Yesterday, I took Xiao to Cupertino to go to Ranch 99 Market. We walked through the entire grocery store, which was fun for me since I hadn't been in an Asian store before. They sell whole fish and had a long counter with all types of fish to choose from, plus live lobsters and shrimp. Xiao didn't want to purchase any of the Chinese food items. She said that 22 years of eating it is enough and she wants to eat only American food while she is here! I would have liked her to cook some traditional Chinese food for us, but unfortunately, Xiao doesn't know how to cook! That is why her family wanted her to stay with a host family. We did find out that pre-paid calling cards to China were MUCH less expensive at this market....so, from now on, Xiao will purchase here rather than Costco.
Xiao explained last night, over a dinner of barbequed chicken, that since she is an only child, her parents took complete care of her, not requiring her to cook or clean or anything like that. They adore her...and want to care for her until she is through with college and ready to marry. In Chinese culture, this is typical. Apparently, after she attends college and works for a few years, she will want to marry....perhaps about age 26 or 27.....if she meets someone. At that time, they will teach her how to cook and care for her own home and husband. In return, there is a cultural expectation that Xiao will care for her parents when they get old. Xiao embraces this tradition wholeheartedly. She shared that if her parents wanted her to return to China permanently, after her stay in America, she would do that, out of respect for them. Wow. This is very very different from American attitudes....but, it is also very wonderful, in my opinion.
I asked Xiao if there were "arranged" marriages in China and she said "no". They are allowed to fall in love and choose their own life partners. Xiao had a boyfriend, but currently does not have one....which is why she was free to journey to America and enjoy this adventure. Maybe she will meet a nice man here?
After dinner, Xiao, Ashley, and I watched the first Harry Potter movie. None of us had seen it before. Xiao was able to follow it, since she was familiar with the story and we put on the English sub-titles.
Xiao showed us some beautiful pictures of her home city....on the Internet. She lives in the city, in an apartment with her parents. The picture on the net showed her apartment building. That was really fun. China has really developed over the past 10 years. They even have an "eye" ferris wheel, like London. The wheel spans a major highway, so the cars pass under it. Xiao has been on that ferris wheel!
She has invited me to come visit her in China or perhaps, to come along on a trip when she returns there. She is excited about the possibility of showing me all the sites. I would love to do this and hope it will be possible. We shall see.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/map/ This shows a map of China. Xiao's home city is Tianjin, which is near Beijing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianjin For more info and pictures of the city.
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