Curious Titus

Titus is into climbing on everything -- I even caught him on TOP of the tv twice. So it's no wonder he fell off his old baby walker while dismounting it today. You can see the results for yourself, cept there was a lot more blood everywhere than is visible in these pictures.

This week some wonderful people sent us a Curious George storybook. George --- innocent yet prone-to-mischief --- helped me to understand Titus a little better.


"This is George [Titus].
George [Titus] was a good little monkey [boy] and always very curious."

"Sometimes when a monkey [boy] sees something to climb, he can't help himself. He has to climb it."

- Curious George and the Hot Air Balloon

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China's Special Needs People

China's orphanages would be filled with abandoned disabled kids, but ... most of the time kids with disabilities don't survive past infancy because they don't receive basic, proper care.

Families with a special-needs kid feel that the child is a huge liability. With basically no special education programs and no health insurance or welfare, how can a parent possibly care for a child with Down Syndrome, or a cleft palate, or Cerebral Palsy? Furthermore, in this culture children are the parents' retirement plan and social security, that is, parents rely on children to care for them when they are aged. Of course, a disabled child will not be able to care for and support his/her parents when they are retired. So to a Chinese family, a disabled child is nothing but a liability.

Another expat organization working in Changsha has been caring for the city's most severely disabled children. A decade ago, they approached the Chinese orphanages and said "give us your 'worst' cases". They improved the quality of life for these kids by offering better living conditions and opportunities for therapy, classes, and even work. One of the goals was to show the Chinese social system, by example, that special needs people can be productive and wonderful members of society.

Recently, this expat organization also opened a center which aims to prevent abandonment of special needs kids. Right now they're working with about 100 families to provide support, therapy and education for the child and parents. Here's the kite mural I just finished for one of their therapy rooms.



Believing that every child is made in His image,

Rachel


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Squatty Potty

The Squatty Potty can be found in China and other East Asian countries. I'm curious to know if you've ever used one before? To save just a little decorum, I'm showing you a photo of the most beautiful, pristine Squatty I've ever seen.

How to use:

• Squat, straddling the hole, facing the door (if there is a door).
• Shoot any excretions directly into the drain. If you don't hit the drain directly, there is a likelihood of spray all over the floor and your feet.
• There's no tissue paper, so you must bring your own!
• Discard tissue paper in the waste bin, don't flush.
• Flush the Squatty.
  
• Good luck washing your hands. If there is a water tap, there's no soap or towels, so if you're a germaphobe bring hand sanitizer.

Also, it's good to note that public restrooms are not widely available. When going out, do your best to plan accordingly. We really don't mind using Sqautties, but our university was kind, and built the foreign teacher apartments with western toilets.

Speaking of western toilets, sometimes when Asians run into one they don't know what to do. This sign was posted in a bathroom in Thailand.



Now you know how to "go" if you visit East Asia!


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Celebrating One Year in China with A Culture Series: Bizzare and Likeable

With over 2,000 years of history and traditions, Chinese culture is rich, complex, intriguing and ...

lovable.


We've now lived in China for one year! To celebrate, I'm planning to tell you about the most bizarre, likable, or bizarre and likable elements of Chinese culture. Some topics: Food, toileting, abortion, romance, language, market-shopping, tea, poverty, saving face and family life. I think you will understand our daily life in a deeper way after this series!


To kick it off, here's a list of
TEN THINGS ANYONE CAN LOVE ABOUT CHINA

1. people adore kids, even strangers' kids
   
2. people freely share food, especially fruit, with each other
3. delightful, healthy and inexpensive cuisine
4. public transportation -- so you don't need a car
5. xiu xi -- routine afternoon nap time for adults
   
6. Drew says: the fastest bullet train in the world runs through our city
   
7. it's not taboo to talk about your diarrhea issues
   
8. Drew says: spicy sheep meat on a stick
9. haggling for better prices at the market
10. calling your friends and acquaintances by familial terms -- "auntie", "older brother", "little sister", "grandpa", etc.
    

First post about Chinese culture coming soon.


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Chinese New Year!

February 14th marked the beginning of Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year -- a MEGA-holiday in China. There's some other piddly little holidays, but this is the only one for which businesses close their doors and people don't have to work, at least, for a couple days. We were invited to celebrate with Ms. Mao who otherwise would have been alone. She's divorced, her daughter is studying in Belgium, and the relatives live far away. She made us a special pig stomach for New Year's Eve supper.







Dear teachers,
The winter vacation starts from 24th, January to 28th, February.
The Spring Festival in China is 14th， February. From 13th to 19th in February are public holiday, which is the most important festival in China. People usually buy lots of foods and vegetables one or two weeks before and have a big family gathering. Near the spring festival, the price of food tends to be a little higher.
On the eve of spring festival, people usually stay awake until 24:00 clock. At that time, the fireworks will be lighted to welcome the new year (lunar calendar). During Spring festival, people like to wear new clothes and visit their relatives and friends to wish them a happy new year. Beaware of the fireworks in the street at that time, Chinese boys like to play them everywhere.
Near the Spring Festival, the traffic is very heavy. In the bus or the train, people are very crowned. If you are going to travel, please book the tickets in advance.

- email from our Chinese boss, Mr. Ming



Happy New Year! 新年快乐！

from the a's


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When Street Kids Grow Up

When we were in Shenzhen, we saw this 20-something guy lying in the median of the road. He was in pretty rough shape, looked like he hadn't had a place to sleep, eat or clean up for years. A few minutes later he was standing in the middle of the road, doing something really obscene that suggested he was mentally ill, or spiritually captive to darkness.

He made me wonder about the street children here in Changsha. What happens to them when they are no longer young and cute enough to be used as sympathy-bait? Prison? Prostitution? It feels like no one is speaking up for this demographic in China.

Rachel


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Karin from Korea

This week we had a guest -- Drew's cousin Karin! In August Karin moved to Degu, Korea to teach in the fine arts dept. of a university. We climbed the nearby mountain together, and then Drew and Karin took the chute down the mountainside. They said it was pretty fast but easy to control. So we had some fun together this week -- it's just great having family come visit our home! I hope you are saving your pennies so you can come stay with us too.

Michael Isaac

Vagabonds Return to Changsha

Recap of trip to Thailand and back...
Leisure family time! The best part!




Thai-jungle setting at our second of five hotels along this journey.




How to get around Chaing Mai: three-wheeled, open-air motorcabs.



Swimming! Titus was timid initially, but quickly became (almost too) confident in the water.




Big suppers with everybody from our sending org. Days filled with classes and meetings.



Family afternoon at the Chiang Mai zoo.





Long layovers with no place to nap. You gotta get resourceful. We set up Titus' new travel tent and he slept under this ginormous terminal in Bangkok. Can you see us in the second picture?




Buddhism permeates Thailand. Temples and shines on every corner. I learned that monk-in-training boys get to play just like other kids.





We'll be honest with you. It would not have been our first choice to attend this conference --- cuz traveling with a kiddo is rough, and we like China, and we don't like travel expenses. It was especially challenging because we took all the cheapest tickets, which made for flights at the least desirable hours. Poor Titus, he was a trooper! But there was much to be thankful for, not the least of which was happy times together as a family. It was also a treat to receive good medical and dental care. Our favorite part of conference?


Rachel: Moms group time + a class called Seeker Studies for The Asian Heart

Drew: hearing reports from all around SE and East Asia

Titus: swimming and playing with kids, looking for stray dogs

Mikey (Michael Isaac): getting an ultrasound so we know that he's a BOY!



We are so happy to be home, back in China.
Being away for awhile made us realize how much we love home. We love Chinese culture, speaking Chinese and the familiarity of home and work. Tomorrow Drew's cousin Karin is coming to visit!


- Rachel


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Landed: Shenzhen

"Wow. We have a bunch of time to kill until our next flight. Hey! Lets walk around, talk to some people (now that we are back in a country we speak the language!) and let Titus hug some stuffed animals"
"Sounds great! Lets do it!"

Enter Swiss army knife store

"So do you guys sell knives here?"
"Yes! Do you want to take a look?"
"Yeah. So if I buy one, can I bring it with me on the plane? I already checked my bags."
"Yeah, no problem (she whips out a smaller pocket knife). This one you they let you bring through security"
"Hu. So are you telling me that there are people on my flight with these dangerous knives? Do you know how many thieves there are around here?"
"It is really no problem. You shouldn't be scared."
"I have heard that there are not even any police on the planes. Don't you feel bad selling these potentially dangerous weapons?"
"Well if you feel threatened, you should really think about buying one to protect yourself in case something happens."
"No thanks, I don't want to further escalate the security situation...."

Exit Swiss army knife store. Enter knick knack store. Start trying out a neck massage device.

"So what are the benefits of this thing?"
"It can help you to relax after a stressful day. Also, it has substantial health benefits because it helps improve your blood circulation."
"Oh! Can it help with leukemia? That is a sickness of the blood."
"hmmm, not really sure. That would make sense though. It probably has some advantage in that case."
"Ok, great! I hear that is a very serious sickness. I should get one just in case. That way, I won't have to spend so much on a doctor."
"Well, I am not so sure...it might not completely cure it. I would probably still go to the doctor."
"Ok, bummer. I was really hoping I could solve that problem. Thanks anyway!"

We had some other fun ones, but just to give you a flavor.

Drew