GZ Expat, Part II

Week Three of Football

No goals this week...but an uninspired draw and a come from behind win for expat son's team, helped him feel good about the effort, despite the bruised knee. 

Photos are here

Football (Soccer) Weekends

Once again, our Saturdays are filled with football...errr...soccer to those in North America.  Expat son has been playing football each year ever since he was old enough to lace them up and kick the ball.  Starting back when we lived in Oregon, he was at the age in which he was a bumble bee, buzzing around the pitch, throwing grass in the air and hugging his teammates for no apparent reason (other than he was happy).

Last year, he played on a team that was stacked...and stacked badly.  When they put the teams together, they liked to keep kids together that knew each other and lived in the same compounds.  Unfortunately for the rest of the league, these were the kids that love to play football when they have nothing to do.  The result after a first week in which several players were unavailable, they ran the table with lopsided scored. 

This year, three of those kids have graduated to the next age level, but the young guys/gals are still on the team and they are still pretty good.  Thus far, they are batting .500 for the season, but they are learning to play the game a little differently and its fun to watch the growth in their knowledge.

Expat son has scored a goal each week, while primarily playing defense.  I don't know much about soccer, but I do know hockey...and these kids play the game on a short field with either 6 or 7 a side...very much like hockey.  So, I tell him to play the game like Bobby Orr...push the ball up and then join in the rush if the opportunity arises...but remember your first duty is defense.  He played it perfectly this afternoon with a late, sliding, game clinching goal (pictured).

Photo albums are here and here...and many more to come as we have each weekend to play until mid December.

Day Off!

It's sort of like a Sunday morning for me...I'm sat in the living room, watching NFL football LIVE on the TV (Steelers vs Browns) and just sort of pissing away a morning while the sun shines outside.

The day off is to celebrate Mid Autumn Festival, which is the the 15th day of the 8th moon...make sense?  Essentially, it is the 'harvest moon' we all grew up with...the biggest and brightest moon of the year.  Last evening we sat in the garden, had a bbq in the weber, and enjoyed the evening.  With no wind and 32C temperatures, it made for a somewhat warm evening. 

Around 10:30pm as we sat with a drink, the wind chimes Tai-Tai has suddenly came to life.  We looked at each other and thought...what the heck made that move?  Ghost?  I creened my neck around the tree to see the chimes and see if I could spot anything...and I did.  There was something on one of the metal pipes, couldn't quite make it out in the dark, so, I got up to check it out. 

A frog.  A tree frog.  The ones with the big splayed toes and bulging eyes. 

Then, something else caught my eye in the tree...there was some movement...another frog?  I walked around the tree to see...there was definitely something crawling up a branch, but I couldn't quite make it out...sort of looked like frog legs but not really. 

A bat.  Tiny thing making its way up to the protection of the leaves of the mango tree.  'Hey, its a bat!'

That was it for Tai-Tai...we enjoyed the moon enough. 

Happy Birthday!

It was 20 years ago today

Tai-Tai has all the details...

And, so, for my music starved daughter...I give her this blast from the past...

Happy Anniversary

Twenty Three years ago today...

Here is a top ten list for 23 years with my Tai-Tai

10.  Stroganoff
9.  Boozing it up on the balcony of our room at Rosario
8.  Road trip to Reno with biblical weather all along the way
7.  'It's a girl!'
6.  'It's a boy!'
5.  Laksa
4.  All of my clothes in the front lawn
3.  Flying bananas
2.  Carrot Cake, Cheesecake & Mango Rice
1.  Tellin it like it is...and continuing to do it. 

We've spent nearly half of our married lives living in China, which seems odd in a way, but yet, also seems so right.  When confronted with the offer to move, I got cold feet...it was Tai-Tai that talked me into the move, saying it would be great for us and the career.  Without a doubt, the wisest advice ever. 

So...here is to another year!

No New Pictures

Well, back in the USA for a handful of days.  A late set of meetings prompted the visit...of which I really didn't tell anybody I was coming.  So, expat daughter got the surprise visit as did grandma. 

As with any trip back here, it is met with some surprising elements.  The weather is amazingly cool and crisp and clear...unlike what Tai-Tai is enduring back home.  That is a good thing for me.  On the downside are some incredibly annoying rules that people/businesses have. 

On the first night, I thought I'd step across the street to the gas station and pick up a little snack and beer.  I stepped up to the counter and was told that I could not buy a single beer.  Huh?  'But, you case is loaded with big cans of single rot gut beer...why can't I buy this crafted beer?'  I was told because it comes in a 6 pack that I couldn't buy it.  I told them it was the dumbest thing I had ever heard.  There I was...a willing customer...ready to buy...with cash in hand (ever notice how people look at you strange when you buy something with cash?)...and they told me No.  I'm so glad they were looking out for my best interests. 

I have filled my belly with some good food and beer...did a fair bit of shopping with expat daughter yesterday (Pac Sun, Zumiez, Hot Topic and American Eagle) to revive my wardrobe a bit.

Today its time to lock myself in a conference room for the remainder of my stay and be thrilled to the joys of presentations and discussion of topics I know absolutely nothing about. 

Happy Birthday!!

UPDATE:  A nice little tribute from his sister.

Expat Son's BIG Week

With expat son's birthday falling in the middle of July, he doesn't get to celebrate his birthdays with his buddies, they way most kids do around here.  So, Tai-Tai arranged a bit of a get together with his pals to celebrate his birthday a little early. 

One of the keys to any party, though, you have to earn it.  The kids headed to Danny's and got to make their own pizza's with Danny and his staff helping them out with the finer techniques of rolling and building. 

I took some photos and the videos with the phone...I apologize for the quality.  I was still struggling with the settings (and still am) as the phone didn't come with an English language manual. 

The next day, the kids were at it again at his school summer BBQ.  This is a great event the school puts on to get parents together and give the kids a chance to blow off some steam with their teachers, without the uniforms on.  Of course, my son was usually spotted at the sponge throwing...chucking soaked sponges as hard as he could at his teacher.  And, being a fully Asian affair, the food also matches the international crowd; Indian curries, hot dogs, burgers, beer and sodas.

Finally...graduation day.  Yeah, its a bit different than the BIG graduation...but it was special, nonetheless.  He had a terrific year.  He started the year hating maths...hating reading...and hating school.  This year was an injection of enthusiasm that was truly amazing.  His scores were better...but it was his attitude that really got the marks.  We are both very proud of the hard work he put in all year long.

Birthday Pizza at Danny's from GZ Expat on Vimeo.

Now, schools done and he's all set for the summer holiday.  Although, I am not sure Tai-Tai is ready for it.  Summer holiday usually means he's the only kid in the neighborhood (as most kids head to their home country with their Mom's during the summer) and he bores the crap out of himself and his mother.  Our summer holiday is just around the corner, though.

It's Back

Not much to say here.  Stevo had his family in Singapore this weekend for the routine, quarterly, scans to check on the health and well being of his little cancer survivor and Tai-Tai.  Each trip brings a level of stress that I cannot imagine. 

I received a text from a friend in Thailand that said he had heard that the scans didn't go well...so, I sent one to the source and here is what I got back...

• (Friday) In Singapore.  Scan showed slight change in appearance at site of original tumor (and) they need to do surgery to determine what it is.
  
• (Sat Night)  Out of surgery (and) doctor confirms it is tumor.  He has succeeded in completely removing.  We have treatment options and they are getting a hold of doctors in NYC.

Details following have been encouraging as the doctor was able to remove the entire tumor and they have a choice of treatment options, which they will find out about today. 

In the meantime...you know what to do.

I'm Still Here!

This entry is a bit old and long in coming...sorry about that.

It seems as though real life (re: Work) has taken over much of my free time. Recently the job has had its demands on my time…serious demands on my time. Just when you think you have things under control and its all going well, the feeling of comfort starts seeping into your bones…and then the wheels come off. It seems as though there has been one thing or another that has popped up in the past few months that have kept me on my toes. But…this isn’t about work, is it?

A couple weeks ago, I took off on a trip for a week of meetings in Oregon, followed by a quick trip to see Expat Daughter.

My first stop of the trip was…GZ. Yes, of all the travel I have done, I have not had the pleasure of dealing with (personally) a canceled flight (thank you NWA). Well, OK, it wasn’t canceled…it was just delayed by 10 hours, making my connection useless. The whole experience was somewhat humorous…but it sure wouldn’t have been, had it happened somewhere else.

As I sat in the lounge and the time for the flight went by without a boarding call, I asked the attendant, 'WTF?' He indicated that he is hearing nothing too. Just then, a group of American passengers walk back into the lounge muttering something about being there a while. So I asked them. ‘The flight is delayed until 6pm (it was scheduled to leave at 8:15am).’ I went back to the lounge attendant and told him I needed to change up my flights, I wouldn’t hit my connection. At the same time, I noticed the line of about 100 people outside the lounge (which seats about 40), waiting to get in and the lounge manager arguing furiously with the NWA representative. Apparently, the people at the gate told everyone to go help themselves to the lounge. It was at that moment, I made a very easy and quick decision…change my flights to tomorrow…I'll go home.

I proceeded backwards through security and then waited outside the immigration stations. I was finally able to get to speak with a woman who was trying to help people change flights and get people wherever they needed to go. She was stressed. Crisis management is not a strong suit of the Chinese. She asked me if I needed help. ‘I live in Guangzhou. I want to change my flights to tomorrow and go home.’ She looked at me in relief…my request was so simple. She took my passport and walked me to the diplomat line in the immigration queue where a supervisor canceled my stamp out of the country and passed me back into the airport  where I went back to the check in counter and changed my flights to the next day.

The next morning…I got on my way without a hitch.

My first stop was San   Francisco; a city I have been to a couple of times but have never visited. I had never been downtown…never seen the famous cable cars…none of it. I was to meet all of my colleagues and we were heading out the day I was arriving. Upon arriving, I passed quickly through immigration. I have to say, the man that greeted me to the USA was the nicest immigration officer I had ever run across coming into the USA (and the immigration officers in the USA are nothing short of abusive…the worst in the world). Funny thing…he was Chinese. Go figger. Anyway, into a cab and on my way downtown to the hotel. As I arrived and checked in, all of my colleagues were gathering in the lobby getting ready for their day. I told them all to wait 20 mins for me…I headed up to the room, quickly showered and was back down ready for the day. But, by the end of it, I was dead. LONG day.

In my travels, I have been to many large cities and walked the streets of their downtown confines. I have never been to a city that was full of more scum and villainy than San Francisco. Every street corner there was some street leech awaiting to dispossess you of a dollar or more. From the drunk and drugged out lying on the street looking for a hand out, to the more clever street urchins with a story and an angle…the city was full of them and it completely turned me off to ever visiting again.

It culminated on Sunday morning…after having a pretty decent snooze that first night, I woke up somewhat early (7am). I wasn’t meeting up with my colleagues until 10am, so I had some time to kill. I initially set out for some breakfast. While walking down the street, I passed a man that was dressed somewhat dapperly, although I noticed the tie and shirt didn’t really match that well…and his raincoat didn’t fit that well. He was on the phone, ‘…yes Sargeant, I understand. Yes. Thank you.’ Mind you this, going on just over my shoulder. After hanging up he exclaims, ‘SHIT!’

He then apologized for his language. I told him not to worry about it. He then said, well, you are obviously not from around here, because you aren’t an asshole. Heh…kinda funny. He then went on to tell me that he was on his way to Eureka from LA and he was car jacked at gun point. The police are unable to locate his car and he’s having a hard time getting home, etc. It all sounded pretty legit…and then he asked, ‘I am just wondering if you could spare a couple of bucks so I can get a bus back home and…’ I cut him off. ‘No, sorry.’ I was stunned. The guy was very smooth…VERY smooth. His story and his act was pretty decent…right down to the emotional plea at the end for the money.

Maybe I am a heartless wreck…but…if that were me (or you) in the same situation, with a cell phone in hand, would you be begging for money on the streets of San Francisco if you were in the same situation? I think not. He was scamming…and he was good at it. I wondered how many tourists he had suckered in the previous month.

It’s a crap city…but the waterfront and baseball (in Oakland) was nice.

After my week of meetings, I stopped off and checked out what Expat Daughter was up to. The key to this visit was to find out her plans for the future…and ensure that she is well fed for at least a couple of days out of the year. Upon arriving and checking into my hotel…we went out to dinner and shared a veggie pizza and salad and caught up on things. She showed me her house she shares with some friends. It was easy to spot her room amongst the other 3 that live there. Your little girl grows up…but some things never change.

The next day we went on a road trip around her island…it was the first time I was able to really see the place and she was excited to be the tour guide Incredible diversity of climates in such a small place. What really blew me away…by the end of the day, I had driven nearly 400 miles on the car…how do you do that on and island??

While driving on the north end of the island, she was telling me about this terrific waterfall swimming spot that I had to see. She had only been to it once before and her memory was a bit fuzzy…but as we drove the road, we came to a bend in the road and she said, ‘this is it!’ We parked and she took me on a hike through virgin forest…nobody had ever walked where we had walked before. Fallen trees, stumps, rocks, vines…we made our way through it for about 150 meters. We came to a clearing in which two creeks merged together, but no waterfall. ‘Uhhh…I don’t think this is the right place.’ So, we decided to walk back. For a fleeting moment, I thought, this was it…she is going to take her old man out to a nice place in the forest and leave him…just like a sack of unwanted kittens. Sweating, dirty and 45 minutes later, we were back in the car.

We set off in the same direction we were traveling and about 1km further down the road, we went around a bend that was similar to the first…’oh no…THAT’S where it is.’ Forget it…I had my hike for the day.

She took me to see some beautiful sights…we jumped off a 4 meter high rock in ice-friggin-cold water at the not so aptly named, ‘Boiling Pots.’  For the first time in my life...I felt old.  I couldn't keep up with her.  The water was freezing, I was swimming, but I felt so out of breath.  We had to sit a while after swimming a bit of a distance to see the waterfall.  I'm getting old...creeeek.

We walked on the lava field she visited…but the authorities had shut it down, so we couldn’t get out as far as she had been previously. She took me to church and people were so happy to see me and said, ‘she says you are her best friend.’ We listened and shared music. We walked around…we bought shave ice and sat on the roadside and made fun of the tourists that were all around…had a load of great meals…and I left feeling a little empty, because I thought I needed another day with her. I can’t wait for Christmas time again.