Marcie No. 2 March 8

We are getting ready to start our second full week in Dalian. Tomorrow, I start Chinese language classes at the university where Mark and I met. I am more nervous this time because I don't have a built in network like I did when I went in college. Fourteen years ago, when I hung out with all the other English speaking students, people figured out quickly that I was American. Now, I don't really have a category to fit into. I've heard people speaking English, but they don't automatically assume that I'm American. The majority of the students are Japanese and Korean, with just a smattering of Europeans, Americans, Middle Easterners and other Asians. I think it will actually be good to not have an English speaking crutch to rely on. I will have enough time in the morning to get the kids off to school, enjoy a cup of tea, spend quiet time with Mark and get to school myself. I'm done with school at 11:30 or noon, which gives me the afternoon to accomplish all the things that need to get done. We've been in such a holding pattern, waiting for China to happen, that it feels very good to have something just for me again. I've been wanting to give my brain a workout since Coleman started kindergarten last year, but the timing wasn't right. I've had too much idle time in the past year and a half, so I think it will be good to be busy again.

The kids finished their first full week of school, and based on the number of tears shed, it was probably the most difficult thing they've ever had to do. Saylor got to the point that by Friday she didn't even want to get out of bed (which is so unusual for her). We are sure that they are just on a steep learning curve and that will be accustomed to their new schools by the end of the month. We have a lot of good role models back home (who are Chinese but adopted by Americans as older children) that went to the US from China without any English language experience. They have a new appreciation for those kids who are all thriving in Portland. We asked Saylor's teacher if she really needed to be present for the last hour of the day, since we had to pay additional tuition directly to the teacher for this hour. First, she gave Saylor a boot camp type drill that basically forced Saylor to admit she WANTED to be there, and then she told me that Saylor is doing a great job in class. Saylor is in the top class for her grade, so she knows (thinks) she has the option of moving to a lower class that doesn't have the academic expectations (i.e. homework). Alayna is doing fine, although she still doesn't know any one's name, including her teacher. She gets most of her work done at school and seems to be making friends. Coleman is excited because he starts soccer tomorrow during the last hour (not an option for our girls). He is mostly concerned about what goes in his belly and very loud when it's time to make decisions about food choices. Addison is having the most difficult time. She is at a very volatile age. I've decided I'm oil and she's water (although we are so much alike, I'm not sure if that expression applies). The saying in our family used to be "If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!", but I've been replaced. Mark's job in the evening has been to sit and work with any of the kids who need help translating their homework. He is still working with Saylor as I write this (9:15 p.m.). She will probably get up in the morning and still have a little math to work on before school.

My back is almost completely better. A friend took me for a Chinese massage (not the relaxing kind, unfortunately) and I think I was actually bruised after. When he found the pain, he dug in until I couldn't stand the pain. Our new crisis (isn't there always one?) is that I found lice nits in Coleman's hair this afternoon. With so many kids in a small space (40 kids in a classroom and on the bus!), I knew it was a possibility, so I've been checking frequently. There were less than 25 eggs and I didn't see any live ones. He was already due for a hair cut, so we took care of that right away. Of course, my head itches (as I'm sure yours does, too), but I can say confidently that we have not passed it to anyone in the US and are lucky that we caught it before it spread.