We're leaving for our seven day trip to Hong Kong - 4 people, 2 carry-on suit cases, 1 backpack. Lightest load ever for our family. Will post pics when we get back!
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Friday, March 19, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
The Emotional Toll
Before we moved to China, I envisioned that the emotional hardship of living here would be caused by living "without"...living without my stuff, living without my favorites, living without my people.
What I have found is that the emotional hardship actually has two different causes - living "with" and being confronted regularly by others living without.
I am not comfortable living with our relative wealth (no we aren't wealthy by American standards, but we are compared to the majority of Chinese we are in contact with). I find it somewhat embarrassing to spend more than my driver earns in one month for one grocery shopping trip. I find it distasteful to debate about whether or not to pay my ayi one or two hundred less quai - because in reality it is nothing to me, but to her it is significant. For that matter, in truth, I find it a bit distasteful to even have a driver and ayi. And maybe I'm even feeling a bit of "survivor's guilt"...Why do we deserve a job with such perks as travel, when there are plenty of others we know back home who are struggling to get by?
And, then there is the daily confrontation of those who are really without. Every day I see people who live through very cold winters here in hand built shacks, with scavenged firewood to keep warm. Their toilet is an outhouse hole. My instinct is to feel bad for them. But is that right? Maybe in truth they are content with their life. How do I know? If the only life you've known is one "without" do you want for more? Is it right to feel sorry for the woman washing her clothes in the stream that others use for a toilet? Is it right to judge those who throw out the garbage polluting the environment when maybe they don't know that it is harmful?
Every day I see loads of litter, every day I see people living in harsh conditions, every day I see people who may not have the opportunity to change their lives. If they are happy, should it bother me that their living conditions are different than the culture I am used to?
Are we helping China by being here? Are we part of the solution or contributing to a long term problem?
These are the thoughts that are my hardship of living in China. I've learned that I can live without burritos. But, my do-good people side is still adjusting.
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What I have found is that the emotional hardship actually has two different causes - living "with" and being confronted regularly by others living without.
I am not comfortable living with our relative wealth (no we aren't wealthy by American standards, but we are compared to the majority of Chinese we are in contact with). I find it somewhat embarrassing to spend more than my driver earns in one month for one grocery shopping trip. I find it distasteful to debate about whether or not to pay my ayi one or two hundred less quai - because in reality it is nothing to me, but to her it is significant. For that matter, in truth, I find it a bit distasteful to even have a driver and ayi. And maybe I'm even feeling a bit of "survivor's guilt"...Why do we deserve a job with such perks as travel, when there are plenty of others we know back home who are struggling to get by?
And, then there is the daily confrontation of those who are really without. Every day I see people who live through very cold winters here in hand built shacks, with scavenged firewood to keep warm. Their toilet is an outhouse hole. My instinct is to feel bad for them. But is that right? Maybe in truth they are content with their life. How do I know? If the only life you've known is one "without" do you want for more? Is it right to feel sorry for the woman washing her clothes in the stream that others use for a toilet? Is it right to judge those who throw out the garbage polluting the environment when maybe they don't know that it is harmful?
Every day I see loads of litter, every day I see people living in harsh conditions, every day I see people who may not have the opportunity to change their lives. If they are happy, should it bother me that their living conditions are different than the culture I am used to?
Are we helping China by being here? Are we part of the solution or contributing to a long term problem?
These are the thoughts that are my hardship of living in China. I've learned that I can live without burritos. But, my do-good people side is still adjusting.
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Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Flood
Here are some pictures from the flood on our service porch. The hot water heater pipe broke while I was out shopping. Luckily, the downstairs apartment ayis (maids) were home to call the repairmen.
The threshold that saved the rest of the house.
The biggest casualty - the brand new Costco box of Bounce (very expensive here). This is half of the box drying to try to salvage it!
Water drains from the service porch to the outside. Our flood created icicles. Now the kids want to keep pouring water out of the hole to make bigger ones!
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The threshold that saved the rest of the house.
The biggest casualty - the brand new Costco box of Bounce (very expensive here). This is half of the box drying to try to salvage it!
Water drains from the service porch to the outside. Our flood created icicles. Now the kids want to keep pouring water out of the hole to make bigger ones!
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Saturday, March 6, 2010
Hey Mickey! 4 of 5!!
We are making last minute plans to go to Hong Kong during spring break...and go to Hong Kong Disneyland. That will make four of the five resorts for us! We'll keep you posted...
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Monday, March 1, 2010
The Rest of the Trip
We spent the second half of our vacation on Oahu, in a small house close to the beach, in the small town of Kailua. Beautiful, quiet and relaxing. I enjoyed Hawaii so much more than I ever expected. Here are the highlight pictures.
Happy boy.
Fun on the beach.
Kiana and Mike swam out to Flat Island in the background.
Our time indoors - playing DS and watching the Olympics.
Having shave ice at the same place as Obama (see his picture in the background), just a one block walk from our house.
Lanikai Beach
One last sunset swim at Kailua Beach.
After our free upgrade to Business Class on the long leg home, the kids are spoiled...so are we :)
I'm ready to go back!
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Happy boy.
Fun on the beach.
Kiana and Mike swam out to Flat Island in the background.
Our time indoors - playing DS and watching the Olympics.
Having shave ice at the same place as Obama (see his picture in the background), just a one block walk from our house.
Lanikai Beach
One last sunset swim at Kailua Beach.
After our free upgrade to Business Class on the long leg home, the kids are spoiled...so are we :)
I'm ready to go back!
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