Michael (left) and Adam (right) with me in the Max Pub. These two young men are in their mid-twenties and have come from the northern provinces to find their way in Shanghai. Adam speaks English very well, all self-taught. Both Michael and Adam were enthusiastic conversationalists. We walked into the Max Pub in Shanghai on our return walk from the foreign bookstore, where we had gone to buy cookbooks and a gift for our ... Read More

I'm back after a long hiatus from the Status Update.  But it's not my fault.  We have been busy.  For our latest adventure this past weekend, I played a minister.  See the story, Marryin' Joseph, in the People section of the blog.  This took considerable time, requiring a couple of meetings prior to the event, plus all day during the event. The weekend past was quite busy, indeed.  We met ... Read More

Marryin' Joseph!  OMG!  You should have been here.  Was this an operation.  I played my role as a minister, but I swear, I was more popular than the bride and groom.  No kidding! Marryin’ Joseph, in person. You may recall from my April 16 post, "An Unusual Request," that I was asked to play a minister for a young Chinese couple who wanted to have as part of their wedding theme an enactment ... Read More

Children are fearless and uninhibited.  Today on the bus as we returned from the grocery store, a seven-year-old girl engaged Char in a conversation using her basic English, which actually was quite good.  About a dozen people within earshot smiled and chuckled as they spoke.   Char proudly demonstrated to the girl that she, Char, could count to 10 in Chinese.  After which the girl demonstrated to Char ... Read More

We discovered the Hand-Grasping Pie early in our stay one day while we walked to our apartment from West Lake here in Hangzhou.  We ordered that first street food delicacy by pointing and nodding.  When Char, who teaches at Hangzhou Foreign Language School, told her students about the experience, they were thrilled that we would venture into the local culture in this way.  One enterprising young girl, ... Read More

Get this!  I have been asked to be a minister at a Chinese wedding! Ok, ok--for some of you who know me well, this may seem a bit unusual, if not outright unbelievable.  But this is an interesting situation. Now pay attention and follow along carefully; this may seem a bit convoluted. A young couple is getting married at the end of May.  It is common for young couples in China to plan a theme for ... Read More

Construction season has come to Hangzhou as well. One morning about 6 a.m. we heard the loud clanging of metal on metal combined with voices in foreign tongues. Alas, construction workers went about the business of erecting scaffolding at the building across the courtyard and beginning to tear off overhangs above the windows. By the end of the first week, scaffolding appeared around our building as well, and workmen are ... Read More

As the weather has gotten warmer, sunnier, and friendlier, we find ourselves getting outside to see this place or that, purchase needed items, and collect information for a host of stories.  Alas, such activity leaves little time for writing.  I offer apologies to my readers for my lack of time management skills--I have wonderful stories to tell, and precious little time to write them. Just last weekend ... Read More

Weather permitting, all students go outside for 15 minutes of exercise. BoomerTrekker Note:  The following article is by Char Koppi about her continued teaching experience at Hangzhou Foreign Languages School. By Charleen Koppi One Child, and Only One Child China’s “one child” rule sort of hits you in the face here.  I often make references to a brother or sister when I’m giving examples or asking a ... Read More