How Much Is...

...Too Much?

We all know that the economic situation is tough and that finding a job is no small task, especially in China… but when is too much just too much?!!!

Jeremy exhausted by homework

And he’s only in Reception (Pre-kindergarten in the US!)

Customer Service In China...

...Or How To Waste One Hour.

Only in China would it take more that an hour to have 8 passport pictures taken…and no there wasn’t a long queue in the store: we were the only one there.

First round: The ladies behind the corner took almost 10 minutes to write on the little pink slip what we wanted… well we had quite a complex order: 4 pictures with US standard (5*5 cm or 2*2 in) and 4 pictures with European Standard (3.5*4.5cm). Since they had a composite with all the different countries requirements on it, it was just a matter of pointing and showing 4 fingers with our hand…Simple enough. Then they proceeded to ask us when we wanted to take the photos and when we wanted to come pick them up… I don’t know let see: let’s take the photo tomorrow and we’ll come pick them up in about a week???!!!

Second round: The photographer (?). The guy tried to take the picture the best that he could… I’m pretty sure I could have done a better job but the best part was yet to come.

Third round: The Photoshop expert (?!). Another guy started to work on the picture, first by removing the color background then filling it with white. I don’t know but let’s pause for a moment and see if it wouldn’t be more time efficient (and easier) to just use the proper background color from the start like white most of the time and blue for Chinese visa photo?… again just a suggestion. THEN came the resizing and that’s where our full 2.5 years of experience in China really helped us keep calm and focus on our goal (i.e. getting those $!*?# pictures!). First there was too much body part (i.e. the size of the head was too small) then the head was too big, then the head was too small (well we did tell them that in the previous picture the head was too small). I actually lost my calm (slightly) for a moment and decided to ask to take the command of the computer and Photoshop (in CHINESE) to actually resize the photo myself. Celine’s timing: 2 minutes top and that’s mainly because I struggled with one or two Chinese characters!!
All in all they had to redo it maybe 4 times and since they never save their previous work, they had to start from scratch each and every time (yes, erasing and filling the background!)

1 hour and 15 minutes later we left the Kodak store with our 8 passport photos, hoping both Embassies accept them now. For some reason they had no problem with the European version and since the American embassy is really peculiar about the photos we had to have them right.

That's the picture he'll have on his passports for the next 5 years!

The Joy Of The Administration...

...The American And The French

Jeremy turned 5 a couple of months ago and since his passports' expiration date is coming soon we had to go and renew them… first at the American Embassy then the French Embassy


American Embassy first:
My, my,my how much proof do you need to show them that you are indeed an American citizen? You would think that a previous passport and a birth certificate would be enough.

First you need to make an appointment via the embassy web site (appointment only available during school/business hour of course! - 8.30am to 3.30pm), then you need the previous passport, the child’s birth certificate, the DS-11 form (not signed!), two recent 2 inches by 2 inches photos (photo requirements post to follow!), Parents’ passports (both parents need to be present) and $85 (ouch!).

Then they asked us if we brought pictures of Jeremy “to show that the child in the previous passport is identifiable with the applicant [...] if the passport photo was taken when the child was a baby”. (?!!)… Which reminded me of how frustrated I got when we registered Chloe’s birth at the American Embassy in Argentina. One of the papers needed was my Ultrasound (??!!!). We, in fact, forgot it and I offered to show them my C-section scar while pointing out that it might be a better proof that an ultrasound (because everybody knows how ultra sound pictures look like the actual baby!!).


French Embassy second:
We didn’t plan to go to the French embassy that day but since we drove by we decided that since we were on a roll we’d better keep on playing (paying?)

We showed up (no appointment required), gave them the birth certificate, the previous passport, 2 pictures and 15 euros. We also did a French ID (1 additional photo – free of charge!)


Well next year is Chloe’s passports renewal: French, American and Argentinean… I’ll keep you posted!!
.

Galette, Crepes...

...And Now Pancakes

You can never have enough crepes/pancakes; so after celebrating “La Chandeleur” less than 3 weeks ago, it is now Shrove Tuesday which is traditionally celebrated with Pancakes in the United Kingdom. The kids had their share at their British school and another round at home for after-school snack.

Whatever you call it: Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras it means one thing and one thing only for the kids…. Pancakes! Good thing I’m not on a diet plan or I would never be able to stick to it!

Shrove Tuesday is a day of celebration as well as penitence, because it's the last day before Lent, the date dependent on that of Easter, which is based on cycles of the moon. People indulge themselves on foods that traditionally aren't allowed during Lent. Pancakes are eaten on this day because they contain fat, butter and eggs which were forbidden during Lent.

How many calories in a pancake, again?

Total's

...Who's Who

This is the problem when a company starts to dress their employees. You don’t know who’s who anymore.

The driver and the “drivee”

Hint: the driver is called 王 - Mr Wang!

Lost In...

...Translation

I was doing some tidying up when I found the following “名片 - Ming Pian” (Business Card) at the bottom of one of my bags.

This is probably the worst translation I came upon on a business card…. Not even sure what they are selling anymore!

Parlicuarly Cahinet?
Add: East four particularly the cap store

the pricess’grave branch

Note: Do not translate the name of the street because it doesn’t help at all

Not sure where to go...?

I know it’s where I’ll found textjle… or at least I hope so:

The my plant accepts to do each big guest house, hotee,
and other organizations group work to take

Not sure what they do...?

Snow Maker...

...Too Apparently!!

It’s the first significant snowfall of the winter. Beijing Weather Modification Command Center said the snow was artificially induced. A total of 426 cigarette-size sticks of silver iodide were seeded into clouds from 28 weather rocket launch bases in the city.

The city mobilized more than 7,500 sanitation workers and 2,2211 vehicles to remove ice and snow from the capital’s streets. 443 tons of the salt and sand mix were spread around the city to keep the roads clear.

Walking around my neighborhood trying to capture on camera Beijing under a white blanket I was amused by this sanitation workers spreading salt on the street.

I'm going to miss China...

Every little help

Rain...

...Maker

Beijing received its first rain on February 12th after 110 days - a 38-year record.
2008 marked the 8th consecutive year of drought in Beijing and things are even worse in the surrounding provinces, with at least 9.53 million hectares of farmland affected

The government had - for the first time during a Beijing winter - performed cloud seeding by both plane and rocket. Previously, it had done so only from the ground.
By 5 pm, 12 silver iodide rockets had been launched into the skies of Beijing's suburban […] districts. The local air force had also dispatched a transport plane to release 400 liters of liquid nitrogen in northern Beijing.
Twenty-one rocket launch bases in the city and 25 ground precipitation enhancement facilities in the mountains of eight districts were used to seed the clouds.
These actions could increase rainfall by 10 to 15 percent. The precipitation enhancement involved at least 200 people.

Rain, rain make it rain

Happy...

...Valentine

I didn’t come up with an appealing photo like last year or a nice handy tool for lingerie shopping like the previous year.

Sorry my male readers, I know you really look forward to this particular post but this year I could only come up with this design:

情人结快乐 - Qing Ren Jie Kuai Le

Well at least you can say it, just like me, in Chinese, English, French, Italian and Spanish (in that order) now!

Fair...

...Unfair

And you thought competition was fierce back home (wherever “home” is for you!)…. Check out this picture of a job fair in Beijing last week. 30,000 people crowded into the National Exhibition Center for 4,000 positions offered by more than 300 companies. More than 7 million college graduates will enter the job market this year

Where is Waldo?!!

Fire...

...Works

Yesterday marked the end of the Lantern Festival which means one thing in Beijing: the end of day-long fireworks and firecrackers. But China being China there is always a twist! It turns out that the end of fireworks started one of the biggest fire.

What was supposed to be the flagship hotel of the Mandarin Oriental chain in China has turned into a 40 story inferno.

The fire has lit up the Beijing skyline, and took place in the final hours of the Chinese Lunar New Year - when many people are setting off fireworks.

The Mandarin Oriental Beijing is located next to the new headquarters of China Central Television, but that building is said to be undamaged.

It is NOT the CCTV tower that burned but the building right next to it called TVCC (confused?!!). The 116,000m2 building includes (included?) a hotel, a visitor’s center, a large public theater and exhibition spaces and was designed by Dutch Architect Rem Koolhaas of OMA.

Apparently CCTV executives had hired people to illegally set off fireworks. The fireworks they used were dangerous and needed approval before being allowed in downtown Beijing. CCTV did not get approval and ignored police warnings that night.

Firefighters and their equipment, who could only reach up a dozen or so floors, could do little to contain the blaze. One firefighter died and 6 other persons were injured.

Ironically CCTV (which is the National Chinese TV) who is responsible for one of the biggest fire in recent year didn’t show footage of the blaze, relegated the story to the second last item and kept it brief. China’s propaganda authorities had instructed domestic media not to run photos, video and in-depth reports on the fire and to carry only the version put out by Xinhua. (but the directive was leaked online!).

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

The aftermath

Updates:

1. There is discussion on whether to reintroduce a ban on fireworks in downtown Beijing. The 12-year ban was lifted in 2006.
2. The air quality in the city also plunged to a heavy pollution level Tuesday, the worst since May 28, 2008, as a result of the firework celebrations on Monday night.
3. Since January 25, the eve of the new lunar year, 403 people have been injured and 103 fire incidents have been reported.
4. Apparently a text message that had been circulated on Monday among CCTV staff had asked them to contribute 19.90 yuan (€2 or $3) toward the cost of a Lantern Festival event and fireworks display at the new headquarters. (!)
   

End Of...

...The Festivities

That’s it… our last Chinese New Year festivities have come to an end.

After you have this:

REUTERS/Reinhard Krause*

You get this:

By early morning the streets were spotless

* more amazing pictures here

6 Months Ago...

...Already

Signs are slowly fading away...

Is It For...

...Real?

There are numerous temples to visit in Beijing: "Temple of Heaven", "Lama Temple", "Confucius Temple", etc... but the one “temple” most visitors like to tour is the temple of fakes or counterfeit goods. In these several stories high buildings you’ll find all the “Gucci”, “Prada”, “Louis Vuitton” or “Rolex” (to name but a few) you want. They are several of these markets around town; Yashow (just around the corner from us), Hongqiao or Pearl Market and probably the most famous among tourist, the Silk Market.

So I was a little surprise to learn that 7 stalls at the above mentioned Silk Market were being closed for 7 days on Sunday for selling fakes good. Which made me wonder: What about the other 1.000+ stalls do they really sell genuine goods?!!

Beijing Silk Market Vendors Closed For Selling Fake Goods

Seven vendors at Beijing's Silk Market have been ordered to stop and rectify their business for selling counterfeit famous brand goods.[..]
A representative from Silk Market said that according to an agreement signed between the market and an anti-counterfeit company, whenever the latter issues a notarized document as evidence that there are fake goods in the market, the market must punish the seller concerned immediately.

Things got a little heated among the cramped aisles of the Silk Market on Sunday morning as stall vendors and market management clashed over an order to shutter 7 stalls for 7 days as punishment for selling fake goods.

We are safe... no more fakes!!

Doing some digging around for this post I found out that the Silk Market has its own Wikipedia entry!

Silk Street (秀水街 - Xiu4 Shui3 Jie1, aka Silk Market) is a shopping center in Beijing that accommodates over 1,700 retail vendors, notorious among international tourists for their wide selection of counterfeit designer brand apparels.
The Silk Street (aka Xiushui Market) attracts approximately 20,000 visitors daily (from 9am to 9pm) on weekdays and between 50,000 and 60,000 on weekends as of 2006. This 35,000-square-meter complex house 1,700 retail vendors and over 3,000 salespeople spread over seven floors with three levels of basements.

Chandeleur...

...Or Crepes Day

After talking about the “Galette des Rois” a month ago, today is the “Chandeleur” or Crepes Day.

A little Wikipedia to explain all of this… while I’m tossing crepes with my left hand and holding a gold coin in my right hand!

In France, crêpes were traditionally served on Candlemas (La Chandeleur), February 2. This day was originally Virgin Mary's Blessing Day but became known as avec Crêpe Day, referring to the tradition of offering crêpes. It is believed that if you could catch the crêpe with a frying pan after tossing it in the air with your left hand and holding a gold coin in your right hand, you would become rich that year.

I also learned that the crepes should only be eaten after eight pm… Oups, I’ll know not to blame it on the economy if we don’t get rich this year!

Miam, miam

Being a French AND American family we try to celebrate traditions from both side of the Atlantic. Today is also Groundhog Day, so let me give you a little Wikipedia background on this tradition too. Sorry reader from the US, you probably already know about this… just re read my very own Groundhog Day experience in China, here!

Groundhog Day is an annual holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada on which folklore tells if a groundhog emerges from its burrow and fails to see its shadow because the weather is cloudy, winter will soon end. If on the other hand, it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.

Why but why did you see your shadow, Phil?

I’ll have to say that on this day, French traditions are much easier (if a little fattier, but who cares) to follow…. I looked high and low for a groundhog but couldn’t find a single one in Beijing.


UPDATE: Punxsutawney Phil’s saw his shadow… I guess there will be six more weeks of winter in the States but what about us here in China!!

At Least One Of Them...

...Knows The Truth

Why I love my children…

Yesterday late afternoon Jeremy came up to me and asked for some cereal. I told him no, now it’s not the time, it’s almost time to eat dinner. He pleaded with a big pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaase. When I said that Daddy wouldn’t want him to have cereal at this time he replied: “You are the boss here; you can do whatever you want”

He got his cereal and I got a kiss/hug!

I love you... Me too

Encore What?

...Angkor Wat

Picture to come!!

Doing Our Part...

...For The Economy

We are just back from Cambodia and we thought we had avoided all the fireworks and fire crackers noise here in China for the Lunar New Year. From what I heard the outcome this year was not as impressive as the previous year and especially compared to 2007 (being the 2nd year when fireworks were allowed within the city limits after a 12-year ban). However it all came to an end tonight when thousands of fireworks were sent into the Beijing sky to celebrate the birth of the Chinese God of Wealth on this 5th day into the Spring Festival (aka Chinese New Year).

When in Rome China do as the Romans Chinese…so we also did our part and kept the God of Wealth (Chinese or not) on our side.

Anything to help

60th, 50th, 30th, 20th, 10th...

...Anniversary

While 2008 was full of challenges (snow storm in January, train crash in April, earthquake in May, flood in June and tainted milk in September) and let’s not forget the Beijing Olympics, 2009 will be a year of anniversaries for China. Not sure they will celebrate all of them but I’m sure there will be a lot of activity nonetheless.

Better safe than sorry... I didn't want to take the risk of having the Blog blocked again (hence the text in the image)!!

Traditions

I decided to give you more in-depth knowledge of China and the Chinese New Year since it will most probably be my last post about it.

Here is a few of the traditions during the Chinese New Year:

Festivities
The Chinese New Year celebrations are marked by visits to kin, relatives and friends, a practice known as "new-year visits" (拜年 – Bai4 Nian2). New clothing is usually worn to signify a new year. The color red is liberally used in all decorations. Red packets (红包 Hong Bao) are given to juniors and children by the married and elders.

Days before the New Year
On the days before the New Year celebration Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that luck cannot be swept away. Some people give their homes, doors and window-panes a new coat of red paint. Homes are often decorated with paper cutouts of Chinese auspicious phrases and couplets. Purchasing new clothing, shoes and receiving a hair-cut also symbolize a fresh start.
The biggest event of any Chinese New Year's Eve is the dinner every family will have. A dish consisting of fish will appear on the tables of Chinese families. It is for display for the New Year's Eve dinner. This meal is comparable to Christmas dinner in the West. In northern China, it is customary to make dumplings (饺子 – Jiao Zi) after dinner and have it around midnight. Dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape is like a Chinese tael. By contrast, in the South, it is customary to make a new year cake (年糕 – Nian Gao) after dinner and send pieces of it as gifts to relatives and friends in the coming days of the new year.

First day of the New Year
Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents.
Members of the family who are married also give red packets containing cash to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers.
While fireworks and firecrackers are traditionally very popular

Second day of the New Year
The second day of the Chinese New Year is for married daughters to visit their birth parents. Traditionally, daughters who have been married may not have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.
They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs.

Third and fourth days of the New Year
The third and fourth day of the Chinese New Year are generally accepted as inappropriate days to visit relatives and friends due to the following schools of thought. People may subscribe to one or both thoughts.
1) It is known as "chì kǒu" (赤口), meaning that it is easy to get into arguments. It is suggested that the cause could be the fried food and visiting during the first two days of the New Year celebration.
2) Families who had an immediate kin deceased in the past 3 years will not go house-visiting as a form of respect to the dead. The third day of the New Year is allocated to grave-visiting instead. Some people conclude it is inauspicious to do any house visiting at all.
Fifth day of the new year
In northern China, people eat dumplings (饺子 Jiao3 Zi) on the morning of Po Wu (破五). This is also the birthday of the Chinese god of wealth.

Seventh day of the New Year
The seventh day, traditionally known as Ren Ri 人日 is the common man's birthday, the day when everyone grows one year older.

Ninth day of the New Year
The ninth day of the New Year is a day for Chinese to offer prayers to the Jade Emperor of Heaven (天公) in the Taoist Pantheon. The ninth day is traditionally the birthday of the Jade Emperor.

Fifteenth day of the New Year
The fifteenth day of the New Year is celebrated as Yuan2 Xiao1 Jie2 (元宵节). Rice dumpling汤圆- Tang1 Yuan2), a sweet glutinous rice ball brewed in a soup, is eaten this day. Candles are lit outside houses as a way to guide wayward spirits home. This day is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, and families walk the street carrying lighted lanterns.
This day often marks the end of the Chinese New Year festivities.

Text edited from Wikipedia entry