Jennifer's Corner

Happy New Year!

Yikes! Where in the world did 2011 go?? I can't believe one, it's now 2012 and two, it's been a year and a half since I've updated this darn page on my never ending website. When I started this website in 2009, I thought after the initial set-up it'd be an easy update process especially since we were scheduled to leave Shanghai in 2010!

Well, I was wrong on both accounts. First of all, it's not an easy update process as the longer we are here, the more "normal" everyday life is in China. Starting our 6th year I can honestly say that not much surprises me anymore (Except when Sean ate a chicken head in Yangshuo this year for Thanksgiving!). I still love Shanghai and most of the time it's people, I just don't find it as stimulating as I did back in 2007. I guess maybe after 5 full years we are assimilating so much that if feels more like home???

And, on that note, it's not an easy task updating this website for that very reason. Sure, our trips are interesting until we've been to the same place four times because we love it so much. After that there is really not much to write about. Although, this year I really enjoyed writing about Tibet and Australia and of course our trip to Sophie's province.

Tibet, because it was a life changing trip that was not about big cities, money, fancy hotels, expensive food but something much deeper than that. It's impossible to put into words but it amazed me on a daily basis the strength, courage, compassion and dedication to religion the Tibetan people demonstrated. I came away from that trip wanting to be a much better person than I was before I visited Tibet. I believe everyone in the world should go to Tibet and meet the people from there. They can teach us an awful lot.

Then there was Australia, just a place I dreamt about, not really thinking anything about it. I loved Australia and its fun loving, easygoing people. It's a happy country that must be doing something right compared to the US in the year 2011.

And, Sophie's "home" town. Need I say more?? Click here to read about the trip to Jiangxi, Province

As I type this Sophie is practicing her piano, Sean is off on a Boy Scout camping trip and Scott is in the US working. Sean is involved in everything he can possibly join in school and his schedule is just maddening. He's flying to Beijing next month for Model United Nations, is heavily involved in Scouts, plays tennis and cello and is on the student council. I swear he's grown 5 inches this year and matured beyond his young 11 years of age. In order to accomodate his busy schedule he's even been taking taxi's by himself. Sophie tends to stick close to home but still is (sort of) enjoying gymnastics.

Now that Spanky is a year old, I'm hoping to get my life back. Not sure doing what yet, but hopefully something worth while. Scott was promoted to VP Asia Sourcing and is doing well. Boy a lot has happened this year!

Thinking about our life in China so far, I'm thrilled Sean and Sophie are going to such an amazing school and they love it, I'm thrilled Scott has been able to do things he wouldn't have dreamt about 17 years ago when we got married, I'm thrilled that my kids look at other kids and don't notice the color of their skin, but most of all, I'm thrilled that Sophie has experienced first hand her birth culture and her roots. I don't think a lot of adopted Chinese American's can say the same. So, I guess I'm happy to have spent 5 years in Shanghai as my family is flourishing and I think we've all learned a lot about the world and ourselves.

As always, thanks for visiting our website.