Orphanage

On Monday, Chase & I went to an orphanage here in Xiangtan with another American couple.  It was a lot of fun.  The orphanage had about 40 children as well as an old-folks home.  We were only able to play with the children for a few minutes, but what a precious time it was.  I loved making them laugh....they had the cutest little gigles.  In one room there were about 15 cribs for these little tikes.  The "Moms" of the orphanage love those kids very much, you could tell.  But I my heart still ached for them and I wanted to bring what happiness I could.  So we played peek-a-boo and tickled and laughed together.  They were so sweet.  We were only in that room less than a half hour and the kids had to stay in their cribs, but I think they had fun.  They were such sweet spirits (many of them had physical and/or mental handicaps) and it was evident to both Chase and me that Heavenly Father knows and loves these little ones.  He does not leave them alone; He blesses them with happiness and with a special knowledge that He lives.  How blessed we all are to have the same knowledge and comfort.

This little guy LOVED to be tickled!

When we first saw these, we didn't know what they were.  Why do you  need troughs next to the stairs in an elementary school?  But we learned that they are slides for the kids to go down...you know, stairs are too boring and difficult, so why not slide down?  I think Chase was a little bummed he was too big to fit.

We will miss you!

Kylie & Spencer,

We will miss you so much!  We have loved being your neighbors and will probably cry when you leave us.  We love you so much and are so thankful you have been here to share China with us.

We wish you safe travels and happy everyday.

Look at how much fun we've had!!

Christmas in China

Merry Christmas!

Chase and I did the 12 days of Christmas as our Christmas present to Kylie and Spencer.  We tricked them into thinking that Chinese students were leaving us both gifts for the 12 days of Christmas by leaving treats on both of our doors each day.  We didn't think it would work, but apparently it did!  They've been had!  So this first picture is each day's message and I taped the delivered object.  We tried to make the notes sound Chinese...I hope you can read them.  Click on the image to make it larger.  They're funny to us...but maybe you just have to be here.

This was the message for the 12th day of Christmas.  We made them a dinner and revealed our true identities.  Kylie shrieked...it was just the reaction we were looking for!  Thanks, Ky!

Here is us eating our deliciours dinner.  (No, that's not a typo, that's what the Chinese sound like when they say delicious.)

On Christmas Eve our boss took all of the foreign teachers to a 5-star hotel for dinner.  It was a buffet that was 468 RMB per person, which equals $68.50 in US Dollars.  That's OUTRAGEOUS!  And what was even more outrageous was that the food was gross.  We eat waaaay better food for about 20 RMB (about $3.00) that is incredible and fills us up.  Anyway, the entertainment was LOUD and funny (Kylie will have to post those pictures) and typically Chinese.  It was a fun experience.

Yes, gold people.  Don't know what that has to do with Christmas, but they were fun.

Here is our home Christmas decor.  Many Christmas cards from family and Chinese friends.  So festive!

A couple of our Chinese friends bought us the Christmas tree, lights, and ornaments.  It was so sweet and definitely made our apartment feel Christmasy!

Merry Christmas to everyone.  We love you and hope that your Christmas was as special as ours.

Travel Plans

I have made a couple maps to show you where we have been (blue markers) and where we are headed (green markers) for your viewing pleasure.  I have separated our travels into 2 maps--one of China and Thailand and the other of Europe.  I have also posted a fairly detailed itinerary of what we'll be doing....we think it's final.

View Larger Map

View Larger Map

• Finish teaching January 1st
  
• 1/1-1/3-Xi'an (Terracotta warriors)
  
• 1/3-1/7-Beijing
  
• 1/7-1/8-Bangkok
  
• 1/8-1/11-Ko Samet (island), 
• 1/11-Back to Bangkok, spend the night and hang out with Kylie & Spencer in Bangkok on 1/12
• 1/12-1/14London (arrive 1/13...overnight flight)
  
• 1/14-1/16- Oxford
• 1/16-1/20-Paris
  
• 1/20-1/23-Chamonix (skiing the French Alps...one of Chase's dreams)
  
• 1/23-1/24-Nice
• 1/24-1/26-Monaco
• 1/26-1/29-Provence (where some of Chase's relatives live...Southern France)
  
• 1/29-2/1-Tours (where some of Chase's other relatives live...castle country)
• 2/1-2/3-Normandy
  
• 2/3-2/5-Ireland (flights were WAY cheaper from Dublin to home than anywhere else to home...almost half as much)
  
• 2/5-Fly from Dublin to Boise
  

We're sad to be leaving China, but REALLY excited to begin the next chapter of our travels!

Fun!

A couple weeks ago we ventured to a new park in downtown Xiangtan.  It was beautiful and we got to ride paddle boats, so I'd say it was a success!  After the paddle boats we walked around and found a little animal market that I was really excited about at first--puppies, baby bunnies, birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.--but we were quickly depressed as we noticed that the animals were sick and cold and crammed into tiny spaces.  I don't want to think about it.  The day was fun nonetheless!

Last week Kylie, Spencer, and Chase went fishing with some of Spencer's students (I was in class) and they had a blast.  They had great, sunshiney weather and actually caught some fish!  I think Chase's was the smallest, then Kylie's, and Spencer was the grand champion.

And finally, here are some of our favorite classes.  We'd put them all up, but I think they'd all look the same to you, so here's just a sampling.  We love our students...and they love us!

The Holidays

Here's Thanksgiving.  Yes, it was a bit different, but fun.  We were unable to have a turkey, so we went to a local American-type restaurant (called We Like) and bought little chickens already cooked.  Not quite as delicious as homemade turkey, but it sufficed.  Kylie and Spencer made delicious carrots, stuffing, and a salad and Chase and I made mashed potatoes and gravy and bread.  For dessert we had chocolate pudding.  No pumpkin pie, which was really sad, but we were still so grateful for everything we have, and especially to be together in China.

And here's Chase's birthday.  For dinner we went to the always delicious Pizza Hut.  Yeah, we splurged.  Then we came back to our apartment and had cake.  The delicious and beautiful cake was provided by our boss, Colin.  He also presented Chase with some beautiful flowers, which I really enjoyed.  We sang "Happy Birthday" to Chase (thanks for the candles, Mom!) and then partook of the tasty cake, minus the fruits (including tomatoes) which were on top.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHASEY!

Baby Bikes and Rickety Rickshaws

This is a post I have been thinking about for some time that may only be of interest to people like unto and/or only me. It relates to two- and three-wheeled vehicles. I have observed numerous kinds of "custom rides" here, many of which were humbly welded together with scrap metal. You always see new or different styles and it seems anything is street legal. What is unfortunate about this post is that I don't have any good pictures that depict the number and demographics of people that generally ride these types of vehicles. Three to five people on a scooter or motorcycle is not uncommon. Babies and toddlers often stand on the front or are sandwiched in between two adults holding on tightly and cheerfully. Carseats are no where to be found. Grandma Fly would be flipping a brick, to say the least. Being interested in motorcycles and staring at people has made me curious about the wheels around me.

This first photo is of one of many dealerships lined up right next to one another in Yangshuo. However, the variety was lacking. About 95% of all motorcycles here are 125cc, the rest are maybe 150 or 250. That's the best I've seen. Like many things in China, there's not a whole lot of variety when it comes to motorcycles.

This is one of the only "cruiser" type bikes I've ever seen here. Most are just standards, but this is still just a 150cc.

The brands written on the bikes are often hilarious or just random letters slapped together. Sometimes I think even most of the motorcycles are knock-offs. I loved these brands, Honest and Yamasaki (must be a cross breed between Yamaha and Kawasaki).

Lots of little electric scooters and mini-mopeds too.

Rickshaws are the most common means of transporting goods (and often people) around town. They serve as produce trucks, garbage trucks, dump trucks, charcoal trucks, taxis, and all kinds of other uses. Hard top, soft top, mini-van style, and more!

I'm beginning to understand...

So today Chase and I did some shopping. I am still amazed by the cheapness of the food here.

Case in point:

Look at what you can get for 12.6 RMB ($1.83): A full week's worth of vegetables, seen below.

Very delicious and fresh...literally straight from the fields to our refrigerator.

For the same price you can get some delicious American food...but something just isn't quite right. Notice the quantity...

And we wonder why the Chinese are so thin and American's...aren't.

The Big 2-5!

My hubby is a quarter of a century today. Chase, you're wonderful and I love you so much. I love the promise that we can spend eternity together. You're all I've ever dreamed of. I love you Babe!

Happy Birthday!

Peepin' on my peeps...

It may surprise some of you to know that this is Chase writing. This will be my first official blogging experience. Despite pressure from the mujer and ample time with which to blog, I have to date avoided the blogosphere and in some respects even loathed it. But today, I embrace. And if the tortoise brings you good fortune, perhaps this will be part one of an inspiring and educational series where we will look for geographical patterns and phenomena through a less-than-proffesional-barely-a-bachelor's-degree trained eye.

Today we will introduce the possible series with some simple visual observations of various Homo sapiens. These are candide images of Chinese people living their regular lives and being observed by an outsider, me. There is a variety of people here living a variety of lifestyles. And the variations in culture, dress, appearance, language, and numerous other factors varies much more greatly within China than the diversity we experience in the US. This was surprising to me at first. But after considering a population nearly five times that of the US and the fact that their progress through the demographic transtion is happening at a much faster rate than the US or any of Europe, it is no wonder that there are such different peoples within one nation that are just now being exposed to one another. If only I could communicate with each of these people and know their story...

An old man fishing in a park downtown...probably catching a fish for dinner or to take and sell at the market.

Old-school farmers near Fenghuang.

Various people of Fenghuang. The Miao people are an ethnic group who have lived in the region for centuries. They are known for their elaborate garb, the tall hats you see in the photos, and their beautiful skin. Chinese men find women from this region particularly attractive. In this collage you also see some old folks doing Tai Chi, some locals washing their clothes in the river one morning, and a photo-snapper having his photo snapped by me (they point, shoot, then ask for money).

This Miao lady was selling jewelry or something.

Children are funny and often curious. They actually stare less than adults, but when they do, at least they are eager to say, "hello, nice to meet you!" The boys near the top were "mountain children" according to some students. They live outside of Fenghuang, do not get to go to school, and contribute to the family by collecting empty Coke cans from tourists. They are curious and happy. They had fun trying to dodge our photos...and one had an extra dangling thumb. I also like the hair duder...many Chinese youth like to do up their hair rather attractively.

Local boys in Yangshuo fishing and swimming from their bamboo raft in the river in nothing but their unders. Life seems much simpler in many parts of China. Then there is a more modern raft of PVC pipe and a motor.

There are many ways to tote a tot...

Hengshan

We took a day trip to a city called Hengshan. It was about 2 hours away by bus. It is an ancient city where there are many Buddhist temples. Mt. Hengshan, where we went, is one of the five sacred Buddhist mountains in China. The day was VERY foggy, which made it so we couldn't see down into the valleys from the peaks, but it also added an element of mystery and beauty to the mountain temples. First we walked through a courtyard of different temples which paid tribute to different buddhas. Then we walked up the highest mountain peak (4258 feet) to the temple at the top. That is the picture at the bottom. The fog was the heaviest up there, so pictures were difficult. It was beautiful and inspiring. It's so amazing to think that these buildings are over 1,000 years old.....our country never even existed (as we know it) when these wonderful Chinese people were building their sacred mountain temples. What a great experience!

Chase rubbing a portal of riches. We rubbed them a lot....and still waiting for our check.

A dragon ying-yang

An ancient temple. Apparently the Forbidden City was patterned after this temple. That's right, this one came first.

Buddha

Warrior king.

Another temple complex.

A phoenix ying-yang.

Hiking up to the peak....having too much fun.The "Wishing for Harmony" peak and temple. Look closely through the fog and you can see the temple. It was beautiful.