Luxuries of China

One of the high points of moving to China with Intel is that we have our own driver. We are not allowed to drive here, I think for our safety (it is insane the way they drive) so we have our driver. Xia is an amazing driver and is so humble and patient and grateful and single. Another high point of living here is that an Ayi (someone to do the cooking, cleaning, laundry,and grocery shopping) is very inexpensive and it is pretty customary to have one, so, in keeping with custom, we have hired our first (and hopefully our only) Ayi. She starts on Tuesday and I will be teaching her how to clean, do laundry, fold and put away clothes (well at least the way most people in the U. S. fold and put them away) and have her start doing the grocery shopping and cooking for dinner. So far our Ayi is very quiet, and shy, and nice, and single. Our friends had asked our driver Xia if he was married, and he replied that he wasn't yet, implying a future hope of marriage. Now I love the Jane Austen movie Emma, and have become somewhat motivated by the main character. Seeing as I have time on my hands and a driver with a future hope of marriage, I now have an objective, or goal shall I say, in mind. After meeting our Ayi, we brought her to the apartment to show her where we lived and where she should come on Tuesday. Matt and I, at that point, decided we were done with the car for the day and asked if Xia could bring our Ayi home, and told him that we would see him tomorrow. He had a pretty big smile when we said good bye. I may have to inquire of Xia what his thoughts of the new Ayi are.