Weekend - 週末 – zhōu mò
I love weekends! Especially weekends during the summer season. The days are much longer and the weather is warm, it allows me to spend lots of outdoor time with the family. In our family, we also like to take little weekend trips to just get away. Recently, we went up to the Berkshires with some friends and took the kids bike riding. It was so much fun we hope to do it again soon.
Alright, I never thought that I would ever write anything about football or NFL, but I am weeping with joy about Ed Wang. He is the first Chinese American football player ever been drafted into the NFL. He is going to be playing for the Bills.
Ed Wang was born in the States, but both his parents were born and raised in China. Both are former Chinese Olympians, his dad was a high-jumper, and his mom was a hurdler. There you have it, Ed Wang is over 300 lbs, and 6′5″. No, this is not a joke and it is not a typo. Click here to listen to an interview with him.
I was very fortunate to get to talk (well, cyber chat)to one of our customers. She is a VERY dedicated mom, and my hats off for her. She works full time with a very demanding job, and she is dedicated in immersing her child with fun and educational materials, starting at a very young age.
She uses a couple of tools to teach her child Chinese, speaking and also recognizing the characters. One of the tools she uses and loves is the Baby Learns Chinese DVDs. She is teaching her child traditional Chinese characters, and she is always on the lookout for good materials. When she finds good materials available in Simplified Chinese, she would reach out to the publishers about their traditional character versions. She had painstakingly printed out the traditional characters on sticker paper and stick them onto the pages of some simplified Chinese books she found. Did I already told you that she is dedicated?
Her little girl in this video is only 15 month old. She is able to recognize Chinese characters!!! At 15 months old! Plus, she is sooo cute and adorable. Be prepare to say “Wow”!
My cousin’s wife recently introduced me to a great pair of training chopsticks for kids. Well, actually, I was impressed with her 2 year old and 4 year old’s ability to master chopsticks while my almost 8 year old is still much better with forks and hands. To make matter worse, I’m Chinese who grew up using chopsticks and she’s not, so natually, I was a bit embrassed at my kids’ incompetencey.
Anyway, it turned out her secret is the Edison training chopsticks for kids. These training chopsticks, unlike the other ones on the market has finger positioning loops, to help kids get used to the placement. While the company claims these chopsticks are good for both kids and adults, I think the loops are too small for grown ups.
Give it a try and let us know if it works for your kids!
May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage month, as we celebrate Asian and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The celebrations often include eating in Asian restaurants, and attending one of many festivals or parades organized by local Asian American community. This is the month that you can taste various Asian cuisines, learn about the culture and history, and watch cultural performances. I watched one of the HBO specials this weekend called, “Asian Aloud”, which different individuals were interviewed to talk about being Asian Americans.
Here’s a trivia question for you. Do you know why May was picked to be the Asian-Pacific American Heritage month?
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants. Click here for full report
As you all know, we love Lisa See’s books. We’ve talked about Shanghai Girls before, so it’s no surprised that we are extremely excited when we found out Fox Searchlight picked up the Snow Flower and Secret Fan’s movie distribution rights for the States. Wayne Wang is the director of this movie, and one of his best known work is The Joy Luck Club. In this movie, Hugh Jackman also has a small appearance performing a song. Double Yum, looove Hugh Jackman.
Anyway, the book is set in the 19th century, chronicles the lives of two women, Lily and Snow Flower, and their lifelong, intimate friendship. It tells the story of their imprisonment by rigid cultural codes of conduct for women. It is an English language film, with Chinese actress Li Bingbing, and Korean actress Jeon Ji-hyeon. We will definitely keep you posted on when it will come out! Can’t wait.
I was at Costco last week, and saw this Chinese style BBQ pork rib. This is the first time I’ve seen this product, especially at Costco. Pretty impressive. I am tempted to try it, but am still having a little difficult time buying Chinese food at non-Chinese stores. Part of the reason is that I am just not sure if it had been altered to be more American and commercial, therefore lacking authenticity. Anyone tried it out there? Please let me know.
I recently finished Shanghai Girls by Lisa See for one of my book clubs, and it was a great book and easy read. Lisa See is the New York Times bestselling author of Peony in Love, Snow Flower, among other titles.
This story took place in 1937 Shanghai, my birth place. Some of you may have heard the expression, “Shanghai is the Paris of Asia” with its European architecturals, rich culture, and glamorous citizens. However, during that era, it’s also the homes of millionairs and beggars, gansters and gamblers, patriots and revolutionaries, artists and warloards.
In that time of political uncertainty and foreign occupancy, the story follows two sisters, Pearl and May, born to an affluent merchant family and lived a carefree life until their father gambled away the family business and sold them to an American man who were looking for brides for his sons. Their journey from Shanghai to the U.S via Hong Kong was nothing short of hardship. . .Once in Los Angeles, they try to adapt to a new life, and find love with their new husbands while facing strict rules and customs in 1940 Chinatown.
In the heart of the story, Shanghai Girls is a story about sisters, love, and family. It’s also about daughters and mothers, and how different and similar we are at the same time. As daughters, we like to rebel against our mothers; as mothers, we became our mothers, whether we like it or not. It’s a great book.
If you are looking to send your child to Chinese school in the Fall, this is the time to do your homework. A lot of local schools have open houses this months, so check your local area for listings. I think going to open houses is a great idea as it allows you to ask questions, and visit the classes in action. Not all schools are created equal, so being in the enviroment will allow you to see whether or not that is the setting for your child.
My kids go to Murray Hill Chinese School in NJ, and we’re very happy there for several different reasons. The facility is big with ample parking spaces. The classes are very structured, with lesson plans, quizes, and letter grades. This is different from the other Chinses school we went to couple of years ago, where the teacher basically taught whatever came to mind. With a more structured program, there is continuity between lessons, so it allows me to work with my child on the days he had to miss school.
The parent organization is also very active, class moms/dads send out reminders weekly about homework, schedule changes, and quizes so that all parents are informed whether you stay in the classroom with your child or not. The Administrative team (all volunteers) along with all the teachers put together a great New Year’s performance (open to the public), that is not to be missed.
All in all, we’re extremely pleased with the school and the quality of the teachers there. Sending your kids to Chinese school is a big decision and a huge time committment for the family, so be sure to do your homework before you start!
