Viona take Manhattan

NYC, the center of the Empire, all of what is good and bad, sublime and ridiculous -- and finally after 4 months of waiting patiently Viona got one of her American wishes to go to the greatest place on earth (don't worry in March she'll go to the happiest place on earth).  Of course, NYC is not for everyone and the frenetic pace among other things could be maddening, but for some it is an electric energizing environment where you feel you are at the center of the world, and you are. 

We arrived Friday night and were treated to an incredible steak dinner by Viona's FE (foreign exchange) Uncle and Aunt, Tom and Alaina (our brother and sister in-law).  We then feasted on Shrek #4 and tried to get the kids to motor down, which did not occur.  Even Jo Jo resisted the spell Viona is normally able to cast on him to make him go to sleep (we have begun saying that Jo Jo is Viona's boyfriend and even though he is only 8 months it sure does seem so).  We had to get to sleep but none was to be found until far too late ... we had a big day ahead of us.

Even though the kids went to bed several hours late they woke us all up at the usual 7-7:30 time.  It only took us a few hours (and a fantastic French Toast breakfast) to get out the door.  Viona got to sample her first NYC subway ride as we left Brooklyn where Tom and Alaina live for the city's core, Manhattan. On the subway Jack did get a cheer from a group of kids who were singing and when they stopped Jack added his rendition of "E-I-E-I-Ohhhhh"   It's hard to say where we went as we were underground, but a stop and transfer or two and we got off at 79th street and the Museum of Natural History. Dinosaurs, ancient hominid bones and a big blue whale -- it was quite alot to take in and even though we were there for several hours we didn't even see one of the floors and several wings.  Before we went in, Viona had her first Hot Dog.  Another monumental feat in American Culture for the Queen of Kosovo. 

Viona did have an interest, and feel a connection with the Asian exhibits, which featured several Turkic peoples -- hence the connection.  She photographed her way through whatever we had time for and had, quite surely, at least a couple dozen photos.  But we had more plans and after a gyro took the subway to Mid-Town and the shopping district.

Wow, talk about decadent capitalism.  The wealth on display in some of the stores made me blush ... we walked past several blocks of high end jewelry and clothing stores before getting into some more sensible areas .... toys and FAO Schwartz.  Schweet, and the candy was first followed by floors of anything a kid can imagine, including a rather cool hovering helicopter, but as it had no camera we decided not to get it.  Then it was off to Rockefeller Center.  We got to see the Christmas Tree and it was lovely, but a sea of a 10,000 people blocked our passage to the ice rink and so we decided at 7:00 that it was time to start for home.  But Alaina had another plan.  I really think she saw that Viona wanted to see the rink, afterall she did buy a "I love NYC" in our brief stay in the Rockefeller Center Plaza.  Viona and Alaina went off into the night while the rest of us trekked back to Brooklyn.

Much to our surprise they arrived home before us, having seen the rink and then deciding to call it a night themselves.  It was quite a day .... but, shhhhh, time for bed.  The morning has its own plans.


Broadway holds a certain fascination for Viona, and so Alaina arranged for the girls to see a show.  Fortunately, the boys got to stay home and watch football, in peace.  They went to see Lion King.  I can easily see Viona beaming through the whole show.  Rosie loved it as well and wished "I wish Jackie Boy could be hear."  Mostly because "the music" was making her "cry."  AHHHHHH.  Viona seemed almost tearful herself as she recounted her experiences.  Quite a trip, Quite a weekend, Quite an Empire.

Moon Over Mount Holly

Tonight was my first foray into High School theater to see "Moon Over Buffalo" for which Viona was the prop master.  The stage presentation was quite surprising for a what I would have expected out of a high school performance:  interesting design, intricate detail, good context for a play set in the 1950s.  The acting may have been amateur but the actors showed the necessary exuberance and were at times indistinguishable with some of the professional actors (waiters) I knew in Philadelphia.  Viona's part was back stage and I wandered back after the final curtain to see if she needed a ride home or whether she would go out with the cast and crew.  That outing will not take place until Wednesday but several of her colleagues noted how helpful she was in the production.  It is not hard to believe.  I finally found her and her face was shone as a spotlight, as if she had been on stage.  Such was the joy evident in our Kosovo daughter, such was the joy of our star.

Homecoming and Life in the Empire

I tell Viona all the time, half jokingly and of course half not, that she is now in the empire. A world of never ending happiness, a prince once said, and he was right, day day or night night. We have more than humans ought to have, but the garishness of our lives speaks to an essential possibility that humans have most likely longed for (except real princes) for thousands of years. Luxury and ease -- these are the things I would wish Viona could steer clear of, but it is impossible in the empire. And then comes homecoming and our princess alights our stair.

All Hail, Princess Viona of Kosova, and long live the Empire.

Halloween

Mount Holly had many witches for Halloween though I would imagine only one from Kosovo.


Viona got to meet many of the locals --- some of which are not as beautiful as those of her native country .....

But then New Jersey is not known for its beauty.

Behold all things are New

Just as Kosovo itself is a new country, so too is its favorite daughter new to the wonders of the empire.  This last week she not only experienced her first outing to a mall with a friend but also had her first cinnabon thingee.  Most significantly she got to experience the only town festival in Mount Holly that attracts a large following.  Several thousand people flock in costume to Mount Holly for the "Witches Ball" Halloween street fair.  Here you can meet face to face with real ghost chasers and other paranormal not so normal people.  Viona wore the witches costume Nicole handmade a few years ago, and was the best dressed witch at the ball.

Waiting for Viona

At least temporarily we have a 17 year old whose autonomy is close but not quite absolute.  Really the only stricture placed upon her was to call if she wasn't going to be home by 4:00.  When the clock struck four Viona was nowhere to be found, and the waiting began.  So Rosencrans and Gilderwhatever made people wait for several hours and still nothing, we didn't wait that long and instead I started to swing towards the high school and coffee shop as routes or locales our new daughter might be.  It is interesting experience to gain 13 years before our next oldest reaches that magical age of 17.  And even with the rush of anxiety caused by 45 minutes without a call, Viona has a bit of magic (this time without sarcasm) and there she was right by the bank walking home.  She got a call back for an audition to a play.

Kosovo Humor

During Nicole's pregnancy with Jo Jo we took to eating a bag of M & M's a night.  Not the small bag which is only good for little children but real adult full size action.  It gave us both a nice pregnancy glow and weight gain.  But all good things must come to an end even when the baby is 5 months old.  Viona as well became accustomed to our happy habit and joined in so she was also displeased when I said, "this is the last time we'll eat M & M's.  We have to stop."  Her reply was symptomatic of her overall wit.  "I guess this is the end of our sweet American Dream."  Indeed. 

Now Jo Jo provides our sweetness.

Viona's Room

The arrival of Viona caused a move in our timetable to remake Gilmyer since her room was beset by peeling paint and falling wall paper.  To work.  The steamer took care of the wall paper and the scraper did the rest.  A few days later and the room was almost ready for Viona.  She did help with the trim, but it was rather hot and open windows had no effect, so she asked to put on the ceiling fan.  A few more strokes of the brush to touch up and the job is done.  One last swathe above a window and done.  I turned back into the center of the room .... whack, right in the side of the head came the fan.  Those who were down stairs became very afraid at the sounds that came next .... but at least we were finished with all but the clean up.  Vacuum, roll up the tarps and son of a .... the paint can fell over thanks to my foot.  Now a half a gallon of paint to clean up on the wood floor.  Be afraid .... be very afraid.

Flug Tag

Viona wished to go to the Red Bull sponsored Flying Machine Contest known as Flug Tag and who were we to say no.  We decided to take the train down into Camden 20 or so miles from Gilmyer .... and that turned out to be regrettable -- not going to Camden but actually taking the train.  All six of us packed into increasingly crowded cars -- no one expected the event to draw over 100,000 people.  Jo Jo liked it as it was his first chance to ride mass transportation and he really seemed to like some woman on the train since every time she looked away he began to grunt that baby grunt that means disapproval -- yeah that one.  We got there, to one train stop earlier than expected but we were told the train was not going further down the line -- something we should have stowed away in our memory.  So the walk was a little far .... so there were too many people to get close ... so none of the flying machines (gliders) could fly ... what was really problematic is that there was no refreshment readily available and the lines for places where there was refreshment, well removed from the event viewing space, was nearly 200 people long, not an exaggeration.  So we saw about 20 some of the 34 "diving" machines which fell like rocks off the end of a tanker into the Delaware River, and then it was apparent that the 2 year old was ready to farfagneugen all the way home.  So off we went through Camden looking for the nearest "Riverline" train stop.  Coolest thing maybe was to see drunk dude approach some other drunk dudes and ask them if they wanted to score some crack.  The problem with crack is that it evidently makes you stupid since there was a cop about 15 feet away from the exchange who promptly went over to the crack selling dude and said something that started with "Listen Assh*le ...." but by then the realism of Camden was wearing thin so we kept walking.  We got to the train stop along with about 150 other people and waited .... and waited.  It did not appear that any train was going to be coming along even though a cop at the stop did say one would .... but finally we were encouraged by the same cop to keep walking down the line and get to the next stop .... yes the same one where we disembarked and just a short hour and a half later we were on a train back home.  Flug Tag .... and if I didn't know German I would swear that meant .....

Banking on America

Well not quite banking on America, more like a slice of banking in America, or at least small town America.  We went to try and open a bank account for Viona at the local branch of Bank of America.  Viona took her passport and student i.d. issued through the State Department program that brought her to America.  The bank's own policy statement states that two forms of identification including passport and student i.d. are acceptable to open an account, unfortunately in small town America they are a bit flustered by foreigners.  The bank employee didn't know whether Viona could open an account and even with the proper documentation refused our request.

Viona's 1st Lunch

She asked about it, and we thought it fitting, that her first American lunch was peanut butter and jelly. 

Viona Arrives at Gilmyer

She seemed, as we did, very excited to begin this year.  Viona is a foreign exchange student from Kosovo who is lucky enough to stay in Mount Holly, New Jersey of all places.  The smile on her face hopefully exudes the sort of bravery and curiosity that a young woman willing to travel thousands of miles to stay with strangers must have. 
We drove through Philly on the way home to give her a taste of the Northeast, but more of that will come in the months ahead.  For now it is enough to get acquainted with Gilmyer, our home, and with the kids, Rosie, Jack and Jo Jo.  As a 4 year old now with a big sister, Rosie is giddy and a thousand questions a minute .... or maybe it's statements a minute.  Viona is in for a lot of Rosie time, at least until the initial excitement wears off a bit. 

This blog will hopefully chart the cross cultural experiences of our lives together as we learn more about each other and ourselves.