Personal
Reflection – Baltimore City
I have been to Baltimore City many times since two children’s piano competition
days at Peabody Conservatory – from age 5 to age 17. The majority of the
contestants were American kids with Chinese, Jewish and Korean descents.
The average was one or two trips per year for Maryland State Music Teachers
National Association spring festival.
After I-395, Baltimore’s skyline and smoke bellowed from its chimneys came into
view. Then we wounded around the impoverished stretch of neighborhood,
shattered windows, buckling walls, the façade of faded red-brick row houses
with old African American folks sitting on the dilapidated front porch or
un-scrubbed white steps. Finally we reached the destination of George
Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, window closed tightly after
escaping a few encounters of forced window washing from the African American
kids at the intersection. The children had already anticipated the
nervousness for their competitions; this was something we did not want to
experience in 1980s.
So, it
seemed to be so grand when you saw the historical music building in the heart
of Baltimore City. It was awe-inspiring to see all the names of the
notable graduates and faculties carved in its marble walls. You wish that
your children’s names would be there one day if they were musically talent
enough to be successful. But each time driving up there was the emotional
roller coaster rides among the two when they were growing up.
The memory
became raw and fresh. The white, blue, and red ribbons in their hands
indicated the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place or the
honorable mentioned were the combination of exhaustion, and pure elation at
finishing the whole year’s hard work. It marked the emotional end and a
fantastic sense of achievement. They asked for not touching the piano for
a week as a reward. That’s 7- 14 hours’ practice time. I said,
‘Yes.” However, there were times, sulky faces, emotionally defeated from
being beaten by other children. They held nothing in their hands except
the contest program, which they wrote the comments for each of the
contestants. Technical skills - fair, emotional communication – not
there, body movement – too rigid, need more… painful to wait etc.
They pleaded us to rid the piano at the garage sale. Their bottled-up
anger reached up to the full scales. Still, they asked for not touching
the piano for a week. I said, ‘Yes.” We, stubborn,
over-achieving Asian Parents would not allow them to quit until they were
17-years old when I totally lost the battle for asking them to play due to too
many extra curriculums – Chinese class, soccer, tennis school teams, math,
Spanish clubs and volunteering jobs in the hospital etc.
Am I one of those strict tiger mothers? Maybe. Did I keep my
promise that they could quit after reaching to the number 1? No! I
told them, “Winning is not everything, but the will to win is!” I raised
the bar another notch higher while adjusting constantly during their growing up
periods. They probably hated me to be their Chinese School teacher;
mother, I am not sure. But, I have no regrets.
Did they learn anything from those years of driving down I-495 to City of
Baltimore? I hope they did. I wanted them to recognize their
talents and accept the limitations. Mistakes, nerves and humility are all
parts of learning process not only in piano, but also in every experience that
will come in their lives.
Leisure
Sightseeing Day
Now, it’s March 16, 2015, the day before St. Patrick’s Day – still quite
chilly. After such a cold and snowy winter, we were looking forward to
warmer days. I visited the city again as a retiree and a senior
grandmother this time. No longer that harrowing experience as a “tiger
mother” but a tourist to enjoy the “touristy” thing the city has to offer.
Baltimore
Harbor
Baltimore is a busy port. I often see the large naval ships dock there
along with the whole fleet of vessels, luxury yachts on the dry docks and ship
building platform. It’s an amazing sight!
Dogs and
Retired People
Loneliness can become an unwelcome companion, as we get older either for the
young generation or the old folks like us who have passed that stage.
What are the best companions then? The dogs! See Mimi’s
English bulldog and the pet friends at her son’s neighborhood park – the condo Canton Cove is in the backdrop.
Senior retirees – Jen-Jen, Mimi and Janice.
Water Taxi
This is the best-kept secret that only Mimi, the local Baltimore and Canton
residents knows. It’s free! Unheard of in America! There
isn’t anything free here! She owns a Baltimore condo - Scarlett’s place – Yes, it’s Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, and her
son’s – Canton Cove in Canton. Right behind the Canton
Waterfront Park in the picture.
We saw the day commuters, with the handheld computers or mobile devices
ignoring everything around them. I watched reminiscing of my children’s
piano days and how they are the generation from future. We, the senior
folks would one day be totally obliterated from their memories.
Water Taxi
Map – The dotted lines between Canton
Waterfront Park to Locust Point and Maritime Park are free.
Frederick
Douglass and Issac Myers Maritime Park and Museum
It seemed to be a beautiful landmark off the
water. The Living Classrooms Foundation was closed when we were
there. It will be one of my future outings with my grandson.
I
learned bits and pieces from my children’s book. Frederick Douglas, was
born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and lived at Fell’s Point when he
was eight years old. The lesson learned from his powerful remarks on the
inveterate hatred and unjust prejudice towards the colored should pass on to
the next generation. I often wonder when will the conflict between the
ethnic groups and racial bias end? I do hope that there will be a
perfect Utopia exists somewhere. So we can embrace all religions, all
races to live peacefully without any fight. I do not know much about
Issac Myers, who must have some contribution in the shipping industry in
Baltimore.
Cal Ripken
Jr. – Baltimore Orioles’ legend
Michael
Phelps – an American swimmer and the most
decorated Olympian of all time.
Both are local celebrities in Baltimore. We were waiting at the dock for
our water taxi and enjoying the free ride from the City of Baltimore.
Picasa Links:
https://picasaweb.google.com/112480790564624696310/March27201502?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMvbiN7KhM3_vgE&feat=directlink
Mimi, Betty, Her Big Sister and I made another trip again three years later. This time was attending
Taipei Chinese Orchestra concert at Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute. Thanks Betty's driving to take us there. She is an excellent driver navigating effortlessly in downtown Baltimore.
We revisited Mimi's son house which had been sold ever since three years ago. However, Mimi was still reminiscing the good old times with enjoyment. The only thing we missed was riding the water taxi which just left us once we got there. Oh, well, there's always next time.
We had Happy Hour dining at Bo-Brooks restaurant.
The delicious seafood with Maryland's crab cakes, shrimps and calamari were their famous dishes.
https://picasaweb.google.com/112480790564624696310/March27201502?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCMvbiN7KhM3_vgE&feat=directlink
Mimi, Betty, Her Big Sister and I made another trip again three years later. This time was attending
Taipei Chinese Orchestra concert at Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute. Thanks Betty's driving to take us there. She is an excellent driver navigating effortlessly in downtown Baltimore.
We revisited Mimi's son house which had been sold ever since three years ago. However, Mimi was still reminiscing the good old times with enjoyment. The only thing we missed was riding the water taxi which just left us once we got there. Oh, well, there's always next time.
The delicious seafood with Maryland's crab cakes, shrimps and calamari were their famous dishes.
