From Princess to Empress......You can't bind these feet!

Week 1, July 4-July 11

After months of planning and anticipation we arrived in Beijing one week ago today.  We are settling into our new abode and neighborhood, quite different from the one we know in Colonie. Our home is among the many high rises here in Beijing and while I think it will prove to be comfortable during our four month stay, it will likely present challenges as well.  

You can see into everyone's home here and they can see into yours. This is big city living! Homes and businesses are intermingled together here. I can see a hair salon from my kitchen window where people are getting their hair shampooed at all hours of the day and night. I plan to speak to my hairdresser about this when I get home. I brought along a pair of scissors as I am hoping to avoid the chinese haircut. I don't even get the doo I want when the stylist speaks English so.....I did bring a hat just in case.

From my living room window I can see a daycare, a guy doing sit ups and a tatoo & piercing parlor (again, a chance I am not willing to take). Now I don't know if anyone is looking at me but....at home I am known to do some late night streaking around the house. If Olivia needs a bottle or I need an oreo or something I just go get it. Granted, I do crouch down and do a couple of Agent 99 rolls as I pass by the windows to avoid scaring my neighbors, all of whom I know by name and who I will likely see the next day. Here, my moves don't seem to work. The windows are too grand and there are too many surrounding buildings.  Late at night, I sometimes forget and walk out into the living room......lights, camera, action....its like I am suddenly starring in my own version of Mandarin Hair on Broadway! I can't tell if people are talking about me at the playground, but clearly I need to come up with a better plan.

Speaking of the playground.....tons of kids gather everyday at the nearby play area in our neighborhood. They often play late into the evening and it has provided Shawn and I the opportunity to meet some of our English speaking neighbors. Most, however, do not speak English. A little boy knocked Olivia down the other evening...he knocked her down good too basically a "road kill" situation. His mother came running over and was speaking very rapidly and loudly to me in Chinese. Was she apologizing? Was she upset? Shit, I thought not only does my Chinese suck but so does my ju jit su. I was hoping that she didn't want to throw down with me over by the teeter tawter!

Against my better judgement, we have arranged for an ayi or housekeeper to come once a week to help with the chores. A very common practice here in China for the expats and cheap!  She arrived for the first time on Thursday at 10 o'clock sharp. She was a cute, twenty something and did not speak a word of English.  Clearly, she will not be bothering me with idle chatter.  After a few mutual smiles and nods, she surveyed the apartment and then came to me with some towels in hand that she had found in the bathroom. Yes, I nodded vigorously...soft and fuzzy, egyptian cotton.....perhaps she was admiring them, asking where I had purchased them. 

She proceeded to scrub our hardwood floors for the next two hours. I could see myself in them. Of course, I later noticed that she had used the new towels that I had just purchased to do so but she did ask first. She was wonderful. Shawn thought she did a good job too and while he didn't say so, he seemed slightly disappointed that there was no offer of a "happy ending". Duh.....someone cleaning my house while I put my feet up and sip green tea is a happy ending!