Given so much energy is being put into blocking so many sites, you can imagine the amount of energy that is being put into finding a way around these rules! I equate it to a child being told, "No. You will NEVER be allowed to eat a cookie." And of course, the now impetuous child spends the rest of her childhood and adult life seeking out, locating and devouring the cookie.
Long story short we have to jump thru a lot of hoops to get on the internet, get it working and then hop on one foot to actually be able to write updates and have them show up on the site!! So let's see if I can successfully get this entry off....
This week's recap:
The girls started school on Tuesday. They have made a few friends and so far so good, they LOVE the school. They take the bus everyday with the same 12 kids, ranging in ages from 3 to 11. They also wear a uniform and they were NOT thrilled about that! But they look super cute, and thanks to steady stream of Gap purchases, they are settling in with a comfy Gap jegging....picture to come. There was also a Principal Newsletter for the school sent out today and the girls made the cover! I'll attach this pic as well.
Jay stays VERY busy at work, spending most of his hours with his Gap peeps. He also started his 100 hours of 1 on 1 Mandarin tutoring. He has a way to go, but we all know Jay's strong ability in learning languages (thank you Comparative Literature degree!!,) and with the help of his AWESOME driver, Zhou, Jay is able to practice about an hour a day.
Speaking of Jay's driver, Zhou is a new member of the Pitts Family. He is amazing in every way; The first day he met Jay he asked if it would be ok if he could drive a little slower to be safer. This is UNHEARD OF IN SHANGHAI; His english is better than mine. Ok, not better, but it's seriously close. He probably translates for me 48 times a day; He also helps me with all the shopping we have had to do to since all of our stuff is out of commission. He met Ben and me in the check out of Ikea where he translated, packed my cart and helped Ben push it to the car. Ben and Zhou are very tight...Pics coming of that one as well.
We hired an Ayi (Chinese name for maid, nanny, housekeeper, and cook.) She is great! Her name was so complicated that when I asked our realtor to tell me her name he smiled and said, "No worries. Too hard. You call her Ayi." And so she was named Ayi. Ayi is very sweet and doesn't speak a speck of English. In fact, both Zhou and our realtor said that her accent is from a different province and her Mandarin is so different and broken that they often have a hard time understanding her. Fantastic.
I am doing my best to adjust to Ayi. She is a very good cook and sweet with the kids, but this will take some time to adjust to. We did have a good bonding session the other day. The story is long but I feel very helpful in understanding my mental health after this week:
I ordered a new bottle of "alhambra water bottle" that was brought up by one of the staff from the complex. When I handed him a 50rmb bill, (price is 25 rmp, apprx. 4 US dollars,) he scoffed and started yelling at me because apparently the bill had been previously torn and someone had put some tape on it. Once I realized he was yelling at me I started arguing back telling him that was the only bill I have so if he doesn't want to accept it then off he should go. Of course he didn't understand me at all, but it didn't stop me from lifting up my hands and using sign language for "All done." This was super logical to me and if my 2 year old can understand this, a grown man should easily grasp this concept.
Surprisingly this didn't work. In fact it merely agitated him. So I began to tell him to leave, and he walked back inside towards my water. It wasn't until his hands were on my water bottle that I realized he was going to rip it off the holder, with the lid open, and take it back!! I jumped in front of my water and used my best impression of a bass baritone and said "NO!!".
I took my arguing and sign language up a notch and now we were both fully going at it. He went to my table, took out the 50 rmb bill and began to write on it, then licked his finger, and smeared it against the ink, as if to test the water mark or the legitimacy of the bill. It was right about at this point that I saw RED. I ran to my phone intercom which is connected to the bellman in the lobby. I told the worker he better get out of my house or I will call security. In my head I felt so strong and assured of my position that I had now convinced myself that he understood everything that I was saying and was going to humbly leave my apartment, apologizing the whole way. Shockingly this did not happen.
Ayi literally jumped in front of me and joined in the yelling fight, only she had a strong advantage what with her knowing the language and all. She is maybe 2 cms from his face, close-talking him, seemingly shaming him in every which way, while she picks up the money waving it in front of his nose. He starts balking again and by now I have picked up the intercom phone and I am talking to the security person telling him, "You need to come and get him. He has licked my money and I need him to leave my apartment right now!!"
After a little more yelling and what looked like Ayi trying to spat on him, he finally caved. It was only a second before he got on the elevator that he even turned back to hand me my 25rmb change. Once he was gone I hugged Ayi and told her, via google translator app, that she was a rockstar. But the big bonding came only after I translated what I REALLY thought about the Water Guy.... (See screen shot picture.) This all happened three days ago and she still makes me bring up the catchy "A*****e" phrase on my app so we both can laugh while we point at my Alhambra.
Ok, so that's what's been happening for us. Cannot wait to hear what is happening with all of you and your families!!
Love to all of you!!!
JLo, M&M&B
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
.JPG)
