On Our Way

Ancient China looms in the future while I savor some last morsels of southwestern Pennsylvania. In two weeks I’ll be overlooking the Forbidden City in Beijing. It’s hard to imagine what that will be like with everyone buzzing around “sparkle season”. My little two-year old, Maeli, rode the mall train today with other American kids. In a few weeks all she’ll see are Chinese faces, but will she even notice with those innocent eyes? I know I will. It will take strength to be confident in a minority situation. My cheeks will hurt at the end of the day with all the forced smiling, trying to be a pleasant foreigner. Aaron will be in his bliss though. Re-leaning the language will be his main focus from the start while I will try to make Maeli feel as comfortable as possible. We are planning on staying in 5 different cities in mainland China. After that first month, we’ll think about stabilizing in Hsinchu, Taiwan. However, as Taiwan is the size of Connecticut and Massachusetts combined, it will be easy to travel and take advantage of hot springs, old temples, and city life. No doubt Chinese New Year will be a jewel in our trip with old paper lanterns lit on the street, unfamiliar customs, foods, and traditions. It’s difficult to write an intro for our China/Taiwan adventure because I just have no idea what I’m in store for. At least I am brave, Maeli loves the city and bright lights, and Aaron knows the language. That combination should cash in on a slew of good stories. No doubt we are going to a culture that has more than a slew of good stories; rather they monopolize on the beginnings of language and culture. So, tune in and see how we add some charm to what is known as The Middle Kingdom.