Joecy

Very interesting sharing, Thomas! When I first heard my daughter reciting pledge allegiance, I was amazed how fast she mumbled. ..."one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all". I remember hearing this in Metallic's song. But I also started to wonder, which side should I promote patriotism to my daughter -- China or US? In China, elementary student has similar pledge when they joined young pioneers team of Chinese communist party. Almost all kids join, then they wear a red scarf like a tie. The pledge is only read at ceremonial occasion, it's something like this: I was a member of the young pioneers of china. I am under the flag pledge: I love the Chinese Communist Party, love the motherland, love the people, study hard, take exercise, ready to contribute to the cause of Communism! -- deponent: x x x (raises his right hand ) Teacher: ready, for the cause of communism! Student a: ready. Not trying to discuss politics here. More of a patriotism dilemma.

Very fun movie, Thomas! Can't believe you can find this specific part about grits! If we would have a culture class, definitely should show the grits movie!

interesting!

Very interesting, Rawknee! And I do want to expand to the South This is my 3rd year in the US, I probably only touched 1% of the American food product in the grocery store. My parents are visiting these days, they wanted to exam every single items in the store and asking me what are those. My dad have a sweet tooth, he asked what are all these snacks, cookies, cheedos? I have no idea!! The grits sounds like "Xiao Mi Zhou" , little corn congee? Funny Wenyan mentioned "Chairman Mao food" is similar to what your grandparents had. Is the corn bread something like this? http://www.wuguxiangwowotou.com/images/03.jpg

waiting for your report on the effectiveness~~

Rawknee, that was a impressive story. I have huge admire to "self taught hillbilly with a desire learn", turning old shabby house into good looking business!! I'm sure your passion also inspire your wife : )

Still don't know what is grits.....and Wiff? Any picture?

Hi Rubby, You are a creative cooker!! What is a American Chicken and Dumplings? 鸡肉饺子 ? Eggplant sauce pasta!! I want to try this, how do you make it?

Shrimp in green team! That's a Chinese restaurant level classy!!

good idea to see a friend on a long road trip

Hi Steppinthrax, I'm glad you post the question here. I didn't know much about the dating website, but I hope our folks here provide you some usefully info. I watched a documentary called "mail order bride" on Netflix, it was about American guys seeking Russian brides. They profiled 2 couples, besides the stories from the Russian girls and the American guys, they also added perspectives from the Russian dating agency, this industry in Russia and some worst case happened... I would say to some extend, Russian is similar to China -- Chinese men are losing their heart and soul to money, once they have money, they want power. They are not focus on family life, many Chinese women are disappointed with Chinese men. The American men I see, they put families in a very important place. I wish your wife's friend good luck in this journey!

I'm surprised it's even published on Weibo!

Friend gave me 1 moon cake today, just 1. Said it was ordered from China by another friend, gave some to her, and she gave 1 to me. My daughter had her eye on it once she saw it, I said no, we have to wait. I have received many "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival" wishes, only sharing this 1 moon cake with my husband and daughter seems to be the best way to celebrate ---- it taste just like childhood.

Yes, Larry, you are amazing man! My dad saw a senior American painting his handrail , he signed and said, "Look at the Americans, how diligent they are! " The Chinese are proud ourselves to be the most hard work people, but we don't know to fix our house. ... Your wife is very lucky to have you taken care of her parents' house. And yes, I'm scare of law sue. I heard it could be really expensive....

Hi Thomas, this video is really cool! Has anyone tried it yet? Or never get a chance to fold cloth cause the wife did it all?

Larry, Thanks for explaining....I'm starting to understand the DYI culture a little better, now that seeing you, Tsap, the others and my husband working around the house. Yes, my husband loves to work on house project. Every weekend, he find one or two. He just suggested to adjust one block of a pavement stone, said it was not leveled and people would tripped over. I looked at him, thinking this is completely crazy! And he asked me to help him?!!! In my whole life(in China), I only saw construction workers doing things like this, not my dad, not my friends, definitely no women... I do like the DIY culture, those TV show to teach you how to do things, probably explains all kinds of HOW TO videos on You tube. I am also amazed at how Americans solve a problem: search for answer, looking through other ppl's experiences, before jumping into a solution. Where Chinese don't have the habit to ask questions, don't share their best practiced, they pay to get things done.... Maybe the best practices are kept by the professionals so they can get paid .

These are amazing pictures! I have such a smile looking at them, how nice!!!! So the guy is the yellow shirt is the founder of CFL!! Cool! Who organize all these get together back them?

9/8 is Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. Our Chinese Association is throwing a party with mooncakes and luckydraw this weekend. I had never crave for mooncake in China. Every Mid-autumn festival, companies buys many mooncake coupons to give to their customers as gift. Everyone at work gets tone of mooncake coupons, they then had to get ride of them by giving to their family, friends, "yellow bull"(people who sell and collect coupon to make money), or back to the store to exchange something else. The city is covered with mooncake coupons. Then all the bakery and icecream brands try hard to be creative with mooncakes, they made facier boxes or fancy ice cream mooncake.... the mooncakes are not special anymore, it was a big season to be mooncake sick.... But now that I have to miss this Mid-Autumn Festival party, I really want a mooncake. I know my 7-yr-old really want one too, cause every time, when I saw mooncake box in a Chinese grocery store, usually the most plain mooncake box, I went :oh!!!! see that's mooncake! My daughter picked up my tone, thinking mooncake is the best desert in the world. Here's what they do at the party Agenda - 6:30pm Registration Starts - 7:00pm Party Starts - 7:10pm Distribute and Taste Mooncakes (Numbers of mooncakes are limited, please come before 7:10pm to enjoy your share of mooncake) - 7:20pm Party Prize Draw - 7:30pm Interactive Games - 8:00pm Clown for Kids (balloon twisting, face painting etc.) - 8:00pm Games for Kids - 10:00pm End of Party Fees: Member: Free Non-Member: $5/person Do you still celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival in the US? Does you wife make or buy moon cake for the family? BTW, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to you all!!!!

er.... this is where I think you American guys are CRAZY!!! I would rather spend time to remodel my hair or nail

sounds a good party ! Have any of you ever meet in person?

You are all so kind, I feel a lot better! Thank you all~~ Volunteering, join Parent Teacher Association, ESL classes and CFL, I will come cry here from time to time I will hang in here, I will say the same thing to other Chinese women who just arrived.

Catherine, You are so cute! No, I can't clean the American house the way I used to in China. The web mop won't work for carpeting. I still don't like vacuuming, the deadly heavy machine clunk my feet and it hurts every time! I'm not a good housewife, I do laundry once a week. Only clean the house if I can't stand it. And I'm pretty good at ignoring the dust, well, it's really not that dusty like in China.

Larry, Thank you for being so understanding! I lived in a small town in Michigan. We have around 150 Chinese families here, I met them at activities arranged by the local Chinese associations. It was nice to talk to them, using my mother tone makes me alive! But I feel like it's really take extra work to be friends with people, once you became a mother, our live evolved around our children. Chinese also didn't like to share problem or ask question, which makes the conversation really to run dry, or stay on surface...

There aren't so many people asking questions, so I decided to talk about my problem, maybe it will help in a way. I was home doing phone calls for the last two weeks, my daughter went to camp, husband at work. I talked to probably 5 people a day, in Chinese, introducing You May magazine to Chinese schools, Chinese churches and associations. The calls were intense, I stay in the house the whole time. The only people I saw were my families and my cat. I thought I was reaching out and communicating to people, I was being very active and not isolated. By end of that 2 weeks, I suddenly collapsed into tears. I told my husband, how much I miss Shanghai -- being with friends, go out to eat together, go karaoke, or visit each other. But I have no one here. It's so hard to make friend when you are a grow-up.... I sobbed for half an hour. The next day, I realize this is not just about missing hometown. I also didn't set my foot out of the door. I was at home the whole time, not seeing people, didn't have face to face contact made me depressed. Later I called another stay at home mom, she told me her life was this way for 9 years after she became a mother, then there's the 2nd kid. She was also depressed, "My husband went to work in the day time. She was alone. When he came back, he eats, then went to bed. I had to clean the dishes. People think I only care of my kids, but I want to tell them, that I have myself too!" I don't know how the American women can be so content being a stay-at-home mothers. What's their secret? To Chinese, everything became harder living in this country. Have to push ourselves all the time. And I feel so tired!

My husband said "this tastes great" to every dishes I cook, I really don't know which ones are his favorites, which are not so good but he ate anyway. I'm trying western recipes from cooking books these days. Tried a tuna fish ball baked with light cream. Well, this is a recipe from a Chinese cooking book, introducing western food , the 7-yr-old left a lot on the plate ..... Do you guys all enjoy the Chinese dishes your wife cook? Does your wife try cook western style? What are you favorite dishes?