Shanghai Shopping

My cousin Naomi came to Shanghai on Wednesday, 23rd August. She is my mom’s younger sister’s daughter. She is eight years younger than me. I never hang around with her outside of family events. She has been a preschool teacher for ten years. Now she is studying senior nursing because of Japanese low birth rate.

She was mainly interested in going shopping in Shanghai. I took her to Qi Pu St. where is a lot of whole sale fashion shops and fake brand stores which moved out from famous fake brand Shang Yang market (It was closed down in the end of July). There are two main department stores. Each store has 6 floors and tons of small shops inside. They carry shoes, bags, cheap young clothes, men’s, kid’s , lingerie, accessories and high end brand clothes. There were so many stuffs, techno music and lights. I was started having a headache yet I had a passion to find something hot! We were there from 8am till 4pm. My eyes got very soar and feet got swollen. I thought I would not buy anything because I am fat. Yet I bought several cute tops I can wear now and after birth. I also bought many scarves for Rachel, my sister in low in the US.

Next day I took Naomi to back door high quality fake brand shops in Shang Xi Rd. These shops look like small boutiques from out side but behind a heavy door to connect to a back room, there were tons of fake goods are imported from Korea. I am not interested in big brand names, yet I bought a cute red Prada bag which is big enough to carry dippers and bottles. I bought a Chloe’ wallet. I don’t know what Chloe’ is. It is supposed to be an Italian. I had to buy it. The wallet is functional but very cute and pink. I also bought a Chanel winter jacket (!!). I am pretty shocked by myself to buy a fake Chanel. I guess going to shopping with young single girl made me a little bit more bold (by the way, Naomi is not flashy).

Then we walked to Mao Ming Rd. where has many modern Chinese dress shops. Naomi bought two cute silk Chinese dresses which were very nice on her. After birth I want to get skinny and want to fit into a tight silky Chinese dress.

We went to a pirate DVD store in Gu Bei area. The store usually has very good quality and selection of US TV series and movies, but this time. They had no foreign movies. Police is cracking down pirate DVD stores. I guess red envelop (under the table money) is not working. Jesse is optimistic about the current situation. He thinks the demand is too high. I am pessimistic. The pressure from Hollywood could be very strong. I may not able to watch a new season of Lost.

I took Naomi to a lot of good restaurants mostly cheap(she rather spends money on her cloth). By the way, Naomi and I are the third generation of Yokohama resident. When we were growing up, we went to a Yokohama China town a lot. We are not easy to be impressed by Chinese food (on the other hand, we are easily satisfied by food, because we are not picky and we have a good digestion). We went to eat Beijing duck by Naomi’s request. Jesse took a day off from his busy schedule. (Actually it was a day before his business to Guang Zhou). Naomi was very happy with crispiness of fatty duck skin. Quan Zhu Da’s duck skin is like potato chips. Jesse was stuffed by fatty ducks again.

It is soooo much fun to have friends and family visit us. I wish I have more people come and see us and China.

Good Business Strategy?!

"Love Baby” is a baby’s toys and cloths store. “Baby Love” is their competitor which also carries the similar baby stuffs. A store manager at “Love Baby” told me wherever they open store, “Baby Love” opens at the next door.

I see this type of business in China a lot.

My Nokia cell phone did not turn on, so we took it to a Nokia repair shop this weekend. We arrived there by taxi. Our taxi driver did not know where is the shop so we were looking around and we saw a “Nokia” sign. I had no doubt the Nokia repair shop is at the corner. We went in and had a repair guy to check. My cell phone need to replace software. It would take only a half hour. Akiva was sleeping on Jesse’s arms. We decided to hang around at the store. There was a magazine stand outside of the shop. I went out to buy a Jesse’s favorite Chinese magazine “FHM” (usually he reads it in the train to go to Shanghai and learns new pick up lines or Chinese dirty jokes). Unfortunately the stand did not carry the magazine. Jesse came out from the repair shop too and pointed out the next door, said this is the Nokia! The both shops look the same, but when I am far enough I get to see the sign above the shop. One shop said San Ming electric shop on top of the Nokia logo.
We went back in the shop and asked the manager what differences. The manager said they provide the same quality services and products as next door Nokia authorized service center but cheaper. My cell phone is older than a year and out of warranty. There is at least an hour waiting line at Nokia authorized service center.

My cell phone was repaired at the not authorized repair shop. So far it is working fine. This time we saved some money and time (I guess). However I have to watch out Chinese business trick.

I am having an easy time……

It is my routine to take Akiva to a playground in my apartment complex, when the out side of temperature gets cooler. All my neighbors tell me “Oh my god, you should not do this. You are pregnant”. I tell them I am OK and I have a babysitter until 4. Their answer is always “but you do not have a 24hours live in babysitter!!”

When I carry Akiva (usually he loves to walk) on the street, people stare at me or some time yell at me not to carry. When I ride an electric bike and put Akiva on the back seat, people always mention safety (I know I have a responsibility of three lives).

It is funny usually these people are not young moms after single child policy. It is grandmas who took care of 2 or 3 own children and still have to take care of their grandchild. I guess they know how labor intense to raise small children.

I am having an easy time. If I were in Japan or the USA, we cannot afford a fulltime babysitter. I have to take care of my children by myself, like any other moms.

Wedding Anniversary!

I love Jesse. He became my husband and father of our son. More than that, he is my best friend.

I have to confess. Last two or three years in row, I had forgotten our wedding anniversary (how hard to remember August 8). Of course, my wonderful Jesse never forgot.

I met Jesse in 1992. We had a wedding in 1999. Our first son was born in 2005. We will have a next one soon in October, 2006. I feel like we’ve came to a long way.

Life is very strange. I would never expect to find my partner in Beijing. How could I predict to move in China and raise kids??

As long as I am with Jesse, I am happy and my life will be OK.

Oil Consumption Increased

We have a new Ayi (home helper/babysitter) started at last week. She also helps me cook lunch. She is afraid I would not like her taste. So far she has cooked one dish per day. It is all Suzhou style Chinese fry food which tastes a little bit sweet.

I normally don’t like to do deep-fry, because it is messy. We have a Teflon pan and wok. I use only a bit of oil to cook. In my kitchen, a glass bottle of 500ml olive oil will last for half year. Our new Ayi finished our half year supply for a week and she bought a giant size of Arawana brand veggie oil. Arawana brand oil has a gold Koi looking fish on red package. I see it at every Chinese kitchen. I don’t know if I can get used to see the fish on my kitchen counter.

Suzhou Kawloon Hospital Tour

This is information for local expats who are considering having their baby in Suzhou.

It was really hot weekend. We do not have a shopping mall to hang around in Suzhou, so we took a hospital tour at Kawloon hospital on Sunday. We could not get a copy of price and service. A head nurse was very stubborn about leaking info or taking responsibility for any reasons. At first, we were upset. Then we kind of understand ...its Chinese culture. So we asked one of nurse to hand write down on a paper some information. Everything is in Chinese and the hand-writing was hard to read, so my translation might be different from the original. Jesse likes to go with a Room B package. There will be a room for him and Akiva. I am a bit surprised how expensive these are. I guess China has a single child policy. Child birth is once a life event for them. They are willing to pay a lot (when we were at the tour, all room Cs were full). The nurse told Jesse that the cost of all medicines and medical services are included in the price below. So basically, the rates are dependant on the type of room you want for after-birth recovery.

The Cost of Private Room Package (4days)

Normal Vaginal Delivery
Room A 12000RMB (USD1500) – a private room with a separated living room with door
Room B 10000RMB (USD1300) – a private room with a living room w/o door
Room C 8000RMB (USD1000) – a private room

Caesarean Delivery
Room A 17000RMB (USD2100)
Room B 15000RMB (USD1900)
Room C 13000RMB (USD1630)

20% additional for multi delivery

The following services are included to the above price.

1 Privacy
On your delivery, OB/GYN, paediatrician, midwife, and nurse will be at your room and they will provide safe delivery and privacy.

2 Experienced doctors and nurses
All rooms and equipments are safety checked by doctor. All nurses are about five years experienced.

3 Nutritious 3 time meals a day will be provided during your stay

4 All nursing services
All nursing services are provided for mother and baby before, during, and after delivery. Your family also can attend your delivery.
Mother: After delivery, nursing practice and caring new born baby will be guided.
Baby: measuring jaundice, Listening test, vaccination, bath once a day, nursing twice a day.