Montessori in China

So, some of you may know that I was teetering on the edge of quitting my job here in Hangzhou this Spring. The politics and the business side of things in Montessori in China are just really so much to deal with. I am idealistic, kind-hearted, and work with integrity, sincere, dedicated, and did I mention, Idealistic? Well, what you get in China is not the ideal situation. So I was consumed for the latter part of the school year about what to do. Well, I stayed: for me, for the children, for the families, and for the bond that I had already created with the community here in Hangzhou.

So we started school three days ago and I must say it's nice to have "returning children". It's been two years since I had that and I love the fact that I can see the relationship we have created. They know me, there's a foundation, and there's a mutual understanding. Beyond that, I can't believe how much English they have retained! Most of them are under 4 years (as is the case when you start a Montessori classroom from scratch) and they communicate with me in Chinese and I respond in English. I am so impressed. Since being in China, I have questioned the bilingual set-up. Talk to me more in detail and you will understand why I believe that bilingual settings in school are better reserved for the Elementary years. I just think that children from 3 to 6 have so much to cope with.... so why further complicate things? Nevertheless, I have been hired to teach English and I will do my best.

My parents in my classroom are so supportive, enthusiastic, and in-touch with their child's needs! What great Montessori parents! It also helps that for most of them they only get to have ONE. So they can make that dedicated focus.

The administration moved me to a new space which has more natural light, windows, and is a more "home-like" feel. I am grateful for that. It's a contrived space, but I am working with it. I've got a hard-working assistant and even more hard-working "ayi" or housemaid. Neither are formally trained but are so ready to learn. Even better! I love that feeling of mentoring someone from the "ground up" and am happy that they are eager. Which brings me to my desire to join the Training of Trainers program. I am looking forward to them approving me to start the program and I will do so whole-heartedly. I love helping and changing minds to think about children in a new way. My training in Montessori was such an eye-opener so I wish to convey that same feeling to anyone I can.

More later. But I am excited to start this new school year. And I hope that I can serve the children in my classroom in the best way that I can.

So Busy

I guess you can tell how busy I have been the last few months. I haven't had a second to really look at my blog or catch up on all the great things happening in my life. I am truly grateful to have a full, social, meaningful life where I am surrounded by those I care about and who love me.

July was great because I was in India with Chase and we were able to spend time with Archie (who's going to UT this fall), Sruthi (who's going to USC this fall) and my parents and grandmother. On June 10th, we celebrated my Dad's 60th birthday in traditional style. It's called a Shastiabdhapoorthi and it's basically where the husband and wife renew their vows. It was an intense few days as the schedule was jam-packed. In the mornings and afternoons for two hours each, 19 priests came to my Aunt and Uncle's home in SriRangam and recited the Vedas. Some where chanting from the Yajur Veda, others from the Sama Veda, Ramayanam, and finally others where chanting in Tamil slokhas and devotional hymns from the 12 Alwars. The energy that it created really purified the house and everyone in it. I definitely fell in love with the Sama Veda as it sounds very trance-like. There's a melody component and it is easy to see how Tibetan chanting and Karnatik music came from this particular Veda. Then on the 10th we had the big celebration. It was good to see so many of my parents' friends and relatives from throughout their lives come to support my parents. Community is such a big part of Indian culture.

The rest of the India trip was amazingly relaxing. I had so much fun eating. Everyday was a feast and I made sure to eat lots of okra, mango (not enough though), coconut, banana stem, and other wonderful veggies that are only found in India. Chase on the other hand was dying from the monotony of Indian cuisine. At least to his taste buds it was monotonous. For me, there were so many flavors that I missed.

As soon as we came back to Hangzhou I went through a series of interviews for the Training of Trainers program which is the next step for me in the process of becoming an AMI trainer. I have to wait a few more weeks to see if I made it in. It's really a 50/50 chance I think. And then I have to figure out how I'm going to get all of the program finished in my five-year plan... if I get in that is. So some major life decisions await in the future if I get in.

Chase celebrated his 30th birthday the next day. I had a surprise party planned for him given that we would go to the Banyan tree for a spa day. But that was unraveled when he said he didn't want to go. So we had friends over anyways, and then went to a bbq in Binjiang by the Sheraton. It was good food. I hope they host another one. I got him kettle bells as a present but apparently they are the wrong size. Oops. I really tried!

Chase went on a business trip for a day to Zhengzhou and it was explained to him that I actually was invited as well and me not showing up would be a major faux pas. So we rushed to get someone to take care of Milo and I hopped on a plane that Friday evening. We explored the Shaolin Temple and some famous grottoes in Longmen. The Buddhist carvings were spectacular and marvelous. Our hosts, were great and Chase and I had fun playing with their 4 year old daughter.

Last weekend, our friends organized a trip to Anji. Anji is famous from the movie, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, because there's a fight scene in the bamboo forest and Anji is where that portion was filmed. We didn't actually go to the bamboo park but there was bamboo everywhere. Our main purpose was to go swimming in the creek. It was Milo's first trip out of the city and he had a great time. We also took him swimming for the first time. I mean, maybe his old family let him swim in their pool, but we felt like it was his first time. He tried and then decided that the water is just not his thing. But ya know, Honeymuffer was like that until she got used to it. So maybe Milo will become accustomed to the water the more we take him. Here are some pics from the weekend. By the way, the watering hole was really great. Can't wait to go back.

Here's the great mountain scenery filled with bamboo everywhere:


Milo taking his first swim:


The swimming hole. The water was the perfect temperature:

Look. I'm famous.

A few days before we left for our trip to India, Chase and I went to Angelo's (a pretty decent NY style eatery) in Hangzhou for the World Cup kick-off party. There are always media photographers for these kinds of events and so my friends, Gillian, Nicole, and I were posing and made it into the local expat magazine, More Hangzhou. How fun. We are right in the middle of the page and I'm in a blue dress.

The Shryocs in China

I have been trying for weeks to get back to my blog but the Firewall of China is built strong and my vpn is friggety fraggety. Let's just be clear, I will not be renewing my subscription this fall, that's for sure. Here are the long overdue pictures from when Chase's parents came to visit.



Here's Kirk and Donna as they put on their rain gear as they would many times that week. It's perpetually rainy in Southern China. We spent the morning getting soaked while touring the Yu Gardens in Shanghai. The next day was beautiful though.


On their first night in Hangzhou we took them to our neighborhood Sichaun restaurant. The staff knows us since we've been there so many times and knows my dietary restrictions, etc. The food was too spicy for Chase's parents but they gave it a good chance.


Milo makes friends easily.


We took them to the famous Longjing Manor organic restaurant with some friends. Donna especially loved the duck soup even though it had locusts in it! There's a great story about why the locusts are in the soup and you'll have to come to China to hear it. Until then, Donna claimed it was the best duck soup she had ever had.


In Beijing, we went to see the Chinese Acrobats show. It was amazing!


Our good friend, Kris, an Executive Chef at the Crowne Plaza organized a full plated seven course (I think) dinner at the Yunnan restaurant. Here's Chase's Dad as he tries tree bark, a Yunnan specialty, for the first time. Great presentation on the plate, huh? It tastes like what you think lichen would taste like.


The last day we had in Beijing, we took them to Tiannanmen and a brunch at Maison Boulud. It was really so much fun to have them visit and for us to see how they reacted to Asia. I can't wait for their return!

While the Big Dog is out....

Mommy goes shopping!!!

Chase went to Shanghai on business this week and I couldn't help myself the other day when I was at Hangzhou Tower buying groceries. There's a little dog store I like to go to for treats and general supplies called, "Mr. Dog". I got Milo a new outfit... a summer outfit... and he just looks fabulous!


He knows how to pose for a photo. Check out the turned out front paw.


Chase said I could buy one outfit every three years. But this one was so cute. It has dinosaurs all over it and it says "dino-finder" on one of the patches. At least we don't have a girl dog that's pint-sized or I'd have to be buying outfits every three days!

Car Wrecks and Yoga

On Friday, I was on my way to the Hangzhou International Airport after dropping off "buddy" and Milo is affectionately called, at a friend's house. It had been raining since the morning and I got into a rather old and cruddy cab. The driver was extremely nice as he waiting outside for me to drop off Milo. If not, I would have been waiting for another hour (yes, Milo and I waited for an hour) in the rain for another cab to the airport.

Anyways, on the airport expressway I was playing with my Chinese-English dictionary, looking up words and phrases I didn't know. I look up and there we are slamming on the brakes swerving to miss a car that had stopped in the middle of the highway. The cab driver did the best he could and at the last minute swerved the car when he knew it was too late to stop. We were going approximately 30mph at the point of impact and I went flying into the back of the passenger seat. There are no seat belts in China taxis. I take that back.... on our way back from Beijing we were lucky enough to find a taxi with back passenger seat belts. But really, it's few and far between and there are no seat belt laws in China except for the driver. Within seconds I had my cell phone in my hand calling Chase who was already waiting for me in Beijing.

I remember breathing heavily, tears streaming, trying to hold them back, not being able to breathe, while trying to tell Chase I was ok and that I wasn't going to make my flight. I felt my right cheekbone get really hot, my left knee bruised and my wrist slightly battered. Mostly I was concerned that my cheek wasn't going to start bruising and/or get a black eye and that I wouldn't look good anymore. HA.

I was alright. The cab driver got me into another cab quickly so I wouldn't miss my flight and the two ladies in their did their best to cheer me up by offering me tissues and making light of the situation.... telling me I would make my flight etc.

Long story, short... I didn't make my flight. It was delayed. Got on another flight, but sat on the runway for about 3.5 hours and finally got to Beijing around midnight. It was a long day.

On Saturday my right shoulder began to hurt and the next day my right knee which then caused my right hip to tighten up. It's a trickle down effect and it has been interesting to see how my body has taken the trauma and reacted to it over the last few days. I must have actually crashed into my whole right side when I went flying and just felt my face because of the tolerance of pain that most joints and large body areas have.

Being the good yoga student I am.... er, well, hope to be.... I knew that the best thing for me was a long, slow, therapeutic yoga session. And I knew that it was important for me to USE my shoulder as much as I could... without pain.... in poses that were weight-bearing.... without pain. Weight-bearing poses promote blood flow.... i.e.- prana... and prana is the healing energy. So tonight I did EVERY shoulder, weight-bearing pose I could think of... I mean everything... from handstand (using and focusing on UPAs like a mad woman) to dhanurasana (with variations) to purvottanasana to urdhva dhanurasana to a long session with shoulderstand. I don't know if what I was doing was therapeutic... but it was what my gut was saying to do.... I knew I had to do it.

I kept saying to myself, "Move your shoulder, tell it that it's ok, send healing energy, don't be afraid, side body long, breathe, inner body bright..." yadayadayada... you get the point.

And I'll tell you what... there's nothing like a little injury to set your body straight! Talk about awareness! I was completely present in every movement I took. My practice was awakened and I was aware making sure my movements were precise. I used a lot more muscular energy than I am used to and did so in order to be pain-free.

Injuries are so motivating. Not that I want to have another injury. My hip currently is taking the brunt of the tightness and instability of my shoulder and I am made aware of it every movement I make. So I did practice a lot of hip openers as well and I think they temporarily helped.

In the end, I am thankful for the super therapeutic, mind-blowing, yoga practice I had and am grateful that I do know what I do know in order to help myself heal.

Weekend with Jordana

We spent the other weekend with our friend, Jordana, who's currently living and working in Nepal. She was kind enough to route her trip through Beijing, so we met her there. Chase had one extra night with her but when I arrived on Friday, we met some of our old friends and went to a Yunnan neighborhood restaurant which I must say is the best Yunnan food I've had outside of Yunnan! That is until next weekend when we take Chase's parent's to Kris' Yunnan restaurant. Kris is pictured on the left. It's not his but he is the Executive Chef at the Crowne Plaza where it's located.




We were the last diners and in fact they sent the chefs home and had to call them back just for us to eat! The waitresses sang us some songs at the end of our meal and told us to get going.... so we insisted on pictures with them. It was great fun.


The next day we had brunch at Capital M which overlooks Tiannanmen and the Forbidden City. Wonderful atmosphere and the weather was great.


We took Jordana for a walk around the Forbidden City and we met this little guy who was posing for photographs thanks to his parents who put him up on this ledge. Seriously...


Later that evening we met some other friends for Pizza at The Tree and drinks at Apothecary which is apparently a new hot spot on Beijing. So much has changed in one year there!

It was great to be back in Beijing and I will always say that. It's the city with the most imperial feel and everything is just so massive- huge streets, huge buildings, etc. I look forward to going back in a few days.