Monday, June 18, 2012

Hangzhou

This weekend was our first real family trip outside of Shanghai since we got here in March.  It wasn't far, only an hour on the bullet train, but it felt different from Shanghai.  And there were mountains!  And a lake!  And a small city of only 6 million!  Yes, that feels small now.

At Shanghai Honqiao train station. 

Ahh, Hangzhou.  Our hotel was on the edge of the city on a tea plantation.  Yes, that's tea.  Lots of tea.

After walking around, we stopped to eat.  And eat.  And eat.  It was delicious.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Last Week of School

AATY is not unlike other schools in that during the last week, not a lot of work gets done.  Instead we're doing this:

Some like to sleep on the subway, some like to sing.

Jing'an Temple.  And a shopping mall.

Notice the ballroom dancers behind them. 

Jing'an Park



We travelled 15 metro stops to find the best pancakes in Shanghai.  Well worth it.

Insects and Antiques

The big kids and I have been on a field trip roll this week.  Today, we checked out the Flower, Bird, Fish & Insect Market and then the Dongtai Lu Antique Market. Both were really awesome.  We can't wait to take all of you there for a visit.

There were kittens.
   
And silkworms.

And baby ducks.

And crickets.  Lots of crickets:



Then off to the antique market which was basically a couple of pedestrian streets with stalls of old junk/treasures, bicycle repairmen, men killing chickens on the sidewalk, and really cool knick-knacks.








Today is also the day that the Hunger Games finally opens in China.  Matthew and Naomi and Townes are at the theater right now watching it in 3D. 



And in other important news:


Eli got a bubble gun.

and Naomi's going to school.  A real brick and mortar school.  She's ditching AATY for Shanghai United International School starting September 1st.  Townes will likely go there too, but we're still negotiating the details with him.  He currently prefers AATY...

Saturday, June 9, 2012

The Flip Side




Our local shoppping center has a huge display commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster.  Pictured here, they have unintentionally (I have to assume) and unironically included a full front-page parody page from The Onion about the event, alongside official news reports from the day from The New York Times and the Syracuse Herald.  I love this.



 “Are you a fucking jackass?” I asked Townes the other day. I think that may be the first time I’ve ever sworn at my nine-year-old. Certainly, without question, the first time I’ve ever done it with feeling. I went on to tell him that if he ever did it again, I’d spank him so hard he wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week (channeled my Dad pretty good on that one). I’ve also never spanked the kid.

Welcome to the other side of our life in Shanghai.

I have to say that on the whole, being here has been a lot harder than I expected it to be.

Children's Day

June 1st was Children's Day.  A day you are supposed to buy your kids a present and be extra nice to them and let them do whatever they want.  Really?  Yes, really.  Luckily for us, Eli's school had a big celebration, and I hardly had to be extra nice at all.

Teacher Michael and Teacher Mimi (yes, that's what they call them) explaining the activities.

There was a ring toss game.

A hoop race.  That's the beloved Teacher Viviana on the left.

Eli and I doing the three-legged race.

A sack race.  Naomi and Townes were great cheerleaders.

You get the idea.  Then there was a huge, catered outdoor buffet (which led to some discussions with the kids about the difference in style between public schools and private schools...).

Every kid got a big a$$ balloon. 

Did I mention the desserts?

And best of all...a bouncy house!

Friday, June 8, 2012

Living Large in Pu Jersey

We live in the part of Shanghai called Pudong.  I've often described it as the Queens of Shanghai, but it was recently brought to my attention that it's known in some circles as Pu Jersey.  I like that, even though I don't think it was meant as a compliment.  And I like Pu Jersey.  I've spent enough time in other parts of the city to know that there are certainly hipper areas.  Certainly more expat-y areas and more regular Chinese areas.  But I like it here.  We have trees, less traffic (believe it or not), and stores where we can buy eels and stores where we can buy Doritos.  And stores where we can buy both of those things.

Here are some photos of our adventures in the big Pu:

Here's a good example of a Chinese kids meal.  Mayo covered mixed veggies, dumplings, and panda or bear shaped bun.

China Pavilion from when Shanghai hosted the 2010 World Expo.
Boxing pandas?

One of our favorite places in Pudong -- the Shanghai Museum of Science and Technology.  And the cool racetrack there.

My parents bought Eli a car for the track when they visited.  We saved it for the right time and surprised him with it.




Thanks Grandma and Grandpa!

You can ride these in Pudong.

Sometimes it's hard to pedal and you need a push.  It's not a pretty job...
So all in all, we're enjoying our stay in Pudong.  We have our ups and downs, and unfortunately, we all have them on different days so there always seems to be some emotional wildfire to deal with (but according to The Family Sabbatical Handbook that my friend Michele sent me, we're right on schedule for adjustment, or rather maladjustment :)). But for a family from the sticks of Vermont, we're enjoying walking around the corner to engineering class, and taking the metro to jazz band practice, and eating lychee nuts and yumberries and mangos, and oh the dumplings.  We love the dumplings.  All right here in Pu Jersey.