keeping my options open

the title of this blog is also the name of the article about me that was in the english newspaper here in shenzhen. they have an expat section and they interview a person each week to feature in this section. (don't be freaked out by the title "expat" its just that, a title. they call every foreigner here an expat no matter what their nationality.... i think it also gives the chinese a sense of pride that people would leave their own country to live in china) anyway, it was in the paper a long time ago and i was out of town when it was published, so i never actually saw it. however, a man named edward zhang saw it and has been in contact with me about a couple of projects he wants me to help him with and he sent me a copy in a christmas card. its quite funny actually.... weird funny. i don't remember writing most of the quotes and i'm sure its been edited a bit, but the last part says that i may stay in shenzhen because there are a lot of opportunities for foreigners and i'm definitley "keeping my options open". thus the title of this blog entry and the article were born. whew, long introduction.
things are well back in shenzhen. it is sooooooooooooooo cold!! there is absolutely NO central heat anywhere either. i wear long underwear, unerneath two layers along with a coat and scarf at all times. its much colder inside than out anywhere you go. in fact there have been reports of teachers teaching class fully dressed in coat, hat, scarf and mittens. the students wear mittens with the fingers cut out of the tips. its a far cry from the sweaty days of september.
went to a chinese wedding on the 2nd. it was so great!! i was hoping to see one while i was here. i think its like it is in the states in that it has traditional undertones but has been modified to these modern times. it was at a hotel in a large banquet hall. the room was decorated in traditional chinese colors, red and yellow. there was a big stage at the front and the couple marched in to the wedding march song used in the west (what's it called?) and were dressed in western wedding clothes, white dress, tux. there was one brides maid, no groomsmen. behind the couple and brides maid was a woman dressed in tradtitional chinese clothes with a tradtional headdress. the couple marched to the stage and faced the guests. now, because most people aren't christians in china, there was no minister, preacher,father, reverend,rabbi,or the such, there was however an m.c. yes, a master of ceremonies. he told jokes, wished the couple well, made us laugh embarassed the bride and groom, it was so fun! then a "party" member of the communist variety came to the front and read their marriage license aloud to make it "official". then people gave speeches, only a few, but the line up included patti and i...... we were told this might happen, but of course had nothing prepared, so we had to go to the front and give a speech about a couple we don't even know while our contact teacher translated into chinese. another example of being exploited for our foriegness..... quite funny, but very weird. after the speeches the couples bowed to their parents and elders in the family (3 times each) then they had a toast, then they both bit out of an apple hanging from a string that the girl dressed in traditional chinese clothing held.... and that was it, time to eat! oh yeah, my contact teacher's daughter played the violin after the speeches.
ok, so next we eat and first they turn off the lights. then a group of waiters and waitresses line up along the carpet the couple marched down holding platters with baby pigs that are all flat on the plate but still have the head and in the eye sockets are red blinking lights and inside the mouth is the battery pack operating the lights!! i wasn't sure if i should laugh or be worried, but no one else seemed freaked out, so i kept my cool. i have pictures, i'll try to get them up on the web soon..... that was about it, it was over in a couple hours really. the bride changed clothes three times. after the white gown she wore a red silk traditional chinese dress and then she put on a what looked like a wedding gown, but was more of a seafoam color. i was so honored to have been invited. it wasn't entirely "traditional", but as traditional as things remain here in shenzhen.
well, i've been interuppted about 3 times since beginning this, so i'm going to stop here cuz my flow's been disrupted. i know there is more tell, so i'll write more later, when its not so busy here........ happy new year!