Happy Countryside Home

Another weekend trip to another friend's lovely countryside home. Chen Man's family has a big fish pond, orange tree grove and several vegetable gardens. Mom, dad, daughter, son, daughter-in-law and new grandson live together in the pinkish boxy building in the upper left corner of this picture (above). Paternal grandparents and some other relatives live in the next door white building just to the right.

Yes, they have a new grandbaby! 41 days old. Coincidentally, his name has one character from Drew's Chinese name and one from mine. Are you confused? Like...his name is Drew-Rach...but in Chinese. That's the simplest way I can explain it. Anyway, having a baby around made our stay convenient because they had a stroller and walker for Michael to sit in.

(For those who read Chinese: Drew's name is 思远 and mine is 睿秋. The baby's name is 思睿.)

We got some tiny fish from the traps. Chen Man's mom fried them with hot pepper flakes and we ate them whole.

The little boys were busy with mud, sticks, rocks, junk, buckets of water, chickens, dogs, etc.

Their home is actually a ma-n-pop business called 农家乐 nong jia le, which means "Happy Countryside Home". Rich people from the city pay to fish in the stock pond and eat a home-cooked lunch in the garage. The big appeal is countryside nostalgia and organic fresh produce.

We helped pick and prepare the fresh produce.

Chen Man's mother grew the vegetables, caught the fish, killed a chicken that morning and cooked for 35 people over a fire.

I had a blast waitressing and cleaning up when the customers left. Everyone was confused why the foreign woman was working at the "Happy Countryside Home". One of my most beloved experiences to date!

Muslim Noodle Kids

Remember these are the friends who call Michael "Ishmael." Here's the granny and kiddos one slow morning at their restaurant. They taught me that Mike ought to be incorporating noodles into his diet to get fat. I took their advice to heart and found that it's a very nice baby food.

Hei Qi-che is about three years-old and cousin Isa is 13 months.

Michael (Ishmael) is eight months.

Photo Essays

#1 -- Wipeout.

#2 -- Puttin the Moves On.

Some Trust in Ambulances

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of The King.

Ps. 20:7

Moving out of North America and into a developing country, I felt nervous about my kids' safety. Cars have no seatbelts, much less infant carseats. There is no 911. You can call a number and maybe a hospital passenger van will pick you up. No ambulances. No paramedics. No poison control number. No airlift helicopter. I can't get a speedy blood transfusion because I have Rh- blood and all Chinese have Rh+ blood. What emergency help one might receive must be communicated in Chinese.

A foreign friend of mine is experiencing prenatal care for her first pregnancy in China. It can be a real source of anxiety when you don't feel you're getting the best for your little baby.

I am reminded where my trust lies. In a carseat? In 911? In a blood bank? Good medical care?

It's a false sense of security.

Some trust in ambulances and some in helicopters,

but we trust in the name of The King.

To Market

Truly one of my favorite places on earth -- the vegetable market is located just outside our university campus, a half mile walk from our apartment. I love the busy-ness, haggling, colors and smells, and mostly the feeling that I am a part of this neighborhood.

My first year in Changsha I think I lived like an American, in China. Thereafter, I have been working towards living just like my neighbors. No longer feeling the need to purchase meat from the supermarket where it is refrigerated, now I am buying it off the hooks!

In US currency:

Pork is $2.13 for 1.1 lbs.

Lean ground pork is about $1.90 per 1.1 lbs.

Beef is $3.04 for 1.1 lbs.

Chicken...I forget right now...get back to you on that.

How does that compare to prices in the US?

Observation: Most of the pork sellers are women. The beef sellers (an extreme minority) are all men. Why?

I hope to buy a live fish soon, or maybe a live chicken or duck this summer if my mom comes to teach me how to cut it up. I don't feel a need to get eels, frogs, pigeons or doves.

On to the covered vegetable area.

The ladies who I always buy from have wonderful carrots, spinach, lettuce, green onion, celery, cucumber, white carrot, onion, corn, green beans, snap peas, snow peas, cauliflower, broccoli, squash, tomatoes, lotus root, hot peppers, eggplant, shallots, potatoes, cilantro, chives, tarot root, mushrooms, sprouts, cabbage and varieties of leafy green vegetables that I don't know the name for.

I can also buy dried beans, legumes and grains, including brown rice.

Special tofu.

Pickled preserved vegetables.

Again, how do those meat prices compare with the US' prices?