Mike In China

This past weekend I spent Sunday running around Shanghai shopping for things to finally "winterize" myself. Yes, no more bragging from me, its finally bone numbing cold here. Well, actually its probably not even that cold, its just that you can't escape it. My classes leave the doors and windows open and don't turn on the heat. I was making fun of how many layers the children wear and now I find myself teaching with long underwear, a shirt, a hardcore winter jacket with a fleece lining, a hat and gloves. It is really hard writing with chalk while wearing gloves! None of the kids or other teachers wear gloves?! HOW?! I don't get it. Especially since the kids are all learning how to write and it is very hard to hold a pencil and write well when your hands are so cold. I just think about my upcoming trip and realize that I can make it until then... Back to the weekend. During my trips to various stores and markets around Shanghai I realized something: the Chinese are OBSESSED with Christmas. The Christmas decorations they have at some of the malls here could easily be comparable to those in Chicago and would put the ones in Madison to shame. Bright lights, Christmas trees, poorly put together English phrases, its all part of the season here. There was even an ice skating rink on the top floor of one of the malls! The funniest part is that they just don't quite get it. They are very close to what it should be like, but they are just a little off. For example, there were a ton of little Chinese men dressed up in Santa outfits at the mall. One outside most of the stores. It was hilarious to see a 5 foot 7, scrawny Chinese man with a horribly fake white beard in a Santa costume. I actually took a picture with one so hopefully I can get you to see it soon. If you are going to have a Santa, at least find a fat, old Chinese man or stuff a pillow under his coat or something! It was very funny because I actually saw one that was a white guy probably in his 20's and he saw that I saw him and quickly looked away and walked off fast because he was so embarrassed. That's when you know you are really struggling for money, when you have to take a job dressing up like Santa Claus in China. OH! And it was also great hearing Christmas carols being blasted in all the stores that have been absolutely mutilated by Chinese singers. It was kind of like that scene in A Christmas Story when they go to the Chinese restaurant for Christmas dinner and the Chinese people sing "Fa ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra" but just over and over and over again. I would find myself stopping dead in my tracks in a store just to listen to how badly they killed some of the classic Christmas songs. Insane. And they are trying soooo hard to do everything exactly the same, just a lot gets lost on it's way over here from America. They also have no idea that it is actually supposed to be a religious holiday. The whole baby Jesus thing, not a clue. Oh, but they will sing all the songs talking about the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus. I wonder sometimes what they think the songs are about? Now I'm off to bed. Next time I will try to figure out a way to show some of these pictures.