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Published: December 16th 2006
Ghost of Chrimas future
I think they stole this ghosts costume from the Beijing opera. Well it feels a little more like Christmas. Last night Alaina, Ruth and I went to see Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol in English. It was actually pretty good. Where else would the ghost of Christmas future have such elaborate headpieces and little Tim be Chinese. Even all the way in China Marley is dead, dead as a doornail. I thought of you Dad.
The real adventure began before hand. We left class together hailing a taxi and heading for the central business district at 5:00.The taxi driver appeared to be very confused and cannot read the map, which is in Chinese! We realized that we had passed our street made the decision to get out of the car and walk and try and find it ourselves. We come to a street that is of course not marked so we are walking along trying to find a street sign. We started asking people and they keep pointing us further down the road. But after further study we realize that we are heading in the wrong direction. Stopped to look at the map again a very sharply dressed Chinese man asked in perfect English if we needed help we said okay.
Tiny Tim
I fell in love with Tiny Tim .I wanted to take him home with me. He said that he lived in this area and he had never heard of this street. But we were defiantly heading in the wrong direction. First clue that Chinese people have no problem giving wrong directions. He was walking home in the same direction and he said he would get us closer. Alaina and Ruth would later comment, “ He did seem particularly drawn to you.” Great, so I listened as he told me that he worked for the NBA and was friend with Michael Jordan and traveled back and forth to the US and was going to Ohio tomorrow. I don’t know maybe it was true but he made a fatal flaw. He asked,” So what do you do.” Ruth answered.” we are teachers.” He then looked at me. I said. "I am a teacher." He said, “ No, you are to young I thought you were a student.” I said, “Why do you think that?” He said, “ Because you are short.” I am in China isn’t everyone short? !
** Note ** two things I am very self-conscious about: looking young, and being short.
The Chinese man pointed out what he said was the street and turned
Tiny Tim
I really enjoyed this play it put me right in the holiday spirit. left for home. We walked arrived at the street only to discover we were back where we started. We started asking everyone imaginable. Imagine this nightmare
You are asking directions in language they don’t understand
They are telling you the answer in language you don’t understand
They have no idea where this street or theater is
They will not tell you they don’t know
So you head off in what you hope is the right direction but is more than likely the wrong one.
We finally came back to street where our NBA Chinese man had turned to go home and were positive that this was the street we wanted. I then pulled my favorite I am lost trick and grabbed the youngest kid I could find and was wearing a blue uniform (grade Two). Bless Chinese uniforms! I asked do you speak English? He said a little. We discovered that the theater was indeed on this road. But still afraid of wrong directions again we stopped and asked a guard who pointed us again in the wrong direction we backtracked passing the guard. We now had 10 minutes before the show starts. Schools bag, camera, and purse flying we start running down what we hope is the right street. Amazingly it was!! We arrived at the playhouse at 7 25 the show started at 730.
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Grandmama
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Young is Beautiful
I do so enjoy "being with you" on my new toy. Everything you experience is so interesting to me. What is Christmas like in China?