I just posted another article on the [url=http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai/articles/blogs-shanghai/family-matters-shanghai/weekend-wandering-shanghai-arts-crafts-institute/] City Weekend site. I figure I should put the link here, since I have a bigger audience at Travel Blog than I do at City Weekend--at least at the moment. I have to say, writing with a deadline in mind makes my tummy flip a little, but so far, so good. Speaking of tummies, my new herbs are much improved. I think they do in fact taste better. Maybe new doc is on to something. I also feel a little better wit [View Full Entry]

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I have been meaning to do a general update on the day to day happenings and general family news updates. In my attempt at being more story-focused at blogs, I have fallen behind with grandparents and friends and family type updates. So that is what this blog is for. Emily She is doing so well. Her reading is improving at a crazy fast pace. She started off a little slower this year, but has since excelled and is full chapter book mode. She reads multiple books a day and loves to read. Yay. I knew she was one of us, she [View Full Entry]

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I keep waiting for a holiday to come along that is not celebrated here. I'm fully expecting a big St. Patrick's Day parade come March at this point. I'm actually a little surprised we didn't celebrate Lincoln's birthday considering all the Halloween happenings, the Christmas decorations (some of which are still up--just like home. I can't forget all the press and hoopla we saw here during the US election--televised broadcasts, election parties, etc. Of course much of that hoopla was expat-sponsored, whereas the Valentine's Day hoopla is just the same capitalistic machine that we have back home [View Full Entry]

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I'm all about taking it as it comes. I have been doing very well with the whole go with the flow deal. But today I almost (and I mean almost) ran out of my massage appointment in a fit of emotion. I thought about not sharing this tale of wo. Wo means I in Chinese. Get it? It's a Chinglish pun. But, then I told myself, to tell it like it happens. It's all part of the story. Okay. Here's what happened. I went to they gym to attend a pilates class. My first one. I was excited. The construction is [View Full Entry]

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Gān bēi is what the Chinese say during a toast instead of "cheers". The literal translation is dry glass, but as I've learned, it's not about the literal translation to English. It's about the meaning in Chinese. Totally not the point of this blog, but I was trying to think of a catchy title and felt the need to explain myself a bit. In this case I am toasting myself when I drink these thick, brown glasses of herbs. Let's get on with the story. When I went home late last year, I had some blood work done. My doctor tested [View Full Entry]

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I was reading another blogger's essay this morning--someone I came across while browsing through an online mag--and the author made a lot of small, negative digs about life in China. I could say all those same things and I didn't disagree with her at all. The crazy taxis, the pollution. The seemingly insane grass police. All true. I just try not to focus on those things too much because I can't do anything about them. I would much rather seek out new and interesting things to do and experience while we are here. I think our time here is precious, because [View Full Entry]

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The kids and I went to She Shan on Wednesday. It was about an hour twenty minute journey via 2 subways and a taxi on the way there (door to door) and a little less than an hour on the way back by taxi. I thought the subway would be more adventurous but it turned to just be more difficult. I had to lug a suitcase up and down many flights of stairs--where there were no escalators. Emily was immediately unable to carry her own bag so I had to carry hers and mine. Plus, when we arrived at the stop [View Full Entry]

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Celebrating Chinese New Year's over the weekend was loads of fun. Due to a number of contributing factors, we found ourselves at a hotel in Yu Garden ringing in the year of the ox. The country goes on vacation during these big national holidays. It's amazing things are still functioning when so many migrant workers leave the big city and head home to their families in their native towns and villages. Since we are in one of the big cities, I can attest that we can still get a taxi, a cup of coffee, and stock up on food at the [View Full Entry]

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This post is basically all about food. I had started with a mix of stories, but as in recent posts, I'm trying to be more thematic in my storytelling...so here we go. I went to lunch with the other students in my new Mandarin class on Wednesday and had a fantastic meal. They knew this place--it's a small, sit with strangers midway through their meal type of place with almost entirely Chinese clientele. Before being invited, I had planned to go to a boring and easy Western place and have a sandwich and read my book alone. I very enthusiastically accepted [View Full Entry]

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Why the title you ask? Well, I will tell you why. We had yak for dinner on Friday night. It was good. I have since Googled the yak and I'm not sure that was wise--seeing the before picture. We went to a fantastic Tibetan restaurant with Jiyi and his girlfriend Melody. Jiyi works with Mark. The waiters there are all Tibetan and wear elaborate costumes and put on a great performance with singing and dancing. Before we ordered, Jiyi and Melody gave the kids their first Hong Bao (red envelope). They were thrilled. Traditionally, Chinese give children (and children includes young [View Full Entry]

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