Baci Abroad Blog
Twinkle Twinkle Little Lights Bookstore
In a small, independently owned bookstore near the fancy Hilton, classical music plays, twinkling as softly as the lights strewn from the exposed ceiling above me. An air conditioning unit whooshes quite loudly nearby, sounding like the wind at the top of the Andes mountains that I used to climb in Ecuador. Aside from these sounds, and the large trucks rushing down the street outside the door, the bookstore is quiet. Seated at eclectic desks, men and women work around me: reading, writing, and scrolling on their phones.
When I am in need of a feeling of home, of books, of good tea and coffee, of a centered space, I come to what I have coined Twinkle Twinkle Little Lights Bookstore. It is a place that folds you in, envelopes you in its sea of Ernest Hemingway, Michael Crichton, Bill Bryson, Tom Clancy, Jodi Picoult, Agatha Christie, and Jane Austen. It is the Just Right Goldilocks nook where when I walk in, any internal disorder I feel is somehow pacified by the external disorder of the messy bookshelves. I can read, and write, and think, and work in peace at Twinkle Twinkle Little Lights Bookstore.
I have lived for five years in Shekou, a comfortable bubble of Shenzhen, and somehow it was only within the last few months that I discovered the little store. As an expat who has established a routine for a sense of safety and sanity, I have missed many little gems hidden in plain sight. It has been in co-teaching a 9th and 10th grade elective course at Shekou International School, alongside my friend and colleague Eddie Bruce, that I have stepped off my well-trodden daily paths to learn more about my host community.
In March, a small group of our Into the 'kou students learned of the bookstore and decided to interview the owner and learn more about his story.
As I watched my students engage with Yangcong, the owner, I appreciated his easy demeanor and his soft expressions. He seemed a bit self-conscious to be on camera, and there was a sweetness to this shyness.
As we were leaving the bookshop at the end of the interview, I smiled and did my best to use the little Mandarin I have acquired to say, "I will be back this weekend."
Over the following weeks, Yangcong, his loving partner Dong Dong, and I took to one another, and so it was that one day I received an invitation to join the two for lunch at the bookstore.
Prior to the lunch, we had shared few words. In lieu of them, we had shared smiles and warm and open vibrations. It was in this everyday space with Yangcong and Dong Dong, over a meal of vegetables, pork, and rice, that I felt a beautiful intimacy between us.
As we lunched, Dong Dong and I picked up conversation as Yangcong was keen to listen on. I learned that Yangcong opened the book store six years ago, hoping that he might invite more people to escape the lure of our devices and engage with the stories from near and far, written by contemporary and canonical, and well-known and lesser-
After running the store essentially on his own for several years, Yangcong's path crossed with Dong Dong's in what I want to believe was a moment of serendipity. At the time she was working a high-powered, stressful job, though one approved of by her family. As Dong Dong and I spoke about societal and familial pressures, she reflected, “For me, I can only stick to my pace." While she spoke in a soft and matter-of-fact tone, I could also appreciate that the decision to stick to her own pace was likely not an easy one.
As Dong Dong now helps to run the bookstore, she also finds bits of time to study ancient Chinese history and philosophy. "We think things have changed, but they haven't," she says, gazing at me momentarily, then turning her eyes towards the shelves of books to her left. I am not entirely certain of all of the reflections wrapped up for her in these words, but I imagine she finds both comfort and frustration in the way that overtime, much of human nature and culture is wont to stay the same.
In deciding to break with her original path, to follow her own heart, rather than the desires that her family had for her, Dong Dong notes that she lost one kind of freedom to gain another. She works every day as the responsibilities of the bookstore are divided between she and Yangcong, thus her free time has been diminished. At the same time, she has found more peace in her current life than in her former.
While Yangcong has been observing, and listening, and then slowly moving about to clear our dishes, he offers a few words now: “You may not have physical freedom, but you can always be free at heart.”
These words strike me in a particular way today as I have become increasingly restless in the face of Covid-era restricted travel. So I sit a bit longer with Yangcong's wisdom. I contemplate the freedom I have to love, to live vicariously through books, to laugh, to run, to connect with new souls, and to sip the fine green tea in front of me today.
Namaste, Yangong and Dong Dong. The light in me bows to and honors the light in both of you.
Buttery, the Story of a Neighborhood Café
It's Sunday afternoon. Lulu, the owner of my favorite neighborhood café, Buttery, moves about her open concept kitchen space gracefully. She's making lattes and delivering them in small artsy mugs to the few of us here working today. As Lulu moves over to the stove to check on her chili, Mary Wells' words Nothing you can say can tear me away from my guy/ Nothing you could do 'cause I'm stuck like glue to my guy softly float into the air from a tiny iPod placed underneath the table with hand-crafted jewelry that Lulu sells in the cafe.
Those of us enjoying this warm space today are breathing in the aroma of blueberry, raspberry and blackberry jams simmering on the stovetop. Fresh pumpkin spice and blueberry scones are propped up in front of me, deservingly elevated on a cake stand -- the flavors from Buttery have been raising the community's spirits for the past three weeks, the same amount of time fears and restrictions from the novel coronavirus have been spreading.
Lulu opened Buttery in May of 2019. I remember catching a glimpse of the café as I descended Nanshan Mountain in the spring. I peaked in a couple of times, but it wasn't until this fall that I opened the door and ventured inside her haven.
"This is so much of my love," Lulu told me as we sat down to talk last week, a lull in the afternoon business opening up space for some storytelling. When you walk into Buttery, you feel the love, the warmth, the sense of community that emanates outwards from Lulu into the space surrounding her.
Lulu at her industrial-sized mixer. She bakes bread daily.
The set-up of the café is an open-concept kitchen with a horseshoe of small tables and chairs surrounding one end of the cooking space. The decor is eclectic: carved gnomes stand on a shelf along with hand-crafted pottery and other knick-knacks; it's not kitschy, nor does it exude sophistication. The entire space works together to embrace you; you have the warm feeling of having just eaten your grandmother's best comfort food even before you've sunk your fork into Lulu's homemade dishes.
Photo courtesy of Lulu
The menu at Buttery is inspired by Lulu's memories of watching her grandmother cook homemade recipes for the Chinese New Year. As Lulu and I continued to sit and talk, her tone becoming more animated, she told me of how she wants people to understand that wholesome eating is achievable.
Soup Joumou, steaming with pumpkin, chunks of savory beef, squash carrots and fragrant herbs. Photo courtesy of Lulu.
In 2006, Lulu met her husband, Kodiak, at a wellness center in Harbin Hot Springs, California. Lulu's friends brought her to the retreat after she volunteered at an event for Obama's campaign in the Bay Area. Kodiak was helping to build a temple at the hot springs.
As the two were getting to know each other, Lulu shared with Kodiak her dream to open a café someday. "What will you sell there," he laughed, "frozen food from Trader Joe's?" Lulu stubbornly told him that living her younger years in Shanghai and Shenzhen, she knew about cooking fresh food. When he asked her to make something, she didn't have any recipes at her fingertips ... yet.
Kodiak and Lulu's relationship deepened, and the two moved to Mendocino County in 2007. They were surrounded by people who were growing their own vegetables and Lulu's consciousness of the impact of whole foods on our health deepened. She began spending time with new friends who taught her about growing her own food. She began to read and watch videos about food science. She began to experiment with making her own bread. She noticed how she felt when she ate such fresh foods.
You can dine in or out at Buttery. It is placed on a quiet corner, so it offers the perfect nook for some reading. Photo courtesy of Lulu.
After spending five years in Mendocino County, Lulu and Kodiak made the move to China. In 1983, when Lulu was four years old, she had moved to Shenzhen with her family from Shanghai. Over 30 years later, her return to Shenzhen would see the realization of the dream that she had shared with Kodiak, though not for some years still.
Lulu and Kodiak opened a language center once they had settled into Shenzhen. In a small space at the learning center, Lulu began to bake fresh goods such as bread and scones. In time, two food bloggers stumbled upon the space and wrote about her "mysterious confidence."
Over time, Lulu and her husband grew tired of teaching English at the center they had opened. Their vision did not always match what parents who sent their children wanted. When Lulu and Kodiak received a strong offer for the space, they sold the center, serendipitously drawing Lulu even closer to the location that would become Buttery.
On Sundays, Lulu, Kodiak and their son, four-year-old Atticus, came to Shekou to walk Nanshan Mountain. One day, as they were dining on their favorite dumplings after a hike, they noticed that there was a vacant storefront nearby. In January of 2019, Lulu and Kodiak began renovations and five months later Buttery opened to the public.
The public includes the neighborhood cats. When Lulu saw this sweet one outside, she rushed to her refrigerator to get fresh, organic chicken to serve her.
"I remember the day that you first came in," Lulu told me. "You were the first foreigner to order my chicken." I feel special in this moment, that I have somehow made a mark on Lulu. The truth is, I have, but so has everyone else that has entered Buttery. Lulu has a knack for names, and for remembering others' stories. It is, in part, the reason why, even after a lull in business from July until October, the café is now thriving. At Buttery, you are at home.
Most days, during this coronavirus outbreak, I have snuggled right into a chair here, feeling safe and cozy. While many restaurants have remained closed, Lulu has kept Buttery open, becoming a haven for the community.
Lulu uses her calligraphy to communicate to café visitors that we all live under the same sky and the same moon. We are one, she reminds us as she paints this Buddhist message.
As we close our conversation today, I am getting ready to go cuddle with the cats, and Lulu is getting ready to return home to Kodiak and Atticus, she leans towards me, and says, "Life just kind of takes you ... you plan ... but what's inside of you drives you. You will say verbally what you want to do, but in the end, you will be driven to where your heart is."
Update, May 5, 2022
The pandemic has brought so much change to the world, on global and community scales. Not so long after this article was first posted, Lulu and her family left China for Japan. Since Kodiak does not have a Chinese passport, the family was locked out of China long term. Due to these circumstances, Lulu and her family moved to the United States where they have extended family. Last we spoke, her spirits were high and she was doing well.
Reporting from China: Just Add Oil
This weekend saw Shekou, my little bubble of Shenzhen, tightening up on restrictions and protocols in order to continue to work to contain the virus. Published in the Shekou Daily, the new rules decreed that "Residents in residential buildings shall not visit other households in the same complex, and must strictly adhere to the requirements for wearing masks in public places." Having lived in China for four years and having been in Shenzhen since the coronavirus outbreak began, this kind of restriction does not feel to me now what it might have felt in years before. As it stands now, some buildings are not enforcing the rule as strictly as others, so a few of us did get to gather last night for some Exploding Kittens and Fishbowl shenanigans.
Charles appears quite tranquil in the midst of what Trey seems to be communicating as an epic ... something.
Katie, caught mid-gesture -- I think this was in describing ... newborn baby poop?
Which of those cards is going to save you from the exploding kitten, Alli?
Other members of the Shekou community who have decided to stay on in Shenzhen have put up tents for their children on their balconies, offering a new experience in the midst of masks and large periods indoors. This same primary teacher, the nature and bug loving Kevin O'Shea, has a vlog on YouTube that I highly recommend checking out -- you get daily insights into what the city really looks and feels like through his videos and narrations.
Before staying up until midnight (I felt young again), Alli, Ann, Charles and I started our day with a run at Talent Park, a lovely area with sculptures and a cushy running path that circles a small body of water.
New rules also say that while in open spaces, we do not have to wear a mask. The air quality on Saturday was perfection.
These three logged many more miles than I did -- 17 in total!
After running a 5k, I meandered along, taking time to stop and breathe into the balance of lovely art.
And this -- sending out Love to Wuhan, and to the whole wide world.
Today I got busy brunching with my fellow midwesterners. We dined at Gaga Garden. Again, we were the only ones, save for the employees who took a seat at a nearby table.
I am not entirely sure what the purpose of the red caution tape is -- and I cannot read the sign.
Craig and Ann and a cup of coffee. My kind of slow Sunday.
This is the state of my life right now. As I continue to feel safe in Shenzhen, I am also fortunate to be enjoying a slow, mindful pace, something I have not felt in many years. There is a part of me, the adventurous and very privileged part, that considers meeting up with my family in California or getting on a plane to Thailand. The seeker in me, though, has me staying put. My soul has been seeking this rhythm for so long, one that allows me to think more clearly, appreciate my sense of presence, and enjoy what is rather than wanting more.
Staying put in Shenzhen has also meant that I have had more opportunities to hear the stories of my immediate community. Tonight I was fortunate enough to cook for a new SIS friend, our primary school librarian, Megan, who also lives in my building. As a fellow cat woman, we shared stories of how our felines came to find us. We shared stories of living abroad ... and we shared a lot of vegetables.
Two whole bowls are better than one. This is the year of #wholebowls for me and my kitchen, and my gut biome (I am so that nerd right now) has been thanking me.
I feel blessed to be in Shenzhen, feeling settled in my high-rise apartment. I also feel especially blessed to have the option still to leave if that settled feeling changes. I know that during this outbreak, so many do not have the same options or sense of security.
One of our SIS administrators sent out a video this evening that returns our attention to the unsung heroes in Wuhan, the doctors, and medical staff that are bravely serving those who are sick.
The video is in English and has subtitles in English.
In closing, tonight, my friends and family all over the world, Jiāyóu加油
Add oil as the Chinese saying goes.
Reporting from China: Does Anyone Want to Join My Dance Team?
After another coconut milk matcha latte, drank at leisure with the cats, my day began something like this (video failed to upload because #thisinternetblows):
If you want in ... I mean, you want in ...
After this dance sesh and a 25-minute HIIT workout, there was indeed a lot of workworkworkworkwork.
While I enjoy the quiet space to #work, coming into to SIS has been strange.
I peaced out of school just before lunch to walk to Buttery, the best café in Shekou, for some food and more company.
It was lovely to settle into the quiet space of Buttery -- an SIS family, who also frequents the cafe, was there, and we chatted a bit about enjoying the nearby "mountain" and all of the things that Lulu freshes cooks, sautés and bakes. "Life is just better with Lulu," said the father.
I consumed those veggies, and the large chicken leg that accompanied them, a number of hours ago now, so I am about to dig into the dish I cooked up in the instant pot tonight.
Again, do you want to join my dance team?
Reporting from Shenzhen, China: Work and Brain Breaks
I am back at school today and, as it's been several hours of very quiet work, I was just inspired to blast the Higher Love remix over my classroom speakers. It got a little shimmy of reaction ...
Day two of Microsoft TEAMS and OneNote e-learning had me tracking down a good number of students with well, hello, I didn't see you on the chat yesterday, can I offer you further assistance in getting started? I am going to have to come up with a strategy for my own work time. My brain almost short-circuited this afternoon as I had emails and notifications coming in at one time from students in four different classes. Learning curves.
Learning curves do call for brain breaks, and a little sweat session is a great way to refresh the synapses ... or something like that (I don't speak Science fluently). The gyms are closed here in Shekou, but on the 4th floor of our school is a mini-gym equipped with everything we needed, from TRXs to weights to two rowing machines, for a Dirty 30 workout.
After 30 minutes of 45 seconds of HIIT and weights and 15 seconds to rest intervals, we were ready ... to go to lunch. Back at HH Gourmet where the best bagels are sold, I had a large "yoga" omelet. Most restaurants are not serving salads or foods that are uncooked. It's smart, I think.
I have continued to be able to get fresh produce to cook at home.
In Shekou, we are privileged to have Lora, a friendly and community-minded woman who opened a small storefront to bring us organic fruits and vegetables.
Signing off tonight to head into the kitchen to cook up my fresh veg and a halibut steak -- drizzling the BaciBowl with Allison Day's pumpkin seed sauce.
Love and light from Shenzhen,
Jamie
Reporting from Shenzhen, China: Back to School ... Online
It is nearly 4 o'clock in Shenzhen. I am just wrapping up my school day -- a very quiet, but productive day of delivering curriculum and feedback to my students on online platforms.
Because with Google and China #itscomplicated, Shekou International School uses Microsoft Office as our collaborative learning space. I have spent a good part of my day monitoring and dropping into book club discussions happening in Microsoft TEAMS.
I would prefer to be conversing with my students in person, but what was cool about today is that I could drop into multiple book clubs in the same hour; generally, during class time I can only sit with one book club each day.
I did start the day with some yoga, and then made it to a cafe near school in time to catch the halftime show.
This is the only part of the Superbowl that I understand. All hail Shakira and J. Lo!
I was getting sweet updates from Minnesota while I watched the halftime show, and I was excited to see that my two youngest nieces are working on being in the show in a few short years. #justaquickheadbang
After working for a bit at school, a few of my friends and I ventured out for lunch. There were two other individuals eating at a restaurant, Les 5, on what we call The Strip, the long line of massage places, restaurants, bars and pet stores that runs for several blocks adjacent to SIS.
Today's new norms: temperature checks when you walk into a restaurant and complimentary (read: mandatory) hand sanitizer at the same time. Later, when I walked into my apartment building, I stepped into the elevator to find that a box of tissues had been taped to the elevator wall. Convenient, I thought.
After school, I was blessed with almond cookies and almond bread baked by Alli, time to get down with my #wholebowls routine in my kitchen, and space to meditate.
Stepping away from devices now so that I can turn back to Ronan Farrow's Catch and Kill.
Good night, or good morning, certainly have a good day from me and the kitty who loves to live on my air purifier.
Reporting from Shenzhen, China, in the midst of #coronavirus fears, rumors, and new norms
Hello, dear friends and family,
I am snuggled up in my apartment tonight, writing as my second batch of chicken bone broth cooks in my instant pot, and the cats lounge at my feet.
I am pretty tuckered out tonight, largely because I ran a kick-ass 10k along the boardwalk with my friend Ann. This weekend I was supposed to be in Hong Kong for the 9Dragons race -- Alli was going to run the 50k, and I was slated to run the 10k. Understandably, the race was canceled, but my runner's lungs were still craving a little race pace. As Ann and I ran, masks (mostly) on, the scene was quiet and quite lovely. Along the boardwalk, instrumental music plays out of speakers in the bushes. Guards were posted regularly along the boardwalk to ensure runners, walkers and those strolling along were indeed following the mandate that everyone wears masks outside.
Some of the new protocols set in place this week have been strange to get used to. Just today my building stopped allowing visitors in, so my friend Katie, who came by for a bit, was not allowed to enter. This is disappointing, but we still were able to head out on our favorite hike nearby and enjoy coffee at our favorite cafe.
Altogether, I appreciate the measures that China is taking to prevent the virus from spreading further. I now get my temperature checked some 3 or 4 times a day as I enter and re-enter my apartment. Every time they put the temperature gun to my head, the apartment security is very kind. Honestly, I am thankful these are the only kinds of guns hanging around here. The biggest gripe in my day was actually the fact that when I blew my electricity yesterday, I forgot to turn on the water heater again ... the water was running mighty cold after that run.
This is a time it is especially useful to be inclined towards the introvert end of the spectrum. I love my solitude. I have many books, podcasts, Netflix shows, and a Shutterfly book that I started three years ago to attend to.
Earlier today I met with my colleague and friend Clayton to collaborate about how we will work on online platforms to deliver curriculum to the students. As of right now, we will be working online until February 17th.
I am largely ignoring much of the media. If you want to hear more raw truth, I encourage you to drop CNN and FoxNews, and tune in to Harvard Health and NPR. I logged in to Twitter tonight to find that what was trending for me was #coronavirus. Not surprising. Just below that, though, was the #NoMeatNoCoronaVirus and I was like I just cannot with you opportunists right now.
I am fortunate to be part of a community here that is one to offer support, outreach and just some laughs to one another. My principal and director have been close at hand when I have needed to offset some anxiety with a conversation. Those of us who stayed in Shenzhen rather than opting for Thailand, or other destinations, have formed a group chat. Only honest and useful updates are posted to the chat, which was started by an elementary teacher who has continued to offer family hikes to look for bugs and enjoy nature. My friend Megan, also an administrator, has arranged for a viewing of the SuperBowl tomorrow. We are #shekoustrong because of this caring community. I feel so blessed to feed off of this community, and also give back to it.
I plan to offer daily updates here at lettersfromasojournista. No fake news, no bullshit, just what is happening from here in the bubble of Shekou in Shenzhen, China.
For tonight, I sign off with a picture of Ms. Silvermoon Free Solo, shortly, Silvie.
Be well, everyone. Sending love from Shenzhen.