Only 29 months Left!

As of today we have officially been in China for one month. We stepped off the plane on January 27th with no idea what to expect and now exactly one month later - here are 3 things I have learned about myself:

1. My geography is terrible! People ask where are you from? I say, "New York" The response is typically Wow - I have been once I loved it or I have always wanted to go. Then I say "How about you - where are you from?" Wellington - Now I have no idea where Wellington is - so my response is ?? "I have heard it is lovely there in the summer?" It could be in Antarctica for all I know so that is not a safe response. I listen for the accent hoping to get a clue, but it is just too hard to tell. So I usually just say "Oh nice - how long have you been here?" Quickly changing the subject to avoid anymore geography trivia. Then I race home to goggle and find out that Wellington is in New Zealand. We really need a world map! Mum needs some serious help!

2. I am not too good with math in my head. (I need my dad- we would quiz him all the time on car rides -What is 2345 +7819? He is the fastest math guy I know!) I need a cheat sheet. I come from the time of calculators and my brain is just slow. People probably think I am crazy as I do math problems in the air - trying to carry the one. To get the price in American dollars you have to divide the RMBs by 6.76. I always feel rich when I take money out of the ATM. I withdrew about $120 and the machine gives me 8 - 100 Yuan - I can't help but think - wow $800! No such luck. When a box of Ian's favorite cereal Lucky Charms cost 80 RMB! Mum needs a calculator!

3. I am not good at understanding or speaking Chinese. Yesterday I got a furniture delivery. As the guys brought in the couch they started asking me something in Chinese - I said "no comprendo". Now why I thought they might understand Spanish when they don't understand English - I have no idea. Since the only other language I know any words are in Spanish - I chose to speak Spanish - which gets me no where! Mum is in desperate need of Mandarin classes!

When I was speaking to another Mum at pick up the other day she said "Shanghai is an exhausting city - don't push yourself."  What is the saying - Rome wasn't built in a day. Well neither was China - and I have 29 more months to figure it out.

Ah - the Smells of China

Well- I am slowly (very slowly) getting the boxes from home unpacked. Even with Nick and Ian in school until 3pm, it is just difficult to get more than 1-2 boxes unpacked a day. Kyle is still a pretty needy guy. Anyway - as I am unpacking these boxes of clothes I am trying to decide if I should rewash all these clothes. My original packing process in Briarcliff  was packing all clothes in tubs or laundry baskets that would then be packed in moving boxes, however, as I closely approached the weight limit the decision was made to leave the tubs and baskets. So all of our clothes have just been shoved into boxes - a little packing paper on top and then taped shut. If this was a move in the US I would be washing it all, but here I have chosen not to. When I pull the clothes out of the boxes and smell them - they smell like home. When I was growing up I remember asking my mom once "What do we smell like?" You know when you go to someone's home and there is a smell? Usually a nice smell, but different from yours. My mom said, "Next time we go away for a few days - when we come back you can smell our smell." So I remember whenever we would go away for a weekend or week vacation when we got home I would smell and smell and smell until I couldn't smell anything. I always thought our smell was pretty nice. So by washing the clothes here - I am losing the smell of home. 

Here in China smells are strong. Detergents, cleaners, fabric softeners, food, smoke, etc. The water smells like the outdoors - or like a rain forest- maybe swampy is the right word? I am hoping to get to the flower market next week to get some plants. I figure if I put a bunch of plants in the bathroom maybe I can pretend I am in a rain forest while in the shower instead of here in China. So Mark calls yesterday to ask my opinion about the new van(we decided Mr. Zhong will go) and he says we have 2 to choose from - one is older with cigarette burns the other is newer, but smells. So I say "Smells like what? -Smoke? BO? Rotten Milk?" No he says - it smells like "China". Ah - Ok we will go with the older.

Rollin' in China

Here is proof - I can no longer lay Kyle on the bed and just walk away. Let the good times roll!

First Batch of Cookies in China

Ok- so finally I got some baking powder and baking soda (thanks to my sis) and decided I would try to bake some cookies. Here in China there is not a lot of sweet things. In fact I read somewhere that the Oreos here have there own recipe. They tried to sell the Oreos from the US here, but no one bought them because they were too sweet. It took them many different recipes to find one that was not too sweet. So I whipped up an old family favorite (recipe from Julie Rodgers) oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (however, I have been unable to find chocolate chips, but did find raisins so I substituted). I opened my new hand mixer (that they finally had back in stock) and went to work. First the butter is in gram measurements so a quick trip to the computer to find out how many grams are in a cup? 229.92 gms in 1 cup - I have 227 gms. Ok - close enough because that is just how life is in China. Sugar - it is soft white sugar? Like brown sugar, but white - weird but OK. Eggs - Vanilla - Flour - Oats - Raisins. So the overall dough was very dry - in fact I had to stop using my new hand mixer in fear I was going to blow it up. But I press on mixing by hand the rest of the oats and raisins. Is it dry because I was short 2.92 grams of butter(does it matter that the butter is not pasturized?)or was it the soft white sugar? Maybe the non-refrigerated quail eggs? The cookies themselves turned out OK. The kids came down to have one and I heard Mark say quitely to them "Tell your mother you love them and thank her for making them." He knew if nobody ate them I might just have a break down!

Football Stars!

The boys are both playing football (soccer to us) and loving it! Ian practices on Monday nights from 4-5 and Nicholas practices on Wednesday nights from 4-5:30. They both play scrimmage type games on Saturdays. I like to hang out and chat with the other Mums at the practices. I have met a nice friend from Australia - Sydney to be more precise. Now I have never had an Aussie for a friend, but I really like her. When Mark and I first met, I loved the movie "Muriel's Wedding"(takes place in Sydney) and all the old Abba songs.  I might have to go buy a pirated version just to bring back the memories. Once again I notice my Mid-West/now Australian accent starting to appear. I love this accent - I think more than the British? I have even noticed a change in the way Nicholas talks - I guess spending the day with Brits is starting to rub off on him. He now says "Mum - I need to use the toilet." Yikes!

Part-time Job?

The Home Depot here is called B&Q. They are always looking for delivery people. Great way to get in shape?

Mr. Zhong: Should he stay or Should he go?

So we have had our driver Mr. Zhong for the last 3 weeks here in Shanghai and now we have to decide if we want to keep him and this van or choose another? This whole driver thing is obviously new to us and it is taking a while to get use to. Most drivers speak VERY little English- so Mark chose Mr. Zhong because he spoke the most English. He is pretty good at knowing where I want to go when I tell him the address, but he is not the nicest guy I have ever met. I think a big part is due to the language barrier - he only knows limited words so when he calls me and says "You go out" - it sounds rude to me, but he is really asking if I need him. When we go to pick up the boys at school, everyone is in the same blue Buick mini-van so we are all trying to find Mr. Zhong in a sea of blue vans. Lucky for us Mr. Zhong got a Hello Kitty bobble head clock for the dashboard - so now we just search for the Hello Kitty (still waiting for that purse Mom). Mr. Zhong has long nails, he is a heavy smoker (not in the van) and he burps a lot out loud! Is there better? Could there be worse? We will see.

Health Report Results: I CAN live in China

Once again my week started off by being picked up in a weird van by people who speak very little English to take me to some building in Shanghai. I had to go get residency permits for myself and all the children. It was again like being at the DMV in New York - take a number wait in line - present your paperwork. So as we are waiting our turn the woman with me hands me my Health Examination Record. As I am opening the cover, I am hoping to see a big red stamp that says DENIED, but no such luck. As I page through the report I find out I have Sinus bradycardia and Fatty Infiltration of the Liver. So the definition of Sinus bradycardia is a heart rhythm that originates from the sinus node and has a rate of under 60 beats per minute. Of course there are different things that cause this (heredity in my case- thanks Dad) one of which is being a well-conditioned athlete - so lets just pretend it is that one.  The fatty liver was discovered when the woman was jamming the Ultrasound machine into my rib cage and saying "Release, Release". So I guess she was talking to my liver to release the fat? Their suggestions:

 1. Take proper Exercise - even though I have a heart rate of a well-conditioned athlete?

 2. Improve dietary habit - I agree since we had eaten nothing but McDonald's, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Papa John's because we were afraid to try anything else.

3. More Rest - I would love to, but with 3 children (and the box spring I am sleeping on) it is almost impossible!

Housewife Business Cards?

Before we left NY I had a lot of cleaning and sorting to do to get the house ready to leave for 2 years. So while I was cleaning and sorting I found a pile of old business cards and name tags from the many jobs I have had over the last 14 years.  I have had 9 different professional jobs in the last 14 years. This is not counting my jobs at Bath & Body Works (found some old soaps while cleaning- 13 years old they had kind of lost their smell) and Eddie Bauer (we brought that baby furniture with us and will not be bring it back). Anyway, I have had at least 14 different business cards(in pharmaceuticals every time you change products you get a new card and I think I have changed every year)! I am really not that fond of business cards and thought my days of cards were over, but here in China all housewives have cards. The first Friday that I had wine with my new friends they each gave me their "cards". Now these cards have all of our names on them and a very detailed map of how to get to your house? In the US, I would not be giving people cards with detailed instructions of how to get to my house (I was once convinced that a car salesman who made me mad - had googled our address, came to our house, and stole my purse out of my car. I even went to the police station and filled out a report. While at the police station filling out the report the Stop and Shop called to say someone found my purse in a shopping cart -OOPS!) I definitely didn't give out my address freely - you just never know who you can trust. Here people are handing out cards like crazy sales people. The say "You have my card - call me - we will do lunch." Now the other thing I am finding out is that "doing lunch" involves a lot of wine. Since no one drives their own cars here - there is no drinking and driving issue. However, your driver is not always available - so you can hop in a cab - hand him your card and you will most likely get home. See the card is in both English and Chinese- so I guess it is kind of like American Express - don't leave home without it. 

Happy 7th Birthday Nicholas!

Well, today was Nicholas's 7th birthday and boy was he excited. He spent the whole week giving us a count down. Every morning we had to hear how many more days and where he wanted to go to eat and what he wanted to do. This was a difficult day for Mark and I. We spent the morning of his birthday on Skype with everyone. His cousin Henry's 2nd birthday was on Saturday - so it was really great when Nana, Papa Jo, Aunt Kim, Uncle Zach and Henry Skyped on Henry's birthday (Saturday night in Chicago) but Nicholas's birthday here in China (Sunday morning). We also got birthday wishes from Grandmum (her new name - she is English you know) Aunt Margaret, Uncle Dave, Hannah, Jared and Cole and Uncle Andrew(nice suprise). Then we heard from Pop and his best friend in the whole WORLD Patrick! It was so great to hear from everyone, but it also made Mark and I realize how really far away we are and that we have never celebrated a birthday without some family with us. 

Some how Grandmum knew about our new favorite Yankees player and got him a Mark Texiera t-shirt (very exciting thanks Pop and Grandmum). We got him an air hockey table for the big basement that he and Ian have claimed as their domain. And Nana and Papa Jo gave him money to buy a new bicycle.

So we did our best to make it a memorable birthday for him. We took him bowling! In New York near our house there is a fun little bowling alley that is great for kids. They put up bumpers in the gutters so you almost always hit a pin - even Ian usually has a blast. Well the bowling alley here is about half hour from where we live and it is open 24 hours. The inside smells like an ash tray - because did I mention that everyone in China smokes - a lot. There are no bumpers for the gutters and they played Justin Timberlake on the stereo over and over and over. Now I guess I should not complain at least the music was English, but I am pretty sure I heard "sexy back" at least 10 times. Nick tried his best, but I think the high score for the day was 35 and he did actually get 1 strike, which made it all worth it. As I sat there watching (and holding Kyle) I could hardly fight back the tears (partly from being sad and partly from the strong smell of smoke) thinking about celebrating his birthday back home with family and friends. But I think we all tried to do our best to have a great day and on the way home we stopped at the bike shop to pick out new bicycles for both boys (thanks Nana and Papa Jo!)

After a celebration brownie, he thanked us for a great  birthday! I hope we look back years from now and say "Turning 7 in China was so cool!"

(The yellow duck in all the pictures is Pluka Duck - his class pet. It was his turn to take Pluka Duck home for the weekend and write about what we did with the duck- hence the photos.)

Happy Valentine's Day!

It was a great Valentine's Day for me! My lovely Valentine got me a brand new camera and not just a point and click kind. I got a REAL camera with lots of functions and a big lens (Cannon EOS 40D). Wow! I am a little intimidated by it, but anxious to get started shooting. Now that I am a "housewife" I want to expand on all the hobbies I have been interested in, but have never had enough time to do - photography being one of them. Kyle and I now have from 9am - 3pm to explore the world of Shanghai and I hope to capture a lot of great things! Thanks feng mi (Mandarin for honey) I love it!

Ian's First Day of School (Finally)

So Ian's first day of school finally arrived.  Now I know originally I thought I might just keep him home with me until starting at Dulwich with Nick in August, but the guy is just bored. Part of the boredom is the fact that we have had only the toys we crammed in the suitcases for the last few weeks -so things should get better, but he was just too excited to go to school now to not send him. He talks about his days at CNS all the time and everyday at lunch we do the prayer "Dear Lord Jesus, be our guest and with this food let us be blessed. Amen" See I even know it by heart. So he was very anxious to start. Of course the night before we realize that there is no way that our driver can drop off Mark and Nicholas and be back to take Ian, Kyle and I to school so we must walk. It is probably about 1 mile to school (school started at 9am our delivery came at 10am so no stroller yet only baby Bjorn(painful)). Anyway we start walking and about 1/4 of the way there Ian says "Mommy call Mr. Zhong I don't want to walk". I tell him Mr. Zhong is taking Daddy to work now he can't pick us up. It is amazing how quickly these children get spoiled. So the entire rest of the walk was spent begging for Mr. Zhong! 

Anyway - he had a great day. The teacher said he fit right in and had a lot of fun. He goes from 9am-3pm everyday and they serve him lunch. He brought home the lunch menu for the month (which keep in mind caters to all nationalities of children) and there are some real delicacies on there. Monday is Pancakes with mushroom whipped sauce, there is potato fritter and apple sauce, potato salad and brats, and cucumber with eggs and mixed veggies. The teacher said he could bring his lunch, but I didn't tell him it was an option. Maybe he will trade in his usual humus and cottage cheese lunch for beef with oyster sauce? You never know what he might do?

Christmas in February!!!

Our shipment from home has arrived!! I cannot be more excited! We all feel like it is Christmas! Most of the toys that the kids got for Christmas were off limits before we left and went in the shipment- so you can image their excitement! When the movers arrived the supervisor said most air shipments are in 1-2 crates ours was in 14 crates! He said he has never seen an air shipment so big. We had 72 boxes a crib, a dresser, a rocking chair, and a high chair. IBM said 2400 lbs and I packed 2300 lbs. It was pretty crazy trying to figure out how much 2300 lbs was - when my mom and I were packing we decided my muffin pan was too heavy! As I am unwrapping the new muffin pan that we bought it seems really hilarious that we thought saving probably 1/16th of a pound was worth it! Anyway- the thing I was most excited to get was the brand new stroller that we had gotten from Grandma and Pop! About 15 minutes after the movers left I had it unpacked and Kyle and I were on our way! It was 75 degrees here today - a great day for a walk. LOVE the new stroller! Thanks again to Grandma and Pop!

Ayi?

So about that cleaning lady - here in China everyone (and I mean everyone) has an Ayi. An Ayi is a maid, cook, babysitter, errand runner, etc. These women are usually Chinese, but can be Filipino (except they are illegal, but usually speak more English) and they make about $2.00/hr! Some women I have met have 2 Ayis? Everyone I meet says "Have you hired your Ayi yet?" Now I am really torn - at home in NY I worked part-time, took care of the children, cleaned(my ladies in the neighborhood knew this was my weak area), cooked, ran errands, I could go on forever since a woman's work is never done! Here - I am a stay-at-home mom (housewife is the official title here in China). So if I hire an Ayi - "what is it that I will do all day?" I asked one of my new friends. "You must be ready to lunch, if someone calls" she says. Now I am not one to turn down a lunch date to stay home and clean - so I think I would be available with or without Ayi. Kyle is still a little young to leave with someone especially who does not necessarily understand my directions so he would come with me and the other 2 boys are in school until 3pm (Ian starts tomorrow-YEA!). Cooking is kind of a passion for me - so I enjoy that. Maybe she could watch the kids while I cook dinner? Right now that is Nintendo DS time - so I am not sure they will want to play with a Chinese lady instead of Nintendo? I am all for letting someone else clean for me, but everyday from 8am-8pm? The house is a good size, but that is a lot of cleaning? Our house right now is kind of an escape from the craziness of China - do I want someone in my house all day. How can I be lazy and not feel guilty? I am so confused. Ayi or no Ayi? Maybe part-time Ayi? 

Mr. Clean vs. Mr. Muscle: Round 1

I really never thought that much about cleaners. I am a real sucker for a new product or a new scent, but I always seem to go back to good old Mr. Clean. There is something about Mr. Clean that- well- makes me feel clean? Maybe it is bald head? Maybe his extra white t-shirt, nice tan or his friendly smile? I have always wondered why the earring? Any marketing people out there know why? Anyway - his products always do the trick and leave a nice fresh scent behind. Here in China we have Mr. Muscle.  First of all he is wearing a suit similar to Superman, but with a big M- OK so I guess superhero of cleaning? Then he his wearing a white sportcoat (Don Johnson like) over the super suit?And he has what looks like 3 colored sharpie markers in the pocket?(Now I am married to someone(I won't mention any names) who always carries a pen in his pocket- so he would say he is a man who is prepared for anything. I guess you should always be prepared when you are cleaning?) Anyway - Mr. Muscle's skin color looks like Nicholas's when he has the stomach flu- a grayish green. I think he is meant to have Asian skin, but his hair is black and wavy. I have not seen too many Chinese with wavy hair. To top it off he has on bright orange safety goggles? I don't know how many of us who clean wear safety goggles? But with the smell of the products you need a full face mask. So cleaning the bathroom has never been my favorite job, but at least I know after Mr. Clean I can take a deep breath and enjoy the added scent of Febreze and feel like the time and effort was not wasted. Mr. Muscle made me realize I need to get that cleaning lady hired today! Mr. Clean TKO in the first round!

Top 5 Things I am Missing from Home

5.  A soft bed (Chinese mattresses are rock hard - in fact I was convinced for days that this was just the box spring not the mattress, but our relocation guy assured me it is a mattress)

4.  TV (I wouldn't call myself a TV junkie, but I do occasionally get hooked on The Biggest Loser, The Bachelor, or America's Next Top Model. Now I am lucky to find a 3 year old rerun of Grey's Anatomy or The Karate Kid part III.) I can't wait for my scrap booking materials to arrive!

3.  Having a Car (It is nice to just call the driver when I am checking out at the store- he pulls up, loads the car and off we go. However, when you need something or want something after working hours - too bad.)

2. On-line Shopping (Mark, I am sure, is happy this addiction is gone, but browsing without being able to buy is just painful. Everyday getting email notices about big sales, but unable to purchase is torture.)

1. DIET COKE (Coca-cola Light is just not the same. Too sweet and too flat. This addiction I have had since college and did not want to give it up. Who would have thought all I had to do was move to China!)

My New Friends

On Friday afternoon my neighbor across the street called to invite me and the boys over for a playdate. She has a daughter in Year 2 with Nicholas at Dulwich. I, of course, said sure and headed over at 4 PM. Her name is Claudine and she invited a few of her other friends over as well. Claudine is from London and has a lovely accent. Michelle from Detroit was there with her 2 children Malorie (in Nick's class) and Cameron, Louise from Australia, and Karen from Cleveland, OH. What a crazy mix of people! Except for the different nationalities I felt like I was amongst a good group of friends in NY. I don't know what it is with me and accents, but when I get around people with accents I tend to have an accent myself. As the day turns to evening and I am on glass number 3 of wine (hopefully Kyle will sleep well tonight) I am using my new favorite word "lovely" in every other sentence and with each time I say it my mid-western/British accent is getting stronger. I can hear myself sounding like a fool, but can't control myself. I finally realize that it is almost 8 PM and look across the street to see that Mark is home from work and probably frantically looking for us. I leave the children with my new friends and run across the street to get him so he can join us for a glass of wine. I am hoping the fresh air will pull me out of my British trance so my new friends don't think I am a complete fool! Anyway - we had a great time and things are looking better. Maybe life can be normal here in China? 

Kyle

Everyone has been asking about Kyle. His transition has been pretty easy. He is still eating, sleeping and hanging out. Here he is doing some tummy time. Hard to believe how much he has done in his 3 short months with us. He is the star of the show everywhere we go - who couldn't love that face (we know the Chinese do)!

A trip to Costco

Here in China we have a Chinese version of Costco and so far it is my favorite place to go. So today I had our driver take Ian, Kyle and I over to Metro to do some shopping. Since our stroller  has not arrived yet my only mode of transport for Kyle is the Bjorn. So I have Kyle in the Bjorn and Ian in the cart and a small group of Chinese people following me through the isles.  People cannot get enough of the baby(I keep telling him to stop smiling and being so social, but he won't listen to me). It was definitely funny at first - now it is just annoying! At least 6 people followed me through the store. Grabbing Kyle's hand - touching Ian's hair. It is like they have never seen young American boys! We are like the Jackpot here! As most people know the Chinese government does not allow people to have more than 1 child (unless you and your spouse are both only children then you are allowed 2). So to see us all together - especially all 3 boys we are the talk of the town!

Anyway - back to the food - we have found out why the Chinese are such skinny people. PORTION CONTROL! Everything is in very small packages. Ian begged me for these ice cream drumsticks - they came in a package of 12 and the box was the size of a girl scout cookie box. I thought there must be a mistake - no way there are 12 in that box. Oh yes - there were 12. Mark can eat them in one bite!

First Week of School

Well Nicholas had such a wonderful first week of school! They presented him with a certificate at an assembly to recognize him for such a great transition to a new school. It has been a real learning experience for us all. We are learning new words and phrases like "could I have a go?" and use your "rubber" to erase your mistakes. This is his teacher - Miss VonVoorst (sounds like an intimidating name, but she is just lovely (my new favorite word)).

A Package from Home!

The package of non-perishable food that I mailed from home on Saturday, January 24, arrived today. I was so excited to get the box - we are almost out of peanut butter and Ian has been out of Spongebob Cheez-its for 2 days. Our driver Mr. Zhong, carried the box in and then brushed himself off of all the crumbs. At that moment I knew it was not going to be good. The box had 3 times more tape on it than it did when it left the post office in Briarcliff Manor. And I watched as our postman gently set the box down in the pile to go out after stamping the box carefully with the FRAGILE stamp. What could have happened since then? I think the People's Republic of China decided to take a look at what exactly non-perishable food items meant. Everything in the box looks like it was hit with a sledge hammer. None of the Cheez-its resemble Spongebob. Anybody got a good recipe that calls for Cheez-it crumbs? I hate to throw them away since I spent $162 to get them here!

Am I Healty?

Today was my mandatory health check to be able to live in China. Mark and others had told me it was a horrible experience. He had heard a story at work about some one's wife almost being assaulted during her health check - so I was not looking forward to this at all. Of course some Chinese driver man came to pick me up in a weird van to drive me to the clinic. So off I go in this van with a man who speaks no English. After a forty-five minute ride we stop and pick up a girl on the side of the road. She says her name is Kiko and she will take me for the check-up. We arrive a few minutes later at this very old run down building with the words "Clinic" out front. In we go where there are a lot of other non-Chinese people with their Kiko's fighting for a spot in line. We push our way through with my passport and 4 additional photos to get a number (like at the DMV in NY). I wait for my number to be called. After they call me in I am asked to take off everything on top including hairpins(who actually wears hairpins?) and put on a cloth robe - then report to room 109. Now room 109 is called ENT. One guy sitting at a desk asks me to read the numbers in a color blind test, then cover one eye look in a mirror and tell him which way the E is facing. Then he says "How's your nose?" "Good- it works" I say. He pushes up on the tip and shines a flashlight in and says "Good". Done now room 110. In room 110 they take 2 vials of blood - not sure what they are checking, but OK. Done now room 108. Now I have to lay down on the table and an old woman uses an ultrasound machine and digs around on the sides of my ribs. She starts saying "Release, Release". I have no idea what she means to release so I start breathing heavy? She says "No  Release" as she pokes around my ribs - then finally done - room 107. Now step into the time machine for a chest x-ray and finally to room 105 for my electroshock therapy(no just kidding- but the machine the used felt like that). Some metal things on my ankles and wrists - then suction cups all over my chest. I guess this is their EKG machine. If this is where they are with their medicine, I pray to  God that none of us have any medical issue here. SCARY! They said in one week I will get the results of this comprehensive medical exam. HA! Maybe I won't be healthy enough to stay?

Pu Jersey

Another funny story from my realtor friend Nick was that the Chinese think of Shanghai like the New York of China. However, in Shanghai there are 2 sides- the Puxi side where more singles live and there is a lot of nightlight and then there is Pudong (where we live) that is more families and less entertainment. So they call the Puxi side Pu York and the Pudong side Pu Jersey. So I guess we are the Pu Jersey residents of Shanghai.

Is there really only 6 channels on the TV?

Since moving to Shanghai everywhere we have been the TV has only had 6 channels. In the hotel and here in our house there are only 6 channels. So I mention to my realtor guy I was surprised there are not more than 6 channels on the TV. He said "no with satellite you get about 40 channels". So we checked the lease and we are suppose to have satellite TV, but there is no satellite - so he arranged for the guys to come today to install satellite TV. After the installation, he is explaining the remote to me and he says "whatever you do - do not press these buttons, satellite  TV is illegal and they will find out you have it if you press these buttons". Is he kidding? I have 3 small children in this house - do think for one minute that I am going to be able to keep a constant watch on them not pressing the buttons?? Ian cannot control himself around buttons - it is like they call his name. "Ian please press me". So if you don't see me update this for awhile - assume I have gone to jail for pressing the buttons.

Welcome to Shanghai.

Things are not build as well here as they are in the states and no one starts work until 9am. So this morning we awoke to water dripping from the ceiling of our den. Where could this be coming from? Our large jacuzzi tub is right above the drips - so we run upstairs and take a look. A pipe to the faucet had sprung a leak and there was about 6 inches of water pooled under the tub. Now we are nervous the entire tub may just fall through the ceiling if we don't get someone quick! But nothing in China is quick.  First we called the Emergency hot line number for our realtor who told us to call the main office of the complex. Problem is they speak VERY little English so calls back to the hot line to have the hot line call maintenance and then hot line calls back to say no one is in until 9am. Finally around 10am they come to fix the problem - luckily no bathtub in the den. Everyone that I tell here says "Welcome to Shanghai"? 

It is the first day of school Mum.

Nicholas started is first day of school at Dulwich College School at the DUCKS campus in Year 2. What a wonderful school! And what a lot of learning for all of us. His teacher seems like a very nice woman and he has already met a good friend named Andy. I met his mother Alli on the first day as well. She saw me in the hallway and said "Are you Nicholas's Mum?" I said "Yes- I am his Mum". Now being that I am from the US should I just say "Yes I am his Mom?" This is a British School so should I do as the British do? I kind of like the sound of Mum?