Communicating

It's an interesting dance, as expected. We're pretty limited in our Chinese: No - bu, Thank you - xiexie, I love you - wo ai ni, hello - ni hao, see you tomorrow - zaitian jian, maybe a few others. His English is even more narrow - I think thank you is the only thing I've heard with any consistency. He does seem to be responding more to our gestured instructions as the days go on. We took the 2 pictures with the bear cupcake this evening; since he gave us his all-too-prevalant peace-sign-with-smirk in the first one, we asked for a normal look in the 2nd, and he obliged. He also has a penchant for butt-poking - parents, siblings, or any random stranger who might present their backside. He hasn't given up the habit, but he does seem to be responding faster to our calls to stop it.

His constant chatter has slowed significantly in the last few days, but he still has a great deal to say. On a humorous note, his sentences are frequently overheard by Chinese people, and they respond with laughter, or they engage him in conversation. Lots of people talk to him and react to what he says. He calls just about any lady "mama".

I certainly sense frustation on his part that we don't know what he's saying or asking for, but that too has abated somewhat in the last few days. Any of us who have dipped ourselves into other cultures has felt that frustration, but I don't think I have anywhere near the appreciation for what he is feeling and will feel over the next several months as his requests and soliloquys are effectively ignored, even as we long to understand.

He exhibits his frustration with the occasional tantrum, sit-down strike, or angry outburst, but by and large he is showing great coping ability.