Personality Shining Through

This morning our group traipsed across the street to the Tengwang Pavilion. We've been admiring it from both the window at the end of our hall and the windows in restaurant where we've dined (the one with the catfish cabaret). It has been rebuilt 29 time since first erected during Tang times, in 659, with the most recent rebuild in 1989. Tengwang Pavilion was always a place where learned men gathered to write articles and hold banquets, therefore the display in the new pavilion gives prominence to culture in Jiangxi province.

The pavilion is also a place for tourists to spend their yuan. Alex bought a bracelet with a beetle encased in epoxy and Kate found a necklace with her zodiac bunny.

Kate is definitely feeling comfortable with us! We've moved beyond shy and reserved. She is very active, curious and determined. When we are in the hotel room (home) she is always smiling, bouncy and feels secure. She seems to understand quite a bit of what we are saying to her (or perhaps our impeccable charades skills are doing the trick) and has been very good about following directions. She does mind us, so far, but if she gets any more comfortable with us . . .

Once we leave the safety of "home" she becomes much more reserved and pensive. I'd love to know what is going through her mind. She does not appear to understand Mandarin. She doesn't understand our guide (so much for having our guide translate for us) or the myriad locals that try to talk to her when we are out and about. I'm sure they all think that we adopted her when she was an infant and have raised her as an English speaking child and now we are back on a homeland visit. She seems to get very nervous (furrowed brow) when we are in loud, crowded places.

She loves riding in cars/taxis/vans! Hopefully she won't be disappointed when we get back to the States with how tame riding in vehicles is there. It is amazing how crazy the traffic is here in Nanchang (way worse than BJ which was heart-poundingly scary). There are all manner of vehicles and peds vying for the right of way. Lane markers are merely suggestions. I consider myself a fairly brave individual, but I really do not want to go walking around town alone. The bigger the group, the better chance of getting across the street. I had hoped that our crowd drawing appearance would cause traffic to come to a halt (kind of like when you see the Bison on the side of the road at Yellowstone), but apparently you don't need to be looking where you are going while driving here. Each day passed unscathed is a blessing.