Korean Food At Its Best

One of the nicest things in my job thus far is getting to know some of my colleagues, and also learn more about the many cultures they hail from.  We have some lovely New Zealand families in our compound that we join to wait for the morning bus, along with a couple from Columbia and England and their cute 2-year-old, and the new hire from Fiji, who lives near the women from Korea and Portugal.  I hit it off with a fun Korean woman at orientation and she has been promising to organize a night of Korean food for some time, and was able to pull us together last weekend for an unforgettable meal of Korean delights. 

Meats ready for the Grill

I’ve long been a fan of Korean food, particularly Chap Chae and bulgogi, and my friend Pearl picked a beautiful refined restaurant with a great view of the main lake of Suzhou in which to enjoy Korean food in all its richness . Perhaps the most delicious food of the evening was those small little dishes that come at the beginning of each meal and touch every taste bud.  There is something for everyone, and the obligatory kim chee, touted as perhaps the healthiest food one can eat (pickled cabbage with lots and lots of red chili paste) is always included. 

I like most of the other dishes, and S. always dives into the kim chee. 

I discovered a new friend with the delicately flavored sesame leaf which was used to make a wrap with beef and pickled cabbage.  I couldn’t get enough, and perhaps ate more than I should have, but I was feeling it, what can I say!  The flavors were spot on, the dishes so well seasoned and meticulously prepared, I felt it was my duty to give it my full attention.
 The company was equally delightful, with my fellow 4^th grade teacher from Australia and his Indonesia wife to my left, a light-hearted fun loving Canadian woman to my right, and a fun Australian couple across from me.  It’s been interesting to see how these IB families operate, how they move their kids and belongings from place to place with grace and through it all remain open and friendly.  It’s sometimes odd to be in the distinct minority as an America, but probably very healthy.  I admit I sometimes enjoy a laugh with an American about something only we would find funny, but it’s been very enriching to have new friends from new places with new ways of thinking and doing things.  The ones from English speaking countries have some very hard-to-comprehend accents, but that also provides some good laughs as well.

Beef ready for the sesame leaf and pickled cabbage

Getting Lost....Yet Again

I am accustomed to getting lost, and I routinely allow extra time for it, and it usually doesn’t phase me.  I expect it to happen like the stop lights turning colors.  It's routine, but nothing to worry about.  This time, however, I was surprised, irritated, and out of ideas as to how to get home.  It began as a run from my apartment to the nearby arboretum, and ended after a long hour of wandering through the various paths and crannies of its far reaches.  I usually stick to an easy loop around the small lake in the middle, then back out and back to our apartment down the same street, but that day I was feeling wild, so I took a right where I usually take a left.  That’s the last thing I remember with any clarity. 

I ran to the left, then ran back to the right. I ran toward the lake, then away from the lake.  Several times I ended at the OTHER end of the arboreteum, where two smoking Chinese men waved at me, thinking I as retracing my steps as part of my regimen.  After about 20 minutes my feet hurt, and the sun was setting.  The arboretum has several golf carts that it uses to haul around prospective brides and grooms and their photographers as they go from one scenic spot to another for a photo shoot. [Note:  In China it’s very common to have elaborate photo shoots pre-marriage, and they often rent the gowns, tuxs, and other costumes for it.  I saw at least 3 couples in Mao costumes striking propaganda like poses, and wondered if they were dressing in those uniforms as a joke, or sincerity, but I had no time (or linguistic skills) to find out.  I ran by the large costume rental shop at least 3 times, but I couldn’t get you there again on a bet.]  I asked at least 3 different drivers where my street was.  I am certain I was saying the right question, but it was met with blank stares, and a shrug.  One fellow actually repeated the name of the street, then said it again with recognition in his voice, but then he pointed me toward the lake, which I knew was not the way home.  

I was supposed to meet S at the entrance gate 30 minutes ago,  he on his motorcycle, and I had visions of him coming round the corner to save me, until I remembered no motorcycles were allowed in he park.  My knight was not coming this time; I was on my own, and had to use the small tool box of my directional wits to get me out of this one.  

I finally got out, but I have no idea how.  S wasn’t waiting at the gate; I assumed he went home and prepared to call Chengdu daughter for emergency Mandarin to file a missing persons report.  

I have some suggestions for the world in general for those of us who are directionally challenged.  (1) Plan any public space on a grid, north goes directly south, and east goes to west.  It works for Manhattan people, and that island is not square to begin with.  (2)  Have emergency phones that people like me can use placed strategically around the world, and (3) ask that people like me be implanted with a GPS homing device like the pigeons.

When I got home, I was amazed how lost I’d gotten, but also quite curious as to where I’d been.  I was wishing I had the ability to see a bird’s-eye-view of my wanderings, but that might have been depressing, in case I was quite close to the exit the whole time.  I am ready for old age, because I’ve already got a rep for this type of getting-lost behavior, and I just own it.  S has suggested I return to my predictable route, and carry a phone.  That prompted a discussion about fanny-packs, which I am not prepared to being sporting.  If I don’t post a blog for another few weeks, check the missing-persons bureau for a picture of yours truly.  There are worse places to get lost, I would say in my defense; at least I have good taste in scenery.

A Blast from our Recent Past

What a Hoot!  "India’s government would like to boost tourism by turning a historic neighborhood into a bustling cultural hub, but many don’t want the noise and congestion it could bring.”  This was the headline in today’s NY Times, obviously written by someone with an epic sense of humor or someone who has never ever stepped a foot into India.  Making something into a “bustling cultural hub” could only improve what is on the street currently, and as for  noise and congestion, those descriptions are synonyms for India’s streets.  Still, I got a great yuk from it, so thanks NY Times!  I especially enjoyed it after reading about the spanking the Democratic Party took yesterday in the legislative elections.   I didn't think Iowa could produce a buffoon larger than Steve King, but it seems I may be wrong. The Palin wanna be was elected...that's just an embarrassment, plain and simple.

I do miss reading the local news, since the yuks abounded in India, but I'm not going to learn to read Mandarin in my life time, so one can only imagine what light hearted sundries I am missing.  I may take to reading the Indian papers again.

Halloween, or, um...Book Week?

Last week at our school was Book Week.  There were various activities throughout the week to celebrate books, and on Friday there was a costume parade where teachers and students chose a favorite book character to dress up as.  About a month ago a tailor came to our staff room during the lunch hour (we have an hour for lunch!) and took measurements and pictures of costumes the staff had in mind.  She also took a lot of money, around 50 US Dollars on average, which is why I didn’t get in the line.  I was talking to a colleague at lunch about how much I enjoyed dreaming up a hand-made costume with Sister #1, and told her who I wanted to be  She quickly said I should just wear a sweater and sweat pants of grey,, and make a cool mask.  I already had a two-dimensional mask of this character (Gerald the elephant from Mo Willems’ wonderful books of Elephant and Piggie), so I was in business.  However, the colleague across the hall took one look at my flat mask, and whisked it away for some improvement.  Two days later, I had an enormous paper mache trunk, supported by a head-gear like apparatus over my head.  In my defense I did paint 3 toes on all 4 of my “feet”, and did a respectable job.   You can see the result of my friend’s efforts here:

As regards the non-Halloween Halloween-like celebration:  it was quite different from a U.S. elementary school celebration, mostly because many students sported plastic knives, swords, machetes, guns of all makes, and the occasional cross bow. The Americans on our staff were rather appalled, but then a Korean friend said perhaps it didn’t register with them as something alarming because when they saw a plastic weapon, they just saw it as another type of toy.  I didn’t jump into a harangue about the domino effect to a less-than-cautious attitude toward weapons , but she had a point.  

I held a “real Halloween” party for 3 classes of ESL students, and I have to report that Ed Emberley still rocks, and that orange Halloween book is a classic.   The students loved drawing witches, bats, and haunted houses, and so did I.  I think I have one more school Halloween in me, but I believe that will be sufficient.  I’m ready to hang up my capes, fangs, and ball gowns for some comfortable shoes and a pair of jeans.  I foolishly purchased tickets to the Chinese Opera for the evening of the 31^st, and I made it about 10 minutes into the production before I woke myself up when my head fell off S’s shoulder.  Halloween is a younger gal’s sport.  PICS HERE:  https://flic.kr/s/aHsk5gGcW5

As you look at some pics I took of the people on parade, note that being a princess is still part of many girl’s dreams, and the boys still love any super hero or monster they can find.  Some things never change.

Lingering Garden

Today’s garden was the Lingering Garden, which is touted as one of the 4 most famous gardens in China, and “one of the best in Suzhou”.  We’re not ready to give that title just yet, but it was quite lovely.  As we approached the garden we walked by the parking lot, which held about 15 buses, and 3 more were unloading.  Even though we left the house at 8:45, it was a beautiful sunny day and it looked like many people had the same idea we had to enjoy the weather and a garden.  At first I wanted to bolt when we were stuck in a cue of about 400-500 people crawling along various paths, but we quickly skirted around the tours with guides talking into extremely loud headphones and found some quiet corners of this extensive garden.  The miniature tree area was beautiful, but I believe my favorite today were the “stone mountains”, limestone peaks which were either set on a pedestal in a tableau, or in small ponds as mountains rising from the water.  I do love the aesthetic at work in the Chinese gardens, as it is ingenious and beauteous.  We want to go back to the garden when a few less hundred people are there, perhaps deep winter here, whatever that feels like, to see more of the structure, and to actually linger, as the title suggests.

Pics of this garden and 2 previous gardens we visited but I failed to blog about due to busy weeks:

LINGERING GARDEN:  https://flic.kr/s/aHsk4SdinP

GARDEN OF CULTIVATION:  https://flic.kr/s/aHsk42WWEX

Couple’s Retreat Garden (contender for best of season):  https://flic.kr/s/aHsk42Wm7P

Shanghai, China's Maximum City

Our family recently reunited in Shanghai, albeit for a few hours while Cameroon-bound Daughter #2 flew through Shanghai after leaving Chengdu, where she was visiting daughter #1.  Shanghai was what you expect it to be:  full of lights, full of people, full of restaurants and shops.  We visited the famous knock-off mall, where I was able to pick up boots, a new billfold, a purse, and a cashmere/wool winter coat tailored just for me for pennies to the dollar.  The rest of the family was able to find items as well, so a good time and hard bargaining was had by all.
We visited many of the sights of Shanghai:  the Bund with its famous skylight starring "the Pearl", the old town alleys, which have mostly been converted into huge tourist "items" venues, and a beautiful central park.  We had the vexing experience of using an app for locating some of our places, only to find once we arrived at the location, it was now a different place, usually a bank.  I believe that quickly changing landscape says a lot about the lightning speed with which China has evolved into a consumer driven society.

Hanging Red Lanterns for National Day

Wednesday began the multiple-day National Day Holidays, and so Tuesday evening at the train station we were one of perhaps 10,000 people who were taking trains to their homes.  Probably more, but the orderliness of the lines and efficiency of moving that many people was impressive.  And a little unnerving, but mostly impressive.  The speed train between Suzhou and Shanghai takes about 23 minutes, and it is very clean and very quiet.  We were glad to get back to relative quiet and calm of Suzhou to relax a few days before beginning work again next week.  Here are some pics of our first Shanghai adventure. https://flic.kr/s/aHsk4DpUBC