I just have a bunch of random news. First, here are a few pictures of the things our housekeeper has been making for dinner:
I also have started the search for an erhu, the most beautiful of all Chinese instruments. Ever since hearing one in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, I have said “I must have one!” It only has two strings and you play it kind of like a cello so I don’t think it would be very hard to pick up. Here is a video:
But I have a major problem! It’s a good thing I did my research before running out and buying one because apparently, the US customs and border patrol is very strict about the importation of erhus. The soundbox is covered with python skin, and since pythons are becoming an endangered species, you can only bring in erhus that are made from farmed python skins. In order to prove that your erhu is made from a legal python, you have to get this certificate from the seller AND have it endorsed by the local AVA office. It’s very much the same process we had to go through to get Smudgie into China. And it sucks extra because Huainan instrument stores don’t exactly cater to people who are going to be bringing their instruments to America, so they have no idea what this certificate is (we brought a friend with us to go check them out). I found a reputable erhu dealer online who knows all about the process but I e-mailed him and apparently, the certificate is only good for one trip. Since he’s based in Singapore, the certificate he provides is only good for the trip from Singapore to China. And THAT sucks extra because he gets his erhus from China! So I’m not sure what I’ll do now. I was really hoping I could buy one here because if we’re going to be around for next year’s company New Year’s party, I’d rather whip out my erhu and impress everyone than sing another lame song.
The friend that we took with us to go erhu shopping was Elly, a neighbor of ours. I’m telling you, there simply isn’t a way to move to China and not make friends. They will find you! Our landlady’s daughter speaks a bit of English, and one day she came over and said her friend would like to practice English with us during her break from school. So we said sure! Elly came over twice a week this past month and we talked about the differences between Chinese and American culture. She told us that her father forbids her to drink, have a boyfriend, or have a job (she’s 20 years old and there is no drinking age in China). She also really wants to move up north after college but feels pressured by her parents to stay. She is the only child (and therefore responsible for taking care of her parents) so her parents tell her she is selfish for wanting to pursue her dreams. I feel bad for her. I hope she finds a way to convince her parents to move with her. If not, I hope she goes anyways. And I asked her about open crotch pants. She said she thinks they’re more convenient because you don’t have to take the pants off. But you still have to clean up after the kid AND there’s the danger of getting peed on (or worse). And she said she’s been peed on before so I whole-heartedly disagree on the convenience thing.
I have discovered….. CORN! It comes in a vacuum sealed pouch:
But it’s amazing. I don’t know why it’s black. I’ve seen it in the grocery store before, but I always thought it was soaked in soy sauce or something so I stayed away from it. If it weren’t for Xi Shuang Ban Na, I would have never tried it. It tastes the same as regular corn, but it’s chewier and it comes off the cob so much easier than the corn in America. No more getting pieces of kernel stuck in my teeth! Yay!
Here’s a picture of Smudgie looking like an amputee:
And here he is after I gave him a haircut!
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