Who, you ask are the 2 baddest chics (teen lingo for you old heads) I know? SISSY AND DAH!!!!!! Of course. What other 20 and 17 year old sister combo do you know, that after traveling Asia for 8 months land in Texas and hit the ground running. Both interviewed and hired (on the spot, I might add) for jobs within 2 days of landing in Houston. Both working full-time hours while one completing home school and the other prepping to return to school in the fall.

You still not a believer, well how about the momma (who was a hot commodity in Asia) is still unemployed and the DYNAMIC DUO have been FINANCIALLY HOLDING DOWN THE FORT!!! Translation: PAYING BILLS! Lights, gas, water, car insurance etc.!!!! Soooo who is the mother of the 2 BADDEST CHICS IN THE GAME (more teen lingo) I AM!!!!! Beyoncé and Solange watch out cause SISSY AND DAH are kicking butt and taking names!!!

Ok back to these dishes... Oh yes I have been told my job is to keep the kitchen clean... ON IT BOSS LADIES!!!

I am the boss. I think I am the boss. I am the boss on Sundays I think. Wonder when I get to be the boss again. I think I kind of like being the subordinate for a minute. Lol!

We are home! Our Asian Adventure (we saw more than China so I had to rename the adventure) has come to an end and our latest journey has begun. It's been a surreal experience but worth every penny, dime, nickel, up,down,twist,turn, and tear!!! YES IT WAS ALL WORTH IT! So as I repaint my 2500 sq foot 4 bedroom 2 story HOME (to the tenant it was just a house)with my 2 and 1/2 assistants, scrape gum and candy off my slate floors and daydream about what my house was like before being a landlord, I still say it was all worth it!!! Ok back to them scrubbing bubbles I go!

Although my body resides in a foreign land, I constantly have to remind my mind where I am. A quick trip to the "Ito" can turn into several hours of Pictionary and charades. Usually because my translator, "the sequel", is not available to accompany me or I have forgotten that I don't speak the language. My mind sometimes assumes I am headed to my local supermarket to pick up some milk, pampers, wet wipes and disinfectant wipes. Milk, pampers and wet wipes I can find with my eyes closed. Disinfectant wipes, on the other hand, do you see where I am about to go with this. My "Chinese sign language" repertoire does not include a hand gesture for disinfectant wipes.  But of course my American mind thinks "no problem I will just ask". However, I have forgotten, yet again I don't speak the language. Yep, I am in their country and I don't speak the language. Does that sound familiar? I remember thinking, in the not so distant past,  why don't some folks learn the language if you're here in "my" country. I will now eat every last syllable of those words (chew.. chew... swallow). Look at me in a land where I don't know the language, relying on my 19 year old (yep my kid) to translate. Oh my, have the tables turned.  However, I have never once been told, "brown lady can you learn our language since you are hanging out here in our country".  I also realize the task of learning a foreign language is easier said then done. If you have a full time gig, 3 other folks to look after, and in charge of planning extremely fascinating excursions that will appeal to a 19, 16 and 2 year old; it really is hard to fit in 4hour language courses per day to learn a language that includes words, sounds and pictures. They aren't standing on corners handing out FREE MANDARIN LESSONS, they come at a very nice price that unfortunately can't be negotiated.  My brain just can't compute. What makes this even more hilarious is that the lovely Chinese residents are always saying "hello, good bye and ok" to me (the extent of most of their English ability) and some days I'm really not in the mood to be the English teacher to the entire country. But heck who am I. I realized I walk around with almost the same 3 words, LOL, "ni hoa" (hello), "xi xi" (means thank you but I use it as good bye- I know horrible), well actually 2 because I use my "thumbs up" gesture for ok. So they actually know more English than I know mandarin. This is normally where the story takes an inspirational turn and the writer vows to learn one word, phrase or character a day until they have mastered the language. HECK NAH! SORRY! AIN'T HAPPENING. Like I said my brain just can not compute. I will continue to rely on my 2 words and hand gestures and my kid, when she is available of course (how does the 19 year old have so much more to do than the parent). Go figure!

Oh, and yes I developed a hand gesture for disinfectant wipes. So the moral of the story is: There is no stopping this brown girl!

#chinesewaymorepatientthanus
#Ivowtolearnathirdword
#ohtheironyofitall



Just a side note: do we offer free english classes to ANYONE, in the evenings, weekends, alternating Tuesdays and Thursdays, with free childcare. Lol. #ijs

(Hmm I will definitely look into it when I return).

God has blessed me to be a blessing to so many others and I realize that, although I truly prefer no credit. However this year I am most thankful for The Lord allowing me to FINALLY BE A BLESSING TO MYSELF!!! I watch so many bless themselves and wonder why do I feel guilty for wanting for me... Just me...not for children...not for family and friends（and I am an awesome friend) but just for me. Well Lord I thank you for the government sequester that reduced my hours, the siblings that pissed me off (at the time, I love you all dearly though, and truly couldn't live without you) the friend that took me for granted and truly hurt me....thank you for all of it because it lead me to the decision to take a leap of faith and try something I have always wanted to do but felt it was never the right time. Thank you for the family and friends that showed me support once I made the decision, thank you for the tenant that rents my house (and is only slightly a pain in the but) thank you for the company that hired me and will now let me quit so I can have even more opportunities open for me and travel even more with the wonderful family I was blessed with!!! THANK YOU MOST HIGH BECAUSE WITHOUT YOU NONE OF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE!!! THANK YOU!

So I just sent the 16 year old (who reminded me recently she is about to be 17 and should be treated as such, also the same person that threw away 2 packets of our, more precious than gold, oatmeal because her 2 year old roommate/nemesis/best bud said he wanted cereal instead- uh can u say zip lock bag)by herself, to meet the 19 year old via Chinese public transportation. Not sure if she has picked up any Mandarin phrases or sign language skills from me or the 19 year old. Not sure if she has even been paying attention. Normally she is connected to her music and we have to make hand gestures to signal to her it's time to get off. Let's see how this plays out. Since I have no clue as to the missing persons procedure in the PRC. I have always told them never get lost or "snatched up” (came up with that when they were 3 and 6 cuz they couldn't say kidnapped) because their mom could not afford flyers, t-shirts or tv ads to get the word out that they were, yeah u got it "snatched up". Lol. So here goes, I'm taking a deep breath, relying on the big man upstairs to keep an eye on the girl that is experiencing China through daily trips to the "Wo Wo" and the "Ito" (will give more detail in next post). #thiskidgivesthebrowngirlgreyhair

So in true Tracy fashion there was something broken I tried to ask for it to be fixed. I got no response. I asked again and still no response. So what am I known for doing. Heck yeah I sent an email. It was the EMAIL HEARD AROUND THE WORLD (literally). Needless to say things are definitely becoming more organized. I may have accidently introduced the people of the PRC to the terms "strike" and "I'm out". Lol. It really just started with me just wanting to get reimbursed for my khakis. Not quite sure how it spiraled into picture the movie "Norma Rae" except picture shorter browner lady in a nicely pressed blue uniform shirt and khakis in a foreign land trying to enforce her civil rights but remembering she is in fact IN A FOREIGN LAND.(With folks that have no clue they have civil rights) walking out of her classroom. Fast forward to her train ride when she remembers these minor details. Well needless to say I have not been deported nor will my story end up as an episode of "Locked up Abroad". You are probably scratching your head like what the heck is she talking about. Definitely will fill in the details when back on my own turf. JUST KNOW NORMA RAE FOLLOWS ME WHEREVER I GO... I just can't shake her. Lol. If I could just get rid of this darn cape.

Well now that I've right that wrong moving on to adventure #2. Yeah job hunting in a foreign land (it's nice to be in demand for a change）**brown native english speaking lady has no competition*

Somebody pinch me I have to be dreaming. The browngirl made it from Brooklyn to Beijing. I'm speechless and that is such a rareity for me. I almost always have something to say.

If you do nothing else in life make sure and LIVE... I mean really LIVE. If this 5 foot 2, weave/wig/braid wearing, poncho wearing, lover of Alanis Morsette and Lil Wayne's music, single brown mommy with 3 kids, living check to check, no real savings, with not so great credit (yeah I said it) can do this, so can you!

Live whatever dream you have. I use to live, at least I thought, along the perimeter of the proverbial "box" (my family and friends might say otherwise). But I think I was playing it safe. Now looking at where I sit right now, on my ikea purchased sofa in Chengdu, China (every time I say that I'm like dam I live in China) I believe I may have left that "box" in the dust. Possibly with a few fears and folks attached to it. Lol. But it's all good they will catch up to me one day (I have faith in that).

Now as for my lil crew the 16 year old may have actually had a permanent smile plastered on her face as we began to climb (Dah and Sissy), walk (poohster) and crawl (browngirl with bad foot), up the 10th tower of the Great Wall of China! Remember that dusty page in the social studies text book,previously owned by folks who graduated 16 years prior, (my NYCers will get this...we use to see how many owners our text book had before us by looking at the name and dates in the front of the book- yep NYC public education is the greatest) that said something about China then a picture of some brick wall. Yeah that wall.

Let's just say I had a proud mommy moment that I, this browngirl from Brooklyn, was actually able to show her kids ( 2 out of 3 will remember) the real deal.

So if you need help LIVING or trying to figure out how to fit it into that darn budget (necessary evil) call me, write me, heck send smoke signals but I can show you ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!!

So again, not on purpose,but I "stumbled" upon the opportunity to do some indepth research into the healthcare system in the PRC. Lol. So I kind of had bronchitis twice which later developed into "reactive asthma" (I love my Doctor friends Dr. Jacobs always available for FaceTime diagnosis lol). Then I kind of accidently tripped on the way to work and twisted my ankle. I wonder what the passerbys thought when they saw the brown lady double over in pain and whip out her handy dandy inhaler cause it knocked the breath right out of her. Nothing I think cause they all just kept walking. Ok on to the healthcare. I go to our American clinic here in the "Du" (short for Chengdu) and see my lovely American doctors. Seems like a standard visit so far huh. Well I also get the bonus of a prayer after each visit. ( I think they believe I need it since I have been there quite often. I would probably offer to pray for me too). Oh and I experienced the Chinese X-ray. Same machine as in the states however the highly experienced X-ray tech determines when and if it is necessary to use the protective radiation jacket. The first time no protective jacket I was fully dressed and had my cell phone in my pocket. Second time protective jacket applied and cell phone taken away. Lol. So if I come back to the US glowing it may not be from the euforia of my international living abroad adventure, it may be from the radiation. 4 doctor visits, breathing treatment, inhaler, steroids for asthma, two rounds of ibuprofen and crutches total cost 610RMB ($100 US). That GLOWING feeling....priceless.

#adventuresintheprc #ificouldjuststayonmyfeet

#browngirlclumsysincebirth