of hope at the end and called on Americans to remember what principles our country was founded on. I won't try and disect the speech as I'm not a communications specialist. Although I wish I would have majored in that in college. But he did call on change and cooperation between all parties in need of it. I think Americans are ready to fulfill their duty and face the challenges that lay ahead. I believe in the potential of America. That same faith lifted us up as a nation many times before and even though the rules are different today, we will move forward.

I mean, Wow...

I am sitting here working on my End of Term Reports and all I hear out the window are mini explosions. That is to say, the fireworks to commemorate the Year of the Ox have begun. Many of the convenience stores and local vendors have turned into full-scale fireworks stalls. And many of the Chinese have returned to their homes to be with family, visit family and friends, make merry, exchange gifts, and party. It's really an exciting time to be here. Fernando, our resident friend from Austin who's been here for last year's Spring Festival says that the fireworks are going off so consistently that it's almost soothing when you are trying to go to bed. He compared it to the ceiling fan making a rotating noise.

The official New Year's Eve is the 25th when I'm on my flight back to Austin and the first day of the new year is the 26th, so I will just miss the major celebrations. I really think I am missing something special but know that coming to Austin to be with family, see my Honeygirl, and plan my wedding is more than words-special.

Also, today I had a bangin' yoga practice. I've been feeling off because I've been hunched over on the ground doing this inventory project this last week for my school and a back-bending practice set me straight. Literally. Gotta love it.

It's the end of the term at my school and this means lots of work for teachers. As most Montessori school are for ages 18 months to 6 years (there are some Elementary and Middle-High School programs, but very few), we don't necessarily evaluate and judge children like they do in traditional schools because we feel children grow in stages called Sensitive Periods rather than all at the same time. Each child is developing according to his inner workings and we don't push or curb their growth. So we see growth in phases and so it's hard to put a timetable to their achievements. Nevertheless, there is pressure from parents to produce a written assessment of sorts. We do so to the best of our abilities assessing children on their progress- social, emotional, physical (motor skills), and age appropriate development. For my school, they have not in their seven years of enrollment produced a written report. So the pressure is on this year. And I was asked to create our End of Term Report. That's been a big project for me this past month and one that has had many obstacles because the administration at my school is not Montessori trained. I am doing my best to educate them and so far many of the suggestions that I have given and they have not used, they have come back and said "oh, we understand and agree now." So it's definitely showing me that my years of experience are now turning into wisdom. Way cool. Ego-boost for sure. But no really, it is said that you only really grasp something when you yourself have to teach it. I do love being a teacher. Not for authoritative reasons. Because I love the "light going off" in people's heads and I love to be that facilitator. You give a gift every time you see that growth happen.

And it's also this time of the year that I have a chance to reflect on the children and their growth and our relationship. This year has been tough. Culturally, I have experienced a huge growth curve in how to be with Chinese children. They are very different. However, the classroom is now settled and I have bonded with them. I look and see how far their English has come and I now have children forming complete sentences in English that absolutely didn't understand one word at the beginning of the year. Also when I am filling out these forms, it is confirmed how much I know about each child and how my time with them is more than just learning shapes, numbers, botany, zoology, etc. It's a wholesome experience for me as well as them. This reflection is a feel good time as well as a time to assess what emphasis is needed with them for the rest of the year. I learn so much about what I need to improve on and so this is a growing time for my skill as well. I usually come back the next term ready to go with fresh ideas and new strategies for my class.

So here are some pictures of my class. I realized that all this while I hadn't posted any. It's a beautiful space. I wish I was a child in this huge brightly lit room with child-sized furniture and shelves and shelves of activities to explore.



Notice the huge windows and door leading out to the "Unity Garden."



All the furniture is white. Makes things kind of impersonal, but also clean.



Isn't the white piano great?



This is the child-sized kitchen where the children prepare snack for the whole class each morning. It's usually fruit.

If you can't take heat in the locker room, then...

You'd think that in living in the most populous nation I would get tired of crowds of people. I would hide in my apartment to get away from street noise or seek refuge by leaving the city every so often. However, the streets are pretty wide here and the city planning department has knocked down all the hutongs to make for well-paved sidewalks and building towers that have courtyards and fountains in the front. Lucky me to be in the city after it's lost a lot of it's architectural charm. But at least I have wide open spaces, right? Beijing is not like Shanghai; not condensed at all. However there's only one place that I get claustrophobic: the gym, particularly in the women's locker room. I have an incredible urge to get out of the changing room as fast as I can.

You see, Beijing women enjoy taking up an 8-foot long span on the benches, laying out their towels and clothes after getting back from the pool or the shower. They spread themselves out enjoying their naked time with each other. They are not afraid to be naked. Infact, they stay naked for as long as they can resisting putting on any clothes or even covering up for that matter while meticulously slathering on lotion on their bodies and beauty products on their face and hair. They have enormous totes which they carry to the shower carrying all these essentials. Those take up another foot and a half on the bench. They bend over naked in precarious positions while getting dressed (at a snail's pace) and all I want to do is close my eyes, not take another breath, and get out of there before anyone touches or bumps into me. Now I will address their grooming habits. For areas of hair that are more private I am appalled by the Chinese custom to protect their rainforests. I mean, it's thicker and more lush than the Amazon! No trimming, cutting, shaping, or modifying of any sort. And apparently it requires extensive blowdrying. The blowdryers are always in use creating a drumming noise that now every time I hear one I have the gag reflex.

Why can't they get some clothes on! It's freezing outside afterall. I can speak for the few other foreigners at my gym that we tend to be in and out of the locker room. No fussing. We are at the gym to workout remember? We rarely use the sub-par by Western standards shower stalls. Which makes me realize that the popularity of the showers at my gym might be due to the fact that most average Chinese do not have showers in their apartments and often have one communal bathroom for each floor. But it's hard to believe that people who can afford gym memberships would live in those types of apartments. But then again, my gym is not a fancy one (and is not marketed towards Westerners) and it just might be that the time spent at the gym might be their one chance that day to be naked (they often even share rooms with several people) freely and have a hot shower.

Perhaps I'm just trying to make excuses for them when all I really wish is for a little modesty in the women's locker room. At any rate, some days I've even started wearing my workout clothes under a cover up so I just get to the treadmill and strip down real quick, lay my sweatpants and fleece on the ground with my jacket, gloves, hat, and backpack right next to the machine just in order to avoid a trip to the locker room. I wonder what they think of my changing habits!

Update

So I woke up this morning at 3:30 in pain because I was so hungry. I stumbled into the kitchen and my hands were shaking so I made myself some instant organic oatmeal. So the fasting experience was good except for this morning when all I wanted to do was eat. It continued into today were my appetite was huge. I ate a big lunch and a snack this afternoon. And we just got back from dinner.

Anyways, for those of you who don't know yet. I am T-17 days from being in Austin! Yeah, my plans to go to Thailand for an Anusara Immersion Part 1 were taken away from me when the country was turned upside down and tickets were around the same cost as coming to America. Plus I need to get going on the wedding planning and having almost two weeks in Austin for Chinese New Year will be a great use of my time.

Chase and I intended on staying in China for the New Year to experience their most important holiday. But that will be for next year. We are almost 100% sure we'll be in the China next year and about 90% sure we'll be here for a few more years. So we figure it will eventually happen.

Chase is going to India to travel with Skeets and one of their college friends who lives in Delhi during that time. I am glad Chase is going. He will really love the North especially during this time of the year when it's not blazing hot. It will be the first time we will be away from each other in a very long time.

By the way, I just want to mention how much I love Chase. He's the best. I met him at the gym this evening as he was leaving and I was just getting there (my work takes up too much of my time). And I could just tell how much better I felt and at ease I was when I was talking with him. We are so happy together. We love sharing about our lives and he's such a good friend. That's real love I know.

Holy Day

Today is Vaikunda Ekadesi. This is day in the Tamil lunar calendar why we are supposed to fast. Vedic scripture states that the planets are aligned in a way where you are closest to Lord Vishnu. And so we fast in order to be closer to him. My explanation is horrible. But that's what we do. I did not fast last year and I can't remember why but I received enough reminders this year that I would have felt left out if I didn't.

Infact, I did forget and woke up this morning starving ready to eat a huge breakfast (I am a huge breakfast eater). And so instead I did some yoga and I meditated for a whole 10 minutes! Whoohoo... That's a rareity for me. I usually make it 5 minutes before I start fidgeting. Anyways, it was amazingly easy to meditate once I had the whole day for me to focus on. Sometimes having a holy day centers us at the very least and brings us back to what we should aspire to be everyday but we just get lost in the traffic of life.

My fast was relatively easy and I reminded myself to conserve energy while in the classroom. I allowed myself one tangerine as it is allowable to eat fruit and milk in Indian custom during a fast if need be. And I drank 3 honey and lemon waters as is the custom with a more western approach to fasting as it flushes out the digestive system.

What I noticed the most was the mental clarity I had most of the day. I am not sure if it was my record in meditating earlier in the morning or just that there was no food, processed sugars, preservatives, additives in my system to clog up my mind. If it was the latter, I think I have to further experiment with my diet to see what makes my mind sluggish. Mostly I feel that sugars play a big role and I am eager to see what will happen and if it can happen at all if I cut out processed sugars in my diet. Other than that, this is a big argument for a more raw, vegan, or macrobiotic diet. I think I do my best to buy natural and organic foods, but still so many of them are processed before they hit the shelves.

So I enjoyed my day of mental clarity. I was so calm, moved slowly, didn't get stressed out and I am surprised that I wasn't edgy and didn't get the shakes (as I do normally) from the hunger. I keep getting hunger pangs every now and again as they are reminders that my physical body is loud and wants attention. But my mind is clear and that's what I am enjoying the most on this day.

2009

Happy New Year to everyone!

Chase and I just got back from our trip to NYC and we are unpacking and discovering that our closets are really too small. Now we have enough clothes and personal items that even if we wanted to move out of China it would take more effort. We have passed the point of no (easy) return. It feels good to have "things" though. We bought many toiletries and medicines that we have been unsuccessful in finding on the mainland. And now we have more winter clothes and that's a good thing because January is always the coldest month in Beijing.

Speaking of January, it's a new year for us and I don't know but I haven't had time to process 2008. It went by so fast. In 2008 Chase pondered changing careers, I decided to change jobs when we decided to move to China, gave up Lola in that effort, got engaged, moved houses, went to India, moved to China, went to Malaysia, and now went to New York. This has been the busiest year for me to date and I am tired. So the thought of starting another one is really requiring me to consider what is important for me this year.

I was asked by Jordana and Chase what my resolutions were for this year. And I have come to realize I am not good at making resolutions each year because my goals for myself are so varied. I have so much to improve on that each day I just try a little to meet my goals for that moment. That's not to say I don't have long-term goals. But they are so vague- be a better person, take more time with the people I love, have more patience with others, have more patience with myself. The list goes on.

Life goes on. There is much to accomplish in 2009. I know there will be great moments, including the day Chase and I finally get married! We have waited so long. (It will have been 9 years in August). So I guess you could say that's my big goal for 2009.

Jet lag is setting in fast and I can tell my thoughts are not quite as precise as I would like them to be. But I am going to go ahead and post this anyways.