Thursday, January 30, 2014

meeting the family: day four.

People keep coming by. Cousins, aunts, uncles, neighbours and friends. Every time, Tony's mom or dad offers them food, practically forcing it on them. Apples, sugarcane, sunflower seeds, baozi, dumplings ("jiaozi"), soup.

And every time, I look at Tony and say, He/she is so handsome/beautiful! Part of this is because they really are good looking, but I think it's something else, too. Everyone I've met is just so nice! I might not understand what they're saying, but their smiles... those I understand. Everyone just looks so happy. They laugh all the time, and their eyes are literally twinkling, and they all smile at me, making me feel welcome.

Baozi for days.

Back to the food though... One of the first new phrases I learned here was "Wo bao le" (I'm full).

It seems like most of Tony's mom's day is spent in the kitchen. She is constantly preparing food that is fresh, healthy, flavourful, and (for the most part to my Western palate ;) delicious. 

Soon after we get up in the morning, we eat breakfast. A few hours later, we eat lunch, and a few hours after that (maybe more than a few), we eat supper. And at those meals, I'll eat a helping, but Tony's mom always tries to get me to eat more and more and more. Sometimes she takes no, thank you for an answer, but often, she doesn't. She'll even put food in my bowl AS I'm trying to wave her away. Sometimes I eat the extra food; more often, I sneak it into Tony's bowl. 

And in between all these meals, both of Tony's parents offer me snacks, practically insisting that I eat. Sugarcane, grapes, yogurt drinks, apples, sunflower seeds. Oh man, sunflower seeds. I have eaten SO many over the past four days and I think I've developed an addiction. Wo bao le.

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