Training a bookworm

I started wearing glasses in high school when it was found that I have astigmatism in both eyes.  For long years, I needed glasses for reading fine print.  Mostly while reading books.  Also while driving, as moving signs can give me trouble as well.  In recent years, I’ve come to wear my glasses more and more.  It’s not just fine print or moving signs that get me these days.  It’s most things.  I’m also finding that I have different vision near and far and that requires me to adjust or even remove my glasses in some cases.  

All this means that I’m getting older.  Also, that I’ll need to get my eyes checked one day soon and switch over to a bifocal lens.  I guess I really am getting to be a “little old man” as J is wont to call me when she is feeling teasing and playful.  

Kiddo has no such vision problems… so far.  J and I both are wearer of glasses, however, so genetically we know that she will need at some point.  Now, however, she is just our little bookworm.

I was watching the Norte Dame football game yesterday (Go Irish) so J and Kiddo got out and had an adventure.  To the library.  I can’t wait to go, so the place is huge.  It also includes English language book, so that’s a plus.  I can’t wait to see it and what it has to offer.  Also, it’s just off of our train line, so it’s an easy 4 stops.  With walking, that’s about a 20 minute commute.  Easy!

First, look at Kiddo in all her cold weather glory walking to the train.  Isn’t she just the cutest?!?!  She just rocking the layers and her vest with her cute little hat.  I just want to eat her up most days.

Next, look at the size of this place!  That’s a library.  Come on with that.  

The cool thing about Kiddo is that she LOVES libraries and books.  Her favorite school day is Wednesday, because it’s library day.  Also, look at her with her new library card.  She was thrilled to get it.  She noted that it’s her fourth library card.  She had one in Oceanside, one in BKK, we got a library card in GB while visiting (so we could access the digital library on our Kindles, but we did Kiddo also as we are going to transition her to J’s old Kindle come the Chinese New Year) and now a Shanghai library card.  I think it’s safe to say that J and I are doing something right if Kiddo thinks it’s a flex that she has so many library cards.  

Besides that, she is becoming a pro at train travel.  Here she is, just chillin on the train; doing that commute thing.  She’s just so at ease with it.  Last night, we also went out for eats and to do some shopping and get J an underlayer of her own as the weather is getting and staying cold.  Again, that was the train and Kiddo was just as easy and took it as matter of course.  

As for the trains, it is my favorite source and mode of transport so far.  It’s clean.  It’s easy.  It’s safe.  So safe, in fact, that they scan bags as you get to the entrance terminals.  In fact, last night after the shopping, I broke away to do a few errands and the girls were going to just get a car home, so I was on my own.  Easy enough to get a train instead of a car and I was flying solo, so I could walk at a good clip and keep warm.  Especially in my vest and coat, plus scarf and gloves.  For 3 RMB, I wasn’t about to get a car and spent 5-7 times that for just me when it’s a 5 minute walk.  I put my bag thru the scanner and was reaching for it.  I got bumped by some impatient fellow who acted like he needed to be the first on the train or something.  I boxed out like I was Shaq in a playoff game and homeboy gave me a shove.  Before I could react, the police and security at the scan station had dude on the ground.  Someone was about to have a bad Saturday night.  So, it’s safe.  Police and security here don’t play games.  You wanna Funk Around you will Find Out.

It’s affordable as well.  Last month, I took the train 18 times, three of those times, I used my companion pass with Kiddo.  18 round trips is 36 and then a few with J and Kiddo where (like yesterday) they took a car home and I caught up, so add another 3 trips and that’s 39 total train rides with Kiddo.  It cost me $17 for the month.  That’s stupid cheap.  But the trains here are used.  Bangkok was like that also.  Super affordable.  But they are people movers.  A large percentage of the population uses and relies on the trains, so they are keep maintained and functioning and affordable for the masses.  I took this pic at 10:30 on a Monday.  Look at the people!  If America could get behind this type of mentality the cost would go down and so much more of America would be connected and accessible to so much more of the population.  

Kiddo loves the trains and is getting to know the stops and where to go, how to go, when to move, and when to get off.  She’s good at getting on and off the trains and really just falls into it like one of the locals.  Plus, her Chinese is getting so much better and she’s starting to listen and hear things.  She’s also starting to use her Chinese so much more.  She will talk to our car drivers in little ways, she is using hello, please, thank you, and other little things more and more, and she is starting to tell me things like- In 2km we are turning left and little things like that.  So, for those playing at home, she has a smattering of Spanish from Miss Mable and Zahua, full command of Thai, a sprinkle of Vietnamese from our summer there, some Korean from H and her family, and she’s starting to get Chinese.  Plus, she is fully fluent in English, reading, writing, and speaking.  That’s setting her up pretty good for life, I’d think.

Let’s go, Kiddo… the weather is getting cold, but that’s not stopping us one bit.  We know have the library and more trip coming.  We’ve only started exploring and really branching out in Shanghai and we still have (at least) another 18 months to do so.  How much more will you learn and pick up.  How many languages will you command by the time we leave here?  Keep being you and just rocking it and me and mumma will keep supplying you with books, fun, and adventures.