PTCs

Parent. Teacher. Conferences. (PTCs)

I never blogged about the first round of PTCs we had in early November, after the end of first quarter. It was really busy at that point in time. Clara was still here visiting at that time, the conferences were held at night--which meant for long days, and I was pretty exhausted from all that had been going on at that time. However, I think many of my readers who are teachers would be interested in this topic. 

Parents of four of my 13 students showed up. And of course, the students whose parents I wanted to meet with the most didn't show up--those would be the ones who have the disciplinary issues, learning problems, bad study skills, or attitude roadblocks. I met with the parents of some of my most stellar, driven, and dedicated students. It's frustrating because the ELL students are the ones that need the PTCs the most at international school (well, probably at any school with an English-based curriculum!). If not for meeting ELL standards and succeeding in their acquisition of the English language, then these students are likely not to excel in all the other core subjects at school--social studies, science, electives, and even math. Without English, students are lost in mainstream classes. What good does that do them when applying to universities?  

Ahhhh, the grumblings of a teacher. To you experienced, wizened old teacher fogies (yes, that includes you, Dad), I know you are thinking, "par for the course, young grasshopper." OK, maybe not in those precise words, but I realize that I am young, fresh, and naive in your eyes. But don't squash my optimism and idealistic hopes for altruism within the educational context. 

In speaking with the parents I did meet with, new ideas were spurred and the creative wheels and cogs started turning to get new projects, assignments, and practices in place for the betterment of my students and their English education. I did get to meet with the mother of my lowest-level Elf, which was encouraging. 

Parents of ELL students who are in my class are almost always ELLs themselves, if not non-English speakers. Usually they come into PTCs with a translator--be he/she one of our TAs, a private tutor/friend, their spouse or another trusted friend or family member, or, yes, even their own children. You can imagine the problems that situation presents. How do you have a PTC with the student present? Or with a brother or sister interpreting the meeting? How do you trust the accuracy of the Elf's translation, for one--because he/she is an ELL and wouldn't be in my class if it weren't for a lack of communicational skills in the English language. And for another, what's to say that the kid isn't purposefully interpreting incorrectly, or omitting content?

To end on a brighter note, how often, other than at an international school in Asia, do you get complimented and repeatedly told at the end of every PTC that you are "very beautiful," "gorgeous," and have "the most lovely hair."?? Oh, do go on. Tell me more about myself as you walk out the door. I love it!!!

German Baked Goods

I have started ordering varied breads and baked goods every week. There is a German bakery based in Shanghai that delivers to many international schools and other locations in the greater-Shanghai vicinity. Thursday is delivery day at our school, AIAN. We just have to have the order submitted online by Wednesday at 4pm, and Thursday afternoon, voilá! We have fresh-baked bread! Just check out all that heavenly bread! I have been trying a different type (or a couple different types?!) each week--potato bread, rolls, cinnamon-raisen bread, cheesy breads, holiday special breads! Sooooo delish!

I might OD on carbs. It's especially hard to pace myself as I sample all of the holiday deliciousness! For our party, I ordered an array of various holiday cookies: shortbread, gingerbread, spritz, etc. It made me really miss baking Christmas cookies with my mom (which hasn't happened in years). I also ordered our Gingerbread house that we assembled and began decorating:

Planting seeds

My Eco Team (comprised of six 10- and 11-year old boys) planted veggie, herb, and flower starts today, that are now growing in the "greenhouse" area of my classroom.

They first researched the soil, sunlight, and water needs of each plant, and we used acidic or basic potting soil based on each plant's needs. They dug soil from outside, later combining it with potting soil, to fill recycled containers, juice cartons, and milk jugs for pots. I'll make labels for the pots tomorrow.

I can't wait for them to start sprouting on my classroom windowsill! And for the boys to nurture them and watch them grow!

Waste-Free Lunch Day and the campaign to reduce lunch waste is next on the agenda. Also (hopefully) soon to come are school-wide composting systems and an energy-awareness/saving campaign!

GO ECO-TEAM!

Jett's hiccups

The promised footage of our puppy's hiccups (pretty much a daily occurrence)...

Let the Holiday Rumpus begin!

Thanksgiving, as with many other holidays in the expat community around here, was celebrated in rounds and with gusto. 

As you saw in posts prior, I set to busily bake breads (intentional alliteration) on Wednesday evening, while watching a fave holiday movie, Miracle on 34th Street (it starts out with Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade). It's a tradition in my family that we have that movie playing on repeat (as dad watches it through his eyelids while snoozing on the couch), among other holiday movies (such as the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving) over the long Thanksgiving weekend. I was setting the mood for my holiday baking.

On Thursday at school, I brought some of my mini muffins (banana and corn breads) to share with my students and Chinese colleagues at AIAN. Bit hit. I also taught the high schoolers how to draw turkeys from the outline of their hands. Also a big hit (almost equally as exciting as the food, apparently). Go figure, but international kids never learned how to make paper hand-cutout turkeys when they were in kindergarten.

Thursday Thanksgiving dinner was spent with fellow Americans living in our international community. One of our American families hosted the gathering of about 50 other American citizens and families. It was a traditional "family" holiday gathering: kids running around, American football on the TV, the Macy's Day parade being aired live (because while it was our evening here in China, dawn was breaking on the East Coast), and, of course, so much food with which to overfeed yourself (all the traditional foods: stuffing, turkey, corn casseroles, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, apple and pumpkin pies and other apple/pumpkin crisp desserts of various sorts).

Meal time!

Kari and I on Thanksgiving, with the feast table behind us

And it's already beginning to look a lot like Christmas at AIAN.
Thanksgiving Day, the PTA moms (as well as a couple dads)
set to decking the halls for the Holiday Bazaar this weekend.

Friday was Day One of the Holiday Bazaar and Book Fair at AIAN. Vendors and merchants were there selling their wares alongside our StuCo (Student Council/ASB). It was a busy day, with classes still going on, and people trafficking the school building and halls as well. But it was delightful, because holiday atmosphere is now in full swing! It's so homey and warm, while the weather is wet and blustery outside.

Gingerbread making and festivities abound!
Our dining room table was covered with...
... SUGAR!

That evening, Kari and I hosted a holiday "open-apartment," for the simple purpose of enjoying one another's company, in the spirit of sharing joyous holiday merriment! Instead of the "American" Black Friday shopping tradition, we practiced our combined traditions of holiday activities, preparing for the Christmas season:  

* playing Christmas music

* sipping on cider and mulled (spiced) wine

* making count-down paper chains

* cutting snowflakes

* decorating a gingerbread house and cookies

* playing games

* watching/playing movies in the background (namely White Christmas)

Catch Phrase is quite entertaining with combinations of
various ages, languages/nationalities represented in the room.

Knitting and crafts in the living room

Cookie decorating

Kari eyes Javier's cookie

Diego takes completes the pass and makes a run for it!
(It actually resulted in a touchdown!)
There is a great series of photos & video footage I shot from this game

Thanksgiving celebrations continued on Saturday. The Holiday Bazaar continued at school, and in the afternoon, we had a game of flag football. All ages. Jett and I hung out on the sidelines and taught the other little girls hanging around a couple of cheers. We ran around the track (with Jett) chanting them and doing our best to fill the "Cheerleader" role, "L-E-T-S-G-O, let's go, let's go! L-E-T-S-G-O, let's go!!"

The evening was filled with more turkey, stuffing, gravy and mashed potatoes, another batch of my cornbread, veggies & casseroles, rolls, and even cranberry sauce this time! Dessert was worth seconds as well: pecan pie, my banana bread, and other yummies! This time around, the community feast was hosted at the Cup o' Joe cafe. The night culminated with roasting mallows and making s'mores, while sitting 'round the fire pit singing to the guitar, as well as playing some lively rounds of charades and other games. Photos from that night to come.

I can't wait to watch my other holiday traditional movies when we go on break in a few weeks: It's a Wonderful Life, Holiday Affair, A Christmas Carol, and the holiday special animated shorts such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas, as well as the claymation series of: Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and Frosty the Snowman, among others. 

 

Prepositions

My Elves are learning about prepositions in class. Sometimes, when I say, "my Elves are learning," I really mean to say that I am teaching them about the topic, and don't qualify that only some of them are learning. I have a few obstinate, typical teenagers who resist any attempts of communicate. Sometimes my efforts to get them to respond and let me know whether or not they understand are futile (remember my tombstone at Halloween time?? "Ms. Lichten died trying to pull answers out of her students.").

Anyway... about those prepositions... they actually ARE learning these! And interacting, and getting excited! Thinking back to my middle school days, one of the most vivid memories I have is of my eighth grade language arts class' preposition dance. Aboard (the train), above (store the suitcase in the overhead bin)... (dribbling a basketball) beyond, by (shoot the basketball)...

So, of course, I created my own version of a Mr. Saffold-inspired Preposition Dance/Story. All my kinesthetic learners--especially my goofy 6th graders--LOVE this learning activity. And I have reminded myself and re-memorized nearly all the prepositional words and phrases! They all flooded back to me with the motions!

Here is the sixth-graders' version of the Preposition Drama/Story in full. It's around six minutes long, but if you skip through various parts, or just watch the beginning, you'll get the idea. (I know some of you will want to watch the whole thing, to witness more of the personalities of some of the students I have in class.)

Even my 8th and 10th graders have memorized the prepositions effectively, and I know they were super annoyed at the thought of having to get up and move to learn... "You want me to get underneath a table? What?!" I let them read the story and have the 7th graders do all the motions since they like running and bumping around and squatting below tables and such. I have my 6th graders on video. They are the best storytellers and movers! The motions really help with the understanding and memorization of these words that indicate location, direction, and/or position.

Also related to prepositions, I have had this catchy song stuck in my head for the last week and a half during the prepositions unit.

Giving thanks for students

My students know how much I love candles! One of my sixth graders brought me a bunch since her dad makes candles. Sweetest family ever. "Happy holidays since today is after Thanksgiving for you," she said, as my Christmas music played in the background. I am very thankful. My elves are so smart and attentive to details!
Giving thanks.

Preparing for Turkey Day

Mmmm baking breads (banana and cornbread) and sipping on mulled (spiced) wine while watching Miracle on 34th Street. There is plenty to be thankful for here in China too this week!

And after all his messes I have cleaned up in these weeks, Jett was there, attentive and on guard, awaiting any accidental messes I might make in the kitchen!

Just a Day in the Life in China

I got asked to be in a photo with Chinese tourists at the supermarket… again. They just want pictures with the laowai. Our hair and skin are so different to them. And they love to practice their three-word English vocabularies. (As do I with my survival-Mandarin vocab.)

• Thank you 谢谢 (xièxie, pronounced like “she she” with falling tones)
• You’re welcome 不客气 (bùkèqi, pronounced like )
• Goodbye 拜拜 (báibái, pronounced "bye bye") or  再见 (zàijiàn, pronounced like “sigh” “jen”)
• No problem 没问题 (méiwèntí, you can just guess how that one’s pronounced. I don’t have the energy to write it phonetically) 

I flash the peace sign and shoot back my Mandarin vocabulary in exchange. I wasn’t thinking this time, but I should’ve had Kari take a photo of them taking pictures with me (or vice versa). They are astonished by her red hair; but it's totally normal for people to stare at that. ;)

It really is quite funny, but suffice it to say that we have all become strangely accustomed to being a novelty photographic subject.

Jett update

One of our colleagues commented that our puppy Jett is probably the most well-cared for dog. He definitely is not attention-deprived, with three mommies to take care of him. Kari, Kate, and I have a schedule that outlines who has dog duties and when (see schedule below). It's a good thing Kari is a very early-morning person, and I'm more of a late night person. She takes the crack-of-dawn-relief duties and exercise, and then feeds him. Around 7:30/45am, I walk him on a quick potty walk right before school. We take turns walking him during our planning/lunch periods. And then late afternoon and evening supervision varies, depending on the day and schedule. Auntie Mama Kate has a nice place with a bed and supper bowl for Jett to sleep over on Thursdays, so he is out of the way of the Ayi (cleaning lady) on Fridays. We are getting very good at communicating our schedules and who has the pup when!

In the last few weeks, we have probably talked about him more than our friends Matt and Julie talk about their twin sons. On that note, let me brag share/brag about my Jett puppy... He did the most hilarious romp and frolic around the house after we came back in from his 10-minute potty walk this morning. When we came back inside, we played with his chew toy and he ran circles and figure eights around the whole apartment... tearing around the rooms, jumping on and off the furniture, his slightly-moist paw pads squeaking and rubbing, and little toenails clicking against the "wooden" floor--it's not real wood. (Usually he just slides and glides across the floor, but his paws were still a bit damp from the walk). It was SO entertaining. I'll have to catch it on video sometime. I love it when that puppy-spurt of energy bursts out. 

He knew what was coming though. After playing retrieve a couple times, tugging on the chew toys with me some more, and practicing a bit of sit/stay/down/bang-play-dead... I gave him a treat and carried him to his kennel. Immediate whining and crying. I hate leaving our baby! Hopefully we can puppy-proof the apartment and trust him at home all by himself. At this point though, the teething and chewing have us worried that he'll tear up our blankets and gnaw off buttons of clothes hanging on our drying racks! He really likes buttons and "digging" to "burrow" into the futon couch/bed. When we are more confident with his house-brokenness too, will will trust that his won't leave piddle puddles in the study (the "danger zone" as Kari likes to call his fave relief locale).

I will leave you with a cute video of him "sitting"... which is hard to do on wooden floors.

I hope to catch video of him hiccuping soon (which, strangely, he does on a regular basis).

Global Community

This morning (Sunday), about 150 or more international, global citizens from all over the world joined together for a time of fellowship, to praise and worship the Lord. I was overwhelmed with such powerful feelings of joy and prayerfulness, in the beautiful circumstance of this intentional gathering.  So many brothers and sisters in Christ were present--Africans from Nigeria, Chad, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mali, Ethiopia, Asians from Indonesia, Japan, all over China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, some Europeans, and many other locations. I was one of two North Americans. THESE are true Christians. Sharing and showing love for mankind. The nearly two-hour service was followed by a time of further fellowship during the weekly luncheon. There was much socialization and I was so comforted by the sense of community, even if it is a transient group. The meetings have been happening for years, but the people come and go. It's a beautiful set up. I will definitely be going back. I can't wait to meet more of these people!

Stories from my ELL classroom

Pronunciation, Linguistics, and Speeches...

Working on pronunciation of the L versus R sounds last week with an elf who is a native Korean speaker, I used the beginning of Lady Gaga’s song “Bad Romance” to differentiate between the two sounds. My elf took that reference and ran with it. He LOVES that song. I couldn’t get him to stop singing it, “La Ra-Ra Ra Ra…” (a.k.a. my theme song... LA-RA). I had him implement the fingers-in-mouth technique to get him to feel the shapes his mouth is supposed to make to form the L and R sounds. (If you want to try this at home, put your finger in your mouth, in between your lips and teeth. Say “La.” Your tongue should hit your finger. Say “Ra.” Your teeth, and maybe even your lips, should hit/close around your finger.)

Another story… When working on completing a worksheet about definite and indefinite articles (the/a/an), the word “zoo” came up. Asians often times have trouble with the sounds L and R, S and Z, TH and GH. Can you guess how the word “zoo” came out sounding? “Jew.” The Elf couldn’t even hear the difference. Then he started saying “chew.” Jew to Chew. Progress? I’m not so sure. We practiced making what I refer to as “the buzzing bee sound” zzzzzzzzz…. And then put on the “oo” sound at the end. He could make the buzz, but just couldn’t combine it with the rest of the word. We moved on to other examples of Z sounds. Speech impediments are hard to work with. Thank God I understand Linguistics! The other Koreans and Chinese students had no problem with the word.

Today, we were talking about the students’ current events articles that they bring in weekly to learn new vocabulary and have class discussions. One of my students brought an article about Obama and Romney’s campaign-spending. In discussion of U.S. presidential candidates, Elf #1 said, “Obama is A Frickin’ American.” What?! Come again? “Frickin’ American!” Hmmm? “Black!” Oh, “African American.” Yes, yes he is, young Elf. Then Elf #1 was describing what he heard Obama stands for, telling us, “Obama like China and South Korea. He say they good.” Then he said, “Obama like Usher.” Again, what?! The rapper? How does he know that Obama likes Usher? Elf #2 chimed in, “Oooooh, Asia!!!” Speech impediments and accents make for entertaining guessing games.

In other classroom happenings, we have just finished a unit on speeches. The topic/prompt for the speech unit was "a time you were scared." Students were given prompt questions (the 5Ws and "How" question words) to help them create a complete written speech. Then they wrote drafts and edited/revised, finally practicing pronunciation and dictation, and delivering their speeches in front of not only their classmates, but also other AIAN faculty members made up the audience. The Elves delivered their speeches, gave each other feedback, did self evaluations, and received evaluations and feedback from me too. Clara video recorded the delivery of their speeches last week Friday. This week, we have been reviewing, evaluating, and learning from this experience, to grow and strive to be better during the next round.

Diwali

We went to a Diwali celebration (an Indian heritage Festival of Lights) in Ningbo, hosted at one of the big hotels there, the Sofitel Wanda Plaza Yinzhou. Diwali is one of the most important festivals for families of Indian heritage around the world and, in brief summary, is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil. I just wanted to share a couple photos and video clips of some of the dancing. 

TOO BAD YOU CANNOT PARTAKE IN OUR CULINARY EXPERIENCE;
WE ATE FROM A SMORGASBORD OF SOME
OF THE MOST DELICIOUS, FLAVORFUL INDIAN FOODS!

The crowd loved it. 

By the end of the night, we were some of the only non-Indians left standing,

and we totally nailed this stick dance... not.

Kids danced too!
They must have practiced these various routines and skits for months!
Er, rather, their moms must have made them practice for months!
It's always great to see the moms dancing off on the sidelines.

Dancers and kisses and queens and Donald Duck and Knee Caps...

Shanghai trip travel stories, continued

Once in Shanghai, Clara and I had to navigate the metro system and travel for an hour and a half to get out to the Pudong Airport, which is on the eastern side of the city, when we had come into the bus station in the southwest area.

Subway riding always presents an element of excitement, in that you never know who you might meet or observe or share encounters with along the way. Today just happened to be an exceptional story to the more common, humdrum experiences.

A cha cha dancer from South Malaysia approached us on the Shanghai metro and began practicing English with us. His opener/pick up line was (to me), "You look like Cinderella," and (to Clara), "and you look like Snow White." In response to his haring that he is a cha cha dancer, I told him I was a ballet dancer, and then he asked Clara what she danced, and she said tap. Then he said, "Have a good day in Shanghai," and kissed me on the cheek. Three times. Wet ones. I wanted to sanitize my slobbered-on cheeks. So bad.

Clara ducked out and was practically in the lap of the Chinese woman next to her. We thought the conversation might have ended. But no. Then he said to me, "My dance teacher tell me I have cheeks like Donald Duck and she touch my cheeks (demonstrating and grabbing for my hand)." Clara and I immediately shuffled down the train car a ways to "find some open seats." Clara pulled her hood over her head to cover her cheeks.

Unfortunately, he followed us, and then proceeded to take photographs of both of us on his ancient Kodak camera before carrying out a very lengthy set of repeated goodbyes and telling us a few more times how his dance teacher is a queen and calls him Donald Duck when she touches his cheeks, and he washes her feet. In reply, Clara commented, "It sounds like you have a really personal relationship with your dance teacher." He proceeded to ask Clara if she wanted to be his new dance teacher and touch his cheeks (to which Clara said, "No, that's weird."), before he finally bid us ado one last time and walked away from us, down the metro train. We could only hope he actually exited the train. We were so slaphappy (from the all-nighter and pure comic nature of the encounter), and peeled over in laughter. And yes, I whipped out my hand sanitizer and did sanitize my entire face, which by that point, was probably crawling in his heebie-jeebies.

It's not that I have never had encounters similar to this one before. I may not have documented them, but I have definitely had strangers in parks, on public transportation, at beaches or festivals, and even during parent teacher conferences, approach me and begin talking very candidly about my physical features and notable cultural differences. Sometimes I get a candy or a free gift. Other times just some really nice, or just plain strange compliments.

Contrary to the metro ride to the airport with Clara, my metro ride solo after dropping her off, to the train station in order to get back to Ningbo, was quite pleasant. I met a Mexican man who lives in France and is here in Shanghai on business for a food/service industry trade show/conference. We enjoyed a nice, normal chat for about a half hour before he left to meet his couch surfing host.

Once in the train station, I had an hour to kill so I explored the limited vendors and shopping options. I went to get tea out of a vending machine, and couldn't figure out how to retrieve my bottle from the machine, once I had paid and it had been dispensed. Like an idiot from another era, I had to have a young man show me how to fish it out of the machine. Just goes to show how often I ever buy things from vending machines!

I'm on my way back home to Ningbo, with the rest of this bullet train ride and a taxi ride back home to the Beilun district. Who knows what could happen...

(Not to worry "The Bob Duncan"... I totally had that whole creeper on the metro situation under control. No, we were not in danger of having our organs harvested, getting "taken," or needing to have our kneecaps sent back to you. Besides, no offense to your body, I don't think our 5'4" bodies' kneecaps would fit yours.)

Bus blogging

It was time to make the trek back to Shanghai for Clara's return trip to the US, after her three-week visit/stay with me here in China.

After spending all of last night out at the Indian Diwali festival (see another blog post for details, colorful photos, and videos on that topic!), we packed Clara's remaining items up. At 5am, we took a 45-minute taxi ride back into Ningbo to the Ningbo South bus station. Our bus left at 6am.

A little more than an hour into our 2.5 hour bus trip, the bus stalled. The engine was turned off and we sleepily waited. Minutes passed and I groggily woke up to gather my bearings. We were in the middle of some road where a police blockade was set up. There was no oncoming traffic on the other side of the freeway either. And, being the only laowai on the bus, we didn't do anything but sit and observe for a while. We had a one-hour buffer in our travel time calculations before we HAD to be at the airport.

After about a half hour, passengers started getting antsy. The driver started screaming angrily out the window at the po-pos. Sometimes it is hard to tell if Chinese people are actually angry (because some tones are just so harsh and they oftentimes speak excessively loudly anyway). But in this instance, it was apparent that the driver, and the 48 other passengers were livid. I invoked my google-translate privileges on my iPhone (yay 3G + VPN!) and attempted communication with the couple behind us. Apparently the road/bridge spanning the bay was closed due to fog. Really? The fog wasn't even that bad. We could still see the road for at least 150 meters in the distance. That's enough, right?

Eco-Team

On Tuesday, my ASA (After School Activity; which runs Tues/Thurs from 3:30-4:30) Eco-Team munchkins wanted to do the environment some good. They asked if we could clean up the (already pretty cleanly) campus and then head out to the surrounding neighborhood of Li Ren to do a trash pick up. I grabbed some recycled plastic bags and gloves from the kitchen, and we headed out into the crisp November air.

Everything was going well, until I almost had a heart attack when one of the "elves" who doesn't understand much English picked up a stick and stood along a wall at the river's edge to fish out some trash, nearly falling in. There was no way I'd jump into that nasty river to save him! (Ok, well, maybe if I absolutely had to...)

Picking up trash alongside the river

Fishing for trash

"NO NO NO NO NO!" I shouted, dropping the camera and running to bring him away from the banks. No wonder I'm hoarse. Reigning in six ten-year-old (ELL) boys is no picnic!

This was the day when Jett came home with us.
(See him off in the distance with the boys?
Most of them loved having the puppy along)

But when all was said and done, we had a good time scavenging the area, and, all combined, the boys collected nearly enough garbage to fill a whole bin!

Eco-Team!

Cupping

Yeah, you read that right. Cupping. On Sunday afternoon, after a late night, er, early morning in Ningbo at Oktoberfest, Clara and I pampered ourselves (? hmmm, I'm not sure if that's the right term... since (relative) torture was to ensue) by going to get a massage and have some Chinese homeopathic remedies applied to release toxins from the depths of our muscles.

This statement serves as your *Mature Content*/Not-for-the-"feint of body"-or-lightheaded-viewer warning.

Clara is into experimenting with Chinese comfort services (for example, she's already experienced: hair washing/styling, manicures and hand massages, and now a full body massage). Given that each hour-long full-body massage costs just $10, we went with a friend who gets therapy there every week. She asked if we wanted to have the cupping technique performed on our backs while we were there, as she has it done quarterly, just to get the toxins out of her muscles and the blood flowing. I'd heard about Asian cupping therapy, and seen and heard of the effects of its techniques on various friends who have lived/are living in Asia. I figured that, with all of my allergies and health problems, the cupping would be a good homeopathic/natural remedy to try...

Yeah, that's a flame. First the flame is stuck up inside the jar
(before it is applied to the back).

Then the jar is suctioned against the back.

Repeat, repeat, repeat, etc.

Clara's turn.

Remember that warning/caution disclaimer at the start?
Don't get too squeemish over this one. I have other close up photos that are way more grotesque.
The jar sucks the skin into a bulbous bubble inside itself.

Clara 

Me

Our backs when removing the jars after ~15 minutes were marked, to say the least. The darker/redder the circles, the more toxins & tension, or "bad, unhealthy areas" as the therapists refer to them. Those toxins are being released from the inner muscles and circulation of the blood is stimulated, filtering the toxins out of one's system. That's why they say one must drink lots of water to flush your body out. 

Unfortunately, despite all the water I have been drinking, supplements I have been taking, and additional vitamins and Emergen-C/Airborne I have been taking, I am now feeling the onset of getting sick (sore throat, congestion). I think it's because of a mixture of things (allergies, lack of sleep, new dog, weather change to cold climate, the massage and cupping messing my toxins up, etc.)

The tools of torture

The after-therapy photo: we decided to leisurely stroll
the 10 blocks home, walking through the riverside park

Enjoying the crisp, fall Sunday afternoon.
Relaxed (and sore/throbbing) from our early-afternoon therapy.

The state of the cupping bruises that night were
a comical, yet throbbing red/purple Twister board on my back,
the blood pulsating through the swelling mounds.

The day/night after. Swelling gone down,
bruises forming. Sensitive shoulders!

Now, nearly four days after the occasion, my left shoulder's circles have trickled out like runny watercolors, seeping across my back and shoulder and underarm, the color of a bruised banana. No news or big surprise to me that all the ickyness lies in that region. Thanks, grit under my left scapula. Popping and rubbing. Hopefully, with a detox cleanse and more massaging, those bodily evils will decamp and exit my body. Here's to health in China!

Domestic Partnership & Family Stuff

(In the spirit of the current happenings with Washington State's big Referendum 74; though we're not senior citizens, nor are we getting married, we are celebrating our "domestic partnership" and growing "family.")

The Apt. 1203 "family" is growing. Kari and I, still in the early stages our plutonic, domestic partnership (already declared "Partners" in Facebook relationship terms), welcomed Clara into our home nearly three weeks ago now.

Awkward family photo with new addition:
Kari, then me, then Clara

Things are moving fast. Already we have the joy of announcing yet another member of our happy little (growing) family...

Ladies and gentlemen, meet...

... Jett.

The acquisition of the puppy story in a nutshell:
(written in the style that one of my ELL students might formulate, with the help of a translator)

One of our first encounters with the stray puppy

Black puppy wandering neighborhood of Li Ren Gardens and AIAN school grounds for past few week. Many sighting and friendly encounters with jovial, frolicking, and friendly (but dirty) pup. Puppy spotted eating trash. Many time. Various schoolchildren volunteer babysitting and taking care of pup. Names such as for example "Hey Hey" (equivalent of "blacky" in Chinese), Shadow, etc. bestowed on him. School bus driver wanting adopt puppy after close encounter nearly running him over (the dog has no apparent awareness for the dangers of traffic).

Inquiries and investigations with students (cousin/niece of "owners" in particular) about puppy's "home" reveals he sleeped under deck of apartment building, in dirty hole. Eats garbage and not allowed in the home. His "owner" is the son of man who vehemently opposition to dog owning. Therefore lack of mindfulness.

Sleeping with new toy on cozy sheet.
(Clara beading in the background.)

After taking the puppy into our apartment for Tuesday night, we Buyed collar and leash and food and toy and flea medicine. Brainstorm names, choosed Jett (Jett Black). Clara and me giving him shower in the bathing suits (much scratch on chest and legs and whining and barking yap). Because he have dandruff. Clean soft puppy happy. No get on furnitures. In old sheet bed and he sleeped all night! Only peed and pooped in study room three times. good thing we puppy-proofed apartment (at least he's potty trained to go in one place consistently!).

Let him back loose in neighborhood to play during daytime of the Wednesday. Because the teachers at international school no can be dognappers. Bad for reputation. then Talked to the his "owners" who gave the permissions to take him because they did not want to let him inside during winter or give to him food or care for him. But he has almost six months and they already gived him all vaccinations shots. just the need to get him the Operation to take away his the Male Reproduction Organs.
[End ELL style writing].

Story told (with many details left out; so this means--yes, Mom, Audrey, Susi, Kathryn, and Gramma--details will have to be for later conversations), with the consent of his former so-called "owners," we are now his official mommies. Actually, Kari calls me the "Mom #1" because I am the rule enforcer and cleaner-upper and trainer. I've had lots of puppy-training experience... especially in the last couple years with Feijão and Tekila in Costa Rica. Hopefully we'll get on the same page when it comes to training and discipline though; we are working on coordinating our sign language commands. Kari does early-morning outdoor exercises with him, and I do the late night potty walk. While Clara is here, she does the daytime puppy care and exercises. Clara and Kate are "aunties" who spoil and play with him. Kate already has plans to spoil him and buy him stuff; this is a community investment. We have many families who have offered to puppy sit while we travel during holidays and such. The head-of-school has already suggested that we need a mascot, and the knitting club is on top of making him costumes and sweaters and scarves to accessorize our new "thunder eagle" purple and gold mascot.

Auntie Kate, Momma Kari, Mommy Lara, Jett, Auntie Clara

Momma Kari, Auntie Kate, Jett, Mommy Lara, Auntie Clara

Auntie Kate, Momma Kari, Mommy Lara, Jett, Auntie Clara

This pup is going to be well-taken care of. Oh the plans we have.