Where We’ve Been

United States: Minneapolis, Boston, Portland, Maine, 11 days

China: Shenzhen, 20 days

Highlights

Family Time: We had such a fantastic visit with our families in the United States early this month. While our families live far apart from each other, they really do make an effort to convene as groups as much as possible, and for that, we are grateful. In Minneapolis, we spent time with Drew’s oldest brother’s family and his parents. In Boston, my entire immediate family (parents, four siblings, spouses, kids) was on hand for my youngest sister’s grad school graduation. With nearly five days with each family, we got a nice big dose, and then escaped up to Portland, Maine, where we lived for many years. It was just the right combination of family and friends.

Working WITH the Summer Heat: We’re back into the long season of brutal heat here in the tropics. Last summer, totally unprepared for the weather, we tried to make our weekends active, pushing to see the sights and explore to the point of exhausting ourselves. This summer, we’re taking a cue from the locals and spending most of the high heat of the day firmly planted in front of our air conditioner. The mornings and evenings are meant for being outside. We are leaving big outdoor adventures for other seasons and training ourselves to be cool with the fact that unlike other places we’ve lived, summer isn’t the most active season, and that’s totally okay. (Check out that sweat, below. This is not necessary.)

Plans, Friends and Social Life: At our 12 month mark in China, our social life is actually quite bustling. We’ve got our book clubs (me), charity board membership (Drew), the dog we take care of from time to time (Fufu), and the group of friends who are into F1 racing and get together for every race. I’m semi-active in the international women’s group, and we’re planning our first trip away with new friends, to their house in Malaysia in August. It’s just a good mix of being busy when we want plans and hanging out as our own dynamic twosome when we feel like it. We’re both really enjoying it.

Lowlights

Medical Insurance: We’ve been fortunate enough not to have to really figure out our Chinese health insurance yet. We’re generally healthy people and navigating the Chinese healthcare bureaucracy sounds about as far from fun as you can get. But in Maine, Drew came down with a nasty cold and he forgot his asthma inhaler back in China. A quick visit to a CVS clinic rectified the situation, but we’ve been dealing with the paperwork of that claim ever since. The insurance company’s marketing claims of ‘immediate settlement’ and ‘a seamless process’ is feeling quite the opposite at the moment.

‘Meh’ Movies: One great way to beat the heat in summer is to go to the movies every weekend. And, wouldn’t you know, we live directly across the street from a huge theater, which has 3D and IMAX screens. But, if you’re in China, you only have a few American movies to choose from at any given time, and usually they are just the biggest action flicks from the States. We’ve seen the new Avengers film, Solo, and A Quiet Place recently. All overwhelmingly *fine, but just fine.*

What We’re Loving Lately

Air Conditioning: What an invention. Is there anything more comfortable than falling asleep in a pleasantly cool room, one leg sticking out of the covers to maintain the perfect body temperature? I didn’t think so.

Lychees: They’re back in season and life is sweet again.

Coming Up in June

We’re sticking close to home in June, with just a couple weekend jaunts planned away from Shenzhen. We’ll go to Hong Kong for a night, and we have our sights set on a weekend away via train, to a more rural, mountainous area in Guangxi province. We’ll also head up to Shanghai for a couple days. Other than that, we’re around if you want to come visit. You can find us, after dark, at the nearest rooftop bar, or, during the day, at the movie theater.