Football With Friends

October 15, 2011

The Tuesday after the October holiday, the twins told me they wanted to play in a soccer tournament that weekend. "Don't you need to be part of an organized team?" I asked. Sydney informed me that she, Sarah and their friends had been playing together at lunchtime. "Besides, the P.E. teacher said we needed more girls' teams," she added. "Oh, and we need cleats and shin guards, too." Of course.

A frazzled trip to Decathalon, then Auchen in search of said items proved once again that nothing is as easy as it should be here. The sporting goods store had only one pair of little shin guards. When I couldn't find them right away in Auchen, I attempted to ask for help. He brought me over to the athletic supporters and cups. No, not quite what I was looking for, but at least in the general ballpark.

Donning their brand-spanking new gear (eventually, I found the shin guards behind a row of mouth guards), Sarah and Sydney were ready to play. They were teamed up with six more of their Year Four buddies. None of whom were actually on an organized team before this day. There were three other teams in their age group; another from DCSZ, one from Dulwich College Shanghai, who I believe were actually on steroids as none appeared to be under five feet tall, and one from Eton House. Guess who they had to play first? The steroid team. In between the cartwheel turning and hair flipping, the other team scored non-stop and they got creamed 5-0. It looked like it was going to be a long day. The coach made some changes and gave them a bit of pep talk. Sarah was put in goal, and Sydney moved to the front line. They played the other DCSZ team to a 0-0 tie. Hmmm, not bad. Eton House was next. Sarah stayed in goal as she'd made several impressive saves. Syd stayed in the striker position. It was a nail biter and I immediately became one of those moms on the sidelines. It was all I could do to contain myself when Sarah made a great save, and I hollared like a banshee when Sydney scored the only goal of the game. Holy crow, these little girls were actually playing together as a team...kind of. They still tended to swarm the ball like bees to a flower, but they won 1-0. This win put them in the semi-finals, where they ended up playing Eton House again. The girls played hard and it looked like it was going to end in a tie until one of the opposing players made a break. She was on her way down the field and kicked the ball towards one of her teammates really hard. Sydney cut in to block it and kicked it with gusto. Unfortunately, she kicked it right at Sarah, who try as she might, couldn't stop it from going into the goal. They lost 1-0. Talk about heartwrenching. It happened so fast, I pretended like I didn't know what happened. Sydney 'fessed up, though, on the way home.
All in all, I was so proud of those girls. They'd never practiced together as a team, but ended up finishing with a better record than the other DCSZ team. Sarah made well over twenty saves, and even though one of them was against her sister, Syd scored the only goals of the day.

Sydney's Day Off

October 13, 2011

Since my parents' departure was quickly nearing, I squeezed in one last touristy excursion. I'd been told by fellow expats, the tour at the Number 1 Silk Factory was a must-see. I figured it would be a tough sell to Sydney since it was now her day with Mimi and Papa. She happily obliged with conditions. We could go to the silk factory if we could go to her favorite restaurant, The Bookworm, first.
We headed out shortly after Sarah and Katie left for school. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the Bookworm, the staff was also just arriving. She said she could wait until after the factory tour for lunch, but we'd have to come back. We also had to pick up a little snack at the Family Mart to hold her over until then.
Thinking a late Thursday morning would be a great time to go and there'd be no crowds, we were stunned to see dozens of tour buses as we pulled into the factory's parking lot. Mr. Liu helped us negogiate our way in, but told us all the tour guides were booked. Luckily, I spotted one of my EAS (Expat Assoc. of Suzhou) buddies with some guests of her own. She said she'd been to the factory a couple of times and would be happy to share what she knew, so we tagged along.
The Number 1 Silk Factory, built in 1926, doesn’t get its name because it's the best in China, rather because it’s the oldest. Of course, now adays everything is processed through machines, but this factory is one of the few remaining where employees still do some of the work by hand. It makes for an enlightening tour. Who would have thought a single necktie requires 300 cocoons?
The machinery was quite incredible and the whole process fascinating. The silk wheels at the top of the machine were spinning so fast while the used cocoons would bob in the water trough. After the spinning machines came the ones that make the print on the fabric. The cards on the machines had some sort of braille-like code that told the machine what to do and stamps of various Chinese depictions on a yellow silk background magically pumped out the other end.
The tour ends in a showroom. We are in China after all. Right before we headed into the showroom we watched the women making the duvets by stretching the silk across the mattress to layer a duvet. Sydney smiled her smile and asked if she could help. She said it felt like a strong, but soft spiderweb. The only things in the showroom that caught my attention were the worm-droppings pillows. Yes, all those little black dots you see in the picture of the worms eating the mulberry leaves are worm poop. Supposedly, these poop pillows promote a healthy sleep. Needless to say, we left without anything including worm poo.
The Bookworm was ready for us when we returned and we had a nice, quiet lunch. Syd picked out a book from their 'library'. The shop upstairs was getting ready for some bookswap event, but Syd finagled her way up there anyway.

Back home, she wrote about her day's events and thoughts in her diary. She's been deligently recording precious moments. I'm just waiting for the day when she asks if she can start a blog.

Sarah's Day Off

October 12, 2011
My girls love to shop, but each for different reasons. Katie's all about the latest fashions and trends, better known as whatever everyone else has. Sydney, as we all know, has a flair for the dramatic. Her tastes can be anything from what I like to what her sisters don't like. More important than anything, though, is her share needs to be equal to or more than theirs. Neither seem to pay particular attention to the items, only the pursuit of acquisition.

Sarah, on the other hand, revels in the stores. She picks up everything from hairbows and jewelry to books and clothes, examining each as if she was a quality control inspector out on a shopping bender. Her weakness is purses, like her mother. She also doesn't immediately forget her newly acquired possessions. I sometimes catch her in her room, neatly organizing and displaying things.

When she found out my parents and I were going to Shanghai to the fake markets, she wanted to take her 'free day'. Her many suitors have given her little baubles and trinkets, so she was on the hunt for a jewelry box. She knew exactly the kind she was looking for, and after finding the right shop, she narrowed her choices methodically. After a bit of annoying negogiations, she proudly walked out with her black silk jewelry box.

Our next stop was a quick photo op on the Bund. The Huangpu river separates Shanghai's west and east sides; Puxi and Pudong. The view from the Puxi side across the river is impressive. Even though the sky was cloudy, the Pearl Tower, the Financial building and dozens of skyscrapers made a stunning backdrop for pictures.

The river was crowded with barges, ferries, and tankers coming in and out of the city. Even with the spectacular scenery, Sarah's attention was drawn to the beautiful bride being photographed by the river's edge. She asked to borrow my camera. After several minutes, she and my father returned with more pictures of the bride than of the picturesque surroundings.

Upon return, Sarah immediately went to her room and began to sort through her vast collection of priceless wonders. She carefully selected which gems would go into the new jewelry box. Her favorite part of the box is the 'secret compartment'. As much as I want to peak inside, I have refrained...for the time being. Though, I would love to know what she considers secret compartment-worthy.

Christmas Celebrations Dulwich Style

Many of my favorite memories since arriving in China have taken place at the girls' school. Dulwich College has afforded them a global educational experience I fear will never be matched if/when we return to the US. Each class is a cultural melting pot. And we all know I approve of their emphasis on the arts. This year the twins started learning a string instrument as well as the recorder and Katie switched from the tenor sax to the clarinet. They practiced all term in preparation for the annual Christmas Concert. Each Year combined their talents and performed a holiday tune. Sarah, Sydney and the rest of their Year Four peers sang 'I Saw Three Ships' and played it on the recorder. Katie sang a couple of songs with the Senior Choir, and the Year Sevens played 'Under the Tree' (Under the Sea renamed for the holiday) and 'Dance of the Reed Flutes' their wind instruments. Larry and I sat in awe as several of the older students wowed us with their musical prowess. These kids are only a couple of years older than my kids and they played with the skill and confidence of a professional.

Michaelmas Term finished with class parties overflowing with sweet treats. I made my signature mini cupcakes, eight dozen mini cupcakes for Sarah's and Sydney's classes. I felt pretty proud of myself until I walked into Sydney's class and viewed an enormous gingerbread house. Several mums, with some help from the chefs at a local hotel, joined forces to create the masterpiece. I did feel better when I found out they had professional help. Another French mom was fixing made-to-order crepes. Moms and teachers were lined up out the door to sample them. I went back for seconds. I also went back for more sushi rolls. When I told the Korean mother who'd made them how much I enjoyed the rolls and asked her if she'd show me how to make them, she actually got tears in her eyes.

The girls said their goodbyes to a couple of their friends who were returning to their home countries. Some tears were shed, but thanks to the internet, their friendships can continue across the miles.

Is It 2012 Already?!?

Please forgive me. My composing will left me for a couple of months due to a bout of self pity, which I will disclose in a later post. Don't worry, nothing major, just Communism at its finest. I'll also catch up a season's worth of activities and musings...slowly but surely.
2012 snuck up on me. I believe I thought the same thing last year. We thought about spending Christmas somewhere tropical, but decided on a homey, quiet one instead after receiving word Larry's brother passed away. He went to Seneca the Sunday before Christmas by himself to make arrangements. He spread Mark's ashes over the graves of his parents, said goodbye and was back home the day before Christmas Eve tired, emotionally drained and carrying several well stocked suitcases.
Santa must not have been watching all the time as everyone ended up on the Nice list. He brought Barbies galore, iPads for the twins and me as well as a MacBook Air for Katie, and two sets of golf clubs; Taylor Made R9s for me and a pink Calloway set for Katie. We went to the Intercontinental for its Champagne Brunch, stayed until they kicked us out, eating and drinking until we were bulging at the seams. The celebration continued at our house with an impromtu party with several friends. Luckily, I had some appetizers and cookies on hand, all of which were huge hits. It's amazing how many of our European friends have never had Ranch dip and think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. They also raved about the Chinese noodle cookies. Ironically, one cannot find those crunchy lo mein noodles here. Larry brought two cans back just so I could make the cookies.

Initially, Larry and I wanted to spend a quiet evening at home New Year's Eve with the girls. We made a bunch of snacks, and while he was pouring a glass of wine for me, I tracked down the girls at their friends' house. They were hosting an open house party and had already ordered pizzas for the girls. They asked if we wanted to join them. Sure, why not. An open house means come whenever and leave whenever. We brought our snacks and drinks over and did not leave until after fireworks at the front gates of the compound, and a New Year's shot of Bailey's, which pretty much put me over my limit. I spent the first day of the new year in bed nursing a mean hangover. When will I learn?
Trying to get the girls' heads up and away from their new electronic dreams, we went to 'Walking Street', with the promise of new boots for school for the twins and ice cream for all.

The streets were crowded and the stores had all kinds of sales. We went to one department store and on the fifth floor found the childrens' shoe section. Close to an hour later, we left with two pairs of shiny, black boots. Since we'd had an early lunch, the girls were anxious for ice cream. Evidently, I was too. In my haste to put the van's trunk lid down, I managed to clonk myself smack in the middle of my nose. Yep, I'm pretty sure it's broken again (third time's a charm, right?) I foresee a nose job in my future.
Dairy Queen was my choice until Larry suggested Haagen Dazs. Ground beef or filet mignon? The choice was obvious. Our eyes bugged out of our heads as we read the menu. Our tongues fell out of our mouths when the waitress brought our frozen wonders to us. Larry and I had ordered smaller treats figuring there would be plenty of leftovers. Wrong! Sarah may be small, but that girl can put away ice cream without any problem.

With a sugar high and three weeks of vacation from which to come down, their sleep patterns needed serious readjustment, along with my nose. However, 2012 appears to be off to a sweet start.

Katie's Day Off

Suzhou boasts well over a hundred gardens. Some are said to be among the most beautiful and history-filled gardens in the world. I've lived here for over two years and have been to one. ONE! As with the Beijing trip, I took advantage of the fact my parents were here to play tourist with them and visit one of the more popular gardens.

The girls also talked me into letting them each take a day from school to spend with Mimi and Papa. Katie snagged the first day. At first, she wasn't that enthused about going to a garden, but since she was able to choose the location for lunch and the promise of souvenir shopping, she perked up a bit.

The Humble Administrator's Garden was built in 1513 and is the largest of the Suzhou gardens. Wang Xiancheng, an Imperial Envoy and poet of the Ming Dynasty, had it built as his retirement home. After only a few minutes, we renamed it the Not-So-Humble Administrator's Garden, with its 48 different buildings, some for his lady-friends, others for contemplation and meditation. The grounds were spectacular and every turn presented a picture-perfect moment.

We spent over two hours leisurely strolling through the pavilions, stoned paths and covered walkways. There were plenty of people, but we never felt crowded or rushed...well, maybe a little as Katie moved us along towards the end of the second hour. On the way in, we'd passed plenty of little shops and she was more anxious to explore those than the ancient history of Ming Dynasty.

Sure enough, as soon as we'd exited the tranquilty of the garden, we were bombarded with the tourist-trap vendors. Katie spotted a silk purse she had to have. She negotiated down to 10RMB. Frankly, I wish I'd picked up one or two for that price as it's really quite cute.

Since Katie'd decided we'd had enough Chinese culture for one day, we went to TGIF for lunch and then back home for a game of cribbage.

"Not a bad way to spend the day from school", I reasoned since she did have a bit of a home-schooled history, finance and numeracy lesson.

Beijing, the Walking Tour - Part 1

With my parents visiting, I knew my chances of getting to Beijing would greatly increase. Larry had already "been there and done that" and lobbied to go south for the holiday. The opportunity to have a family photo on the Great Wall won.
We boarded the high speed train Saturday morning and we all were pleasantly suprised with the ease at which this occurred. The train was not crowded and the first class section was really quite nice. I'm not sure, though, there was that much difference, but being able to walk around without difficulty and stretching out in the expansive seats was a treat. The ride was smooth and even though the view was hindered by the field-burning smokey haze, we couldn't help but enjoy the pastoral landscapes that whizzed by. The train's top speed reached 299km/hr. Since the crash, which occurred over the summer, the trains' speed were reduced from 350 to 300.
Five hours later we were in Beijing. Shanghai used to overwhlem me. Not anymore. Beijing is mammoth and we saw only a tiny fraction of it.
Our plan was to go to the most popular tourist attractions...during the country's National holiday...in the country's capital. To be perfectly honest, I say this after the fact, I was fearful we'd made a colossol mistake.
First stop was Tiananmen Square. We figured we'd try the subway. On the map, the station looked like a short stroll from the hotel. Wrong. We walked...and walked...and walked...and walked. Finally, our little chinese friend, Carrie, asked a passerby how much further. He told her about ten minutes. So, we walked some more. We get to the station and as we board the subway, we had about five minutes of pure terror when we couldn't find Sarah. The car was so packed, we couldn't see beyond a few people. I was 99% sure she'd gotten on the subway, but that 1% gripped my insides and buckled my knees. At the next stop, enough folks got out so we could see her with Carrie.
The stop at Tiananmen was closed because of the holiday, which meant we had to get off 'a few'' blocks away. So, we walked...and walked...and walked. Larry had warned us all how huge everything was, but even the warnings didn't fully prepare us. My mom with her fake joints was about ready to call it quits before we'd gotten to the Square, but by God, she toughed it out.
Once again, here we were in the center of the birthplace of Communism during the holiday and the star attractions were the girls. Carrie said some people asked if they were movie stars. Sure, why not.
Since we'd spent all morning walking we were all hungry, even though the Forbidden City was just across the street. So, we started walking...and walking...and walking...and walking until we reach...wait for it...Walking Street. We found the first distinguishable restaurant, KFC and made a beeline for it. Everyone else in the city did, too. This place was way overcapacity, but we didn't care.

After resting for a bit and wrestling with whether or not to continue with our walk-a-thon, we figured the chances of making it back to Beijing were slim and chose to go back to the Forbidden City. So we...wait for it...walked...and walked...and walked.

The place is unbelievable. So much history and SO BIG. We walked through one courtyard into another courtyard into another courtyard. The pictures don't begin to show its expansiveness. We wanted to see it all, but we just couldn't walk any further. We stayed until the closing announcements mainly so we could rest up, not knowing how much further we would have to walk to find an honest taxi driver, which wasn't as easy as it seemed.

Larry and I loaded everyone into a van bound for the hotel and chose to explore a bit further. We walked back to the other end of Walking Street, where a bunch of food vendors had set up their wares. They had everything from yummy dumplings to not-so-yummy sheep testicles. The little vendor swore by their masculine-enhancing abilities, but Larry said he was fine in that department. I tried a couple of different dumplings and Larry had some skewered crabs. While looking for a taxi, we met a family from Atlanta, Georgia. They currently live in South Africa and were moving to Dubai and vacationing in Beijing. Larry was wearing a baseball shirt with Georgia on the front, and they practically ran over to us. Such a small world.
Upon return to the hotel and relief to everyone, we chose to stay in dinner as we assumed more walking was in store for us the next day.