A Sino-American Adventure
We started a new school year this year and we have a new principal to go with it (every time I write the word “principal” I remember how in elementary school they taught us the difference between “principle” and “principal” by telling us to remember that the principal is your “pal.” But I digress). This … Continue reading Toughening Up
After nearly a month on the road, we’re back in Beijing! Three train rides ended up being involved — one mammoth 45 hour trip from Beijing to Kunming, a shorter jaunt of 18 hours from Beijing to Guilin, and then a medium sized journey from Guilin back to Beijing. A few bus rides between Kunming … Continue reading We’re Back!
Tomorrow we’re headed back to Kunming for what is quickly becoming an annual trip. We’re doing it by train, with both the kids, because tickets are really pricey at this time of the year and Dylan, nearing 3 years old, cannot fly for free anymore. So once more we’re braving 40+ hours on the train, … Continue reading Kunming Kunming
Last Saturday Dylan went to his second music festival, this time to one of the biggest in China, the Midi festival in Haidian park. Although this year’s festival lasted four days, we only went to the first day since our friend’s band, Shan Ren, was playing on Saturday. The lead singer of Shan Ren, a … Continue reading Father, Son and a Big Music Festival (with mom too)
I had my birthday on Friday and bid my 20s goodbye. My husband and I were also able to go out for dinner (Indian food, which I never get to eat with the kids) and a movie, made possible since the arrival of our niece who is working as an au-pair for us taking care … Continue reading I’m 30!
In the “out of the mouths of babes” category, my son has come up with a couple of new words that would be sure to raise a few eyebrows back home. After watching (probably too much) Chinese TV, Dylan has decided that anyone dressed like a soldier — from Chinese, to Americans, to WW2 era … Continue reading Mao Zedong and Hu Jintao
I have got to say, in a stark contrast with last year, when I was expecting snow and didn’t see any snowfall in Beijing until the end of February, this year I am absolutely sick of snow. When will Spring arrive? It snowed two days ago and I thought surely that we would not get … Continue reading Enough Already With the Snow
This week was my first week back and work and also our first week with our niece living with us as a nanny/housekeeper. Both have been going well, with a few snags along the way, as was expected. Actually, I shouldn’t complain at all about work because when I went to pick up my schedule … Continue reading The First Week
It seems like just yesterday I was writing a post about how I was about to start maternity leave, and now maternity leave is almost over. How did that happen? I’ll be returning to my school at the end of the month, after Spring Festival, and while I’m trying not to think about it at … Continue reading Do we need help?
It has been a month, actually a bit more than a month, since we welcomed our new daughter, Annika Miriam, to the family. Annika was born on Dec. 1st at 3:50pm weighing 3450g. She turned one month old on New Year’s day and other than having a bit of a cold, no doubt as a … Continue reading A Belated Welcome
The Local Dialect 