IRON AND SILK (page 202-209)

DOES LITTLE MI WANT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH MARK?
Little Mi wants to have a relationship with Mark. Little Me didn’t need extra help to speak English better, but she came back to see Mark again. When she met him, she didn’t realize how much time they spent speaking together. Although she had to be with him just for an hour, they spent all the evening until ten o’clock speaking. Even if it’s not traditional she accepted a ride from him on the back of his bicycle. She grabbed him by his waist. She also asked him some personal feeling about his life in China. Maybe with this information she can marry him and have lot of babies. In conclusion, she tried to have some close relationship with him ‘the foreign man’. Is she ready to go to America with him???

INTER-CULTURAL RELATIONSHIPS

Inter-cultural, inter-generational relationships are important to understand the present world. Differences are sometimes not easy to manage.
But we have to try to be aware, because if someone is different for you, you are also different for him. So if you are not abble to share with him, he couldn't share with you.
Maybe is not easy to understand big difference but it is necessary to be respectfull.
We receive what we give...
To live in a peacefull world, let's enjoy difference...
we are all unique

HISTORICAL MOVIE - INVICTUS

INVICTUS-2009

Story

Nelson Mandela, in his first term as the South African President, initiates a unique venture to unite the apartheid-torn land: the national rugby team which was an all white team had a mission 'to win the 1995 Rugby World Cup'.It had not been supported by native south African who didn't like this white sport -because they must never play it.

This historical movie is wonderfull, helps us to know the history of this country, and helps us to understand the way to get together even if past together is not good.

Historical movies help us to know and to be critical about our history and about the present time that will be history in our future.

Tough Language

Young people use every where in the world specific language.
They want to speak together with no adult understanding.
When I was young, we used "reverse word'. We reversed all syllables in every word; easy for us but inintelligible to ours parents.
Today, I cannot understand French tough language, so imagine american tough language. I just start to understand usual American language...and it's enought for me.
I let this language for teens; they have to have their own language; they should to have their own language.

Men, Women, and Work

Before, women didn't work outside and do everything at home. It was their job.
Now, women have to work to earn money for familybut they do always the big part of housework.
Because they are helpfull they anticipate family's need.
So today, lot of married women with a family have a full time job at home even if they have a full time job outside.
That why they hav e to be split housework.

Asian Heritage Month

I never hear about this celebration.
Often in this college there are celebrations; for women, for black etc... I think is a good idea. when we saw in the lobby an event obout celebration we wonder about it. And if we are curious, we can learn about something we never think about. It's always good to celebrate something, it's important to know each other with respect. and when we are celebreting something we look at it with respect.In this college there is lot of nationality, and it's helpfull to have some information about others cultures.
Asia is -I think-the biggest continent in the world; Pacific to Mediterranean sea.
Heritage is what they had given at the U.S.
Month is the time we enjoy Asia.
Last yearm I try asian food, and now I can cook it, because I saw how to do.

spring weather

Spring is a season of transition.
It's common during the spring months to have large differences in temperature.
Of course, after a long winter, everyone wants to go out on hot days. If you are lucky, and you can take spring break vacation in sunny place, then you don't care about the weather.
But if you stay in Chicago, you don't have to be unhappy about the bad weather. Enjoy every sunny day. Eating outside everytime is possible. Use flip-flops as soon as possible. Put all of your gloves, scarfs and hats into a box - not to far aways- you have to be realistic- and start to transfer your summer clothes.
You can also look up to the nature and watch the evolution of blooming. I think this vision could help you to wait.

Spring is coming

Two weeks ago, trees started to be in bud. It was wonderful seing the life come back in the environment. Now some trees bloom, like white magnolia and yellow fortisia. Beaches are clean and now it,s possible to go there and have good time with friends. Boots are put awys and flip flop take out in the street. But ss we know spring is not summer and sometimes the winter weather comes and goes. It's why we have to enjoy every sunbeam.

TESTING

I think that some time in our live we need to test our ability to make new experiences. This is challenging, but for me it's an exemple of testing. When you are in your own country, you can decide to try some different behaviour. You can test your ability to be patient -if you usually are not patient- you can also test your ability to find something really new for you and speak with some about it. When like me you are immigrant all day is a test : try to be in this life, with its new rules. Learn a new language is a big test for me. Am I able to learn English, to find new people to integrate american life???This is the question of the present moment : so this is my own test.

ANY SPORT OR OLYMPICS OR WORLD CUP

In 1998, France won the world cup of soccer.
I remember this day like it was yesterday.
I was with my family in my niche, and the game was show outside.
All the village was together.
France won three-zero and for each goal we shouted of joy.
At the end of the game everywhere in France people are in streets, singging happyly french team victory.
Ten years later, you can speak with french people and everyone is abble to give you all detail about this game.

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT ABOUT THE USA BEFORE YOU ARRIVED / HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM OUR EXPECTATION

When we decided to move in usa, we would have travelled inside the united states. But, because it's a really large country, week ends are too short to make trip. Moving in the usa was supposed to be helpful to know a new culture, and now we know that the american are not only cow boy with gun. In France we love to eat, and we taught it might have been difficult found something we like. But we can find everything in the usa.

BREAKFAST

Today I did not have time to eat a breakfast. My daughter asked me to correct her french writting, my hunsband nedded my help for his tie's choice, and my siter called me. So i just ate a banana in the bus after dropp my daughter off to her school. At break time, I will drink a tea.
But in the week end, we take time to make a long and good breakfast. Europeen for my younger daughter and my husband and a french one for my olddest daughter and I.
European breakfast looks like american breakfast with eggs, patatoes, ham and cheese And french breakfast is bread with butter and jam with milk or coffee. We love eat our own jam made with our own garden's fruit in the summer. We bring it back everytimes we come back from France.

KISSING -Iron and silk-

How can we speak about something ended at three years old?
In China, people don’t kiss in public and in private space either. They have strict traditional rules. So we can never see two people kiss each other even in movies. They shouldn’t show affective emotion in public. It’s ashamed for to speak and to do. That’s why Mark’s students exploded into laughter and were not able to continue this discussion so they switched subject.

EARLY IN THE MORNING

I like to wake up early in the morning; every thing is quiet, there is no noise in the home. So I can read, I can stay alone with no solicitation. Before the waking up of all the family, I have this time just for me. It's a pleasure to drink a coffee reading a newspaper in peace. I also can call my family in Europe because of the jet lag.

In vacation, this early time in the morning gives us more time to make the most of our time. We can enjoy the sunup. Sure, when I was young I hate this early time because I always slept late and and liked sleep in.

USING MODALS

Before I was mom, I didn't have to be really stress, I didn't have lot of obligation. I just needed to take care of myself.
When my daughters were born, I must take care of them. Today, I have to go to school, so they are supposed to be more independant. All of them can participe to the family life. We have to help each other to can be integrate in american society.

Hong Kong foot

Marc speaks about the corruption in the postal administration. When he received by mail food and medecine from Hong Kong, he had to paid to take it. He didn't want to pay so he negociated and finally he didn't pay. But after this he didn't received any mail. He needed to wait a long time before having mail.

IRON AND SILK - A FISHERMAN

Marc went down to the river to enjoy natual frog show. He met a fisherman who had never see an europeen. Old Ding -the fisherman- invite him in his boat because he wanted to introduce Marc to his family. Like him, his family was surprised to see him, they were paralyse and fashinate to hear Marc speaking chinese. They share each other time. In the way back, they met a big boat and crew was amazed to speak with him. They gave him two big fishes. When Marc told teacher Wei his story, she asked him that common chineses are smarter than intellectuals.

Description of chinese hospitality is beautiful. Even if they are surprised they are curious and not suspicious like europeans.

MY NICHE

MY NICHE

There is a place is this world, in a little French's village where I’m really comfortable.
This village is in mountain and there is lot of mountains all around.
I discovered this place when I met my hunsband. It's the village of his parents.
There are just four hundred people and everyone knows everyone. There are lot of old and respectable person whom take care about the life in the village. That’s why this place is peaceful, we can stay quiet, we are never in a rush. Children can stay in streets just together and their parents are not afraid.
In this village the nature is beautiful especially the sky in the night. We can see stars as never where???In august there is a lot of shooting stars and this is a wonderful show. We enjoy it.
In all season trees are different, montains are different but in this place we fell confortable every times.
Lot of my friends adopt this village. And now, we meet together in the summer and take good time, at the lake, making trek in mountains or just speaking and having fun. Our kids love this place too, and the end of the summer is difficult for them, go back to the reality is a tragedy.