19 - Maybe you'd like to know

7/6 Throughout our trip we've heard and learned some interesting things. Please remember that you and I will view these issues differently. It is not my intent, at this time, to say that any of the following are wrong; I'm simply showing a different way of viewing an issue. Maybe you'll find these thought provoking as well:

The locals do not understand our desire for another child since we have 5 already. Their common response is One Family, One Child. Rather a catchy slogan, don't you think?

Any unusual condition at birth is not understood and is suspect; perhaps evil spirits or years of medical treatments which will deplete the family's resources. A family needs a healthy child to reach maturity to care for aging parents. So, extra digits, hearing loss, crossed eyes, bump on neck, club foot, cleft lip/palate, irregularly shaped head at birth are just a few of the reasons for waiting children.

People are either mentally healthy or not. There is no in between ranges of mental capacity. Therefore there are no resources for emotional/mental/learning disabilities. Down syndrome is near the bottom of this list.

Shopping is not for those in a hurry or faint of heart. I tried to warn Gerald yesterday when he took me to buy a new camera :-) You select an item and THAT DEPARTMENT will take the item and write up a receipt for the item. You leave that department to continue shopping, carrying any receipts with you. Same procedure in other departments. When you are finished selecting merchandise, you take all receipts to a cashier who will total, take your payment, and give you back the carbon copy of each receipt. Yes, carbon paper is still alive and well :-) You then return to each department to receive the item(s) you purchased. So, to buy a digital camera, receive free memory card, and batteries involved only three departments!

Watching tv, we've noticed the strong patriotism. Even the children's channels have music videos with a child singing a song about an experience in their life. The children are not dressed as small adults, rather very modestly and in attractive outfits. They are saluting their country's flag and proudly wearing their red scarves. Perhaps there is something we can learn from this?

Cars have right of way over pedestrians and bikers. Since my last visit in '98, there are many more cars and less bikes on the roads. I miss the funny construction hard hats (safety helmets) worn by bicyclists. Crossing a road is like playing Frogger.

It is better not to watch what your driver sees thru the windsheild. You'll be much more at peace to watch out your side window.

It is possible to exchange names and have conversation with those in cars next to you at traffic stops. They really enjoy the candy you can pass thru the window to them. Traffic police like Tootsie Roll Pops and will allow you to make any turn you wish.

Double yellow lines on the highways are only a suggestion. This is from our driver and guide.

If you do not bring your preconceived attitudes, you'll make friends everywhere. Outside of the major cities, the locals are curious and friendly. While Gerald made his rounds to purchase the camera, I held Kate on my lap facing me (better than chasing behind her :-) and we sang every Sunday School song I could think of. She's learning these in Chinese, so she got to laugh at Mama singing them in English. The store clerks slowly moved in closely to examine us and listen. Then I reviewed counting to ten in English. When I was tired of that I turnd to one of the dozen or more clerks standing VERY close and asked how to count in Chinese. They figured out what I was asking and enjoyed my poor attempts and even applauded once I had mastered the tones. Kate was bored by then and a clerk walked her over to convince her that Mama and Baba should buy her an MP4. It didn't happen :-) Our camera salesman was a jolly guy and interesting so I pulled out paper and pencil and drew a TicTacToe pattern. Apparently, this is not known here. After a bit of my poor attempts at instructions, he accepted my challenge to play. This drew a bigger crowd. When I won the first game, his friends really teased him, so he drew a huge grid pattern and proceeded to "teach" me how to play his game of getting five x's or o's in a row. I had some rough starts, but he would patiently erase my poor moves and give me pointers. When I finally "mastered" (won) applauds again. Lots of laughter, lots of fun. Did I tell you how much I really like the people of Taiyuan?

Gerald met a man from Beaumont Texas (near my home in Louisiana) who has been in Taiyuan for many months inspecting the construction of a line plant for a steel plant. He's from Ardmore OK! We told our chinese friend, What a Small World. Our chinese friend replied, No, "One World, One People." That's the new catchy Olympic 2008 slogan. Maybe you want to say it again and think very carefully.

Gerald says he has figured out the rules of road. Whoever gets the nose of their car ahead of another has the right of way.

In order to be employed, married, attend public school, you must have a Hu Kau. This is similar to a Social Security card. Without this ID card, offspring will never receive a HuKau. They are non-people. For a child to be adopted they must be in a government orphange and have a HuKau. Children in private orphanages cannot be adopted.


Isaiah 49:15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.