December 29, 2007
The theme for the Olympics in 2008 is One World. One dream. Yesterday, we went to a park and there was a sign that was counting down the days until the Summer Olympics. There were about 225 days or so left. An old man saw us and like so many other Chinese people we’ve seen was very curious about us. Lillian, her Mom, danio, me and Jim were looking at the sign. The old man smiled at us and started reading all of the English on the sign. Then Lillian asked him if he could fly his dragonfly kite so that we could get a picture of it. He said that the wind wasn’t very good, but she insisted, so he ran a ways and the kite went up a little, but soon it came back down again. We did take a few pictures of it.

We continued walking through the park and taking pictures, but it was very cold and windy, so we went inside a bank to get warm. There was a poster inside showing all of the Chinese currency with the bills’ front and back. Lillian showed us how all the Chinese money unlike the US money all had Chairman Mao’s picture on it and not all the presidents like the US money. On the back of each bill was a scene from some part of China.

2/29/2007

We continued walking through the park and taking pictures, but it was very cold and windy, so we went into a bank to get warm. There was a porter inside showing all of the Chinese currency with the bills front and back. Lillian showed us how all the Chinese money, unlike the US money, all had Chairman Mao's picture on it and not all the presidents like US money. On the back of each bill was a scene from some part of China.

Then we walked to a shopping area and there were stores but also lots of little shops set up outside. We walked past a KFC restaurant. Then we came to a department store. There were lots of scarves and counters where makeup and beauty creams were sold. We bought some decorative Chinese hangings and some Chinese perfume made in Shanghai. As we were leaving the store, we saw a display with official souvenirs for the 2008 Olympics. I bought four little notepads with a bookmark and a decoration to attach to my cell phone.

We took a taxi with Lillian's Mom to their house and Lillian and danio took the bus. We bought a phone card so that we could call the US.

At supper, we were all sitting around the table—me, Jim, Lillian, danio and Lillian's Mom and Dad. We each had a bowl of rice and then there were several dishes in the middle of the table—one was a dish of pickled vegetables chopped up into small pieces, one was chicken drumsticks, one was tofu and another was chunks of fish. Each person had a set of chopsticks except me, I used a fork. We each would take food from the dishes in the middle with our chopsticks or fork and eat it or put it in our bowl of rice. Each bite would be of something from one of the dishes added to our rice in our bowls.

Most meals there was no drink served. Sometimes I would feel like I wanted something to drink so they would give me some peach juice to drink.

So, after supper we played some games like charades. This was all danio's idea. I made up a sentence in English and used body language to help Lillian's parents guess what I said and Lillian's Mom guessed it right off. Then Lillian's parents made up a sentence and we guessed with some clues from danio. Then we played charades with just one word.

Then danio got out a little notebook and said he wanted all four of the parents to give them ideas for their future child. I said that they should accustom their child to hardship like Baha'u'llah says. I gave the example that if a child wants to sweep the floor, the parent should let them do it and help them if necessary, but that even though it would be easier for the parent to just do it themselves, the child will only learn how to do it by doing it themselves. Lillian's parents agreed with that and gave their concern for Joseph (English name) who is Lillian's 12 year old cousin and Lillian's Mom said that her sister does too much for him.

Jim talked a lot about training children. First, you have to know what you want children to do and then you train them to do it. One way to train them is be an example yourselves and when you make mistakes, you tell your children that so that they know what things to emulate and what not to. Also, kids can role play and parents can model how they want their children to be.

Lillian's Mom said that children are like plants and you can help them grow and have an influence on them, but later when the plant has grown it is harder. We were glad she said that and danio pointed out that Abdu'l-Baha said the same thing.

Both of Lillian's parents were familiar with Baha'u'llah and referred to Him when they talked. I think that Lillian's Mom is reading a Baha'i book.

We all thoroughly enjoyed the discussion. Afterwards, danio said that that was perhaps his best experience ever.

What is interesting about Lillian's parents is that when they learn something new that they like and agree with, it becomes integrated into their lives and their thoughts and it becomes a part of them right away.
After the 6 hour bus trip we arrived in Urumqi and Lillian's cousin met us at the bus station. A friend of hers drove us to our hotel. I tried not to watch the driving because people don't stay in their lanes and people and cars and bicycles come and go and everyone has to watch out for everyone else.

We were given some bottles of water because the water is not safe to drink from the tap. We poured some water into a pitcher that was electric. There were two coffee cups with tops and a can of loose tea. Our hotel room is on the 10th floor. Ween I look out the window, I see six lines of traffic going out and about four or so coming in. Jim and Lillian's cousin went to get some food for us to eat. The hotel room opens with a card instead of a key. There are two double beds with lights over each one. There's a TV, a desk and two armchairs with a little table between them.

Jim and I might move to China one day. It would be a good way to retire because we could teach English a few hours a week and the traditional Chinese doctors understand the body very well. I had knee surgery in September and I still have to use crutches to walk. A doctor friend o Lillian's Dad came over and looked at my knee. He asked some basic questions and then he held my right arm as I walked around the room. He asked me to describe how my knee felt as I was walking around. I felt a little embarrassed because I had quite an audience watching me. There was Lillian's Mom, Dad, aunt and her Dad's brother and his wife. But I knew this was the Chinese way that family was a part of everything and I've come to know and feel them as family.

Well, after a while he pressed really hard on one part of my elbow. My elbow hurt but my knee felt better, then he pressed another area. when he found the pressure point, we sat down and he massaged these two points on my elbow and on my wrist. The pressure was painful, but then when I got up to walk, my knee hurt less than before. And now the next day, my knee still feels better. Jim is going to massage those points from 15-20 minutes once or twice a day. I'll also take the deer antler medicine.

We want to find Chinese traditional doctors in the US. danio said he learned a lot of Chinese before going to China using the Rosetta Stone method. I was thinking, I bet there are organizations I can belong to to meed Chinese people in the US.

I am so absolutely fascinated by China. It is a really amazing culture. The world needs to learn more about China and learn from China. I'm already hoping to come back to visit next year.

After being in China for one week, I'm afraid that if I live here, I'll get too homesick because there is nothing that is familiar. My husband reminds me that Martinique was like that and we lived/pioneered there for 14 years. Also, after a while the unfamiliar becomes familiar.

The Chinese people everywhere that we went were so nice and courteous and helpful to us. In fact, everyone was so helpful that I had to start refusing help because it made it too difficult to walk!

What is special for us is that everyone knew us as being danio's parents and related to Lillian and her family. It felt like everyone accepted us because they knew that Lillian's family had accepted us. Lillian's Mom assured me several times that she would take care of danio. Lillian refers to us as Mommy and Daddy.

I think that if danio and Lillian want to have more than one child, then the other children have to be American. I'm not real clear on that yet.
I feel so thankful that God has let me be a part of all this and I want to always remember that when I'm feeling small and unimportant that I was able to pioneer for 14 years to Martinique, raise tow marvelous kids who grew up loving and serving Baha'u'llah and that I was able to travel to China to see my son and his Chinese wife and her family. This has been a most wonderful experience and I really feel like I am now a different person—almost like I'm part Chinese!