My world will be changed forever - By Lei

I watched this movie soon after our doctor's visit. This is a 1 minute clip that expressed my exact feelings... fears & joys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6GOUejPfo0&feature=related

Is this true my friend? Please tell me I have nothing to worry. hahaha

Lei got hit by a moped…Lei “punched” the moped driver in the face…

Question: Did Lei get Shanghai’D? or did Lei Shanghai someone else?


I (Lei) am usually pretty impatient when it comes to crossing the street. I don’t wait for the green pedestrian light and just walk when I see no cars; I don’t care if there are bicycles.


One day while walking to work, I actually waited for the green light before crossing the street. As I crossed the street, a moped from the other direction sped into the intersection trying to catch the last second of his yellow light but of course he was 2 seconds too late.


The moped sped through the intersection trying to zigzag around all the cars, mopeds, bicycles that just started to move.


I got the “deer in the headlights” look as he came straight for me. Out of instinct, I put both hands up thinking maybe I can stop him. I don’t know what I was thinking. The moped was at least ~200lb and the guy weighted at least 150lb and both were moving at ~30mph.

Lucky for me he slammed on his breaks…still he hit me in my leg at about 5-10mph. With my hands up in defense fighting position like a boxer, my closed my fist and it connected with his face. The drivers gold rimed glasses fell to the ground. DOH!

Next thing I knew, I had a mashed banana in my hand. I had totally forgotten I had just bought two bananas to eat later.


The moped driver was just as in shock started to scream “why did you hit me? I can take you to the hospital if I hit you but you don’t need to punch me…”


I didn’t know what to do. Was I wrong? Was he wrong? I just wanted to get out of there because a small Chinese crowd started to gather to get their daily dose of street reality TV.


Luckily for me, I wasn’t really hurt but I held my leg in agony hoping the sorrow on my face will make him feel bad and leave me alone.


After a few seconds, without looking back I walked away with an exaggerated gimp down the street. Under my breath, I was say “I hope the guy doesn’t come after me… I don’t have time to waste by getting into a typical Shanghai oral-street-battle.”


Now that I look back, things happened so fast I hardly remember everything. It wasn’t funny at the time but any bystander probably got a good laugh out of this one… I know I would have enjoyed it more it if wasn’t me who got hit.

So did I get Shanghai’d or did the moped driver? Guess it was a lose-lose situation.


Life lesson:
• 10 years ago I was taken to the police station in Beijing over a $1.5 damage dispute with a cab driver. I knew I wanted nothing to do with China’s traffic issues ever again. ONE DOLLAR and FIFTY CENTS!!! That event 10 years ago wasted at least an hour of my free time. This is why after I was hit by the moped, I wanted to get away ASAP. Ask me another time about the $1.5 dispute.

• My roommate and I took “Self defense for men” back in college at BU. I think that’s where I learned my defensive stance against the moped and probably where my right hook developed. Who ever said that a college education was a waste of time?

Changing the world by Lei

If you never read the book "Leaving Microsoft to change the world" then get a copy and read it now. The book made me laugh and cry. Most of all it inspired me to seek to do more with my life and the opportunities in which I been blessed with.

I thank my friend Mae for introducing the book to me and for Grace who lend me her copy. This is now my top 10 book of all times.

http://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Microsoft-Change-World-Entrepreneurs/dp/006112107X

www.roomtoread.org

Egypt Photos

Temple in Luxor, Ginza Pyramids and the sunset from a sailboat on the Nile river...

Back to our crazy (or not so crazy) city by Lei

I never thought I would be glad to get into a Shanghai cab and into the crazy Shanghai traffic and pollution. After riding around in the 20+ years old taxis in bumpy streets of Cairo, I eagerly jumped into my Shanghai cab at the airport and instantly felt at ease. The pollution in Cairo made Shanghai air quality seem like breathing fresh air at a national park. I guess everything in life is relative…

Despite all the "bad" that comes with a developing country, Egypt is an amazing place with awesome historical sites... I would say that you must visit this magical place at least one time in your life.

We will write more about our Christmas vacation in Israel and Egypt later but it is great to be home after 2 weeks on the road.

A semimetal reflection on the plane ride to home by Lei

An unexpected business trip takes me back to the US and allows me to spend thanksgiving weekend at home in Boston.

For me, most thanksgivings come and go without a second thought. Thanksgiving is usually filled with great food, TV and perhaps some poker with Diana’s cousins. This thanksgiving is bit different as I sit on a plane flying over the Pacific Ocean reflecting what I am really thankful for.

I am thankful for:
- Chance to be home with my parents. Thankful for my parents who love and care for me regardless how impatient I am with them. Parents who drive me nuts with their 100 phone calls a week but in the end they just want to hear from the only son. I am thankful I get to be by their side this weekend
- Friends who drops everything when they hear I am back in town to host me, to feed me and to laugh with me (or laugh at me)
- Diana who understands me and support me in all that I do; even if it means leaving her home alone on thanksgiving
- A new career, new home and new friends in China; a chance to experience the world and open our eyes to new horizons

I am thankful for all these things that make me who I am and enable me to be who I am. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without each of these things.

Sorry for the lack of blog entries. The access to this site is blocked in our region therefore making entry updates hard. Please check in once in awhile because we appreciate your interest and care in our lives.

Back to School by Diana

So I am a full time 1&2nd grade teacher this year at a local private bilingual school (wow...that's a mouthful!). The school has British influences and therefore we are a subject based school as kids change teachers for each subject. I teach English and Math. This structure is new to me as I'm use to teaching most subjects to the same group of students for an entire day. Nevertheless, I am just as tired at the end of the first day! Here are some things I am thankful for on the
first day of school:

• being escorted to school by my supportive husband
• being formally greeted by a group of middle school students as I entered the gates (our school share a campus with a local public school)
• finding a chocolate treat on my desk when I arrived at school (from our curriculum director)
• morning assembly where I got to exercise with my class (I am linked with a homeroom)
• hearing all about what students did this summer
• lunch provided by the school (this happens everyday!)
• meeting Tiger (a spunky student in my English class)
• an interactive flip chart (Promethean) to do morning calendar routines (no more chart paper)
• reading aloud books and seeing students excited to read
• neon lights of tall buildings as I walk home
• pizza for dinner