Finally on the mend

The last few weeks have been rough around our house to say the least!  After Landry's birthday, I got a bad cold.  We got our first taste of Chinese health care as a result.  We went to a clinic that was recommended by other expat families and it was great!  I got an antibiotic and a decongestant and was slowly getting better until Jared and Landry got sick.  Then, I got whatever they had.  Back to the doctor we go!  We both got an antibiotic and I got a bunch of other medicines for bronchitis.  They think the pollution is aggravating things so I also have some different allergy medicines to see if it helps.  Finally, I'm feeling like things are turning around!  Mariella had been lucky not to get any of the germs until Friday when she started having sniffles and sore throat. We've been pushing fluids and Vitamin C which seems to be helping! 


We are entering the fourth week of school and also the last week before their Chinese New Year break.  Kids will have 2 weeks off for the holiday.  They really like their new school.  Both are exhausted when they get home and it definitely seems that their day is more mentally and physically challenging than in the US.  Mandarin lessons seem to be the hardest part for Mariella because she is coming into the class mid year.  She is picking it up quickly though.  Landry is convinced is learning Chinese but he's really picking up the British way of saying things :) 


This week, we have experienced bitter cold weather and even some snow!  Suzhou saw the coldest temperatures they have seen in a century.  We had some snow showers and flurries but nothing stuck.  Kids were definitely disappointed but I wasn't because we don't have any of our warm snow clothes here.  We were told it rarely snows here so I didn't pack anything like that!  It is supposed to warm up into the 40's this week and hopefully, we won't see temperatures in the teens anymore.  I've lived in NC too long and I can't handle that kind of cold for this length of time.

We will be headed to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in 2 weeks during our Chinese New Year Break.  Temperatures there will be in the 90's and I would hate to have to return to China with freezing weather.  Don't have many plans yet for while we are there yet but know we would like to see the Batu Caves

Photo courtesy of Google Images

 

There are something like 500 steps to even get into these caves so it will be interesting to see how much whining happens when we get there :)  I've also read that there a lot of monkeys roaming around.  They don't bother you unless you have food but Landry loses it when a dog comes anywhere near let alone a monkey!  Will let you know how that adventure goes...