When I started this blog I promised myself that I would not post anything extremely negative and to focus on the differences in culture and positive things.
For the last year or so several very negative things have been happening and I will not be able to talk about them until end of next month.
Until then I just want you all to know we are ok, and to expect a big update middle of July
School started 3 weeks ago and boy, have we been busy. There is a teacher shortage right now because of Covid travel restrictions, and so we are short handed at work.
Now, I am definitely not the busiest person in the school, or even in the department, but the stress levels of everyone have been pretty high. In order to combat this, my family have been taking weekend excursions.
The trips out are not usually big deals. A mall trip, or just shopping with all five of us.
My family is mostly introverts and we all enjoy staying in, however even just going out to eat forces us all to interact and helps us reconnect in a way that we can’t over the week days.
Last week we broke from our normal routine and we went to the local amusement park (Chaoyang Park). It was exactly what we all needed.
Unfortunately it can be very difficult to get a whole family disconnected from our devices, and I savour these weekend trips.
Fireworks have always been a symbol of celebration. Found around the world now. Some countries regulate them and others do not. They are fun, but can be dangerous or even deadly.
In China around the Lunar New Year’s people buy them privately and fire them off in the city to celebrate. It is their way to celebrate. I’m normally very open about a culture’s festivals and celebrations. But I have grown to really dislike this holiday.
Here’s what happens every year. A few days before the New Year random people will start lighting noisy fireworks without any flash. They just go “Bang!” Loud enough to set off every car alarm in a block. These are started around noon. When any sane parent is trying to get their infant or toddler to have a nap.
This leads to a cranky child. Who scream at the loud noise. By New Year’s eve they start setting off the night time fire-show. In the street right next to the buildings.
The day before (This year Feb 11th) and the day after (Feb 13th) you might get a couple fire works in the middle of the night. And The New year’s night it is all night.
So to iterate, over the week, we have a toddler who didn’t nap and is cranky all week who passes out at night, then the light show (right outside our window) keeps us awake all night. Keep this up for about half a week.
This year, my youngest got to see the light show on New year’s and liked it (it is beautiful) but since, when people put on the noise makers at night then stop for an hour we have a cranky, tired child screaming that her fireworks have disappeared.
Repeat every hour.
This has happened with all of our kids when they were young….
Some years the fireworks go for 2weeks. This year, it just started.
You can’t sleep because of the noise, you can’t watch TV because of the noise, you can’t read because of the tired child. So the only option is to go to the mall, during a 3rd wave of a global pandemic…
Just some thoughts…
Baldwins Abroad 
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