A Brand New Year!

Well, Monday, January 23, 2012 on the Gregorian Calendar marked the first day of the new year on the Lunar calendar. January has been a tough month for me. They don't really believe in breaks here, so in order to get vacation time, you have to make up the work before and after the holiday. So needless to say I was pretty busy with two jobs.... However, I survived! And, I even got a moment to relax. I had the option to go just about anywhere for the Spring Holiday. (mind you it is no where near spring... it is very much cold!) Yet, I chose to work up until the holiday. Also, I couldn't see myself spending a lot of money going anywhere, but home. Just as I was giving up on traveling at all, I met a co-worker of mine. Her English name is Grace. Like most Chinese people, she was going home for the holiday. Vacationing is actually just a foreigner's thing I think. Grace and I became really close about a month ago. She helped go to the doctor, she became my Chinese tutor, a great shopping partner, and a wonderful friend. One day during one of our tutoring sessions, I was expressing how much I missed home, and that I wasn't doing anything for the holiday since I could not be home with my family. She then offered me the invitation to spend the holiday with her and her family. I considered it. She explained where she was from but for the longest only thing I heard was "North" and "Cold". So, I did like my Tri Tri taught me... and I prepared to layer up!!!!

Saturday, the day before New Year's eve, I met grace at our usually KFC. We ate lunch and then we got on the bus to head to the bus station. As I struggle with all my bags off of the bus, Grace says, "Why do you have so much stuff?" "What? ...Girl you ain't freezing me! I got to put on my layers!!!", I replied. She laughed and shook her head. I then understood that she hadn't packed any extra clothes... she was going to wear exactly what she had on for the next five days. I found that to be horrible strange, but that is what the locals do. So, anyway, we rushed up to the bus station and found a bus with room for us. We were lucky we got seats and did not have to wait. It was a three hour bus ride to MengCheng from Hefei. I had my music, but I mostly watched the Jackie Chan movies that were playing. Some people, including Grace, were intrigued that I was laughing at the movie. I reminded her that I had seen the movies in English and I knew what was going on. It's like they think Jackie Chan was only for them...lol. So, we finally arrive in her hometown; and yes, it is too cold!!! I immediately know it was gonna be a long trip. The town was quaint though, ir reminded me of a very old Summerville. We hired a gypsy moto-bike to take us to her house. When we arrived, we were greeted by her little brother Meng Meng. In preparation for me coming, they bout me a heater and a whole lot of Chinese snacks. Her parent's hadn't returned home yet for the evening. I was hungry, but I really didn't want all that stuff. Her brother just kept feeding me peanuts, sunflower seeds, flat bread things, tortilla things, and other stuff that I just don't know what to call it. To be polite I had to try everything at least once. I decided to rest after our trip. So, I took a nap. When I woke up, her parents were home and dinner was being prepared. Her parent's wanted to talk to me so bad; and poor Grace and to do all the Translating. Her parents speak a dialect of mandarin called MengChengnese, which sounds a whole lot like my ghetto Chinese. After while her parent's and I found it quite easy to communicate. lol

Sunday was New Years Eve. We were suppose to go to her maternal grandmother's home, but it had snowed the night before, and the roads were too dangerous to travel. The day before Fu Ma asked me all of my favorite foods.And if I don't know any Chinese at all, I know how to say what I like to eat! Grace and I got to sleep in and woke up a little before lunch. Fu Ma was up preparing the New Year's Eve feast, and she cooked all my favorites! Eggs and Tomatoes, Fried Rice, Beef and Broccoli, Chicken Soup Egg Rolls... It was all there!! There was too much food just for the five of us. I had know idea what she was gonna do with it. I found out later, that she was just gonna keep re-arranging left overs into different dishes until it was all gone. The rice turned into rice porridge, and the eggs and tomatoes turned into egg drop soup! After that meal, I needed to walk that food off. So, Grace and Meng, took me on the tour of the city. Fu Ba bought each of us new boots and warm feet in soles for the holiday. They came in handy walking in that snow and ice. We walked to the city center. Grace explained how the open market used to be the entire town just under 10 years ago. Having the chairman be from Anhui Province, many of the cities have seen a lot of recent development. The city center was a huge gypsy market with any and everything for sale. That was surrounded by a layer of modern stores and businesses. We ended up at the park taking pictures and site seeing. The day was fun, but soon became overwhelming. The locals became increasingly more annoying as they tried to all take a piece of the foreigner. Even poor Grace was getting tired of defending me. So, we headed home. Fu Ma was cooking again. This time getting ready to make dumplings. The traditional dish to bring in the new year. They quickly found out how horrible and left handed I was with chopsticks. I began just poking them to pick them up. They all found it hilarious. For the rest of the evening we watched CCTV new years eve presentation (with English subtitles). Promptly at midnight... I was off to bed!

On Monday, it was off to the country side. Grace's Uncle came to pick us up to take us to where her Grandparent's lived. We briefly stopped  by her maternal grandmothers house since we did not go yesterday. We couldn't stay long though. Holiday's are usually celebrated with the husband's side of the family; and the in-laws are usually the ones in the kitchen preparing the lunch. All her grandparent's were thrilled to see me. They just kept patting me and rubbing my hand. They were talking about me, and Grace told me just to say thank you in Chinese and nod my head. So, I did and it worked. Her family kept giving me seeds and nuts. It would have been rude to turn them down, so I just kept taking them. For the next couple of days, even when I got back to Hefei, I was pulling pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds, peanuts, pastachios... just random snacks out of my pockets. Though, it was a bit helpful on the bus ride back. The people who I found very intriguing at the party was one of Grace's cousin and his new fiance. They has just gotten engaged after knowing each other for three days. It was an arranged marriage for these two 20 year olds. I felt a bit sorry for both of them. He was pressured into it by his mother, and her life was now his. It seemed a bit surreal to see it first hand. It terrified Grace. She was 24 and expected to be married by 25. Her Aunts and Uncles gave her a little bit of a hard time. She was suppose to bring a boy home...not me!!! But, there was this one Aunt. She was a teacher, which made all the difference. She was ecstatic that Grace had an American friend and wanted to know if she would be going to America. She wanted to give Grace money, and offered to do whatever she could to help Grace if she wanted to go abroad. They did the Chinese Money fight. Her Aunt tried to make her take the money, and Grace refused. That was a big eye opener for me. How quick I would say thank you and gladly accept the money whether I need it or not. With all that I was seeing and experiences, I knew it was a great idea for me to be on this trip.  The day was long, and my feet hurt with cold. It felt good to go home and put on my pink slippers. The Fu's enjoyed me watching me struggle to eat dumplings again for dinner. I taught Grace and her Mom how to hula-hoop. I helped Meng with his oral english; and Fu Ba taught me MengChengnese.

The next day was pretty easy going. We spent the day in the city center. We went to the movies to see Thor. I had already seen it, but it was fun. I was more into talking with the locals that day. So, we laughed and tripped; as I let them practice their English and they tested my Chinese. On the way home, we bought our wishing lanterns. I was beyond excited to finally be able to do one. I wrote the names of most of my loved ones on mine. I didn't really have a wish or a dream. I just wanted my family to know that I loved them and I missed them. All I really wanted was to be home, but I know what I am doing has a purpose and it will be beneficial one day. So, you know the deal, I keep striving and moving forward. My lantern took flight, and I made up in my mind it was going to make it all the way to America. Grace's wasn't so lucky. She wrote love and happiness and money on hers. It didn't leave the yard. Just blew up in flames. I took that moment to share with her. I told her her love and happiness was right here. I told her to find her own peace and make her own money. Those things she didn't need a wishing lantern for. She was upset. So, she told me my lantern was probably stuck in a tree somewhere in MengCheng! lol. So rude! We fought and then laughed.. My lantern made it to America!!!!

Wednesday was bitter-sweet. I was ready to get back to Hefei, but I was going to miss the time with her Family. It almost felt like the day I left America. It took all of my strength not to turn back, and to get on that plane. In my best ghetto Chinese, I told the Fu's bye. Fu Ma gave us some cakes and apples for the trip, and I had all my seeds. They took us to the bus station. As we were getting on the bus, Fu Ba told Fu Ma to tell your daughters bye. I understood what he said, and I looked back. Fu Ma said, "Zai Jian Wo de Lian ge Nu Er". That translates to see you later my two daughter. That was too sweet. I was touched. As, the bus pulled off. Grace and I, both, tried to hold back that one little tear. We caught each other and starting laughing. The ride back how was peaceful for the most part. I will tell you more about that in another blog. Anyway, we arrived back in good old Hefei! The only thing we wanted to do was soak up some heat! We checked into a Bath house. We spent the night, and the next day, pampering ourselves. We had milk baths, body scrubs, massages, manicures, food, and shopping. It was a good end to our holiday.

Going on this trip was all that I could have asked for. It wasn't my family, but it felt so much like home. Being around the Fu's showed me that love does not have a language. I plan to do some good travelling soon. Don't worry! But, for my first trip this perfect. Really China... uninhibited. and down to earth. It made me realize my blessings here and back home. Sometimes, it really is the little things!

Stay tuned... I will tell you what happened on the bus ride home. I couldn't add it to this post b/c of its nature.

As always, keep me in your thoughts and your prayers, as you are in mine! Love ya!