Today I had an "Emily Moment" and left my wallet at Auchan (our version of Wal-Mart). When we went back to see if it had ended up in the lost and found the conversation went something like this, only in broken Chinese.
Eastons: I came this morning and forgot my wallet.
Auchan Employee: What color is it?
Easton's: Brown
Employee: What's inside it?
Easton's: Garden card, bank card, American card, 100 kuai
Employee: What time did you come?
Easton's: About 12:30.
I show them my passport Another employee comes and asks the same questions and we give the same answers - then he says wait here. When he returns he says...
Employee: We have one foreigner's wallet, but I don't know if it's yours, come back tomorrow.
Easton's: Here is my passport you can see the name and the picture, is it the same?
Employee: I don't know if it is yours come back tomorrow.
Easton's: I don't want to come tomorrow, I am here now. You can look at the name inside and my passport.
Employee: Come back tomorrow.
Easton's: It's too much trouble.
Employee: ok wait 20 minutes.
Ten minutes later a different employee shows up with my wallet. I took out the THREE photo ID's that were inside and held them up to my face and asked him if it was the same. With a big smile he excitedly confirmed that it was indeed my face. I signed for it and I was able to take the wallet home with me. It was a total blessing to get it back, sometimes I just can't understand the logic behind the process.
Another Auchan Note: During one of my recent grocery excursions the custodian moped over my feet. I was wearing flip flops. Who knows where that thing has been? Squatty potty? Fish section? Gross.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Just stairs
For any Mitch Hedberg fans out there
"I like an escalator because an escalator can never break. It can only become stairs. There should never be an 'Escalator Out of Order' sign. Only an 'Escalator temporarily stairs. Sorry for the convenience.'"
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Back to School
The school year has started. There are nine on our team, and thousands of students to reach. The task is huge, but not impossible.
Middle school exam scores determine which high school a student will attend, and typically only students who attend a good high school will go to the University. An average day in the life of a high schooler might look something like this:
6am - wake up and read a book - in English
7am - prepare for their day
8am - after a bus or a bike ride, arrive at school
8-5ish - school is very structured, and high pressure, students generally interact with just their teachers and a small group of classmates.
5-6:30 travel home and spend time with parents
6:30-10/11 - homework then bed
(Students often have classes 6, sometimes 7 days a week)
For many of my friends going to college was the only goal they ever have had, and have spent their whole lives up to this point working towards that goal - so they can get a job and make money. Many of our friends say that college is much easier than high school. Almost every college student is in some sense trying to "find themselves" but in China, I feel like this is even more true. For many, college might be the first time they've ever had to ask themselves questions like "How should I spend my free time?" or "Who should I be friends with?"
"Finding Yourself" It seems impossible to actually find yourself until you find your Father and understand how he sees you. Only then can you really know your purpose and really find satisfaction in your heart. It's always sweet when this happens, but when a Chinese brother or sister finds their identity in the Father at this crucial time int their lives, it seems like really amazing things can happen really quickly.
The next few weeks are a really important time of year for us. We want to meet tons of students and show them that there are more purposeful ways to spend their free time than shopping and surfing the internet. We want be the ones to ask them the hard questions that they have never thought about before. We want them to know that they can live for more than a good job that pays. We throw parties and have studies with those who are seeking and we really need your pr@yer. Our hope for this semester is that every major campus would have a group started. We are on our way to seeing that happen.
Middle school exam scores determine which high school a student will attend, and typically only students who attend a good high school will go to the University. An average day in the life of a high schooler might look something like this:
6am - wake up and read a book - in English
7am - prepare for their day
8am - after a bus or a bike ride, arrive at school
8-5ish - school is very structured, and high pressure, students generally interact with just their teachers and a small group of classmates.
5-6:30 travel home and spend time with parents
6:30-10/11 - homework then bed
(Students often have classes 6, sometimes 7 days a week)
For many of my friends going to college was the only goal they ever have had, and have spent their whole lives up to this point working towards that goal - so they can get a job and make money. Many of our friends say that college is much easier than high school. Almost every college student is in some sense trying to "find themselves" but in China, I feel like this is even more true. For many, college might be the first time they've ever had to ask themselves questions like "How should I spend my free time?" or "Who should I be friends with?"
"Finding Yourself" It seems impossible to actually find yourself until you find your Father and understand how he sees you. Only then can you really know your purpose and really find satisfaction in your heart. It's always sweet when this happens, but when a Chinese brother or sister finds their identity in the Father at this crucial time int their lives, it seems like really amazing things can happen really quickly.
The next few weeks are a really important time of year for us. We want to meet tons of students and show them that there are more purposeful ways to spend their free time than shopping and surfing the internet. We want be the ones to ask them the hard questions that they have never thought about before. We want them to know that they can live for more than a good job that pays. We throw parties and have studies with those who are seeking and we really need your pr@yer. Our hope for this semester is that every major campus would have a group started. We are on our way to seeing that happen.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Hong kong-erific
A few pictures from the Easton Family Summer Vacation Extravaganza Extraordinaire. Because England had control over it for a long time Hong Kong is a really interesting place and it has a really different feel from the mainland. For starters everyone had amazing English (which is good, cause we don't speak Cantonese) and they drive on the wrong side of the road. We spent most of our time hanging out at the pool in our swanky hotel, but here's a few pics.
Here we are at Victoria's Peak looking down over the skyscrapers of Hong Kong. To get there we took a rickety tram up a 45 degree angle (No exaggeration). I was fine when we were gaining speed going uphill - but I got a little more nervous when we were gaining speed on the way back down, knowing there was only a small cement wall and a 90 pound Chinese girl at the bottom of the hill to cushion our fall.
Mike's nickname amongst our team here is "rou" which means meat, and he lived up to that name this week. We found a public BBQ pit on the beach - and we made the most of it. We bought a metal grate for a buck, found perfect coals that had been abandoned, scavenged for skewers and made some awesome meat. And for his birthday dinner - Outback Steakhouse.
The awesome beach right next to our hotel.
Our first night we spent inside the city at the cheapest hotel we could find. Hong Kong is known for it's millions of people and it's small spaces and this was no exception. The bed was waaay to short for Mike so we had to pull it out of it's little nook so his feet could hang off the end, which meant we had to move the chair to the other side of the room. The bathroom was also pretty epic. No TP, one towel, the shower head came out of the wall right above the toilet, and the space between the wall and the toilet was so small that there was barely enough leg room for me. I didn't ask him, but I imagine Mike had to do some creative pooping.
Here we are at Victoria's Peak looking down over the skyscrapers of Hong Kong. To get there we took a rickety tram up a 45 degree angle (No exaggeration). I was fine when we were gaining speed going uphill - but I got a little more nervous when we were gaining speed on the way back down, knowing there was only a small cement wall and a 90 pound Chinese girl at the bottom of the hill to cushion our fall.
Mike's nickname amongst our team here is "rou" which means meat, and he lived up to that name this week. We found a public BBQ pit on the beach - and we made the most of it. We bought a metal grate for a buck, found perfect coals that had been abandoned, scavenged for skewers and made some awesome meat. And for his birthday dinner - Outback Steakhouse.
The awesome beach right next to our hotel.
Our first night we spent inside the city at the cheapest hotel we could find. Hong Kong is known for it's millions of people and it's small spaces and this was no exception. The bed was waaay to short for Mike so we had to pull it out of it's little nook so his feet could hang off the end, which meant we had to move the chair to the other side of the room. The bathroom was also pretty epic. No TP, one towel, the shower head came out of the wall right above the toilet, and the space between the wall and the toilet was so small that there was barely enough leg room for me. I didn't ask him, but I imagine Mike had to do some creative pooping.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Honor System Security
Mike and I are headed to Hong Kong for a week of vacation. Mmmmm... Vacation.... So picture this... There we are at the final leg of airport security and it happens. We run our carry-ons through the machine and security spots a Swiss Army pocket knife in Mike's bag. Awesome. We've all been there. You're way too far into the process to do anything about it and at that moment you know you have lost your trusty pocket knife forever. It will be added to their endless pile of of miscellaneous knives, liquids, lighters, gels, explosives, etc. never to be seen again.
Security hands Mike his bag. He starts digging for the knife and then the security lady says "No, no, it's ok, just don't use it on the plane." As I fight to keep a straight face, Mike responds very solemnly "Don't worry, I won't. I promise." Apparently airplane security in China is bassed on the honor system. We were happy to keep the knife, but it makes you wonder about the Chinese security policy.
Security hands Mike his bag. He starts digging for the knife and then the security lady says "No, no, it's ok, just don't use it on the plane." As I fight to keep a straight face, Mike responds very solemnly "Don't worry, I won't. I promise." Apparently airplane security in China is bassed on the honor system. We were happy to keep the knife, but it makes you wonder about the Chinese security policy.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Active
Yesterday I went to the doctor and she listened for the baby's heartbeat. First she heard it on the left side of my belly, then on the right. She would find it really strongly for a while and then it would disappear. AKA our child is already a little spaz and wouldn't hold still long enough to get a reading. The doctor said "your baby is very active."
Active is an interesting word. This word used to describe an adult may imply they are involved in many activities in the community or they are sporty, but when used to describe children, "active" has different connotations. Don't get me wrong I'm super thankful that our kiddo is healthy and strong enough to be swimming around in there... but I can't help but wonder what we are getting ourselves into. Could this be our first glimpse of our child's personality?
Active is an interesting word. This word used to describe an adult may imply they are involved in many activities in the community or they are sporty, but when used to describe children, "active" has different connotations. Don't get me wrong I'm super thankful that our kiddo is healthy and strong enough to be swimming around in there... but I can't help but wonder what we are getting ourselves into. Could this be our first glimpse of our child's personality?
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Our little Avocado
I'm 17 weeks along and this week our little sea monkey is the size of an avocado. At our last ultrasound we got to hear the heartbeat and we got our first ultrasound done. Still no word on weather or not it's a boy or a girl. According to the poll on this blog about 72 percent are pretty sure it's a boy. We'll see! In China the average couple doesn't get to know the gender - but apparently being white makes us above the law. You may notice that my ultrasound says VIP which means very important person in case you didn't know. So far, so good.
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