Thursday night we went to our favorite Chinese restaurant again. Jeanne and Nelson went with us and a Samoan girl from our ward, Taumaia. We have our own waitress. I think she's the only one who will put up with us. But we save the receipt from the time before so we just point to it and tell her we want the same. It's all in Chinese. The meal was great. It was about $15.00 for the 5 of us.
Friday night our university liaison gave us tickets to a program at the Tianjin Concert Hall. We went with the Boren's. It was the Tianjin Symphonic Orchestra. Fantastic! It was just wonderful. Of course, all the music was in Chinese :) But music is universal. All the instruments were Chinese. They were so interesting. We really wanted to go look at them, but that wouldn't have been proper. We were all amazed at the beauty of the music and the concert hall and all the pomp. And the girl in the front row of the orchestra who reminded us of Nickki Gabel, especially when she rolled her eyes and mimicked the announcer!
Saturday was our Branch Christmas party at the Presidents' house. Huge house,68 people, adults and kids. It was great! Turkey and all the trimmings and even Santa Claus showed up! We took our family from upstairs. Their three kids are wild and crazy, but there were others like them so it was OK!
We even had a program- a Viola duet, a Chinese harp solo, a speech by a 7 yr. old girl, and I read the Christmas story and we sang songs with it. It was just right! Plus we brought left-overs home!
The family upstairs, with the 3 kids, has now moved from the 5th floor to the second floor. Right above us. But it's alright. The 5th floor doesn't have bars on the windows and their kids were always opening the windows. The second story apt.has bars to keep the kids in. This China experience with 3 kids is really draining Staci. I feel so sorry for her. They have hired a nanny, but she doesn't speak English and I think the kids just run over her!
I'm finding I feel less stressed since Ernie's kidney stone has been taken care of, and I didn't even know I was stressed. But I do feel better.
Finals are this week and next and I'm on top of them so I feel confident that I can get that taken care of easily. Then we have time off and start preparing for next semester.Our students have their big finals after they have the English finals. They are studying so hard. They even have a final on Christmas, not that they celebrate Christmas, but they know a little about it.
Our other China teachers were saying how they talk so much about Christmas with their students so I thought I would to. That would take up some class time. No. They all looked at me with blank expressions;like they had no idea or interest in what I was talking about. So much for Christmas.
All of the stores are decorated. Not like the U.S. But they have decorations in the windows and there are some magnificent Christmas trees in the upper class shopping areas! Near the concert hall.
It's time to get to class. Love you all! Can't wait for Christi to get home!! Mom XXOO
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