FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2009
Saturday, May 2nd
Today is day 2 of our lovely, stay-at-home long weekend. We are having a bunch of people over for a barbecue tonight, so Michael and Mr. Lu took the boys to the new City Shop (a grocery store full of over-priced imported items that everyone pays for anyhow because they're so desperate for a taste of home). I had a chance to spend an hour or so on my own, and I decided I would go pick up the professional photos of Peter I had taken about a month ago. They told me the photos would be ready on 5/2, and I was excited to see them.
But, I should have known better. After all, as I've said before (and will probably say again many, many, many times) this is China. I walked into the studio and was greeted excitedly by a pretty Chinese gal, "Oh!!! You Peter Mommy!" Yes, I Peter Mommy. I want Peter photos. No problem, sit down, sit down. I gave her my receipt (ALWAYS necessary - they will NEVER find your stuff if you don't provide the paperwork - no such thing as alphabetical order in a place without an alphabet!!!). She looked for the photos. Nothing. Made a call on her cell phone. Of course...the photos aren't here yet! (Why should they be? It's only been two weeks since I placed the final order. Clearly that wasn't enough time to print them and actually deliver them to the studio.) Just like my experiences at the fabric market. So they tell me to sit down, the photos are in transit and will be here soon. How soon? I ask them. Hmmmm....maybe they will call me when the photos arrive.
So I headed home and had just sat down to write this post (my first chance to write in quite awhile, as you can probably tell by the dearth of new posts on my blogs) when what happens? My cell phone rings. I picked it up and heard, "Peter Mommy??" Yes, Peter Mommy here. Fasli agoijh adkj weithcghu cmeishat. Or something like that. I couldn't understand her because she was speaking far too quickly for my elementary Chinese knowledge. But I am pretty sure that the photos are at the studio now. I guess I'll have to walk down there again and find out...and who knows what adventure I'll have this time? Odds are there will be something not quite right!
Back to the barbecue, though. I have never lived in a place like this before, where there were so many people living in the same apartment complex. When we first moved here, we were most likely to run into people in the elevator lobby or in the children's play rooms. Meetings didn't happen very often, and when they did, no one stopped to chat for long.
Not anymore. It turns out that some things are universal. Just like in Rochester, good weather brings everyone outdoors...and we've been seeing a lot more of our neighbors. Everyone wants to get together and walk somewhere for dinner, or barbecue, or take the kids to the park, or just hang out down by the sand pit. It's wonderful. I was getting quite lonely for awhile because even though I have made friends here, seeing them was always a result of an organized event. Spontaneous meetings (the kind that make you feel as though you're not alone here) didn't happen often. Now, they happen all the time and everyone is happy to stop and chat. Spring comes and people, not just plants, bloom to catch the new warmth of the sun.
This is an example of how I am continuously surprised by how similar things are here to home. The longer we're here, the more I think that the only things that are truly different are the spoken language and the physical location. Other than that, people are people!
Will let you know about the photos...here's hoping!
But, I should have known better. After all, as I've said before (and will probably say again many, many, many times) this is China. I walked into the studio and was greeted excitedly by a pretty Chinese gal, "Oh!!! You Peter Mommy!" Yes, I Peter Mommy. I want Peter photos. No problem, sit down, sit down. I gave her my receipt (ALWAYS necessary - they will NEVER find your stuff if you don't provide the paperwork - no such thing as alphabetical order in a place without an alphabet!!!). She looked for the photos. Nothing. Made a call on her cell phone. Of course...the photos aren't here yet! (Why should they be? It's only been two weeks since I placed the final order. Clearly that wasn't enough time to print them and actually deliver them to the studio.) Just like my experiences at the fabric market. So they tell me to sit down, the photos are in transit and will be here soon. How soon? I ask them. Hmmmm....maybe they will call me when the photos arrive.
So I headed home and had just sat down to write this post (my first chance to write in quite awhile, as you can probably tell by the dearth of new posts on my blogs) when what happens? My cell phone rings. I picked it up and heard, "Peter Mommy??" Yes, Peter Mommy here. Fasli agoijh adkj weithcghu cmeishat. Or something like that. I couldn't understand her because she was speaking far too quickly for my elementary Chinese knowledge. But I am pretty sure that the photos are at the studio now. I guess I'll have to walk down there again and find out...and who knows what adventure I'll have this time? Odds are there will be something not quite right!
Back to the barbecue, though. I have never lived in a place like this before, where there were so many people living in the same apartment complex. When we first moved here, we were most likely to run into people in the elevator lobby or in the children's play rooms. Meetings didn't happen very often, and when they did, no one stopped to chat for long.
Not anymore. It turns out that some things are universal. Just like in Rochester, good weather brings everyone outdoors...and we've been seeing a lot more of our neighbors. Everyone wants to get together and walk somewhere for dinner, or barbecue, or take the kids to the park, or just hang out down by the sand pit. It's wonderful. I was getting quite lonely for awhile because even though I have made friends here, seeing them was always a result of an organized event. Spontaneous meetings (the kind that make you feel as though you're not alone here) didn't happen often. Now, they happen all the time and everyone is happy to stop and chat. Spring comes and people, not just plants, bloom to catch the new warmth of the sun.
This is an example of how I am continuously surprised by how similar things are here to home. The longer we're here, the more I think that the only things that are truly different are the spoken language and the physical location. Other than that, people are people!
Will let you know about the photos...here's hoping!
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