The Last Few Days

We woke up yesterday morning and this is what we could see out the window. Fresh snow! The government's efforts to eleviate drought in northern China by cloud seeding the last couple of weeks is causing precipitation in the form of snow in the surrounding areas of Beijing. So we have been enjoying the winter's first snowfall. Yesterday it was pretty light and most of it had melted but this morning we awoke to more snow and this time it was more actually more than just a couple of inches and was powdery. So I took my children out of the classroom and instead of working we built a snowman. It was good fun.



Here's Chase in our apartment complex's courtyard. He's on this new schedule if you don't already know. He switched language schools and is legitimately trying to learning Chinese. What I mean by that is: 2 hours group conversation class followed by 2 hours character and grammar and then 2 hours with a private tutor later in the afternoon, five days a week! Go Chase. We decided that at the very least this effort would allow him to have Chinese language party tricks while in Austin this summer. Anyways, he wakes up at the same time as me each morning and we commute to our respective schools together! It's definitely fun for me because I always wished I had someone up with me in the mornings and that hasn't been the case necessarily with Chase and I for the last couple of years. I mean in Austin, most days he wasn't even awake until 10am. It's been an adjustment for me in some ways though because I've also gotten used to the quite mornings I've always had and now there's someone trying to get in the bathroom or turning up the TV too loud in the morning. Haha... the grass is greener, right? No, really, it's great to have more time with him since we are so busy these days in China.



The crazy labor force of China had the snow shoveled, pushed away, and sidwalks cleared in Jianwai SOHO by the time I walked to work! Incredible, but what was really interesting and I was trying to be discreet while taking the picture so you may not see it but the brooms which they used to clear away the snow. I mean, they probably reduced efficiency in sweeping away the snow and therefore caused the need for the 20 people it took to clear the plaza around school.



So, switching subjects, I took the dance class I have been talking about now for months. It's been over six years since I even stepped inside a dance studio. I went to the Beijing LTDX Modern Dance Company's studio which is one of only two professional modern companies in the city. The studio was old, maybe pre-Cultural Revolution era but I love those old grungy dance spaces. It makes you feel more artistic. (Think FAME, the movie). So I took the Advanced Modern Technique class and today my calves are screaming. But I had a blast. I missed having that artistic outlet in my life. And luckily the studio is within walking distance so I will be going to class at least once a week now. Oh and the class is all in Chinese so that's good for my language progress as well.

So the Ayi just brought out dinner and Chase is waiting on me. So that's all for today.