Supposedly the 6 month mark is when most people living overseas come out of the "honeymoon phase" and enter into a new phase. I'm not really sure what this phase should be called--maybe "reality sinks in" or "new host culture brings more tension than previously experienced", but whatever the term, we think we've arrived! It's funny how I'm noticing things that before I let slide--cultural differences, small frustrations, etc. I'm so thankful for the training we had before we left the States, because even just being aware of this new phase can help us fight through and do all we can to keep a positive outlook on things. But in spite of our efforts to be aware of what we are feeling and experiencing, to stay positive in our perspective, and to (above all!) walk by the Spirit rather than the flesh, I notice that I am still noticing the differences. So hopefully all this won't come across as too negative. I am just attempting to be honest with myself and you about the different transitional phases we are walking through!

So 3 biggies hit me this weekend as far as differences in our China lives and what we knew in the US:
1. Kids' Activities. The oldest two kids just started classes this weekend at a Chinese kindergarten on Saturday. Karis took swimming and Eli took Kung Fu. It really was adorable! Kevin stayed with Eli the whole time, helping translate a little bit, giving further instruction to our clueless four-year old, and taking notes so they could practice some of the maneuvers and terminology at home. We were concerned that Eli would be overwhelmed, but he really did great! There were 4 other boys in his class, and he was pretty much on par with all of them as far as ability (at least as far as knowing Kung Fu; maybe a little behind linguistically as the rest were native Chinese speakers!). Karis got to swim in an indoor heated pool, that wasn't quite as heated as she would have liked! (I found her after class standing under the hot water of the showers shivering, but still smiling!). She spent most of the class time hanging onto the side of the pool or else out of the water on her stomach. At first I was disappointed, thinking she wasn't going to get much out of the class. But the more I watched, I realized that the emphasis (which is very typical of the Chinese) was on the form and the skill. So she spent most of the class learning how to do a proper frog kick, and then had to put it into practice in the water for a lap or two. WAY different from her former swimming lessons with Ms. Rosie (whom we love!) who pretty much focused on the kids being able to get themselves through the water regardless of the method used! But at the same time, really good for our "go for it girl" who does everything full-speed ahead without naturally slowing down to focus on the details.
(The photos are of the kids on Saturday. Karis is wearing her new swimming cap, required by all who get in the pool (even Noah and his bald head!). And Eli is wearing his official Kung Fu uniform. We had to MAKE him take it off after class on Saturday evening to keep it from getting messed up for future use!)

While the older two kids were at their lessons, I took the littlest two boys swimming in the indoor kiddie pool with me. In once again, very typical Chinese fashion, I had an interesting time figuring out what to do when the man managing the pool time kept insisting that the water was too cold for Noah to be in more than twenty minutes. He really wanted me to get out with him, which would have been fine, except that I had paid for a full hour for him already! Call me cheap, but considering that I was pretty sure that he was totally fine with the water temp and was having a blast, I was determined not to leave that pool! Luckily we didn't come to blows, as I just politely smiled and assured him that I did indeed understand what he was saying (I was just choosing to ignore his insistent prodding!).

2. The Language. I spent a while in class on Friday with my teacher trying to figure out how to welcome someone when they come into my home. I know. I've been here 6 months now and I'm still trying to figure that one out! Ugh! But I'd just had a good talk with our ayi during which I apparently really convinced her that I am trying as hard as I can to learn the language. So she shared with Kevin that I should not keep greeting her with "Ni hao ma?" (which means "How are you?") every day she comes over. This greeting should rather be used when you haven't seen someone in awhile (rather than every other day like we see her). So my teacher tried to tell me that I should just say "lai le" (which basically means, "you're here"), with the proper response either being a grunt or a repeated "lai le". Okay, to this southern girl, that seems like the most cursory, flippant greeting of all time! I tried explaining to my teacher that there is no way that such a greeting could convey the warmth I wanted to express. My natural tendency is to gush with questions to try to show care and concern--"How are you?!", "How was your weekend?", "How is your family doing?", etc. So saying so little just seems so terse! So on Sunday, Kevin's friend Lief came over to our house to meet Kevin for them to go to Lief's English class together. When I saw Lief, I decided to try out my new "short" greeting, and dropped a "lai le" on him. Would you believe that he told Kevin after they left that that one single comment, and I quote, "warmed his heart"?" Who would have thought that a phrase that is so short and so seemingly meaningless could actually warm a heart!? I have so much to learn. . . (But you can count on me using more "lai le's" in future days!)

3. The Weather. I just did the math and realize that winter here really is 6 MONTHS LONG! Would you believe that it just snowed AGAIN yesterday? Yes, it is the second week of March, and there is still snow on the ground! I used to think that winter was not such a big deal, but to be honest, we are all starting to go a little stir crazy! I am so ready to be able to go outdoors without it taking 15 minutes to bundle everyone up only to stay outside for less time than that because someone is bound to have a cold nose or hands! Oh, and did I mention that the heat gets turned off in 7 days exactly?! Being as the high this week is in the 40's (we have one day that it is supposed to hit 50), I'm not sure what that is going to do to the inside temp come next week! I'm sure I'll let you know. Until then, the long underwear are not being stashed away in the suitcases under the beds. . .