end of week 9

I've just been copying and pasting my mom's emails into the posts to get erryone caught up. The weekly updates will be these long emails and all others will be just little adventures and stuff!

9 Weeks of living in China. Over two months. 63 Days. I guess that doesn't sound like very long. Passports still aren't back. Hopefully Monday- Good thing because we need them to head to Hong Kong with Chase to take the A.C.T. this Saturday and Todd traveling a bit for work within China.  We are also gearing up for our first holiday in China, Mid-Autumn Festival. Also known as Moon Cake Day *** explanation at end of letter.


I had lunch with the IBM wives again today. Mr. Lee came to pick me up and we headed to Gypsy's at Sea World.  Great ladies full of good advice for living in China. I learn so much in a couple of hours. Today they asked if I had seen the bugs in my pasta yet.  Everyone at the table had seen bugs in their pasta multiple times.  Aaack!! I must look.  I don't want them infesting my pantry.  Most of them have had something stolen-this week it was an iPhone out of a son's backpack during the school volleyball game.   I appreciate them reaching out and including the newbies.  They have an opening in their driver group coming up too that I'm gonna snag.  Must have driver!  Today there was another new wife, Anita, from US.  She has also lived in Shanghai, Tokyo, and South Africa.  We went to the fruit market afterwards and found a new to me fruit that was small and yellow and in a paper like covering, like a tomatillo, but not sticky. Wikipedia shows it as a cape gooseberry or Physalis or ground cherry.  The variety here is called the Chinese lantern. I haven't seen them here until today, and I'll get more soon. They were delicious! Pomegranates and persimmons are also in season but the delicious passion fruits are now out of season.They prefer the yellow pomegranates with the pink jewel seeds over the red pomegranates here.   Pomelos-a crisp citrus fruit the size of a melon, are good right now too.  Do we have those in AZ and I just never tried one?  We like the pink better than the yellow. I got the business card from this corner fruit lady.  They will deliver for free.  Only problem: have to speak Chinese to order. Yao Feng to the rescue! I will begin the fruit delivery service Tuesday.   My friend Jordana has an Italian chef who takes orders on Tuesdays and delivers meals on Thursdays, kind of like Harumi Carter and her Japanese kitchen in AZ.  He is also available to teach cooking lessons.  I had my second lesson with Pon Sears, she invited Brooklyn too...egg rolls in rice paper and a sweet and sour sauce that is clear and light pink in color, runny, not thickened at all. Such a great teacher. Her cooking is a fusion of Laos, Vietnamese and Thai, and she gets ingredients from those countries because her husband travels there almost weekly.  I have a shopping list of things to get and where to get them when we go to Phuket, Thailand in a couple of weeks.  I'm hoping to find a flat pan to bring home to her so she can cook the Roti like they do in the Thai markets. 
Little girls started piano this week. Second week of tennis and they are quickly picking it up and playing well. It was Brooke's first lesson since she wasn't feeling good last week and she's doing well also.  Chase took two finals today  and completed both courses, just a couple more classes til he graduates. Brooke and Brigham spent the afternoon at the soccer field/gym. My nephew Tyler had emergency surgery, hope you feel better buddy!( Appendicitis). Brynn had activity days and got to make pizzas. There are two boys in the group along with four girls since there are no cub scouts here. Brooke's group played games and Brigham's group had boy scouts and capture the flag.  
We had the Sears family for FHE. We made tostadas and since the tortilla chips are almost always stale, we decided to make our own (Brooke was frying for about an hour) We served them with Misty Bowlby's famous green salsa.  I about flipped when I saw one large can of tomatillos on the shelf at the import store.  I was so excited I didn't even look to see when the can expired.  Didn't care.  I'm turning into a local.  The dented cans still bug me, especially when that's what they deliver.  We also had theoreo crust/cream cheese + whipped cream, chocolate pudding dessert.  I have learned that you can't wait until evening to go buy produce. The good stuff goes early.  We went to a couple different stores and EVERYTHING was gone except for a few worn out  looking bunches of kale or leeks.  It's like they were the last ones picked for the kickball team they looked so sad.  Early morning, however, you can get the nicest looking produce you have ever seen.  The carrots and peppers and purple onions and cabbages almost look fake they are so perfect.  We also love the bread that comes packaged without ends.  The loaves only have 8 or 10 pieces. Every piece is the same size.  Also, the bread bag ties on top instead of at the ends so that the nice inside of the bread faces out. 
I met a lady named Mahut Ling on neighborhood shuttle home from  metro/ikea. She is a Chinese woman married to a French man. They met working in a factory 20 years ago in China and have lived in France, Shanghai and now Shenzhen. Her husband works for an automobile company.  They have two children who speak French and attend the Canadian school here.  Today she sent me a text, "Hi how are you? Do you know about the sewing? I am learning how to use the sewing machine, I meet a problem.  Mrs. Mahut" I said, " I know a little".  She replied, "Oh that is nice! If you can come to my apart.  For a look sometime tomorrow before 14h30?"  So I will swing by there in the morning.  Of all things to ask me out of the blue, I'm glad I may be able to help.  ** I went to help her and she is the sweetest lady. A new friend.  I'm so impressed at the people who speak three and four languages.I also met a lady named Lynn at the gym.  She is taking her two sons on a train/plane trip to Tibet. I asked her to send me her itinerary although it might be a bit much for us to handle. Maybe in a year or so, but maybe not ever ready for that type of trip.  Her husband is Japanese and works with Todd.  She speaks Japanese, English, Chinese and Russian. ** This reminds me of this...  I was trying to get an order to Ally from the Swedish H & M. After being on the phone for over half an hour, they tell me they won't take any payment from a non-Swedish issued bank card. I tell her thank you anyway and that her English is really good.  She says, "So is yours!". Ha!  I may not speak any other languages, but I'm glad she thinks my native language is acceptable.


Lots of workers in the house again this week. New to us dishwasher doesn't work, fixed a clogged sink, plastered and painted the basement, changed light bulbs, checked water and electric meters and installed bars in the sliding glass doors.  They came to hang curtain rods as closet rods for Brynn and Brooke, and also a mirror for them.  When I was buying the mirror I was thinking in my head.  I love this house because if you want something hung they require you to call them to do it.  Way better than bugging Todd! I will say that the workers were rolling their eyes at the Ikea instructions.  And they don't have to check for studs because it's all cement. They are coming back Monday to hang more things.  Seems like we always have somebody in the house working on something.   I'm so over it! The appointments totally interrupt school.  The door is on the first floor and we live mostly on the third floor. It's annoying to get the door and someone has to stay right with the workersbecause there is so much theft.  Most things here take two, three tries or more to get the outcome you would like, or to get the compromise.  Getting used to this has taken some time.  It's taken us multiple trips to get our passports, get our dishwasher fixed, basement leak fixed etc.  Another example: to buy a hand mixer at the appliance store you point to the item. Even though there are boxes of the item below the display, you are not allowed to touch the item you want.  You have to call an employee over, point, they fill out an order sheet by hand. You take the order sheet to the register. Once you have paid, you take your receipt to another counter on the opposite side of the store. That person then tells a runner who goes back to the item and picks up the box.  Then, if you think you might return an item, you go to another line to get the fapiao, which is a receipt with a red stamp that makes it official.  A receipt without the red stamp is worth nothing, just for your own banking records.  No stamp, no returns.  At ikea it's a hassle. You pay, then go to another long line by customer service, sign some forms and they print out this huge receipt in triplicate, stamp it and take your cash register receipt.  SO MANY EXTRA STEPS that it's maddening.  

Seminary is moving right along. I taught lesson 15 (!) today.  The class size is a bit small to get lots of discussion going, but a great size to bond together. I think they all like being around each other. It's a fun group of really great kids.  They are on time and polite.  I'm getting more and more tired in the evenings by the end of the week from getting up early every day.  I'm really looking forward to Saturday morning this week! Tomorrow we will have a young couple staying with us overnight for district conference. We have an adult meeting on Saturday night, Chase is speaking at the Sunday morning meeting and then the general meeting for everyone at a hotel/convention center a few blocks away.  After that is the single adult luncheon that Chase can go to since he's 18 now.  The English teaching students will attend so it will be a nice group of college aged kids.  I have to bake 3 dozen cookies for the luncheon.  * Chase went to the luncheon-they served hot dogs, pasta salad and cookies, then the temple president spoke to them again.

Fri: Errands this morning but hurried home to watch Michaela open her mission call. Congrats to her.  Also so fun to see everyone there. We kept waving at the computer as our friends walked in, even though they couldn't see us! Miss you all. So much.  Brooke said I wish we could go back right now.  Fun tofacetime with Linda and Emily afterwards too.  After noon today I got a call from my friend, Pon.  She was upset. She and her husband and been stopped by the police and weren't carrying their passports with them.  He also was driving a gas scooter which was outlawed on Monday.  So, they are taking his motorcycle and putting him in jail for 10-20 days.  $1000 fine.  Seriously.  They took his phone too.  Todd texted him and someone replied "he's still with police".  My friend was a wreck, sobbing at our dining room table.  She has MS and her husband really does a lot for her...administers shots and manages the housework, errands, etc.   We have had her daughter since school let out.   Todd was supposed to hike Nanhai mountain with him tomorrow.  I made some tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches--comfort food for dinner for Sydney.  (Your recipe came in handy, Tammy B.!) The branch president and relief society president both came over and discussed a game plan.  Todd and I reviewed her letter to the American consulate.  Hopefully this week will go by quickly for her.    Brooke made some oreo cheesecakes that were delicious.   Brigham headed down to the Muslim noodle restaurant for fried rice.  We call it the "bare butt baby" restaurant because there is always a baby with the split pants sitting on the table or counter or mom holding it up over the grate outside to pee.  Chase ate there too, he even went into the kitchen to wash his hands and STILL ate there.  We are adapting SO WELL.

Saturday:  Sophie called Todd and I downstairs to her room. She had set up her bedside table with and upside down ikeatrash cans on either side, microwaved scrambled eggs for each of us and a wrapped present in the middle of  the table that said "open together". Inside the package was a framed American flag that she had drawn. On the white stripes written in pencil it read "maridge  meens freedom". Sophie is painting like crazy and has a store sign that reads "store is closed" or "store is open".  Her mother thinks her art is so great and I beg her to let me shop the pre-sales before the rest of the family.  Mandarin tutor came and filled our minds with lots of information to digest. Hoping it clicks in our minds and we learn quickly. The language is so very different and difficult.  Todd and I took a taxi out and about for errands and then we walked downtown for a few more.   Brigham also went back to the noodle shop for more fried rice with his friends Ernesto from church and James, who lives just across the street.  We went to our church meeting  and two more people needed to stay with us so we hurried and washed sheets and towels for them.  I cooked some edemame and banana bars for tomorrow  and the guys watched some football and the four people staying with us told us their stories.  Crazy ways people come together.  One guy is teaching English here, one is from Mongolia, the couple is from Ft. Worth, TX and Bountiful UT and live in the factory he manages.

Sunday: The Mongolian man at breakfast said Brigham's bed was too soft so he slept on the wood floor. Up early for theSunday meetings.  Chase spoke at the first meeting, Todd led the music... sad I missed that! We had the neighborhood operator call two taxis to take all of the boys.  They left in the two taxis.  Two more taxis showed up so I told the guard that we didn't need them because the guys already took off in taxis.  Flash forward an hour. I called for taxis to take all the girls to the general meeting. The operator said, you didn't take the taxi the last time you called so you lost your privilege of us calling cabs for you. You can ride the golf cart to the gate and get a cab there.  SERIOUSLY? So up comes a golf cart and we ride to the front gate. Todd calls operator to let them know the DID take two taxis. We arrive at the gate and they said, a taxi just went to your house. By this time I'm so frustrated. I let the operator know it too!  The meeting was good...half way through, the Mongolian man who was staying at our house fainted and fell to the ground with a thud.  Multiple people helping him including Todd, while speakers were speaking. He would wake up and then pass out again. I kept thinking I fed him something he wasn't used to eating.  He ended up being down the rest of the meeting and then an ambulance took him to the hospital for testing.  We had the Ghormleys and Chris McCabe for taco salad and banana bars and a little later the Mongolian man was back at our house feeling fine but hungry.  Sophie wanted towatch "Pride and Produce" as she calls it.  All of our weekend guests were headed back to their homes and we napped.  Girls painted this evening. Brooke has a final for her photography class in the morning at the school here in our neighborhood.

Hope you had a great week!
Keep in touch!

Love,

Jane & family

 ****Mid-Autumn Festival is the second grandest festival after the Spring Festival in China. It takes its name from the fact that it is always celebrated in the middle of the autumn season. The day is also known as the Moon Festival, as at that time of the year the moon is at its roundest and brightest.People in mainland China enjoy one day off on the festival Falling on the 15th day of the 8th month according to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival is the second grandest festival after the Spring Festival in China. It takes its name from the fact that it is always celebrated in the middle of the autumn season. The day is also known as the Moon Festival, as at that time of the year the moon is at its roundest and brightest.People in mainland China enjoy one day off on the festival which is usually connected with the weekend. In Hong Kong and Macau, people also enjoy one day off. However, it is not scheduled on the festival day, but the following day and it is usually not connected with the weekend. In Taiwan, the one day holiday falls on the festival day. On the festival day, family members gather to offer sacrifice to the moon, appreciate the bright full moon, eat moon cakes, and express strong yearnings toward family members and friends who live afar. In addition, there are some other customs like playing lanterns, and which is usually connected with the weekend. In Hong Kong and Macau, people also enjoy one day off. However, it is not scheduled on the festival day, but the following day and it is usually not connected with the weekend. In Taiwan, the one day holiday falls on the festival day. On the festival day, family members gather to offer sacrifice to the moon, appreciate the bright full moon, eat moon cakes, and express strong yearnings toward family members and friends who live afar. In addition, there are some other customs like playing lanterns, and dragon and lion dances in some regions. The unique customs of ethnic minorities are interesting as well, such as “chasing the moon” of Mongolians, and “steal vegetables or fruits” of the Dong people.

Moon cakes, the special food for  the Mid-Autumn Festival

 Moon CakeThe Moon Cake is the special food of Mid-Autumn Festival. On that day, people sacrifice moon cakes to the moon as an offering and eat them for celebration. Moon cakes come in various flavors according to the region. The moon cakes are round, symbolizing the reunion of a family, so it is easy to understand how the eating of moon cakes under the round moon can evoke longing for distant relatives and friends. Nowadays, people present moon cakes to relatives and friends to demonstrate that they wish them a long and happy life.