Getting Ready To Go To China

We leave in 5 days. I haven't blogged actively in some time, but this seems like a good time to start. What's left of my online social life has moved to Facebook. It's a different world out there on the inner-webs these days. I'm of the impression we won't have access to The Big FB while we're traveling, so I'm going to try my hand at this again.

Magic Paper Calligraphy

Our friend Irene from Calligraphy class brought us "magic" calligraphy paper from Hong Kong. You paint on it with water. When it dries the marks go away. The boys are practicing with examples by our instructor Kathy Pak.

Calligraphy class

Rocks

Santa

Recent iTunes Purchase

The Shanghai Restoration Project, a musical group that blends traditional Chinese instrumentation and culture with hip-hop and electronica, has collaborated with Yip's Children's Choir Canada, a non-profit subsidiary of the internationally acclaimed Yip's Children's Choir (Hong Kong). The result is "Little Dragon Tales" a collection of 12 classic Chinese Children’s songs with a modern twist.

I found this album through an adoption blog I follow. While playing the video, Kai began to sing along with a number of the songs. I really like the musical arrangements of these pieces and they are great reinforcement to help the boys learn the songs they sing at Chinese school.

Please & Thank You

How to say “Thank You”

谢谢
xie xie
“Thanks Thanks”

谢谢你
xie xie ni
“Thanks Thanks you”

How to say “Your Welcome”

不客气
bú kèqi
“You’re welcome ”

不用谢
bú yòng xiè
“you don’t need to thank me”

没事
mei shi
“it’s nothing”