Louie's Travel & Triumphs!

      Been absent a while... life is hectic.  In China for several weeks, I have been visiting family and allowing the 3 girls to catch some time with China family & friends. I and girls have been visiting family in Guangxi (my mom has fallen) and Louie has been hard at work, leading families on heritage travel groups.

     He coordinates so many details for each group he leads. This month, the record-setting rains have proved especially challenging.  See Beijing Rainfall if you haven't read the news before. I think the clients that travel with him are quite fortunate, and this month it was especially true. I'll include a few pics here of the rain here and share some highlights from email messages:If you'll allow me, I'll brag on him just a bit here -- I'll share an email excerpt:  Louie says, 

" In my group are 27 clients, the youngest one is 8-years-old. All clients arrived at Beijing on time and we finished the sightseeing as our plan in Beijing.

Louie, during a sunny trip to Beijing!

When we arrived at the Beijing West Train Station on July 20^th evening, all trains were cancelled, including our Beijing/Xian soft sleeper train due to the biggest flood in Beijing in 100 years. All next day’s bullet train and soft sleeper train fare have been sold out. The next day’s Beijing/Xian flight has not enough seats for the whole group at last minute."

I always know Louie is resourceful, and he goes about making many phone calls with his connected friends; he secures a private bus for his group.   "We arrived in Xian and kept our original plan in Xian, while many tourists and groups are struggling for hotels, trains and air tickets in Beijing still."
After responding "Wow...." and a bit more, he replies: 
"I am so lucky to have nice families in the group and they are so cooperative and make my work easier."

Louie Yi, you are resourceful, dedicated and caring.   Hey Louie, we are all fortunate at Lotus Travel, and the families who travel with you! Let me say "Kudos to you!!"  And, THANKS!!!

Twenty Years of Memories

Last month, I attended a celebration in Guangzhou, which was hosted at the US consulate in Guangzhou  (see photos included here). The purpose of the event was to commemorate 20 years of China -US adoptions.  The evening was incredible and full of memories of the 20 years.  I spoke at the event, and "Somewhere Between" was shown.   It was  emotional to watch Fang search for her birth parents and not yet find them.  And to watch Haley locate her birth parents, especially when the two families were united and hugged.  The girls were not lost and found, they had two moms and dads who love, care and think of them.  During that moment It occured to me that the last 20 years was rewarded.  There was a mom and adopted daughter on the panel on the consulate celebration night.  When audience said the daughter was lucky, and the mom said “no, we as parents were the lucky ones”.  I was in tears.  

This past week I have experienced a lot of memories.  It was  20 years ago  (Dec. 10) when I landed at the  SEA/TAC airport, arriving to the US for the first time from China. I am grateful to my parents who encouraged me to fly over to the US and start my new life in Tacoma.  I am pleased that Louie, worked before hand and initiated contact with adoption agencies throughout US before my arrival. So much has occurred during the past 20 years, including  working with  approximately 30,000 families who traveled to adopt and unite with their children.  Last week was the anniversary of my 20 years in US; October marked Lotus’ 20^th anniversary.   Wow!

Lotus Travel is like our 20 year-old "baby".  Louie and I contributed part of our life together as we also established this relationship with the adoption community. As Louie continues to lead homeland heritage tour groups, I am focused on cultural exchange ; living in China life experiences as well as sharing and giving back to the community.  Life is moving on. We are grateful for being part of the adoption journey with so many families.  I pray that as we continue,  the journey filled is filled with joy, peace and hope.  

Lea Xu "Here and There" China & US : Dance: A Gift from the Past and Present to my Girls

Lea Xu "Here and There" China & US : Dance: A Gift from the Past and Present to my Girls

Dance: A Gift from the Past and Present to my Girls

 It has been 24 years since the last time I was on stage.  I had a solo performance in a Korean dance called "Dancing in Autumn" last month.  That date was also the celebration of the 20^th anniversary of  the Hengda dancing school    It also happened to fall during Louie’s recent month long absence when he traveled to Tibet.   Being a “single” mom (temporarily) with three children, in addition to work, cooking, cleaning and chauffeuring the girls around for after school activities,  it was extra busy with the addition of the group and private lessons.    One might  wonder whey I decided to take the assignment.  It really felt like it was the right and especially appropriately timed opportunity for me.

    You see, it was that 14 years ago when I first learned the same dance. Then, I found that I was pregnant with Selena, our oldest daughter back in early 2002.
 I have always been a big fan of dance, I started to learn dancing when I was six years old.  Dancing had always been in my heart up until I was pregnant with one after another with three of my daughters. Of course I am much older, bigger than when I was practicing rhythm gymnastics in college.  I have  lots of vivid memories of doing both choreography and dancer myself since middle school years.    Taking care of three children, along with practiced and rehearsal again and again was a challenge for my body and time commitment at this age.   

 However, when I was told by  an audience member, they heard a girl said “She is my mom.” at my performance, I knew my girls were really proud of me.  In some ways, this is one of the best moment that this proud mom  could ever have. *******************************************************************************************

Me During College Gymnastics 

Food & Memories Connect to "Home"

     Whenever I see my friends from China post pictures of food in We Chat (China' equivalent to Facebook), I want to fly back to China right at that very instant. It's not just about the food only, it is also just a much about the dining experience and connection with friends and relatives.  It brings a feeling of warmth, homey – relaxed and comfy. 

     I never really knew how much I would miss China until after we returned from Guangzhou to Seattle after living in Guangzhou for a good six years.  It's easy to miss the times when girlfriends can get together almost any time before picking up girls from school  or after dropping them off at school, birthday parties, at the salon, meet for coffee, food or simply for no reason.  Life was more relaxing, flexible and enjoyable.

      It may sound odd to people in N. America -- but there, one does not have to worry about making appointment way ahead of time.  When going out to eat, one does not have to wait in a crowd waiting for seating in a few very limited option of restaurants.  Also, a person does not have to keep your voice down even though others might talk loudly. 

     I miss China because I feel well connected with the culture, the language and the people.  Being a mother, I have done my best to invest my time and energy for my children by bringing them to China to learn Chinese and take them back to the US for a “better” education for their future.  Like most Americans, I only want to be part of their lives for a period of time and then I like to live in my country, even though it is still developing.  If you ask me, what is the real difference between China and America? I would say, being born in China, I still found “East or West, home is the best”.

Lantern Festival

Our family has done just a little for Lantern Festival today, since school schedules in the US don't really accommodate that.  The first photo below shows the glutinous rice balls I made for breakfast this morning.  I've posted a few more below that show some of the celebrations happening in China now. Hope your family has a wonderful weekend!

Chinese New Year Memories and Plans

Jasmine was asking me yesterday when we were in Starbucks, “Mommy, what was your Chinese new year like when you were my age? And, if I ask about Grandpa being with you at the time, please do not cry, all right?”

I told her I would not cry, as I LOVE to talk about times when Grandpa was with us.  He cooked the best Chinese food for New Year’s Eve, usually when Grandma and I would take a shower and change into our new year clothes on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. 

“Didn’t you need to help to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner?”  she asked.

No, actually we did not have to.  Grandpa just enjoyed cooking, which is like your daddy.  But your grandpa liked to do everything himself.

“What did he cook for you?” 

He cooked fish, chicken, hotpot and lots of tasty food.  Grandma and I would get to watch TV after our showers, and we would wash clothes and clean the apartment.  It was the best thing to do -  just relax, eat and watch TV like you girls do on the weekend.  Grandpa did watch the Chinese New Year TV Gala with us after dinner.  Oh, he would do the fireworks right before New Year’s Eve dinner and after midnight. But he napped during the TV program, I guess he was tired.  On new year’s day, he would get up first, just after another round of fireworks. He would cook new year’s breakfast for us including a new year’s cake, ginger sugar tea and rice krispies.  It was like room service, we did not even have to get up to have breakfast!   Hongbao was always exciting.  But being taken care of, shown by each delicious meal made with love and joy is the most impressive memory.    I remember once, soon after breakfast while we were watching TV in bed, we were called to have lunch.  Of course, there were a lot of different varieties of food like the German Krispy Pork. Eating around the hotpot was always the best time for my family.  Ever since being a little child, spicy hot spot is my favorite.  Grandpa never complained. He cooked for us and enjoyed eating himself as well as watching us eat! J 

Lea as a teen & her dad 

“So grandpa was like daddy, sounds like he was a great chef.”     

 Yes. And, New Year’s here in the States will be celebrating like what we did in China – get together with friends or as a family and have at least one big MEAL.  On the menu, daddy has already written down: baked salmon, roast chicken, steamed clam, fried chicken wings, double-fried pork and hot pot. 

“So you are lucky to always have great cooks, Mom.  We are lucky too to have daddy.” 

 Yes honey, we should always appreciate what we have and enjoy it.  So we won’t regret things one day, when they are no longer with us. We should keep our memories vivid and sweet.  No tears at all.  This is the New Year spirit – always appreciate and enjoy life.