Celebrating A Birthday With Jiaozi and Cake

When Jiujiu (my meimei) was visiting me down here in Panzhihua, one day when we went for fried noodles, we met and started talking to Vicki and her mother.  Vicki and her mom were instantly friendly, both of them talking to be me and Jiujiu.  I immediately liked Vicki, her smile and eyes exuding a kindness that you don't often see from someone you just met.  By the end of our meal, she said she would like to be friends and I gave her my telephone number and e-mail address.  During the past few months we had been e-mailing back and forth, and finally met up when one of my former students brought her to my office hours.  I was so happy to see her.  Since then, we've been friends, me feeling like I had added one more sister to my ever-growing extended family.  

When Vicki invited me to celebrate her birthday with her and her family, I just couldn't say no.  I was delighted!  She picked me up at 11 o'clock in her parents car, the first student I've known that I've seen drive since being here in China.  (Most students and many other people don't have cars, as getting a license and a car are prohibitively expensive, not to forget the fact that there aren't many parking lots around.) 

Up the stairs and in her parents home, we sat on the couch and talked.  Shortly after Chimi came, my former student now a junior and Vicki's English tutor.  It was great having them both there.  Before long, Vicki's mom brought in the makings for jiaozi, dumplings.  I started stuffing the little wrappers, surprising all at my ability, thanks to my terrific host family having taught me when I was living with them in Chengdu.  Then I started rolling the dough out, and more eyes widened.  It was great sitting there with such fantastic people as we prepared part of Vicki's birthday meal.  

When the jiaozi was ready, Vicki's parents boiled the finished dumplings. We then cleaned up and sat down to some of Vicki's favorite dishes that her father had prepared for her.  The meal was scrumptious, the jiaozi as tasty as ever.  

After dinner, Vicki's mom brought in the cake.  We all sang "Happy Birthday," first in Chinese, then English.  Vicki then tried to mark me with frosting, a tradition that I am still not quite sure where it comes from and seems not to be complete without. Being the guest, however, I think I was dubbed the honorary target.  I avoided it with grace and we all dug into the cake.  

A few hours later we were all full and tired, another birthday successfully rung in.