Sunday, September 20, 2009

Sweet September

As we look forward to our first home leave since we arrived in May, I look back on what has really been a terrific September for us.  The weather is fantastic and we have settled into a busy, fun routine.  Mike may beg to differ since his routine involves long hours at work but I know that he is happy when his girls are happy.  I have added hosting a "lunch club" to my weekly schedule - this involves me playing movement games with nine pre-K to first graders. Today was a success! You simply can't go wrong with the Hokey Pokey and Duck Duck Goose! Emma is now taking gymnastics one day after school and Erin has ballet and tennis!  Our ultimate highlight for the month will be our trip home to Arizona on Saturday but here are some of our September highlights from our China home...

 A Chinese Wedding
Going to a Chinese wedding is among the many things I knew I would like to do while we are living here. We got the opportunity when we received an invitation from Mike's co-worker to her wedding.  We received the invitation only eight days before the event.  I guess this is normal - no two month notice like we're used to.  Even more exciting (or stress-inducing) was she wanted Emma and Erin to be IN the wedding.  After a few moments of panic - what will they wear?  do they rehearse their parts?  will they actually do it when it's such an unknown environment? - I was put at ease by fellow ex-pats who have been there.  All I had to do was dress them in something pretty and show up - not too difficult.  

Erin carried the rings down the aisle (yes, she is wearing angel wings).  She nearly lost it but kept it together and was a hit.

I love this picture...

Emma carried a candle and it was used to light a unity candle.  She loved this experience and said she felt "very important".

The ceremony was officiated by an MC and at times it felt a bit like a game show.   We understood about 2% (that might be generous) of what was said but it was fun.  

We arrived at the restaurant about 30 minutes before the wedding - most guests arrived about 30 seconds before...

The ceremony, dinner, etc. was all held in a restaurant and we think that approximately 20 dishes were served.  We recognized only some of it but tried most of it.  Thank goodness the girls aren't picky eaters!

Our Visit to Dandong, China
This past weekend we visited Dandong, a city about 3 hours north of us.  The city borders North Korea and is home to the eastern end of the Great Wall.  We had a great time and really enjoyed experiencing a little more of what China had to offer.  I will post more pictures on my Facebook page and Mike will put lots on our webpage.  Here is a sample...

This is the view of North Korea from the other side of the Yalu River.  We walked out on the bridge that the US bombed at the start of the Korean War.  We were a spectacle too, of course, lots of photo ops for the girls and for me, a disappointing but not surprising realization of my 'barely there' Chinese skills. Notice the ferris wheel in the background...all part of the facade to make it look like a normal, fun place to live.  It's all very mysterious and creepy.

Here we are at the Great Wall of China...everyone should see it...

Erin and Emma amazed me with their climbing skills.  Many of the steps were like this - knee high for Erin and steep!  I followed the girls example and didn't whine even once!

Yep, we made it up and over the hill!  The weather was overcast and cool and the landscape was breathtaking (or was that the thousands of steps we climbed?).

We didn't whine, but we did take a few breaks!

Here is the view looking down once we made it to the top.  I can guarantee you that I was more nervous than the girls...the handrail is my friend.

We had heard that if you could make it all the way, there was a boat to take you back to the beginning...the locals pointed this way and so we went...  There is a "look" that I give Mike in moments like this...his reply is always the same, "It's all part of the adventure!"  That it is!

And just in case we hadn't had enough adventure, here is the luxury liner that returned us to the entrance...if only you could see it up close...again, I gave 'the look' and Mike added to the usual reply by saying, "It's no big deal, you know how to swim!"

Just for Fun
As for the normal, day to day stuff that makes up our life here in the PRC, here are a few fun pictures...

Emma saved some money and pitched in to buy herself a new bike.  Here she is ready to ride home after school.



Erin is taking ballet after school (the dance room is in the school).  I almost thought she wouldn't make the cut because she had to be tall enough to get her leg on top of the bar.  It's a stretch, but she can do it!

Ugh...this is a loooong blog...but there is so much I want to share! Check Facebook and our website in the coming week to see more pictures.  We will be home for a quick 2-week visit on Saturday and hope to see many of you!  If we can't see you this time, we will be home for a longer visit in December and we will get together then!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

A Little of This...A Little of That

Emma and Erin have settled into school and are enjoying the many benefits that come with super-small classes, gifted teachers, and truly diverse peers.  Erin has made friends with a sweet little girl from Korea.  She doesn't speak much English but according to Erin, she is teaching her some every day.  The little girl just recently showed up to school with adorable curls in her chin-length hair.  I asked Erin about the curls and she said, "She has a permanent.  I really want a permanent too!"  Erin is already blessed with a little curl in her hair so that was pretty much the end of the discussion - just kinda funny that my 4-year-old now knows about perms.  I just want to know how she got a perm everywhere except her bangs.  I remember having that argument with my mom and the hair stylist.  I just wanted my bangs left alone but NOOOO...I suffered with the poodle bangs for a couple of weeks (a giant curling iron and some mega-hold hairspray helped too).  Wow, that was a little (somewhat traumatic) stroll down memory lane!

I am keeping busy even with the girls at school all day.  I have been reading, working out, Facebooking, shopping (although only for food/household stuff - not purses or custom made clothing yet).  I have been helping Emma's teacher with some administrative tasks which is actually kind of fun when it's not for my own classroom and when I can do it while watching my Two and a Half Men DVD.  I spent a couple of hours in the classroom this week and in the teacher's words, "It is teaching heaven".  ELEVEN STUDENTS... even at their noisiest it wouldn't qualify for noisy.  She never has to raise her voice and she has the time to make each child feel as though they are capable, wonderful, and worthy.  I remember at the end of some of my teaching days that I would feel sad that I didn't even get to chat with some students...they would get no personal attention because I was pulled in a million other directions.  Teacher friends...can you relate?  If you've ever thought of teaching abroad, I would recommend it although do your research - I'm sure they are not all like our school.

Speaking of teaching...I have been doing a little of that lately!  I am teaching English to newly hired Intel employees (20-somethings, just out of college).  They are learning through phonics so it is very basic but they are eager and fun to work with.  It makes me feel like I have purpose in my new life.  At the end of class they have a chance to ask me questions and today they asked about the phrases, "Who cares?" and "Who knows?"  They wanted to know in what type of situations were those appropriate to say.  Hmmmm...I did my best to keep the explanation brief and to the point - probably not a good idea to say them in a work setting.   I see now that pronunciation and explanation of English words is likely just as difficult for them as Chinese is for me.  Although we don't have the tones...what's with the tones?  Ugh!

The weather here is cooling down and fall is on its way.  You probably don't want to hear this, but I would say we really only had two, maybe three weeks when it was really hot.  Even then, it was only in the 90s but super humid.  Today it is overcast and rain is forecasted for the weekend.  I am still an Arizonan at heart because I actually like the clouds and rain!

Well, not the most exciting blog but well, life, even in China, isn't all that exciting.  We are going to a Chinese wedding tomorrow so I am sure there will be a blog for that!  Mike has updated our website with the August photos (although he left off the kids first day of school). There is also a link on the web that says "Good Luck Uncle Neal".  The girls put on their own muscle show to support my brother who will be competing on Saturday - wish we could be there!

21 DAYS UNTIL WE BEGIN OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS AMERICAN SOIL. GOD BLESS AMERICA!