hi guys
Today was meet the family day. It started with a shopping trip to the mall to buy food for everyone, it's a custom I was told. First was a cake shop and the challenge seemed to be how may different cakes you could fit in a shoe box size red box, we managed just under 3kg with any remaining space filled up with sweets. Then drinks, mainly milk? and then on to the cooked meat shop. we bought chicken wings and drum sticks,so far so good. I noticed two big dishes of chicken feet one quite small not bad looking yellow ones ming zhi got a bag of these and also a bag of large gray ones that I was none to keen on especially when she turned and smiled at me and said these are for you my darling ! Fantastic I thought to myself and returned the beaming smile as I pushed the trolley out to the car. Then off to mama's house.
I was relaxed about the whole thing,everyone I have met so far have been kind and caring so why should this be any different. Mama is 78 and about 5ft tall with a wicked glint in her eye. She said she had been practicing saying "Hello" for 4 days and then forgotten it! with a giggle. I gave her a box of locally produced biscuits from my home town with both hands and much to my surprise she gave me a red envelope with cash in it. I did not open it but put it straight into Ming Zhi hand bag, come to think about it its still there, no idea how much it was. For her sister Ming Fang I gave a pot of face cream, this went down well, Thanks for the tip Arnold! For her sisters husband Tien Dung it was a bottle of apple brandy also from my home town. For the kids Roo a beautiful 12 year old girl it was sweets and the same for there son err forgotten his name. They were all really good loving people. Taking time to put me at ease. Dung said relax in my mothers house and urged me to put my feet up on the coffee table if I wanted too! of course I didn't do so.Then out came the camera's, family photo's I was told to mark the occasion. The plan was for us all to go to a restaurant for lunch but this soon changed to a family meal cooked at home. While all the women busied themselves in the kitchen Dung and I got to know each other better. he knew a little English and with my basic Mandarin we got along just fine, again lots or fun and joking around.These people have a real good seance of humor. Rung, Ming zhi's daughter had a translator called an "Ozing" with a write pad on it so If we got stuck that cleared it up. After maybe half an hour I was summoned to see Mama in another room and it all got very very serious. She told me that she approved our marriage. I thought this had all ready happened! Well maybe it had who's to know. Then she made me promise to love her daughter and no one else and to treat her well. She seemed pleased with my response and it was all fun and games again.
We all sat down to a noisy and boisterous family meal with me being told the more I eat the happier Mama would be. I ate like my life depended on it! After two full bowls Mama seemed happy so I had another one, This should seal the deal I thought, but Mama looked at me and said I should eat faster! so I did. Basically what ever she said I jumped to do. Everyone at the table just fell about laughing.
I must have done well because when we got back to Ming Zhi's house she pushed me straight into the bedroom. They don't hold back, these women
Got up about 6.30 had a shower and was told we had be invited to her brother and sisters house that evening for a meal.
Dung is a good man, we hit it off straight away and Ming Fang is just one of the most naturally funny people you will ever meet. Her English is not so good but she physically plays out situations that had me crying with laughter and she's a fine cook. At lunch I had given the kids a selection of English coins and explained there value. When I arrive at Dungs house the kids had laid out coins from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and china and took great delight in showing them off to me.I was given the tour of there new apartment all 200sq meters of it and during this tour in err still forgotten there 8yr old sons name I noticed a full drum kit in his bedroom! Turns out he's been having lessons for 2 years, more of this latter.
The meal was of course fantastic never got to empty my bowl before it was piled high again. Conversation just flowed
along with the laughter, they really are wonderful people with values we seem to have lost over in the west. I promised to give the children English lessons and was told with howls of laughter that I had to teach the whole family! and in return they would all teach me Mandarin. Turns out Dung is a Liverpool football team fan and since I was born there, I am too. Dung was overjoyed about this and Ming Fang just rolled her eyes as if to say "men what are they like" Dung brought out some cans of "Blue Star"beer and said that they were brewed in Baoding. I was suitably impressed so he filled up my rucksack with cans smiling and said they for me to take back, such a generous people.
After dinner we sat down to watch a DVD of his son playing drums at the local university in front of a large audience. It wasn't simple stuff he was playing there were some complex beats going on, it wasn't perfect but it was near enough. The boys got talent and his parents are backing him all the way without being pushy.Good to see. Then out came the family photo albums after they explained to me what a loving and supportive family they all belong too. Ming Fang said that now I was one of there family they would love me as much as there sister, no less and no more, the same. I have been excepted as one of there's and that was that. I have never met such people ever in my life before and i felt very humbled by it all, if its like this for all Chinese families guys this is the best move you will ever make!
3 hours latter I had a good understanding of who was who, every ones life history, good places to visit and had made dates to play badminton with Dung and ping pong with Ming Fang who said she was an expert in the game. She may well be but she might just be rubbish as well, hard to tell is she was just messing with me or not. Time will tell!
I think Sunday is a lazy day, but what do I know! Monday on the other hand is not. We have to go to Beijing and pick up the paperwork from the British embassy and then head off to another city to get married. Baoding is too small to handle international marriages I have been told.As usual I don't know where this city is and the name did not ring any bells but we can get there do the deal and get home easily in one day,so who am I to argue!
So tonight I'm cracking open a few of those Blue star cans and coming to terms with the events of the day.
