Happy Lunar New Year!

Happy Lunar New Year!  

My sister and I at my favorite places to eat in the city.

I am excited to celebrate my first Chinese New Year (Spring Festival).  This year I had to spend it away from my Chinese family  It is tradition to be with the whole family at the celebration but this year I had to be with my family in the USA.   My USA family didn't want me to feel left out and wanted to show Yu that they honor his traditions, so we had dinner together at my favorite place.  There are all kinds of traditions people have for their new year's dinner.  Each country that celebrates this holiday have different traditions and foods they make.  At the place I went with family, the owner, Yin, let me try something her mom made for lunar new year.  I thought it was very good.

People tend to wrap the food in different things, traditionally banana leaves.  Yin's mom used foil.

This is a sticky rice mung bean cake  In the very center is pork

My Chinese family had all kinds of foods.  It took a long time to make everything.  My mother-in-law was very busy.  Food holds meanings and has traditions behind them.  These traditions are similar to my family's traditions of having Christmas cookies around Christmas time.  It is also tradition to clean.  Cleaning the house before the New Year will make room for good luck to be welcomed into the home.

My mother-in-law starting to cook

Cooked beef tongue

Mom and Grandma making rice cakes

It is tradition to have everyone go home for the holiday.   Many people say no matter how far a person lives, they always come home for the New Year.  It is seen as being unlucky if you are not home for the holiday.  Being that I am taking care of my mom and working in the USA, going to China at this time was not something I could do.  So I had to stay in the USA.  There is a tradition that Yu told me about that I did not know of.  Through all my research and readings on The Spring Festival/Lunar New Year, I had no idea what would be done if the whole living family was not all there. 

There is a tradition that at the family meal  a plate of food is put off to the side for the member missing.  My mother-in-law told me that I will get my own plate and that Yu, my husband, would have to eat it for me.  Yu said he ate double that day and was so full.  This tradition is a symbolic meaning of having the whole family together.   This means no one is left out. 

In the USA, we don't have this tradition in some of our holidays.  At Thanksgiving, we don't have a plate for the missing person as a symbol.  Hearing about this tradition made me really happy.  It made me feel like I was not being left out or missing the celebration even though I was over 7,000 miles away.  Yu also made it so that people could video chat with me.  It was nice to see family and meet new family members I have not had the pleasure of meeting in person. 

There are many things people do for New Year, fireworks, eating food, worship time, and being with family.  I think the most important is being with family.  I love spending time with my family both in the USA and in China.  In the USA I was able to get together with my mom's side of the family with some of the family, not everyone.  Below are photos of our family time.  We sure had fun.  It was strange that all the adults were dressed in black and white clothes.

My sister and I having a great time after dinner.

My cousin's little boy.  He was very interested with the place we were at.  He loved telling everyone "Hi"

My mom and dad testing out Red Bean Ice Cream.  It was not their favorite.

My cousin and his little girl.  She was so cute trying to eat Red Bean Ice Cream.

My dad trying to figure out what team to cheer for during the Super Bowl 2016.

My aunt and uncle.  They were so happy to tell me about the New Year animal being the Fire Monkey. They missed Yu and wanted him to know that they will look forward to next year's party.

I am enjoying tea after my dinner.  I had a lot of fun with family and enjoyed being with everyone there.

What do you do for Lunar New Year?  Have you learned new traditions?  Have you ever missed a family gathering? If so, what do people do? 

My Chinese Wedding

Professional wedding photos were taken before the wedding

We got to have different styles.  Sign is saying we will be a couple for 100 years!

My favorite photo.  This was very fun to take this one.

We took very traditional photos and fun photos too.

Yu and I had great fun trying to follow the photographer's orders.

This photo turned out very well. We look great in traditional Chinese wedding clothes.

The day of our Chinese wedding Celebration.  Yu decided he didn't want to wear traditional Chinese clothes.

We started the day very early.  Everyone loved to take photos with us.  I was able to meet more family and friends.  It was nice talking with everyone even though I didn't understand what people were saying.

We went from table to table to say "cheers" to everyone and to thank each person for coming.  Each guest gave us some advice for a long happy marriage and a long life together.

My new Chinese family!  I am so happy and blessed to be considered family.  I miss everyone so much.  I can't wait to come back and see everyone.

 My wedding in China had two parts to it.  There was part A where I went with Yu to the office to register for marriage on the 8th of October.  This took place at the capital, Nanjing.  After we registered for marriage it was time to continue to plan the wedding celebration that was held on the 18th of October.  In China, numbers have importance.  The number 8 is a very lucky number.  Any number that ends in 8 is also lucky. 

While I was helping with planning things (well, mainly just sitting there while my mother-in-law did most of the work), many people said to me that weddings in China are complicated.  From reading and researching about Chinese weddings I completely agree.  I went through a Chinese wedding and I still do not fully understand all that went on.  

The celebration on the 18th, from an American's perspective, would be considered multiple receptions due to the two banquets that are held.  On the 8th it was similar to the American ceremony with the vows given and acknowledge of marriage rights and all that jazz.  

On the 18th we got dressed up and everyone showed up to celebrate and congratulate us on getting married.  Yu said it was China's way of recognizing our marriage.  He said the 8th was legal way of recognizing we are married.  At the celebration we were greeted by fireworks and many family members coming to say hello.  Many small kids were around to say hello and to keep me company when the adults were talking to Yu.  I loved being able to be around the little kids.  They sure liked playing with the beads on my headdress I had on. 

Once we had everyone around and it was time to eat lunch we all got to our seats.  The meals were served on both floors of the house.  The living areas of the house were full of tables for the guests to sit at.  Each table had about 30 different types of dishes.  Each item had their own meanings and importance.  It was really cool to try things I never had before.  At one point in the meal Yu and I had to go to each guest and thank them for coming.  Yu's cousin, whom married earlier in the month, said if you don't eat quickly by the time you return to the table, you won't get much food.  It was nice of her to give me some tips. 

After the meal we had to go to our bedroom again to have tea to give us good luck and have a long marriage.  Then after the tea Yu's aunts helped put special bedding on the bed.  The bedding was in a big bundle and inside the bundle was some wedding treats that look like a cookie and some dried dates.  They were put in the bundle to grants us children early in the marriage.   Later that day we had a dinner that we had the same feast.

The following day we had another gathering to attend.  There was a total of 6 or 7 meals we had to celebrate our marriage.  In these meals there was protocol to follow to show respect to the hosts.  It was confusing to me at first but I was able to follow what others told me to do.

What traditions are you used to at weddings?  Have you experienced different traditions at weddings? It is always interesting to learn new things.  I know that I enjoyed every moment of my time with family in China. I can't wait to return again.

'Tis the Season to be Sick

Yu had to take photos to send to family in USA to tell them the doctor was helping me.

Working in retail in the USA makes it very difficult to have free time once the shop hits the holiday sales time.  The shop I work at started their holiday shopping season right after Halloween.  It has been so busy that people tend to lose sleep and then get sick.  We just finished the holiday seasonal shopping time in the USA and I am so glad too.  I have been getting sick left and right.

This made me reflect when I was sick in China. When I was in China, I had a bad cold.  When we were in Nantong, my husband said I should go to the hospital.  Since I think that a cold is no reason to go to the hospital I said I wouldn't go.  My cold got worse and my husband told me to rest after breakfast.   奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) checked on me before lunch and she began to be very worried.  She thought I had a high fever. The only reason I felt so warm to her was that I was under the big blankets people piled on top of me.

In China they believe that sweating out the cold is best. When we were in Wuxi, 舅媽 (Jiù mā [Aunt - uncle's wife]) let us barrow a foot bath machine that would heat the water.  I had to wrap up in blankets and soak my feet in very warm vinegar water. That is why I had to be under so many blankets in Nantong.

Once 奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) thought I had a bad fever she quickly yelled for 妈妈 (Māmā [Mom - my mother-in-law wanted me to call her this]) and my老公 ( lǎo gōng [husband]).  You could hear her yell for them as she left the house and went outside to the kitchen and then the fields.  老公 ( Lǎo gōng [husband]) came quickly to check on me.  He told me that he thinks I should go to the hospital and I told him no, it wasn't bad enough to go tot he hospital.  It was time for lunch as well so he helped me to the kitchen to get some food. The whole time in the kitchen I had 妈妈 (Māmā [Mom]) checking my fever using her hands on my forehead.  She would talk to 奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) about it.  Once I had enough of food I went back to bed.  老公 ( Lǎo gōng [husband]) told me that the doctor is coming to see me. He told me to be in the front bedroom.  

Once the doctor came he told everyone that I didn't have a fever.  Ha, I knew it but of course  奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) was convinced I had one.  She spent time praying to her gods.  She was so worried. 爷爷 (Yéyé [Grandpa]) was out working in the field with a friend or neighbor.  A neighbor granny came to check on me.  She was worried because she saw the doctor drive up to the house.  The doctor had given me medication through an IV. It was a different experience having a house-call from a doctor.  In the USA it is not very common to have a doctor come to the house.  The coat rack was used to hold up the IV liquids to help the flow of fluids.  After the doctor was done giving me the medication he put fluids on my IV.  After he left I was trying to rest.  The neighbor granny had a dog that came to check on me too.  He would come right up by the bed to tap my forehead with it's nose. 

After what seemed like a few minutes of sleep 爷爷 (Yéyé [Grandpa]) and his friend came to check on me.  He was happy to see color back into my face.  Once he knew I was doing well he went back out with his friend. 奶奶 (Nǎinai [Grandma]) came to see me and was so happy when she saw my face was more lively.  She gave me a good luck charm and 妈妈 (Māmā [Mom]) did too.  After feeling more alive I was able to go visit the other half of the family, 爸爸 (Bà ba [Dad]) and his family.


Everyone should try to stay healthy when it is cold and flu season.  Sometimes there are different ways to help people feel better, try them.  Also, sometimes it is better to see the doctor before your sickness gets out of hand, even if you don't think it is that bad.

Chinese words used today:

• 奶奶  -- Nǎinai  = Grandma
•  爷爷 -- Yéyé  = Grandpa
•  妈妈 -- Māmā  = Mom  (There is a special word for mother-in-law but mine wants me to call her mom and use this Chinese word -- always check to see which one is okay to use)
•  老公  -- Lǎo gōng = husband
•  舅媽  -- Jiù mā = Aunt - uncle's wife
•  爸爸  -- Bà ba  = Dad

First Day in China

My first day in China was an interesting experience.  I had never been on an airplane before.  After about 15 hours on the airplane I landed in Shanghai, China.  It was a bumpy ride because of the storm we were getting into.  When I landed there was a typhoon coming.  After following people to the area to get get registered for visiting the country and getting luggage, I followed others to the exit.  As I was pushing the cart full of my luggage I was able to see Yu standing at the area to greet people.  I noticed him right away.  He didn't think I did so he was waving his arms in the air and calling out my name.  Heehee.  He had been worried my flight wouldn't make it because of the typhoon.

I was tired, sick feeling, and too warm, but I was excited. I couldn't believe I was in China!

Yu and I took the subway that was connected to Pudong International Airport.  It was cool that it was connected so we didn't have to go outside in the rain.  I had no idea there was a storm.  We made our way through the subway with all my bags.  Yes I packed too much, so dumb and troublesome.  Tip:  Pack light even if you are packing for a plan B.  You need to pack light.  It was a work out to get things up and down the steps.  Some areas of the subway did not have or had a broken escalator. For those who have a handicap, like my mother, this is very difficult.  Some areas have service to elevators but some do not so you might run into some issues.

Yu needed to get his phone fixed so we didn't go to his place right away.  We went to a shopping center that was filled with all kinds of electronic shops. It was overwhelming.   I was overwhelmed with the amount of smoking, how warm it was around, and the many crowded walkways.  Another tip for those who need elevators:  Some places have barriers in front of the elevators which can make it a challenge.  Try to ask for assistance from someone as to where a more accessible elevator may be located. This particular shopping center had barriers in front of the elevators which was very strange.

After getting his phone fix, Yu said it was time to go home.  Finally, I get to go home.  I was tired from the travels to China and around town.  It was very dark outside and very stormy.  It was hard to get a taxi so it was back to the subway and then the train.  Once we got off the train we finally got a taxi.  So glad no one took the last taxi as I was heading down the steps. That happens in any busy town.

Once we got home Yu made me some food.  It was very kind of him to make me something to eat even though I didn't like it.  He ate the food for me and then took me outside for something else.  There was a break in the rain so we were able to walk without getting wet.  We found a small food stall to order a rice dish.  It was great but because I got sick on the airplane my body couldn't eat much.  On our way back Yu picked up some fruits  We got dragon fruit and figs.  I had never had these foods fresh.  I was excited to try.

Eating dragon fruit!  It was so humid outside that my hair freaked out. haha

That night Yu gave me my engagement ring.  He put it on the wrong hand at first.  It was fun trying to explain to him why it was put on the left hand. The Greeks believed that there was a vain that went straight to the heart on the left hand.  After taking a shower I was able to relax and feel better.  Have you ever been so sweaty and sticky that you felt gross?  That is how I felt most of the day.  I was able to feel refreshed after a nice shower. Yu's apartment was set up a little more compacted than I am used to.  The shower was in the same area as the toilet so don't leave toilet paper in the open because it will get wet and gross.

That night I feel asleep to the sound of thunder.  I do not like thunder.  Hearing thunder in a new place made it a little more scary.  I didn't hear it for long because I feel right to sleep.  This night was my first night in China.  I learned some new things about the culture and how to make the light for walking across the street, you have to rush, rush, rush to make the light, train, or subway.  It was a fast-rushing atmosphere that I was not used to.

Yu was so happy I was finally in China. 

Public Transportation

Public transportation is important to a lot of cities.  In China, there is a sophisticated system that has been developed in many cities. Buses, trains, taxis, subways, and other vehicles that I really do not know the names of.  I have never been on a subway before I went to Shanghai.  It was an interesting experience for me.  I learned quickly that in big cities, public transportation becomes very crowded which can be troublesome to those who are not used to it.  I felt overwhelmed at first but I soon felt more comfortable with it.

Subway ticket in Wuxi, China

What I learned about taking the subway and the train is to always keep your ticket.  Tickets could be a card, a paper ticket, or even a plastic token.  Do not lose your ticket because you will need it to exit the station once you are at the location you need to be.   Train tickets have valuable information and it is helpful to know some Chinese to fully understand what it says.  You can at least understand where you are going, the platform, the seat and car numbers, and the time the train will leave.

If you do not speak Chinese, most of the time I was able to know where my stop was due to the helpful voice on the loudspeaker translating the Chinese to English.  It was helpful to know where I was going though, Yu would sometimes not tell me where we were going (surprise dates were always fun), or would tell me and I got confused to the many stops that sound similar to it.

Yu had a special transportation paying card for Shanghai.  It was great to use the card to pay for the bus, train, subway, and the taxi rides.  I was so shocked that the card was able to pay for all that.  My metro card only pays for the bus and the light rail.  Yu kept saying, "See, China is better!"

I was able to ride a few time on these taxi-like vehicles that is like a cart and a tri-wheeled motorcycle in-one.  This kind of transportation was cheaper than a normal taxi cab.  It is usually under $1 USD per person.  It was a great way to travel the around town. I had never been in one before nor have I seen them where I have lived or visited in the USA.

In the motorcycle taxi.

The train was the main rail transportation where you are likely to have a seat.  There was times in Shanghai when we were unable to find a seat.  In the subway most of the time in busy cities you are not going to find a seat unless it is in part of the town that is not so popular. Some lines was not as busy as others.  It was great that all the cities we were going were connected in some way with transpiration.  

The train ride to Nanjing.

Culture Shock

Shanghai, China

Hello, I am back in the USA.   It feels good to be back to catch up with people and get back to work but I also feel sad because my husband is in China right now.  We are hoping he will be able to come to the USA soon.

My trip to China was great.  I learned so much and hope to share what I have learned with you.  My travels was in four cities in China.  I was able to visit Shanghai, Wuxi, Nanjing, and Nantong.  These places were great to visit.  I loved seeing family and friends when I was there.

I am shocked at how comfortable I was in China.  My thoughts before I went to China was that I would feel lost without knowing the language or get physically lost among all the people.  Once I got there, I felt better about being there.  When I was in Shanghai there were so many people in the subway that it was a little worrisome of how to enter or exit the subway car.

Something that shocked me was the different culture about environment upkeep.  It was acceptable to throw trash on the ground, other than in areas that have signs posted.  This shocked me since the place I live in the USA where there has been a more successful movement of keeping the Earth clean from litter. My husband was always wondering why I would yell at him every time he would throw trash on the ground.  He was shocked at how much trouble you could get into in USA.

Smoking is very common in China.  Expect to always be around smoking unless you are taking public transportation.  Public transportation, more often than not, will have signs that say "NO SMOKING"  and sometimes where would be videos of what is acceptable to do on transit. When you are walking down the street, some shops, and going out to eat are common places to find people smoking.  At my wedding cigarettes were handed out as part of the celebration.  It was hard for me to be around so much smoke.  There were many times where I had to excuse myself to get some fresh and cleaner air.  I have breathing problems because of my asthma and smoke is a trigger for my asthma attacks, so I was always prepared with my asthma medication.

Those were the top few things I had difficulty with at first.  As my stay continued I learned more about Chinese culture and some beliefs my Chinese family holds.  It mainly felt natural and normal, I didn't have much shock really.

Has anyone experienced culture shock before when you traveled or even where you live?

When I came back to the USA I had a little trouble getting used to the culture here.  Things were just a little different since I had became accustomed to China.  Food was one thing that I had a hard time to get used to again in the USA.  I still miss Chinese food, good homemade foods from China.

Foods to cook at the BBQ restaurant. 

Travel Documents Part 2: Chinese Visa

I have done a lot of research on how to apply for my Chinese visa.  At first I have been a little worried about the process but I was able to get information from a few different visa services and from the Chinese Consulate.  The consulate that has jurisdiction over mine region is located in Chicago.  Make sure you read carefully on your consulate's website for the information regarding the steps in applying for the visa.  The consulate in Chicago does not accept mailed in applications.

What do you do then?!?

I thought I would have to travel all the way to Chicago just to take it in person to hand it in.  So here I was trying to plan another trip just to go to Chicago before going to China.  Just when was I going to do that?  After working two jobs for seven days straight, it leaves less time off considering every day is twelve hours long, and asking for time off is nearly impossible.  I wanted to take days off for going to China not going to Chicago (no offense Chicago loving people).

I had looked at visa services before and I was always leery on sending my passport to another person.  It took forever to get my passport, I don't want to part with it!  With knowing the cost of the trip to Chicago would be more than some of these visa services would cost, I decided to do more research.

~The Researcher~

To the research lab we go! [Batman music playing the background]

Researching your options is very important. I found some sites for visa services are better than others.  Look at what people are saying about the site and/or business.  Also look at the Better Business Bureau (BBB) reviews on the service too.  The site I had originally planned to use did not answer any emailed questions I had, there were mixed reviews from users, and the BBB gave it an "f" rating.  I decided on a different visa service.  This visa service I decided to go with had great reviews and the BBB gave it an "A+" rating.

What do you need to apply?

You need to look at what your consulate requires.  Some locations require more but most require the same thing.  Click here for a detailed list of the types of visas you can apply for.  You need your passport for applying for your visa.  You also need a photo.  I went to get my photo taken at the local UPS shop.  I got two photos for the price of one; one for my passport and the other for my visa.

Next you need to fill out a form to apply. Click here for the visa application.  If you don't read Chinese, do not worry, there are English translations on the form too. Make sure to not leave any blanks.  If you don't have an answer to a question or it doesn't apply to you, use N/A to indicate that.  Remember, all forms much be typed.  Access to a computer and printer is important here.  If you don't have one, go to the library to be able to use the printing.  If you can't figure it out, ask the library staff for help.  They are there to help you, just remember to be nice to them. 

You will need to send your passport, a copy of your passport and/or identification as well as a form of proof you are going to China.  This proof could be a copy of itinerary for the airline tickets, hotel reservations, a list of places from the tour group you are using, and even an invite letter.  I sent the invitation letter Yu sent me and I also included my airline itinerary.   If you are going to have an invitation letter, you will need to check with your Chinese Consulate to make sure you meet the requirements.

You used a visa service, what one did you use?

I used CVSC.  This service was great.  At the research lab, I was able to see the BBB's rating on this business and I was able to figure out that this service was very good.  The BBB gave the CVSC an A+ rating.  This made me feel a lot better about sending my items there.  The CVSC sent me messages when they received my application and when they sent it to the Consulate.  They also gave me more messages when they got it back from the Consulate, when my application was approved, and when they sent me my items back.  The fact that they did that gave me peace of mine.  Considering the amount of hours I work, I am glad I was able to depend on someone else for help with the process.  I was surprised at how quickly I got my items back.  I thought it was going to take longer.



It is really cool to get a ten year visa with multiple entries.  You don't have to use a service if you don't want to.  I did because it was easier for me.  Hope everyone who is applying can research their options and find something that works for them.  What did you used to apply for your visa?  How was your experience?

Next on the list: Proof of Single Status