All That Matters is Family

I've almost been in China for a week now, time really is flying by. I thought about it, and the first semester of teaching I'm sure will come to an end before I know it. This whole process is going to be very hard on my relationship with Lily, but at the same time, it will be a good test to our endurance. At the same time, learning Chinese and spending more time with Lily's parents will make our relationship very rewarding in the future; I can't wait for the day when I can have a nice conversation with Lily's parents.

I can't even imagine how things will be once Lily leaves, I've relied on her so much for everything; not to mention, she's my love. She, along with her parents, have done so much for me here in China. I have been lost in translation thus far, and it, along with being gone from Lily, will be a test to my patience. However, I have more motivation now to learn the language. I will get through the frustration and difficulty so that I can learn more about China from its people.

Lily's grandfather has so much to offer in the way of stories and Chinese history, I feel very humble in front of him. He was telling me today that he was once a teacher, and he told me about his family; he even offered me a picture of him. From what Lily has told me, he was very much a part of China's "Cultural Revolution." During this time, many teachers were arrested (among them Lily's grandfather), and much of China's society underwent turmoil; it was a generation in which many children did not even go to school. Here's "lao ye" (grandfather in Chinese):

James Gu, Lily's grandfathers' American name, reminds me in some ways of my grandpa; both are adorable, sweet, and love to eat! Who couldn't blame James though, his wife (Lily's grandmother) is an awesome cook! In fact, James was joking around the other day, saying that he's enjoyed "lao lao's" cooking for almost 60 years; wow, what a long time for one marriage.

Lao lao (grandmother in Chinese) has just as much fire in her as Liz. Both have a fun sense of humor, and both are very supportive of family. Lao lao has already taken me in as a grandson, stuffing me with delicious food each time I go over to her place.

She made us all dumplings the other day, which have no comparison to restaurant dumplings. Today, she made us several dishes for lunch; I really do feel like a little emperor in China!

I'd like to talk more about Chinese food, but that in itself is another blog all together (probably the next blog).

Not only have I enjoyed my time with Lily's grandparents, but I have become close with their neighbor, my "ge mener" (which means "bro" in Chinese). This guy really melts my heart, he's a hardworking vendor outside their apartment. Each time I pass by, he and I always shake hands and smile. More than once has he offered me free soda and water; mind you, he has to walk to the store and by everything he sells. Yesterday, I tried offering him 10 yuan for what he gave me, and he refused. I can't measure my appreciation for his unselfish heart, I hope he lives a great life.

Despite the language barrier, Brian's right in saying that body language goes a really long way. It's funny, Lily is always amazed when I can understand their conversation despite my not knowing Chinese. However, it is hard when Lily's dad is always smiling.

Nick Meng, Lily's dad, is one of the most unselfish people I've met in my life. Along with Lily's mom, he has accepted me as his second child. Like me, he enjoys a nice glass of beer, chilling out, and he is always thinking. He has also taken an interest in my well being, as well as my hobbies. Somehow, he already knows about my back problem, and has consistently offered me a variety of remedies; yesterday, he took us all out for a body massage.

He's also a great father.

Today, we drove all over town to acquire paperwork so that Lily can go with me to Hong Kong this Saturday. It's very frustrating, despite Hong Kong now being a part of China, Chinese people are still required to obtain paperwork so they can enter Hong Kong. In America, it's the equivalent of needing a visa to travel to Hawaii or Alaska.

The interesting aspect of this experience was that a travel agent actually drove with us to the police department where Lily could acquire her documents. This would be really bizarre in America, if a person at a travel agency were to go with you to a consulate office to help you process your paperwork; I mean, she actually got in the car and went with us to another side of town.

It was funny, the whole time Lily's mom offered this girl food and drink. Like her father, Lily's mom is a very sweet and unselfish person. She's a small cute lady who has the energy of 10 men. She likes to laugh and tease Lily and me all the time.

She, like Lily's dad, has also made an effort to speak English since I've been here; I can see in her myself attempting to speak another language. She's a lot like my mom in that she always feels the need to be doing something. Both women are hardworking and do whatever they can to help their children.
In any case, I think everything is being to work out. On Saturday, Lily and I will be leaving for Hong Kong, where we will be staying for about a week. Hopefully, I should be able to have my work visa processed and I'll be all set to teach in September.

Like I've said, time is really flying by, and I'm soon approaching the start of a new school year. It will be strange not being a student myself, but I think I'm ready for the next step. I hope that my life will continue to be filled with the wonderful people I've met. I can say that, although we all go through our ups and downs, we feel like nothing works out, in the end, when looking back, we can say "life really is beautiful." I can never say it enough, but I'm so grateful for all the people I've met, the experiences I've had, and the great moments that are all so precious to me.

See you next time in Beijing (tomorrow)!

Love,

Mike