So we're sending our third care package to China (no we are not trying to buy Luke's love). We are having some concerns about his slow weight gain, and we've decided to send some goodies that will hopefully plump him up a bit. We wrote a note explaining the various foods we're sending, and then hit the obvious stumbling block that none of us speak or write Mandarin.
Enter the ladies of Little Scissors. Locals will know that Little Scissors in the haircut salon that ALL local children patronize. It is run by Charlene and Sue Chin, who are local celebrities, because everyone at some point has been under their scissors. It is a friendly, bustling place with 4-6 Taiwanese ladies. Since they have been cutting our children's hair for the last 15 years, we asked if they would be willing to translate for us. They were happy to do it.
First, Lee, their 17 year old niece started writing. She had to ask me several times what I was trying to say ("you can't put rice in a baby bottle"), and then Sonja came over and told me that if they translated directly it would sound rude and asked permission to pretty it up. Of course. Then began the semantics conversation. Between 6 ladies in Mandarin. Finally, Lee read the finished product, in Mandarin (sounded good to me) and received thunderous applause from the rest of the ladies. What would we do with out them? We can't wait until Charlene can give Luke his first (good) haircut! Many thanks to them and also to all the other people who have helped us along the way to Luke. Mike and I are always noticing how people go out of their way to help us as we stumble along through every obstacle. People really are great. The finished product compliments of the six ladies at Little Scissors follows....
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