day of the childrens

Meanwhile, back in China...

The month of May was spent in a frenzy of canceled classes and song
practices in preparation for capital C, capital D Children's Day.

I spent this time warbling the Hello song and vainly trying to bribe
two-year-olds into singing with me. (Luckily the babies were cut from
the program.) Meanwhile, the Chinese teachers labored to bring about
a full-scale song and dance production, the cuteness of which was unreal.

But despite having quit childhood years ago, I was not exempt from this
exhibition. For weeks we spent our afternoons in the dance room,
nervously sweating on the not-yet-buckling hardwood as the ordinarily
sweet Lulu turned into a dance Nazi ("YI er san si wu LIU QI ba!").

We did our best to follow her contemporary fast-paced creation, but our
only directions were in rapid-fire dance-teacher Chinese. All I can say is,
I am so very grateful for my back row placement. Just put me behind
Teacher Iki and everything is fine. Thank you.

The final product featured belly shirts, streamers, and some very fierce
running. Twas epic.

Also, I learned I'm a sucker for a boy in makeup.

Or maybe just this particular boy.