Motor and More!

This isn't a journal entry; this is just an up-date on the things we have been doing in the past couple of weeks when I was too busy to write.

First, How was everybodys thanksgiving? Mine was great. The Racquet Club had a fabulous thanksgiving feast at one of their restaurants with turkey, stuffing, salad, different kinds of fish, and rice. We invited my moms friend to come with us too; my mom felt really comforted when she heard yes from her friend because she was home sick during that week. She was missing going to my grandma's house and seeing her whole family there. Anyways, everything was supper-dupper good and I hope everbody everywhere who is checking my blog had a great thanksgiving too!(to email me back(who ever doesn't have my email), here's my number: goldiejune2000@yahoo.com)

Second,it was my dads birthday last Friday! We didn't give him much stuff, but we gave him lots of love.

Everybody sing with me!: Happy Birthday to you!(chachacha)Happy Birthday to you!(chachacha) Happy Birthday to Ira/Daddy!(chachacha) Happy Birthday to you!(chachacha oolalah!)

Third, guess what we got my dad for his b-day?
(email address above)
I'll tell after I get three to five answers from three to five different people.
(The title gives you a clue and picture gives a clue)

Fourth, I'm already getting ready for Hanukkah! My mom is trying to get me UGGS, my grandma is trying to get me American Girl things and books and I've given my dad recemendations on things I want. My UGGS are either going to be light-ish blue or pink. We looked online and there was a color called Mink. It was like a dark pink-ish purple-ish color in the picture.

Fifth, My class is trying to read 800 books and we're SO close. Only 40 left! That means we've read...drum-roll please...760 books! YEAH!! I have almost read 28. This kid in my class has read more than 100 books this year!

Le Fin = The End

By Goldie Davoudgoleh

My...skirt...is...made!

Dear Journal,

I had a skirt made and it's beautiful!!! I love it!! It's a tad longer than my other jean skirt; and a tad darker in color, too. Me and my dad went to a Tailor and they said one week, but when we went there the next Saturday, it still wasn't ready. So a couple of days later, my mom went and pick it up for me. When I came off the bus, she said she had a surprise for me. When we got home I asked her where was it was. She said it was on bed. I ran to my room and POOF! The skirt was sitting on my bed, right, exactly where my mom said it was.

"My SKIRT!! Yeah!" I screamed it really loud and gave a screech.

And that's the story of my skirt.

Le Fin = The End
By Goldie Davoudgoleh

P.S. I know it is kind-of short but that's all I can say about my skirt I had made. You'll have to wait and see it in February. Did I mention we were coming in February? Well, that's a different story.
Bye!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

Dear Journal,

1. First, I am so busy with school, after school activity's, and other things that I don't have much time get to you guys! I haven't even checked my email for a while!

2. Second, this week is halloween. I am soo glad I am not going to the racquet clubs halloween party 'cause:
- Don't have costume
- Don't like to be near 200 kids at once
- Don't like what serving for dinner
- and I'm getting old!!

3. Third, I went to a play on Thursday last week. My mom and I were sitting next to a girl and boy. They looked like they were in middle school. And I was right. You know how I found out? Well, the girl who was sitting next to us was actually coming over Saturday night to babysit me. She is Jacobs friend, Deans, older sister, Brennan. She is REALLY pretty and tall for a 8th grader and she 14 years old.

4. Fourth, let me tell you about BRIC. BRIC stands for Books Read In Class. We have read over 400 books in class.

Sorry, no more candy!
Bye!
Goldie

Vacation, the Zoo, what could be better?

Dear Journal

First, vacation. During October vacation, we went to Hangzhou. It took us almost 3 hours to get there by driving. We went to a hotel named the Sofitel. Once we got there, we put our things in our room, and we asked the hotel to bring us somewhere for a couple of hours. Our driver Jack told the hotel that we were VIPs hahahaha.. One of the hotel people drove in a golf cart and led us to a really high mountain that led all the way to a pagoda. We had to climb thousands of steps to get to the top. Once we came back down, my legs were shaking, because I walked maybe millions of steps that day. When we came back to the hotel after the pagoda, we saw a big sign that had a lot of kids and adult activities. My dad came over and said, "Can we go fishing at 4:30?" And the hotel staff said yes, and we went fishing later that day. We caught two fish, but we threw them back in the lake. The first one Jacob caught, and we just decided not to cook it. The second one I caught, we were going to decide to cook it, but it wasn't good for cooking.

Second, the Zoo. We went to the Zoo with my dad's coworker and his family. My mom didn't come though, she needed some time to herself, and we don't want to get into the details. We saw humongous giraffes, tigers, pandas, zebras, and as a matter of fact we saw fish and water animals.


Great big Panda Bear Hugs for everybody!

Goldie

PS You will really be hearing from me soon because I have another story to tell later. But it hasn't started yet!

I"M GOING TO FAINT!!!!

Dear Journal,

1. Sorry I haven't been writing for a long time. I have been busy with school and homework and things like that. Plus a couple of holidays. Today I got extra homework but I'll talk about that later. It's involved in one of my other paragraphs in my post today.

2. I am so happy and a little sad, but as I said in my last paragraph I will talk about my sadness in another paragraph and that also includes why I have so much homework. Anyways, I am happy because my mom HAS talked to Emma (my friend Elisheva's mom) about having a sleepover. Me and Elisheva have been talking about it for weeks since we met. I can't wait for 2 weeks, because after Simhat Torah, she will come to my house and sleepover.

3. Something else I'm happy about is....I got....a....Wii!! About 3 or 4 days ago....well actually let me talk about the place first. There is this little shop down a little bit away from the Racquet Club (where I live), but its a good walk. About 3 or 4 days ago, me, my brother and my dad walked over to the place. It's called Playstation III, at least that's what I think it's called. That's what Jacob calls it when he wants to go there. But my point is, we went over to PS III, and we were going to get a new game cube controller. But my dad was looking around and looked at the board that had a picture of a Wii on it, and all the prices. He said "How much is a Wii with 10 games, the charger, and the actual Wii?" And 10 minutes after that, we had a Wii. But we didn't take it home right away. We went back at night and picked up the Wii and everything. But you don't want to know the sad part, so I won't tell you. Everything worked out perfectly, after a little incident....oooops!

4. Finally, why I am sad. HHHMMMM....I have a very important announcement to make:
There is...a....TYPHOON (a hurricane)!! I'M GOING TO FAINT!!HHHHHH....(crying,crying). That's why I have so much homework, my teacher knew that there wasn't going to be school tomorrow, and she gave us a lot of homework! My teacher, Ms. Sealey, said that all the schools in Shanghai are shut down because of the typhoon.

Typhoons, large cyclones known as hurricanes in the West, regularly hit China, Taiwan, the Philippines and Japan in the summer season, gathering strength from the warm waters of the Pacific or the South China Sea before weakening over land.


AAAAAHHHH!!!!! The typhoon got me!!!!
Gotta go, BYE

Goldie

So long, farewell, auf vierderzen, Goodbye. I hate to go and leave this pretty site!

Dear Journal,

Bright and early this morning my dad left for Singapore.

(That's where I got the catchy title, as Mrs. Solomon says)

As I was saying, my dad left very early this morning for Singapore. Jack picked my dad up very, very early, I think about... 5:20 am (China time) His flight was at 8 am (China time, not to be confused with Hammer Time; the song).

I woke up at 3 to gheesh (pee), and I couldn't fall back asleep for a while. So I took out my notebook and I wrote a letter to my father, saying:

Dear Daddy,
I love you!! I will miss you so much this next week. I bet Mommy and Jacob (who I do love, but not way up, but way way down) will miss you too.

I am sorry I am disturbing and taking your time. I just didn't think that saying bye and a hug for a second is a goodbye. Please before you leave come and wake me up and give me a kiss. I bet Jacob would like that, too. Plus mom of course. You should never forget Mommy.

Daddy I hope you have a good 5 1/2 to 6 days of good things in Singapore. But when you're gone, who will go on weekends to buy us videos and dvds? Cause mommy doesn't like to shop, Jacob not so much either.

Well, Jack (I think) is waiting, I think you should go and work as hard as you can to get more money. (Other side of paper)

Love, Goldie D. your daughter


When I was done with the letter, I left my room and quietly (squeakily) tip toed to my mom and dad's room. I couldn't' see so it was hard to put the letter on my dad's nightstand. I felt what was around me, and I finally found a place to put it. I think I put it on top of his cell phone and under a cassette tape. I quickly but squeakily left their room and went to my bunk bed. I tried to go to sleep and I finally did.

So long, farewell, Auf veidersen Goodbye
I fleet, I float, I fleetly fleet I fly,
Goodbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye!
-Goldie D.

"Iran Again" says dad.

Dear Journal,
Today we went to a persain carpet place called Pak Persia. We went in and the owner let us sit in his mini like, kitchen/office. It had everything; a mini fridge, plus on top of it was a water cooler. We had tea and cookies and talked. My mom had met this guy who owned the place a couple of weeks... actually now that i think of it, I think it was last week she came, and met him.


After 20 minutes (felt like a hour), we went with Jack to a PERSIAN restaurant, but it took us about 20 minutes to get there even know it was right across the street. We went down the street and found out that that was too far down. Then we went up the lane and figured out that that was too far, too. So, we went back and looked VERY carefuly. We found it and noticed that it was right arcoss the street from pearl city (where Pak Persia is).


Were walking down the lane where all the restaraunts were and my dad said, "Do you see it? Do you see it?" We all looked up and saw a sign that said, "SHIRAZ". With a ZZZZZZ.... Z. We went in and asked to sit. we took a menu and looked.... and looked... and looked... and saw all the PERSIAN foods that my dad likes. We ordered and asked to speak with the owner/chef. He came out and said hi. My dad talked and talked with the guy. It felt like forever. But finally we got our food after the chef went back to the kitchen, which everybody could see through the glass window-ish thing.

Foods here!!
YUM!!
Gotta eat!
My PERSIAN food is here!
BYE!
Goldie D.

Acrobatic Show

Dear Journal,
Yesterday, me and my family went to see an acrobatic show. They were doing crazy things like one girl had like 10 or 12 chandeliers on her body. She was lying on her back, balancing all those chandeliers, and she turned her body slowly around to be lying on her stomach! Thankfully none of the chandeliers fell and broke. She was very careful and very flexible!

There was another act with like 10 girls and thirty chairs. The girls stacked the chairs and stood on each of them. They stood on them all the way to the ceiling! The last girl was a young girl like me and she was at the very top; the ceiling.

Another act that was interesting to watch was when a couple danced in the air kind of, suspended by blue silk ropes. It was like they were flying and dancing at the same time. Isn't it weird? But is was cool to watch.

Other acts included girls doing gymnastics, juggling, and a knife throwing contest. But that one was kind of awkward. They weren't really throwing the knives, there was one guy that had the knive and handed it to another guy and he put it in the cardboard thing around the volunteer from the audience, so that no one go hurt (thankfully!).

We really enjoyed the entertainment that night, and we are planning to go again soon with some of my dad's work friends, and the Jonas' in December.


The curtain is down, and the audience is applauding, I think it's time to go now. Let's call Jack!
BYE!
Goldie

American School (#2)

Dear Journal,
On Thursday I started school. My new teacher's name is Ms. Sealey and she is from Canada. This summer she went to Africa and something very coincidental is that Jacob's teacher this summer also went to Africa, and she's from Canada. Jacob's teacher's name is Ms. Dardarian. We have 18 kids in my class and there are 6 4th grade classes. This is your homework for tonight: how many kids are in the 4th grade at the Shanghai American School? (you can email me the answer later). 3 kids are from the US. Some others are from somewhere in China, Taiwan, Canada, and Korea.

My mom is very happy about this, because now she has more free time to herself, which she hasn't had in almost 2 months. While we are at school she is going to the gym, and doing errands that she couldn't do with me and Jacob when we didn't have Jack and whenever we go somewhere me and Jacob always want things that she won't get for us, and we have a big tantrum in front of a big crowd. (Even though no one knows what we are saying!) (hahaha).

Anyways, enough about my mom, let's talk about lunch!! At my school, you can either get lunch or bring home lunch. Sometimes there are things that me and Jacob will eat, but me personally, I have only gotten lunch once; Jacob has only gotten lunch 0 times. When you get into a line, it's usually very long, but we got there late, so the line wasn't so long. Me and a couple of others stood in line and got trays. I saw what was there, and if I didn't like it, I could have sushi because 4th and 5th graders have more choice. Or I could go down to my classroom and get the lunchbox, because my mom packed me a lunch just in case I didn't like what they were having. You can also order your own sandwich with a sandwich form. You can pick which kind of bread, what kind of sandwich, and what else you want on your sandwich. I got lunch on Friday, the second day of school. There was chicken nuggets, fried rice, drinks, dessert, sushi, sandwiches, hot dog (pork) , and drinkable yogurt. For drinks they had water, milk, juice, and chocolate milk. I got about 8 small chicken nuggets, fried rice, and some water. It was very good. You don't pay with real money, you have a card that your parents put money on and you scan your card on a scanner and you have just bought your first lunch. Yum Yum!!

Something very new for me and my brother is that we go on a bus to and from school. And guess who used to be our driver? My mommy (and Abby and Carla). But now we have an old Chinese guy for my driver, and I don't know about Jacob's driver. We are on separate buses, that's why I don't know about Jacob's driver. Mom, Abby and Carla were way better looking. It only takes about 2 seconds to get home on the bus, but we have to wait about 20 minutes on the bus before we leave, to make sure that everyone is on it. So we don't get home until 3:30, even though school is over at 3:00.

In my school we have a 6 day schedule, but there's only 5 days a week. Isn't that awkward? Thursday was day 1. Friday was day 2. Monday will be day 3, Tuesday will be day 4, etc... I have art on days 1 and 4, PE on days 2 and 5, and I have music on 3 and 6. Trust me, its more confusing than having to put together a product (like my dad does) in one day.

The other thing my school has that Rashi didn't have is that they have a school store. You can buy t shirts, pants, sweatshirts, lunchboxes, water bottles, and little goodies, too. The store is in the hallway going to the cafetaria.

In class, on last thursday, we started this book that was called "How to be perfect in just 3 days".It's about a boy and he was at the Library looking for a mystery book, ok, and he finds this book thats called "How to be perfect in just 3 days". He checks the book out of the library and that night he started reading it. This is your second peice of homework for tonight. Can you give me 5 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) of predictions of what he is goind to read in the book? (there acually is a anwser). (email me later, if you want).

In about a week I will start swimming lessons at my school; acually my whole class will, but on monday or tuesday the school is having try-outs for the swim team. I was thinking about it but i'm not very sure. I am a pretty good swimmer but I don't want to spend my week running around china. Sometimes I might want to relax and do homework (not) with my friends. But I do have 1 more day to think about it.

I want to tell you a funny story. So, 1 of the past couple of days I was emailing my friend Katie and I asked her about her school and how everything was doing, and she emailed me back and said, " My school only has 4th and 5th grade but it's huge!!" And I replied back and said, " Well, guess what? My school is about 4 or 5 times bigger than that! It is 3 huge buildings, 1 humongo recess area, a gym (another building), and a cafiteria (another building)." And Katie, I wasn't braging to you I just telling you about my school.

Ding! Ding!
Oh thats the bell.
I got to go.
Class is starting.
BYE!!

-Goldie Davoudgoleh

American School

Dear Journal,
On Monday, we went and had a tour of our school before we went for oreintetion on Wednesday, today. We were with a guide to help us get around the school. She was from India so she hade an acseint. Anyways, we didn't want to see the WHOLE school, we wanted to see the elementry part.
She lead us to:
.The Pool
.The Auditorium
.The Jungle Gym
.The Basket Ball Courts
.The Soccer Feild
.4th Grade classrooms
.2nd Grade classrooms

We started in the middle school office because thats where our tour started. Then we started to walk to the elementry building. We walked pass th Jungle Gym and we walked throough the doors of the American Schools Elementry. There are 6 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade classes.

Got to go.
My school is waiting to start the orientatoin!!

Keep Well everyone!!
Goldie D.

City Center

Dear Journal,
Sorry I haven't been writing so often right now. We were a little busy, if you know what I mean. 2 days ago me and my mom went to a place called the City Center. We took a shuttle to the City Center because my brother and my dad had our driver, Jack. They were on there way to pick up some of my dads coworkers and people who work with him because they were visiting. They were going of to do.... oh thats another story, but anyways, back to what I was doing because this is Goldie's Journal, right? Now all of you who are reading this, say "Right!" "Thank you, thank you. I couldn't have done it without... oh, who really cares." So where was I? Oh right. We got to the City Center and we started to walked around and then we walked around different malls. I got a CD by Avril Lavigne, nail polish, and nail polish remover. While we were walking so much my feet started to hert and I was getting hungry. We started to head back to the City Center. We ate lunch at a restraunt called Element Fresh. After we ate we went to the City Center Market.We got some food and ran to the next shuttle. We got on and that was the end of our day, exept, me and my mom got a manicure at Dragonfly ( a big salon in the raquet club).


Is there somewhere in china/shanghai thats called the Shopping Center? Because I love to shop. You know what I mean.
Bye!!

Love,
Goldie

My room is clean!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooooooooooooyyyyy!!

ohlay,ohlay,ohlay,ohlay!
go.... housecleaner!!!

"I Love This Place!" -Goldie

Dear Journal,
Yesterday we went to Pearl City with some of our new friends. Their names are Louise, Samara, and Miranda. We went with them and their driver and when we got to Pearl City, the driver and the rest of the gang dropped me, Samara, and Miranda off to go look at the jewelry and pearls on the first and second floor. Louise took my mom and my brother to go look at the supermarket right near there. But I was in safe hands! After we looked at both floors our moms came in and we met them downstairs. Jacob and I each got 2 things: I got a bracelet and a gameboy game, Jacob got 2 gameboy games. It was a really cool place, and I can't wait to go back there in the next 2 years. After that we went to lunch in a cafe right next to Pearl City. Then we drove home and that was one of my best happily ever afters in my China year so far.

"Cut" "cut" "cut"!
That was enough for today, go take a break and have lunch!
Goldie

Chinese at Jewish?

Dear Journal,
The first sunday night that we were in shanghi, we went to our new temple for dinner. It was actually a for a special reason. Chabad, our temple, was having a Chinese buffet for new people every Sunday from 5:30-9 in July. The food was great, they had two kinds of fish, two kinds of chicken, pasta with bean sprouts, and rice with corn, vegetables, and rolls. We met 2 other families while we were there. One of them, well, actually both of the families were from Israel. We were the first ones there. We were there early, that's why. We got there around 5. So we waited downstairs and helped the Chinese people set up the Chinese dinner. Both the rabbi, his wife and children were away that day, they couldn't be there. We said, We'll meet them a different day.


Next time when we have Chinese at Jewish, I'll tell ya.
Goldie

Buddahs are up and jumpin'!

Dear Journal,
So one of our adventures before my dad went to work, we went out for lunch one day. We decided to go to KFC for me and my brother to eat lunch. But the only problem was my mom and dad didn't have lunch because they keep kosher and don't eat KFC meat. So my mom and dad thought of going to a vegetarian restaurant but they felt bad that me and Jacob wouldn't be eating. So they asked us if we would try something from that restaurant. And we said ok. We walked to the restaurant and got a table. We looked at the menu, and there didn't look like there was so much for me and Jacob to eat. But my mom and dad ordered a soup called "Buddah Jumping Over the Wall" (this is based on it), 2 bowls of white rice, broccoli, vegetable lo mein, pumpkin, and vegetarian chicken, which I tried and I did not like AT ALL!!!!!! I tried the soup, I didn't love it, but it was ok. It wasn't the best soup in the world, if you know what I mean. My favorite on that table was the vegetable lo mein, even though that is what I order in America when I order Chinese food.

Buddah is off to sleep now, Bye!
Goldie

Tennis Anyone??

Dear Journal,
Here at the Racquet Club you can take tennis lessons and last Thursday Jacob and I took our first lesson. It was with a professional tennis player. We are going to take a few more lessons this summer and then be in a class with other racquet club kids in the fall. The coaches name was Adam and he was from New Zealand. He is a really nice and cool guy. Something really cool about him is he got to meet one of the most famous tennis players in the world, Roger Federman. We played on an inside court as it was way too hot to play outside, as it always is in summer in Shanghai, China. The inside court was way bigger than the outside court. I don't know why, but it's a good question.

Nobody wants to play with me? Ok, next time!
Goldie

Bunks are Up!

Dear Journal,
So the first day, we got up with our driver and went to ikea. It's a big house needs store with about 5 levels of big help for around the house. Anyways, we got there and my dad said, "Since Jacob has a smaller room, he will be getting a bunk bed and only him." The news was worse to me than when I got a shot, I really wanted a bunk bed too. So I ketp on conplaining about the bunk bed situation until... he, my dad decided to get 2 bunk beds! Haleluyah! I love him! So I hugged him and kissed him 'till I couldn't breath! Thats how happy I was.

Until the next bunk is made..................!
Goldie

Goldie's Journal has finally loged on to a Website! Her own Website!

Hi everybody and welcome to Goldie's Journal!
Right now i would like to tell you about how Goldie's Journal got started and alittle bit about what you are going to see but , first i would like to introduce a couple of important people that you will be hearing a lot about; my mom, sherri D., my dad, ira D., my brother, jacob D., and... me, GOLDIE!
Anyways, so, i have this journal that my mom gave to me for my birthday and it says Goldie's Notebook Shanghi 2007; and under it, it has a picture of me at school, rashi,with a starbucks tea cup in my hand.
So i though of this great idea; i knew my mom had a blog on the internet, and i somehow wanted to share my journal thoughts with my friends and family.
So, i asked my mom if i could either have my calum on her blog or have my own blog.
So she says we'll see.
So now i'm here, on my own blog and writing what i would like to write about my expereince and my familys expereince.
So in reallity, this is almost like a secret but not really.
You get what i'm sayin' right!?
You will also see pictures,postcards, and more and exiting things from or about china.
I would kind of like to egnoledge some people for helping me get this set up and learn how to do journal writing.
First, i would like to egnoledge my mom for helping me set up this whole thing.
Second, i would like to egnoledge my 3rd grade teachers, mrs.solomon and ms. safar.
They have been a joy to my life and they have tought me very much in the last school year.

Look forward to more writing from me!
Goldie