After a meal of noodles we walked the short distance to where Jiajing lives and took care of some business in relationship to our trip to the US, which is not too far off and then looked at pictures of my family again. They had seen them before, but they want to get them in their minds. They wanted some of them copied to their flash drive so they could look at them again and again to make us part of their family. We looked and talked and all got sleepy and went and took naps. I have been there so many times I know the routine. It is just like home.
After our nap it is almost time to go to the restaurant for the evening meal. I thought a few friends were coming to her home for a meal, but was I in for a surprise. You see, in China there are four big events in the life of a person. Three are done when you are alive, but only two you remember. The first is a celebration of your birth. The second is leaving home to go to a university. The third is getting married and the last is when you are no longer around. Don’t apply the wrong meaning to my last statement.
The event tonight was a celebration for Jiajing as she leaves home to go to the US to study. Tonight her parents had invited over 60 guests to this special dinner at a very nice restaurant. We were divided up between two rooms and seated according to a particular plan. I was in the room with Jiajing’s friends as seen in the picture below.
We took our seats and they started to bring the food to the tables. The first thing put before us is shown in the picture below. I thought, “This is going to be an interesting meal.”
The next item was a fish and looked better and was actually very delicious.
More food was brought until there was no more room.
As we ate the food, what was left was put on smaller plates and other food was brought to the table. At the end was two kinds of soup and then after the soup a big plate of fruit. It was a feast and an event I will long remember. I am so glad that I was prepared for this by all the time I have spent in this culture and with Jiajing and her family. Afterwards Jiajing asked me if I felt odd being there at this Chinese event. I honestly told her that I felt very at ease and enjoyed myself as much as if I were in the US with my own family celebration. This is an experience that not many Americans can identify with. I count it a real privilege.
After our nap it is almost time to go to the restaurant for the evening meal. I thought a few friends were coming to her home for a meal, but was I in for a surprise. You see, in China there are four big events in the life of a person. Three are done when you are alive, but only two you remember. The first is a celebration of your birth. The second is leaving home to go to a university. The third is getting married and the last is when you are no longer around. Don’t apply the wrong meaning to my last statement.
The event tonight was a celebration for Jiajing as she leaves home to go to the US to study. Tonight her parents had invited over 60 guests to this special dinner at a very nice restaurant. We were divided up between two rooms and seated according to a particular plan. I was in the room with Jiajing’s friends as seen in the picture below.
We took our seats and they started to bring the food to the tables. The first thing put before us is shown in the picture below. I thought, “This is going to be an interesting meal.”
The next item was a fish and looked better and was actually very delicious.
More food was brought until there was no more room.
As we ate the food, what was left was put on smaller plates and other food was brought to the table. At the end was two kinds of soup and then after the soup a big plate of fruit. It was a feast and an event I will long remember. I am so glad that I was prepared for this by all the time I have spent in this culture and with Jiajing and her family. Afterwards Jiajing asked me if I felt odd being there at this Chinese event. I honestly told her that I felt very at ease and enjoyed myself as much as if I were in the US with my own family celebration. This is an experience that not many Americans can identify with. I count it a real privilege.
