Graduation Day
I've been practicing the following imaginary conversation in my mind (sometimes out loud when nobody else is around) and I can almost carry on the conversation in real life without stuttering, stammering, or breaking down completely.
Rudy with Mom, Dad, & teacher Mr. Wang
Person: So, do you have any kids?
Me: Yes, we have three boys.
Person: That's nice. How old are they?
Me: (deep, steadying breath) Well, our eldest is going into....junior high school.
Person: Really? Wow! You certainly don't look old enough to have a child entering junior high.
(Ok, actually nobody ever says that last line but in the fantasty conversation that's what would logically follow.)
Yes, Rudy has graduated from elementary school and will begin junior high in the fall. The actual graduation ceremony was yet another bizarre cultural experience for me. I don't remember much about any of the past graduation ceremonies I have witnessed or participated in but I am almost positive that there was absolutely NO kow-towing involved. Rudy's ceremony kicked off with a kow-tow to the Father of the Republic of Taiwan and was followed later in the program by kow-tows to the teachers and kow-tows to the parents. (Okay, I admit it, I secretly liked the kow-tow to the parents part.)
While most of the girls were weepy and nostalgic, Rudy was fairly stoic throughout the entire program. When I asked him about it afterward, he just shrugged, "I'm not happy or sad, Mom. I'm just glad it's over." Spoken just like his dad.
We went out to Rudy's favorite restaurant, Tasty, and found that there were a few new items on the menu. My favorite new addition was: Mixed Greens Consomme with Shark's Lips. Jason says this is not an entirely accurate translation for what this dish actually is, but it sounds very interesting, doesn't it. Jason's mom came with us and it was a very nice way to celebrate Rudy's graduation.
Rudy will attend ZhiShan junior high school in the fall. It is right across the street from our apartment. In fact, if we could somehow install a zip-line from our balcony, Rudy could make it to school in under 10 seconds. I can't really believe that he is going to be joining the ranks of the gangly, squeaky-voiced, hair-sprouting, pimple-covered, quasi-humans that I see every day on my way back from picking up Jay from preschool. And God forbid he becomes one of the arm-thrown-casually-around-a-girl-smooching-on-the-way-home boys. Or possibly worse, cigarette-dangling-from-the-corner-of-the-mouth-racing-motorscooter-around-the-block boy.
I knew it was coming, but somehow receiving Rudy's junior high notification letter in the mail was a huge shock. My hands were shaking as I opened it and, for the first time ever, I wished that I couldn't read Chinese. Jason, thankfully went off and took care of the actual registration details. Theoretically, Rudy is supposed to be going to school for the entire month of August. But, since we're here he's exempt. Sometimes, I just secretly wish I could exempt him from the whole growing up thing.
Me: Yes, we have three boys.
Person: That's nice. How old are they?
Me: (deep, steadying breath) Well, our eldest is going into....junior high school.
Person: Really? Wow! You certainly don't look old enough to have a child entering junior high.
(Ok, actually nobody ever says that last line but in the fantasty conversation that's what would logically follow.)
Yes, Rudy has graduated from elementary school and will begin junior high in the fall. The actual graduation ceremony was yet another bizarre cultural experience for me. I don't remember much about any of the past graduation ceremonies I have witnessed or participated in but I am almost positive that there was absolutely NO kow-towing involved. Rudy's ceremony kicked off with a kow-tow to the Father of the Republic of Taiwan and was followed later in the program by kow-tows to the teachers and kow-tows to the parents. (Okay, I admit it, I secretly liked the kow-tow to the parents part.)
While most of the girls were weepy and nostalgic, Rudy was fairly stoic throughout the entire program. When I asked him about it afterward, he just shrugged, "I'm not happy or sad, Mom. I'm just glad it's over." Spoken just like his dad.
We went out to Rudy's favorite restaurant, Tasty, and found that there were a few new items on the menu. My favorite new addition was: Mixed Greens Consomme with Shark's Lips. Jason says this is not an entirely accurate translation for what this dish actually is, but it sounds very interesting, doesn't it. Jason's mom came with us and it was a very nice way to celebrate Rudy's graduation.
Rudy will attend ZhiShan junior high school in the fall. It is right across the street from our apartment. In fact, if we could somehow install a zip-line from our balcony, Rudy could make it to school in under 10 seconds. I can't really believe that he is going to be joining the ranks of the gangly, squeaky-voiced, hair-sprouting, pimple-covered, quasi-humans that I see every day on my way back from picking up Jay from preschool. And God forbid he becomes one of the arm-thrown-casually-around-a-girl-smooching-on-the-way-home boys. Or possibly worse, cigarette-dangling-from-the-corner-of-the-mouth-racing-motorscooter-around-the-block boy.
I knew it was coming, but somehow receiving Rudy's junior high notification letter in the mail was a huge shock. My hands were shaking as I opened it and, for the first time ever, I wished that I couldn't read Chinese. Jason, thankfully went off and took care of the actual registration details. Theoretically, Rudy is supposed to be going to school for the entire month of August. But, since we're here he's exempt. Sometimes, I just secretly wish I could exempt him from the whole growing up thing.
posted by lifeintaiwan at
10:01 PM
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