Hanukah 2008 in Pudong

The first ice menorah of Pudong with the ice sculptor and Rabbi.

Performance by the Sunday School kids.

Food menorah contest
Eric was one of three international judges.

Rebecca and Henry in the Chinese New Year Assembly

During one of the three days we were in Shanghai in January 2009.

Dinner overlooking the the Bund December 2008

Soccer maniac December 2008

Need I say more?

Thanksgiving 2008 in Shanghai

Just in case you wondered what we do in Shanghai for Thanksgiving....
It was not a holiday. Not only did I have to cook the entire meal by myself with help from Emily (fortunately I don't work on Thursday), but Allison's class had a fall holidays around the world celebration. This at an American school. Not only that, but I was asked by her teacher to bring in potato latkes (representing Jewish fall holiday). So, not only did I have to take out 1.5 precious hours from my Thanksgiving preparations to attend the celebration at her school but I was asked to spend additional time preparing latkes! Fortunately, we spotted kartoffel-puffers (German latkes-frozen) at City Shop. Nevertheless, it made for a rough Thanksgiving day. Fortunately, we pulled it off and hosted our British friends, the Fotheringhams and gave Emily her first Thanksgiving turkey ever!




The day after Thanksgiving, we took our Chinese helpers out for a Chinese Thanksgiving... a roast duck banquet... to say thank you to them. Eric made a toast about the Pilgrims and their first Thanksgiving with the natives...
One of the highlights was watching Allison try snails... she loved them (and yes, they're covered in hot pepppers)!


Team Muhlheim (Eric, Henry, Xiao Hu -driver, Emily - babysitter, Allison, Diane- Chinese tutor and translator extraordinaire, Rebecca, Cindy - Eric's Disney assistant, me, Ling's daughter, Ling - ayi who we replaced in February)

Jack and the Beanstalk Play - SCIS early December 2008

The SCIS school musical was in early December. It was Jack and the Beanstalk. Henry was selected to play Jack. (He wanted to be on stage crew, but it hadn't been too hard to persuade him to take a part.) Rebecca was a villager and Allison was a sheep. They were all great and really seemed to enjoy it, even all the hard work that went into it. We were extremely proud.





Henry got great reviews and really had a good stage presence. He did not even seem nervous. However, he later declared that he was finished with acting.

November trip to Suzhou

Our Chinese tutor, Diane, took us to Suzhou, a water town close to Shanghai. We toured the Garden of the Humble Administrator.