Are You Hungry?

[Guest blsqueaky]

Mick, of all people, I was just waiting for you to pop up here. I can just imagine what you where going thru with Li. Hope that all is well, and you are enjoying.

[Mick]

Mick, of all people, I was just waiting for you to pop up here. I can just imagine what you where going thru with Li. Hope that all is well, and you are enjoying.

Life is great Squeak. Li and I have been together over six years now and are more in love than ever. The addition of the little one to our family, although a challenge, has been a true blessing. Thanks for your well-wishes and keep us posted on that first road trip.

[oregonknl]

"Are you hungry" Part 2.

 

I mentioned in my first post on this thread that both Chinese daughters Jet and Eve have food stories....

 

Jet's story:

 

So when we pick up Jet she is two, and the last thing in the world this kid wants, is to be adopted ..... When the small bus pulls up to the hotel parking lot in Nanjing, all the infants are brought out by orphanage caregivers, as their names are called out and the parents run up to get them --- it really is a very touching moment....

 

But no Jet ... we can't even see her throught the window, but we sure can hear her --- crying and screaming --- turns out she managed to get under a seat and was wedged in and hanging on tight! Strong little kid, and an awkward position for two caregivers to work, prying lose her little hands and feet... Eventually they succeed and manage to bring her out and place her in my arms --- she's stiff like cord wood, so tense, and just crying as hard as she can.... Very hard first day, ( related it in one of my first posts here) but a very sound nights sleep.

 

Jet walks fine, but she sure wasn't talking to us as we lead her to the hotel's buffet breakfast the next morning, still sullen and glum... But enter, and: hummmmmm............ whats this? looks like every special food known to Mankind! Maybe not so bad after all! So put her in the high chair and get her a plate with a little of everything on it, just to see what it is she likes --- some western, some Chinese, and put it in front of her. She eats it all! And I can't tell what her favorate is, or if she wants more, but then with her sharp little index finger she points to the bacon on my plate. So I get up and get her some more bacon, and throw in some fruit as well ---she's delighted! And I think I have won her over! (turns out I wasn't even close! would take almost a month!)..

 

Couple of days later, the provincial paper work is complete, and it will be Jet's last meeting with her caregivers. (Mama DayTa, and Mama HeyHey -phonetic) She sees them and she immediately wants to go back.

 

They are furious!!! I mean really mad at her! They tell her in Mandarin: "Chun Mei remember what we told you !! You are the brave one!! This is your Papa and Mama!! Jet: "No, I hate Papa!!" I really thought Mama Dayta was going to haul off and slap her across the face! But instead she grabbed her by the shoulder turned her towards me and said: "This is your Papa!" Now you say Papa to him!" At first she refused, but after another lecture, she lowered her head, tears streaming down her face, and in a voice almost not audible, said : 'papa.."

 

Then there was this huge sense of relief on the faces of both care givers..... didn't understand it at the time.....

 

Then it was off to Guangzhou, and the White Swan Hotel, and as many of you know one of the great "East meets West" breakfasts in Asia.. It certainly pleased Jet! Even though she wasn't bonding with us yet, she was eating well, and liked that aspect of he new life...

 

The thing that we couldn't quite understand about Jet, was that she was not only big by Chinese standards, for age two, but also by western standards. And all the other kids from her orphanage were very thin --- not malnurished, but close --- it really was a "hard scrabble" orphanage.

 

So we are home a week, and just into the daily rituals after the jet lag and adjustment, and Jet is in her high chair, we have learned that she is just learning chopsticks --- can pick up easy stuff with two, but still stabs harder stuff with one. I am heating up dumplings (from Costco --- frozen in a bag, use as needed, not bad either). My ex is in the bathroom, and won't be out for a few minutes.. So I serve up the dumplings, on small plates, and go to get the vegetables and rice and when I come back, Jet is all smiles, and I sit down and look at my dumpling plate. Hummmm.... I thought I served myself more than 6 ~! I look over at Jet --- nothing but smiles --- So I get up saying oh, better get the soy sauce! (which I had forgotten) and I go around the corner, where I can just peek enough to see my plate, but if I look at Jet --- she will see me. Sure enough, I'm looking at the plate, and the little hand with one chopstick quickly appears, stabs one dumpling and quickly disappears! I immediately come back into the room there is Jet, nothing but smiles no chewing or mouth movement! Jet, by the way, still has all her dumplings on her plate --- as does Mama...

 

Then it all made sense ---when Jet was pointing at my bacon at the first breakfast, she wasn't saying she wanted MORE bacon, she was saying she wanted MY bacon. And the caregivers needed to adopt here out because she was a habitual food thief from the kids sitting next to her --- and the were afraid that if she wasn't polite to her "Papa" --- that I might giver her back!

 

--Kim

[oregonknl]

Yeah Don, she is still very much the foodie!

 

But have have gotten her to stop stealing food off other's plates!

 

(for the most part)

[Jeikun]

I told Jun about this thread, and she was a bit perplexed. Maybe it's more of a personal or family thing than a "Chinese Culture" thing? (Though it does sound familiar to something my ex may have said) OOPS! Not supposed to talk about that! Sorry honey...

[natrigon]

Conclusion:

 

The wife believes that the husband can read her mind.  And don't ask stupid question.

Agreed:

 

But not limited to Chinese women.

[tonado]

http://www.asianjoke.com/pictures/img/chinese.jpg

[tonado]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/a...fe_st/big_mac_2

[Guest winterslush]

Sorry my Springmud......I should have been reading these forums before and I would understand much better. I will try harder to read your mind but please help me learn how to do it.