Riding the other side of Earth

Emma and Erin...Keepin' Busy

2011-05-30T23:57:00.008-07:00

There are definitely times when the girls long for our Arizona home - they miss family, non-scary/stinky/squatty toilets, drive-thrus, and Target (they are, of course, MY children - and I mall those same things). I truly hope and believe that they will one day really appreciate this experience as something super special. In addition to the travel and culture that they are exposed to, they have also had the opportunity to try a few activities that they may not have been able to do so easily in the states due to lack of time/money/resources. Here are some pics of them exploring their talents:

Emma takes a Chinese painting class from a local art teacher. This is one of our favorites - we also had it matted and framed because custom framing is CHEAP!

Erin also takes an art class from a (different) local art teacher. So far she has worked with oil pastels and clay.

Both girls have been taking piano lessons from a friend in our neighborhood. Here they are in front of our building just before their "recital" in the gym.

Here they are with their teacher, Michelle. She is wonderful and we are going to MISS her when she leaves for college this summer.

Emma really wanted to learn to play guitar but I couldn't find her a teacher so she decided to try piano and loves it!

Erin loves any chance to be in front of an audience - if you'd like to see her "live" performance check our website. I will post the video soon!

Here is Erin enjoying an after school activity - Irish dancing which was taught by someone actually Irish from Ireland!

Emma is also getting some babysitting experience. She watches our little friend Julie (and sometimes her brother Nathan) - Julie is two and just adores Emma. I (or Julie's mom) are always in the neighborhood just in case, but Emma has done a great job showing responsibility and has quite the knack for nurturing.

Last fall the three of us girls bought rollerblades so we could have some fun outdoors together. I do okay unless I need to stop - then I am rather terrified. I have discovered that the older I get the more frightening the idea of falling becomes. I told the girls I will practice without them so I don't have to worry about their taunting. I do have the medical clinic on speed dial...

And to conclude I will leave you with a typical Erin farewell:

Distractions...Continued...

2011-05-06T17:45:00.011-07:00

Okay, so there is definitely some irony in the subject of my last post which is entitled "Distractions". My sister, Jessica, lovingly pointed out to me that I am in the midst of a six month DISTRACTION since my most recent blog was in November. What can I say...

I am not sure how I will catch up on six months worth of life. To be honest, most of it is just that: life. The daily stuff of school, work, shopping, making dinner - definitely not blog-worthy. Here is an abbreviated version of the highlights - November thru now. (Except for Spring Break - I will do a separate post for that...someday).

In school, as a vocabulary review activity, Emma had to "be" the word examine. This is one of the things I love most about living on campus and not working full-time - I can be at school for the girls for every 30-second presentation.

Thanksgiving 2010 was spent in Hong Kong - lovely weather, good food, and Starbucks with Chai lattes! It's a great city!

We spent the day at Hong Kong Disneyland - it's a much smaller park but still feels like Disneyland. How cute is the subway that took us right into to the park?

Erin celebrated her 6th birthday in AZ with her cousins.

Celebrating Christmas and catching up with cousin Jacob.

We had the pleasure of spending another Chinese New Year in Dalian - friends, time off, and plenty o'fireworks! Mike got to help launch this show right in our neighborhood - 45 minutes of spectacular explosions.

This was part of the festivities downtown - we stayed at one of the hotels with a big group of friends. You'd think they would shut down the streets during all of the exploding extravaganza, but nope, cars were driving by and little girls were out in the streets (just for a quick photo op, then she was on the sidewalk with me!)

Erin making dumplings - a major Chinese tradition for this time of year.

In February, Mike went to Vietnam on a business trip. I flew out at the end of the week and we spent the weekend exploring Ho Chi Minh City - there are NO WORDS to describe the sheer volume of motorbikes on the road. I loved the energy of it all but was glad I didn't have to worry about the girls being mowed down by a scooter!

We took a tour bus out to the Chu Chi Tunnels where the Vietcong lived and fought during the "American War" (yes, I was confused too - to them it is the American War, to us, it will always be the Vietnam War). The Vietnamese people are SMALL - I could barely move in the tunnel and can't imagine making a life inside that sweltering and dark space.

My baby girl lost her first tooth!

Well, it's not much but it's a start! Hope you feel a bit caught up! I do!

Distractions

2010-11-20T23:32:00.006-07:00

So how's this for being easily distracted? I typed in the title of this blog and then got up to go fix myself a cup of coffee...seriously, what is wrong with me? I am determined to sit in this chair until I have completed and posted an entire read-worthy blog. This determination comes in spite of the fact that the girls are busy playing with a friend and it has been almost 48 hours since I have watched an episode of Grey's Anatomy...

To begin, I must apologize for all the times I rolled my eyes in the teacher's lounge when all conversation came to a standstill so that my colleagues could dissect the latest episode of Grey's. I never could commit to watching the weekly show - I think it fell on my karate night for one, and for two - I just couldn't imagine being that obsessive about a TV show. Now I am currently on season three and having to force myself to slow down the viewing because I think I will literally grieve when I am all caught up! The pull to watch - commercial-free, one episode after another - is intense...in some ways I am grateful that I am able to watch without having to wait a week in-between but now I realize how much I missed out because I was not part of the lunchroom chatter... Now, I watch ALONE - sometimes I bore Michael with some crazy emergency room drama or I talk to my girlfriends who were fans before but are not currently caught in the web of McDreamy, McSteamy, and McDrama galore.

The computer is also a source of distraction for me but not because I am emailing long lost friends and family...not because I am spending hours catching up on Facebook....not because I am working on a novel or organizing my life in photos...NO, I spend hours looking at bedroom furniture or remodeling ideas for the kitchen. We may be completing our relocation assignment this summer or we may be completing it next December. We just don't know for sure at the moment. I guess I have been a little homesick because I have been obsessing about what's to come for us. What school the girls will attend, what car I will drive, what color I will paint the bedroom. It's a major distraction...but, it makes me happy and Mike is great about humoring me and joining in the search for the perfect refrigerator.

I wouldn't say part-time work necessarily qualifies as a distraction but more a time-consumer. Since August I have been job sharing a part-time position as an instructional assistant for a first grader at the school. It's only a few mornings a week and it only requires me showing up (no planning, grading, etc.). But the fact is, here in China you can't get much done in a half day so on my non-work days I shop and catch up on things (not my blog obviously) but on phone calls, reading, and Grey's Anatomy. Also, I have added to my resume proofreader/editor...now, if you talk to my mom, she'll tell you I have been in the proofreading/grammar correcting business since I was about six years old. My mom may also tell you that at times this was a gift (in school) as well as a curse (I never missed an opportunity to correct her pronunciation of a word or her incorrect grammar). Anyway, for the past year a fellow expat who is from the Czech Republic has been working on her doctoral dissertation and I have been helping her with her English in all phases of its publication. Most recently, her 157-page draft to be presented this month. I did not edit for content or formatting - just proper English. It was a challenge but I think we were both pleased with the final outcome.

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In other news, I can now buy turkey breast - this is HUGE! Any kind of deli meat has been non-existent here and there are days when all I have wanted was a freakin' turkey sandwich. Now all I need is a good avocado - and by "good" I mean one ripe to perfection and under $8.

Later this week we are off to Hong Kong to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family away from family, the Flennaughs. We will hit Disneyland one day and eat great food every day. I am very excited :)

The girls received their report cards this week and I couldn't be prouder - Emma got her first report card with grades and has all As and one B+ in Science. She has had to work really hard this year - about an hour of homework a night and every weekend. Erin has just taken off and loves to read and write (so much in fact that she has gotten in trouble for writing on walls, on floor mats, in books - never a problem when she was two but now, when she's almost six!). Her teacher also says she has an "aptitude for math". She doesn't get that from me...

Whew! This is a long one! Thanks for hangin' in there! Now I am off to reward myself for finishing what I started...Grey's Anatomy and a turkey sandwich - McYummy!

Just Another Day in China...

2010-10-18T17:23:00.004-07:00

Every now and then we get notices about upcoming power outages or the water being turned off in our area - these are the good days - because we actually get some notice. There are other days when the faucet doesn't produce water and the refrigerator goes eerily quiet...it may last 10 minutes, it may last a few hours. It's all good times.

Last week we received notice about an upcoming 12-hour water turn off (8pm-8am). Now this is inconvenient - my morning shower is non-negotiable on most days, especially when I have to go to work. *Quick note: My "work" is at the school - I am a part-time aide for a first grader with a learning disability. Just a few mornings a week...more on this later.* Anyway, yesterday the timing of the water turn-off was changed to be 24 hours beginning this morning at 8am. So, the bathtub is filled, we have plenty of drinking water and the girls and I have an unexpected Tuesday off because you can't have school without being able to flush a toilet or wash grubby little hands.

In other news, the weather is chilly (about 46 degrees) and rainy and winter is moving in more quickly than anyone around here would like. My mom and Jessica visited us for a couple of weeks and we dragged them all over (during a crazy Chinese holiday no less). If you haven't checked our website lately, there are new pictures and a link to a youtube video that Mike put together (web.me.com/fendog). We've been busy and I know I need to update my blog with all of our goings on. Who knows, maybe today, my random free Tuesday, will be the day when I catch up...

What's LOFE got to do with it? My Life as a "Trailing Spouse" Installment 2

2010-09-23T21:50:00.004-07:00

Ahh...lofe, it's a beautiful thing... and no, it isn't a Chinese word or some newly discovered foreign delight. Let me put it in context: It's All About Lofe Between You and Me.

One of my favorite pastimes here my world of chopsticks and Chinglish is making observations and performing mental edits on signs, in menus, and especially on clothing (which is where I found lofe...). When out with a friend we even went so far as to purchase a shirt for another friend because it read: New Maxico State. I can't even remember how badly they botched the word Albuquerque, but trust me, it was comical. I have had discussions with my language teacher about this topic - why would people wear clothing with English words on them without knowing what exactly it said? I have seen a guy wearing a shirt that said '100% Girl' in blingy bedazzled lettering and a girl with the word 'Blondie' on her shirt though I'd be hard pressed to find a blond Chinese girl. The truth of it is, according to my teacher, is that young people really love all that is American and they see English writing and want to show that they are modern, hip, and fashionable. I appreciate this, I do. I just wish the people producing such garments would enlist the help of a native speaker of English. Then again, if the world of signage was all made right, a favorite pastime of mine would disappear. I think for now I can safely say that this Amerikan Gril can sit back and Injoy Lofe.

It's hard to discreetly snap photos of funny shirts, but here are a couple of signs for you to ponder...

Here We (They) Go!

2010-08-17T18:51:00.008-07:00

Not sure how this happened, but my girls are now in third grade and kindergarten. They have been back in school for a week and they are both thrilled with their teachers. And because there are only two classes per grade level, they see mostly the familiar faces of friends. It's all good!

There is something bittersweet about sending them off to school for a new year. Ahhhh...the peace and quiet...no seemingly constant declarations of "I'm hungry" or "I'm bored"...no need to bust out my referee gear or to find creative ways to get out of playing Barbies (let's face it, the only thing I'm good for in the Barbie world is hairstyling and finding a random shoe that they have looked EVERYWHERE to try to find). At the same time, each new school year means they are growing up. I am so grateful that they are growing up healthy, happy, and even though we are so far from home, they have love and support from so many great people. You know who you are...thank you!

Here are a few pics to enjoy...

Emma, my third grader (gasp!), and Erin, my kindergartener (sob!), ready for their first day and second year of school at Dalian American International School.

I really have quite a collection of photos of Erin and her larger than life smile. Someday, I will compile a book...graduation from high school or for her wedding perhaps.

The kids don't know who their teacher is until the day school starts. The specials teachers wore funny hats that said, "Ask me" and they got to deliver the good news. This is Ms. G - she is the EL teacher and works in Emma's class every day.

Emma is all smiles waiting in line. Her teacher, Ms. Hunt, is there in the blue shirt.

The first day was too crazy to take photos of the girls and their teachers so this was day two. Mr. Krumtinger is about 6 foot 10 and the kids ADORE him.

Looking forward to a great year and lots of growing (sigh...)

Summer Highlights

2010-07-26T23:58:00.020-07:00

After a canceled flight in Korea resulted in a 40+ hour journey back to China, we are finally "home". While in the states, I did a rather admirable job of stimulating Arizona's economy (you're welcome Starbucks, Kohl's, and Target). And after unpacking all 360 pounds (yes, Mike did the math) of goods, I am feeling somewhat settled back into my China life. The girls and I had a glorious five weeks of life in America and Mike joined us for three of the five. Here are some of the highlights...

Less than 24 hours after we touched down in Phoenix, we were at the salon visiting our good friend Shelly and getting Emma's hair CHOPPED. With my Starbucks in one hand and camera in the other, we bid farewell to her beautiful braid....

...and we couldn't be happier! How adorable is she in this cut? Thanks Shelly! Way to go Emma!

If you haven't read the previous blog post about Emma's remarkable hair growth and her plans for her braid, be sure to check it out.

We met our new neighbor! Payton Rae was loved and adored by all - Emma has already figured out that Payton will be four when she is able to babysit. (And she's already begun negotiations for a cell phone and her own house key as part of her babysitting repertoire.)

My baby girl celebrated her 8th birthday in patriotic style on the 4th of July. Thanks to Grandma for the festive cake(s) and thanks to Elisha and Jeff for hosting!

The girls spent lots of time with their cousins, Griffin and Lily...here they are just before the REAL fun began...

Oh YEAH!! A little slip-n-slide...props go out to Uncle Neal and Aunt Jess for joining in. What great memories for the kids (and really, for the adults too, who lived through you vicariously). Good times...

Just had to include this pic of my brother...there is also a video floating out there somewhere...like I said, good times!

Dinners out, swimming, and attacks by Wolverine and his pirate-mutant sidekick. Here is Mike valiantly defending himself against the dynamic duo.

Mike and I took a little side trip toward the end of our home leave. We headed off to San Francisco and Las Vegas to spend some time together and to visit with friends.

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Coming soon...a pic from our Vegas trip...hopefully one prior to my (four? five?) Cherry Limeades :)

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We sure miss having weekends away and nice dinners out - our China life is not so conducive to that kind of thing. It was a great time - fabulous friends, delicious food, and foreigners at every turn - gotta admit, I love NOT being a foreigner. Blending in = Bliss

Here we are as we began our journey to our China home...the girls and I were upgraded to first class for our flight from Phoenix to San Francisco. We were super excited but unfortunately not excited enough to stay awake - we slept the entire flight!

After five weeks in our home state - despite temperatures of 110 degrees - it was tough to return to China. I love America for its civilized drivers, its beautiful bathrooms, its well-lit, well air-conditioned stores, its unending restaurant choices, its limitless TV channel options, and most of all for its proximity to our family and friends. I am sincerely grateful that we are able to make trips home as part of this overseas assignment - it really makes life here better when you have a home leave to look forward to. And something else we look forward to? Visitors! My mom and sister (aka Aunt Jess) will arrive at the end of September and we are counting down the days!

And once again, I find myself at the conclusion of a blog with a photo that really doesn't have a place or a purpose but it's just so stinkin' cute...

Hair today...gone SOON

2010-06-09T18:48:00.003-07:00

I'm not sure of the exact moment when Emma decided that she wanted to grow her hair long. But I do remember she and Mike talking about taking it a step further - grow it, cut it, and then donate it to Locks of Love. We talked about what it would mean for little girls who have lost their own hair to diseases like cancer or alopecia to receive a gift of hair from a stranger. We showed Emma the website and she really didn't need convincing, she was on board immediately. I, of course, supported the idea and was proud that she was willing to make such a sacrifice. I hadn't thought about the days far into the future when that increasingly long hair would also mean tangles and fights and tears... So, needless to say, I am counting down the days until it is cut - maybe 15 days or so? I'm even thinking that after my stop at Starbucks on the way home from the airport, we may stop and chop! (Not really...but definitely within a few days of being in AZ).

Emma is excited for a new look and is, at the moment, pressing for getting her ears pierced as part of the "new and improved" Emma. Most days, she does her own hair which means she pulls it back in a low ponytail...it will be quite a change to have a chin-length style but we're ready! Enjoy the pictures...will post her new look in about a month!

"Hmmmm....I wonder how much my hair has grown since the first day of school?"

"This photo was taken last August on my first day of second grade."

"Look at me now!"

"Is this your reaction too??!! I KNOW! It's CRAZY!"

"And speaking of CRAZY - this is my hair after my mom spent THREE hours unbraiding it after our trip to Thailand!"

(Doesn't really go with this blog but I've been looking for an excuse to share this one! Funny huh?)

Life in China..One Year Later

2010-05-24T06:32:00.016-07:00

It doesn't seem like that long ago that I was reflecting on my first 100 days in China. Now here I am, reflecting on a year's worth of experiences - the joys, the opportunities, the challenges - that have come with expat life. Those of you who know me well, know that I am rather...well...unadventurous. I shy away from the unknown...hesitate to make changes...gravitate toward the safe and familiar. At my core, I am still that person but in many ways I have become someone different. After all, I LIVE IN CHINA!

I have categorized some of my experiences based on proximity...some come with travel but that is only a small part of our adventure. My day to day life is definitely not filled with over-the-top excitement (although if you follow my blog you know that haircuts and produce shopping can induce teeth-clenching, heart-pounding, and prayer-muttering).

For your review and mine, here are some standout items on my list; my life in China...one year later.

Travel Stuff

In the past year I have...

...been to Dandong, China, where we were a stone's throw from North Korea and where we experienced the Great Wall for the first time.

...played tourist in Beijing visiting the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, and Tiananmen Square.

...celebrated Thanksgiving in Shanghai with our expat friends - our family away from family.

...froze in Harbin when we visited the Ice and Snow Festival that so many of us have seen on those forwarded emails or the National Geographic Channel.

...received a hard dose of reality (and history) in Siem Reap, Cambodia where we visited local villages and the temples of Angkor Wat.

...lived like a rock star in Phuket, Thailand - lounging on sandy white beaches, snorkeling in crystal blue water, and touring sea caves by way of kayak.

...trained for and walked a half-marathon ON the Great Wall of China!

Day to Day Life Stuff

In the past year I have...

...learned to enjoy cooking and baking (when someone else preps and cleans, of course).

...served as secretary of the first ever Parent-School Partnership group (think PTO) at our International School.

...played with babies at a local orphanage - some of God's most beautiful handiwork, they are seemingly forgotten treasures.

...learned to speak basic Chinese - "basic" doesn't sound all that impressive but seriously - I NEVER thought I'd have need NOR desire to learn Chinese so "basic" is pretty darn awesome.

...read more than 20 adult books (and by "adult" I mean above a 5th grade level - NOT x-rated!)

...made what I hope are lifelong friends with people from all over the world.

..."played" soccer for the first time on the Moms and Teachers' team - I say "played" in quotes because I mostly run around and try to look like I know what I am doing.

...developed a coffee habit - it's a long, COLD winter! (Don't worry Starbucks! I'm comin' home for my Iced Venti Nonfat Chai! Nothing can take your place!)

What are my plans in the coming year? Hmmm...it will be busy! My mom and sister will visit in the fall - yippee! And we are thinking of spending Thanksgiving in Hong Kong and Chinese New Year in Japan. Mike has committed to doing the Great Wall Half Marathon with me in May 2011. It will be the grand finale of this grand adventure.

Thank you for following our blog in the past year and being a part of this chapter in our lives. There is more to come!

**Check our website periodically for monthly updates and...COMING SOON - a photo slideshow of our first year!

The ABCs of the GWM

2010-05-19T06:47:00.009-07:00

*Disclaimer: These are the ABCs of the GWM (Great Wall (1/2) Marathon) according to ME and in no way reflect the experiences, attitudes, or opinions of all participants. Read on...

Here is our group from Dalian - lookin' good and ready to go! (I am kneeling in front wearing a blue hat)

A is for Adventure and Accomplishment

Coincidentally, I reached the one-year mark of living in China (adventurous!) while participating in a half-marathon held on the Great Wall in Beijing (accomplishment!). If you would have proposed either of these events - moving or marathoning - a few years ago, I would have laughed my boisterous laugh from my comfy cozy "white bread world". But now here I am, living a new and different kind of life that has afforded me opportunities beyond anything I could have imagined. Truly Amazing - another "A" word!

I left on Friday morning with several friends and headed to Beijing. We did some eating and some shopping but turned in early so we could catch the 3:30 am bus pick-up for our 2-hour ride out to the Wall. The 13.1 mile course involved an uphill paved road section, steps and more steps on the actual wall, a loooong walk along a road with traffic buzzing by and a rocky, hilly, tour through a local village. All along the course we were greeted by people from the village - they were smiling and waving and most likely thinking, "Fung le waiguoren!" (Translation: Crazy foreigners!). A few friends and I walked the course in about 4 hours. We enjoyed our surroundings, each others' company, and the challenge of the event overall. An adventure, an accomplishment, an amazing journey...

Warning: The following section involves a rather personal and possibly offensive topic...proceed to the "C" section if you'd prefer to read topics tasteful and enlightening in nature.

B is for Bowels and Bathrooms

Let's begin here...in the bathrooms at race headquarters...of course they are what we affectionately call "squatty potties". No surprises there. However, I had not experienced the short door squatty which added a whole new level of anxiety. You'll note the slight step up and the fact that the door goes all the way to the ground. So how does one know if a toilet is occupied? One looks OVER the door. Now, my hat is off and I bow (or squat, if you will) to anyone who can relax enough to...take care of business...while squatting AND trying to ignore the eyes peering over the door. I just couldn't do it!

I spent the next 12 or so miles trying to forget that, although I was unable to, I needed to...take care of business. Without going into much detail...it was a crappy experience. Why was I worried for only 12 miles? Well, that was because around mile 12, I was beginning to walk like a 90-year-old woman and it had nothing to do with my tired legs or aching back. I was forced to stop and ask a local where I could find a toilet. I will leave you with this: The restroom pictured above? FIVE STAR compared to where I ended up!

Let's change the subject shall we? B is also for Bloomin' Onion at the Outback. YUM!

C is for Commitment and Companionship

I believe that the most significant piece of my entire GWM experience (which began in January) has very little to do with physical endurance but rather strength of character. I joke that my workout group has the most well-toned jabber jaws in all the land but the jokes all stem from love and deep admiration. While the Great Wall is awesome and the pictures are a treasure, it is the memory of friendship that makes this event extra special. In training we encouraged each other and grew as friends while trudging through snow, slopping through rain, huffing up countless steps so that in the end we would be strong and prepared for race day (and so we wouldn't keel over in a heap from exertion). I cherish each woman who helped me train, gave me advice, made me climb that dreaded hill, and especially those that waited for me along the course while I...well, you know...finally took care of business. We were committed to the training and to each other...companions, comrades, confidants.

Next year's Great Wall Marathon will be held on May 21st and a there is already a group forming to go back next year. The weather will be beautiful, the shopping will be fruitful, and the bathrooms? Well...what can I say...make the trip anyway! You won't regret it :)

Here are a few other pictures...

It's hard to see, but there are people all along this section of the Wall. There were a couple of bottlenecks where we caught our breath and took some pictures.

A sweet old man that to me, looks like "old China" - nothing modern or worldly about him.

So many children watched us pass - waving, sometimes hugging - she was shy but so cute!

Me vs. THE WALL

2010-05-05T05:34:00.007-07:00

It all started in January. I had literally been back in China mere minutes and was riding home from the airport when I got the text asking if I would like to train for the Great Wall Half-Marathon (GWM). You know how it is in January...it's a new year, you're all about the goal-setting, making changes, challenging yourself... It's so easy to bite off more than you can chew, wouldn't you agree? But a half-marathon? About 10 years (and 25 pounds) ago my sister suggested we train for a (full) marathon - I was apprehensive but she was persuasive so she, Mike, and I trained and did it. For the record, I loathed every minute of it but it is one of those things that 'wows' people - 1) because the percentage of people who have run a marathon is pretty low and 2) because I don't look like the runner-type. I would be the first to admit wholeheartedly that in fact, I am NOT the runner-type.

But...as my group of expat friends began contemplating this challenge, we discovered that there were a number of us who would only do it if we walked, not ran, the 13.1 miles...and the race was set for May so there was still plenty of time to train... For me personally I thought it may serve as the boost I needed to get in shape, lose some weight, blah, blah, blah...and it would add to my (short) list of accomplishments...AND I would get a girls weekend in Beijing complete with shopping and a meal at The Outback (this is a BIG deal, trust me). So, I have completed the registration, sent my money off, booked hotel and travel, and yes, I have even been training to walk/climb 13.1 miles along the Great Wall.

It has been COLD here. During the long below-freezing stretch of winter, a friend and I would run up and down the stairs in our condo - about seven floors of smooth, evenly laid out steps. This was a mere "step" in the right direction because what we will face in the GWM is over 2,000 rocky, uneven steps. As temperatures have warmed somewhat, we have taken our training to a hill behind our neighborhood. It has just over 2,000 steps that are more like those we'll see race day. Our 4 mile hike over the hill has evolved into 8 miles and even as far as 12.5 miles as we finish the hill and continue our walk down the beach. We joke that if nothing else, our jaws are in stellar condition - not much else to do when you're walking for four straight hours - one foot in front of the other and lots of chatting!

As for the Wall itself, it offers a variety of challenges - the first few miles of the trek will be a steep incline uphill to get to the actual Wall then steps and more steps and walking along the wall itself. The final leg of the race is through a village where the locals will be out cheering for us and we have to watch out for chickens possibly darting out in our path. The race information obviously encourages serious hydration - however in the same paragraph, the bathrooms are referred to as "primitive". Can't imagine having to use a squatter when my legs are jell-o...the girls and I have made a pact to get off the path and make cover for each other if necessary. I, however, may require cover AND a helping hand to get out of squat position! We will achieve (right word?) a new level of intimacy...

As I write this, my stomach is feeling fluttery...we are only 10 days out from race day. Coincidentally, race day, May 15th, will mark one year from when we left the states. And if you're wondering how the fitness/weight loss piece of this journey has gone for me...(insert big sigh here)...I sure wish I had about 30 fewer pounds to hall up the Wall, but it just didn't happen for me. I have no excuse for where I am other than food is my friend (with chocolate, bread, and pasta being my bestest friends - bestest for my taste buds and mood but definitely not friends to my thighs and butt). I just realized that I mentioned dining at The Outback post-race as a major incentive...ugh, I'm hopeless!

Here is the link to the GWM if you want to know more - www.great-wall-marathon.com. A few prayers sent my way would be gratefully accepted. The post-race-post will have pictures that I have taken but here is just a sample...

Our First Visitors!

2010-04-03T05:59:00.004-07:00

Well China, ready or not, two more Fendricks have landed! Mike's parents arrived today and after they recover a bit from the wear and tear of travel, we are looking forward to showing them around a bit. All the things that seem (mostly) normal to us is all new to them - a driver, local shopping, restaurants, etc. On the way to the airport today it was like I was seeing things with new eyes - noticing things that I wouldn't normally notice and wondering what a visitor might think. This may or may not be a good thing because it may result in me being hypersensitive to things that I had previously grown accustomed to. It seemed that I was more aware of the driver's tendency to be 'all gas or all break'...I was more aware of the strange smells that come and go...I was more aware of the extremely bleak living conditions and the extremely bad driving. I guess time will tell if showing them around will mean I have to reintegrate myself to China life.

The girls have been so excited and did not leave Ma-maw's side until I made them go to bed. All I know is that they asked if they could brush their teeth twice because Ma-maw brought toothpaste that will "whiten teeth in 3 days!" (Erin said that after that, you don't have to brush your teeth anymore...) They also joined in on Ma-maw's four-step face cleaning regimen...once before dinner and once after...and they learned to say "Oh taaa!" when they see or hear something fancy or snooty. Ma-maw and I already concluded that they will need "Ma-maw detox" when she goes home in a couple of weeks!

For now, we are so happy they are here. In May it will be our year anniversary with China as our home. Even with all its oddities (that's a nice way to put it, don't ya think?), we really feel at home here and are so happy to share this amazing adventure with people we love. Sooo...who's next??

One Phrase + Two Days = Changed Ways

2010-03-26T05:38:00.009-07:00

It first resonated with me when I heard it in a sermon. Every Sunday we get together with several other families in our area for church. We listen to the weekly message via podcast and the pastor is Todd Cook from Sagebrush Community Church in New Mexico. He is a gifted speaker and his words are powerful, God-inspired, and often hit you with a force that reaches your heart by nailing you right between the eyes - you know those kind of messages?

A couple of weeks ago he was speaking about the persecution of Christians around the world - a monumental crisis even today... This is what he said, "You don't have to go to church, you get to go to church." It resonated with me then - I felt its meaning, I understood it...I get to go to church with freedom and without fear of persecution - even in China.

The 'don't have to but get to' phrase has reached a new depth of awareness as I reflect on my time in Cambodia. We spent just two days there last week - one day visiting the people - the human element, and one day visiting ancient temples like Angkor Wat. I plan to blog more later from the tourist perspective, but for now I want to share how the experience touched me...

We took a rickety boat down a brown river and were witnesses to a way of life that cannot be captured adequately in mere words; likewise pictures cannot sufficiently reach the place where your heart physically aches... Many of the poor live either along the river in houses built on stilts or in the adjoining lake in what is known as a floating village. It is in the brown water that you will find people bathing, fishing, scavenging for recyclables, playing, washing dishes - here is what I learned...

Local people bathing or maybe searching along the bottom for items that can be recycled

You don't have to take a shower, you get to take a shower - a hot clean one and recycling is something you do to help the environment, not to earn your days wages...

Fishermen along the river

You don't have to go to work, you get to go to work - most likely where it is clean and air-conditioned and you collect a regular paycheck...

A woman washing her dishes in the filthy water.

You don't have to do the dishes, you get to do the dishes - in hot, clean, soapy water...

The local school which was overflowing with kids - our guide told us they learn just very basic reading, writing, and math because they will grow up and stay in the village.

You don't have to go to school, you get to go to school - where there is enough space and books for everyone, where you can run and play at recess, where your dreams for your future are limitless...

Every year the river floods and the people in the village move to the hills where they will live until flood season is over (a few months) and then they return to fix or rebuild their homes.

You don't have to pay a mortgage, you get to pay a mortgage - on a home that is clean, safe, and filled with more stuff than you could ever use...

This is the floating produce market - fish and a few fruits and vegetables make up their diet.

You don't have to go grocery shopping, you get to go grocery shopping - you can stop at the ATM after work and pick up everything you need for dinner in 15 minutes...

For me, the more I saw the more overwhelmed I felt with guilt, sadness, helplessness, hopelessness...Why was I lucky enough to be born where I was born? At that time, at that place, to those parents? Isn't that what it comes down to on a very simplistic level? I can't feel guilty about that, it's out of my control. So I must daily recall that supreme blessing and make the most of what I have. I also have to remind myself that they don't know anything else, any other way of life. While this is true, it's still gut-wrenching when I know what else is out there for those children. I know what the future could hold if they were given the right opportunity.

Emma and Erin are too young to 'get it'...if you asked them, the best thing about Cambodia was the ice cream, or riding in a Tuk-Tuk, or leaving Cambodia...I understand, and I know that they will often be reminded by their parents of their many blessings - they don't have to brush their teeth, they get to brush their teeth...they don't have to go outside and ride bikes, they get to go outside and ride bikes...it's my new mantra. After seeing all the vacation pictures of myself, my own personal mantra is: "I don't have to exercise, I get to exercise..." Hmmm...nope, doesn't make it sound any more fun...

My Life As A "Trailing Spouse"- Installment 1

2010-03-14T22:33:00.005-07:00

It is my hope that this blog will serve as our family journal, documenting not only our big adventures but also our day to day existence living in a foreign country. I have in previous blog entries captured some of the day to day things which, in reality, ARE an adventure (shopping, haircuts, Starbucks). The installments into "My Life A 'Trailing Spouse' " are more for the people who wonder, "What does she do ALL day?" I am thinking of writing several installments which will cover the gamut of leisure time, school stuff, volunteering, church, etc.

To begin, I will start with travel - this doesn't seem like part of "day to day" things...but that's what's really different - here, travel actually is (while not really day to day) almost a monthly activity for us. We have been to Dandong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Harbin - all cities in China with diverse offerings of history, shopping, food, etc. In the states a big trip for us may have been San Francisco or Disneyland...this week we are heading to Cambodia and Thailand! We are leaving on Wednesday to visit Cambodia and the famous Angkor Wat for a couple of days and then we will spend about six days in Thailand. While temps here are still topping out in the 20s (fahrenheit) I have to dig out bathing suits and flip flops because we're heading south! Funny sidenote: Emma and Erin actually got out flip flops and were ecstatic to hear the familiar slap-slap on their feet. You might say they were giddy...like being reunited with a long lost friend.

Sometimes I wonder, how did I get here? In the last 25+ years I have lived in Chandler then Gilbert then back to Chandler. My travel experience consisted of various cities in California and Michigan...oh and a teaching workshop on the east coast! Truthfully, I still feel very out of my element when traveling. I have pinpointed my anxiety and have diagnosed myself with "fear of the unknown"... Partner that with "loathing to pack" and you know where my head is at this very moment. And so it is, part of my gig as a "Trailing Spouse" (I did not make that up, that is what the non-employed spouse is called) is to be travel-ready. While I do have certain anxieties (safety, bathrooms, food) when traveling, I know that these opportunities are to be treasured for what they are. What they are is eye-opening, spirit-enriching, culture-engaging, life-changing...

We are so very thankful that our daughters are learning and experiencing so much beyond the boundaries of America...in addition to Chinese culture and language, Erin can say a few words in Korean and corrects me on the correct way to say "Pakistan". Emma is always open to try new foods and can't wait to travel to Japan and Singapore.

So there you have it, travel goes hand-in-hand it seems with expat life...we take each opportunity and hold it close in memory...

Things that make you go...eeewwww!!

2010-02-24T02:32:00.017-07:00

I shop for fruits and vegetables at a place known by the expats as (and it is aptly named) the "stinky market". The produce is lovely, the smell, not so much. It is a place where people spit in the very place you walk...a place where sometimes you might have to wake the vendor as they take a power nap on top of the lettuce...a place where just one aisle over you could purchase delicacies ranging from the head of a goat, cow spine, or unlucky mutt...it is a place where I have "a fruit lady" - this means I buy all my fruit from her and she usually throws in something extra for me like overripe bananas or something exotic that I have no name for, nor do I know how to eat it. Occasionally my "fruit lady" doesn't have what I am looking for or the seller next to her has better looking apples. This is a dilemma...I, white-skinned, round-eyed, brown-haired and wearing an orange winter coat can hardly blend in! So it is that I have to be sly and cautious so as not to offend the one that previously let me pick the untouched oranges in the box behind her stand or who threw some lychees in my bag for free. In the stinky market (and in any produce market of this type), you must carry small, often "moist" bills, and be ready to understand when they tell you in lightening-speed Chinese how much you owe (I have gotten good at this!). Fortunately, what you owe is remarkably cheap and the produce is fresh - you might call this "the silver lining" in a damp and smelly cloud.

I AM actually getting to what will end up being a short story but first I wanted to paint an accurate picture of shopping in a local produce market. Have I been successful? Are you with me? Do you get that it is not just shopping...it's an experience??!

The topic of my story is the one thing I did leave out of this picture: it has to do with the shopper's inevitable encounter with something moving, wriggling, squirming amongst the produce. There are entire boxes of these moving, wriggling, squirmers...they are silkworms. Oh, the first few sightings will be benign because you are overwhelmed by the sights, the smells, the piles and piles of fresh fruits and vegetables. Then there will be the day when you happen by them and say, "What the @*##?? They're MOVING!" The ones in the picture below look innocent enough skewered as they are but trust me...they are...well...eeeewww!!

A recent shopping experience led me to the only stand in the stinky market where I can get 'normal' mushrooms. Unfortunately I have to reach over the squirming silk worms to get to them. So there I was reaching, holding my bag up as high as I could so as not to accidentally touch the worms - I was carefully placing mushrooms in the bag when I dropped a mushroom in among the living. Now, I know how melodramatic this sounds but before I could get my "I'm an adult" bearings, I let out a little yelp and physically gagged at the prospect of having to fetch my mushroom (which I did not). I swiftly handed the seller my bag and paid her the money. All the while she was smirking at me like I was ridiculous...this is likely a reasonable, understandable assessment of which I am not proud. It is what it is...I am what I am...

Next time you're in your local supermarket, give that produce manager a pat on the back, an 'atta boy/girl', a "Gosh I appreciate the clean surroundings and that the only wriggling and squirming comes from the child strapped in the shopping cart."

Chinese New Year - Part One

2010-02-14T06:29:00.006-07:00

Valentine's Day in and of itself is pretty much non-existent here but this year February 14th is monumental here in China - it's Chinese New Year. If you combined Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's you might be on the verge of approaching the magnitude of Chinese New Year. For the last month, the stores and streets have been decked out in red and gold and shopping has been even more of a exercise of patience and...well, more patience due to the throngs of people stocking up before things shut down for the coming week of celebrations. The kids have the week off from school and even Intel is shut down until Thursday.

Last night we experienced two important pieces of the holiday - eating jiaozi (dumplings) which families make together and eat for dinner on New Year's Eve and then again at midnight. Our ayi brought us about 3 or 4 dozen - hao chi! (delicious!) And then there are the FIREWORKS...truly, we hear them nearly every day of the year at random times during the day and/or night and/or crack of dawn - the Chinese love their fireworks! But the new year celebrations take it to a whole new and unbelievable level - everyone, everywhere has fireworks.

The video below shows what some of the dads around here call "kid fireworks". I am of the opinion that there is no such thing...(Emma is in the blue jacket, Erin is in pink - with a bow-adorned headband on top of her hat)

Our community had a little display last night after we enjoyed a potluck dinner. From about 10:00 on, and especially at midnight, the sky in every direction was booming with lights and noise. Mike and some friends went downtown to really experience it all and words can't really describe the sheer volume - both noise and amount - of the celebration. Everywhere he turned, he saw fireworks. It's worth noting that anyone can buy them, anyone can set them off, anywhere they want.

Here is a little snippet of the festivities from New Years Eve- the sound cuts out towards the end but you get the idea. Pay attention to a few things - the men running around lighting the boxes, traffic cruising by, and the distance from the buildings. ONLY in China:

We are heading downtown tomorrow to Xing Hai Square, one of the huge parks that will put on a show to end all shows. We have booked a room at a hotel in the park and have been warned that sleep is unlikely because there will be explosions all night. It's cold out there so we wanted somewhere to go for intermittent thawing. I will definitely blog with pictures next time!

Mrs. Fendrick was back! If only for a moment...

2010-02-14T05:19:00.005-07:00

Yep, I came out of my "temporary retirement" to substitute in a first grade class all last week. There was a definite feeling of belonging...but not really; normal...but strange at the same time. I had never subbed before and never taught any grade lower than third so it was all new to me. There were only 14 students and I loved that they were so diverse. They spoke an incredible variety of languages other than English - French, Korean, Chinese, Spanish, and German - but at that age, their ability to learn languages is remarkable. Kids who started school in August with no English appear as if they've been learning it for years. How I envy that sponge-like brain of theirs! On Friday afternoon we celebrated Valentine's Day with homemade cards and homemade (gasp!) cupcakes. All in all, it was a great week although I was exhausted and left to wonder how I ever "did it all" before...teach full-time, picking up kids, laundry, shopping, cleaning (who am I kidding - I had my mom...if not, my house was a mess and laundry piled up all week!) It was definitely wonderful knowing that my sink full of dishes and my dirty laundry would be all taken care of by the time we got home from school.

Insert chattering teeth here...and here...

2010-01-31T22:54:00.013-07:00

Harbin is located in northeast China and is home to the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival - even before we came to China I had seen the amazing pictures that someone had put together in a slideshow and then forwarded to the masses. It's only about an hour and a half plane ride from Dalian and there was no doubt - we must go! So now it is checked off our list...shivered there...froze that...got the pictures to prove it.

It really was a great weekend with lots of memories and beautiful pictures. We started our Saturday with a trip to the Siberian Tiger Park. Only in China can you board a small bus and ride into the frozen tundra where tigers are roaming.

One side of the window could open so you could get clear pictures - it had bars though, so no worries! Here is Emma, enjoying the view...

When a tiger walked right up to our window and started licking we screamed with excitement, with a bit of fear...telling Emma to keep her fingers inside...it was CRAZY! The tiger in question then turned, fluffed up his tail and SPRAYED our window... Let us not forget that Emma was standing - face pressed up to the bars on the open window. We will be forever grateful to that tiger for spraying the closed side, mere inches away from where we could have had a very different outcome. We just kept thinking, "What if Emma had gotten sprayed? Her face, her coat, her hair...!"

We got off the bus and walked to where the tigers were caged and you could pay 50RMB (about $7US) for a live chicken and feed it to the tigers piñata style. Mike was all over this...it was actually rather disturbing...

The pipes are in the way but trust me on this - there was a blindingly fast grab and one little chicken was devoured.

Mike and I with our travel buddies, Damon and Yukiko in front of a really impressive snow sculpture.

We toured the snow sculptures for awhile and Emma rode on a snow scooter (?).

Erin had had enough at this point and was in full whine mode - this meant that I also had had enough!

I can't really describe the Ice Festival itself because it is beauty and skill that reaches beyond mere words. Something else that can't be described? The cold...and the dilemma of Erin needing to pee - she was wearing four layers top and bottom and the only choice would be a squatty port-a-potty. Not going to happen, folks...she was crying but I was willing to risk an accident. (FYI, we did make it back to the hotel in time but it wasn't my finest parenting moment).

Here are a few pictures...

That's me in the back, in case you're wondering about the giant ninja :)

Emma on the ice slide.

Here's our travel group enjoying some shelter and some REALLY BAD hot cocoa.

Our final adventure led us to the local river...froze over of course, but with a giant hole cut into it so the locals (or "locos" if you will) can swim. Now that's entertainment!

Simply unbelievable...good thing he has on his swimming gloves!

Before the swimmers came out, Emma and Erin were the main attraction.

I shall leave you with this last photo, just because it's one of my favorites!

There are more pictures and updates on our website - December and January have been updated! web.me.com/fendog

Just to hold you over...like a snack...

2010-01-19T20:54:00.010-07:00

Bu hao yisi...(pronounced "boo how eesa")...it means: sorry...so embarrassed...oops... Bu hao yisi! Can't believe I haven't blogged in so long! I am going to get back on track with sharing the goings on in our world - but not today! Today is just a quick update and next week I will start where I left off (back to Thanksgiving I think!).

Since my last blog in mid-November: it turned cold...we went to Shanghai for Thanksgiving...it got colder...we went to Arizona for Christmas and New Year's...it was a blissful 75 degrees...we came back to China...it has graduated to "freakin' freezing"...and this weekend we are going to the famous Harbin Ice Festival where temps will top out at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. So there you you have it!

Yes, it IS cold, but really, that is not what dominates my every thought - maybe every other thought. Here is a little funny from yesterday morning (a windy, snowy, 16 degree Fahrenheit morning): When I was bundling the girls up for school Erin said, "I just want to wear my coat hat!" So I got out the cute little pink beanie that goes with her coat but..."No! I want my coat hat!" After a moment of confusion, I realized what she meant was HER HOOD. Yes, I still have desert darlings who apparently don't know the word for the hangy-down-head-cover-thing attached to a coat!

Here are a few photos to help you feel the cold...

One of the bus drivers for the school made this adorable snowman - this is quite an achievement considering that the snow is VERY dry - not good for snowballs or snowmen!

This is the day we returned from sunny Arizona - while I was inside putting on my fleece, the girls were thoroughly enjoying the snow.

They put these "windshields" up all over the place to protect the trees...brrr...lots of wind here.

The view from our balcony at the beginning of January. It was the biggest snowfall here in something like 20 years.

No, my daughters are not looking Chinese (yet). Just an image of how the locals bundle up their kids - face masks like this are a must, and they all wear at least two layers of pants (often three - and they are thick and wooly!)

Look closely...this is a winter-equipped motorcycle taxi (aka - suicide on two wheels). Notice the furry seat and the oven mitt-like gloves attached to the handlebars. Believe it or not you can fit a family of four on one of these + the driver!

Geneal Sounds Off...Winter, Starbucks, and Chinese Haircuts

2009-11-11T06:51:00.015-07:00

Ah...winter...it has arrived in northeast China! Temps topped out at about 38 degrees today and the locals here don't really get it when I tell them that in my home state, our lows rarely drop to 38 and it is unthinkable as a high! In the first few days of cold, Emma and Erin would be ready to head to school in long-sleeved shirts and sweaters. Poor little things...they have entered a new world of layers topped off with heavy jackets, hats, and gloves. If you happen to be from a cold climate, you are probably scoffing at me and that's okay...I know how pathetic I must sound. And if you happen to be from Arizona, you are smirking because you think I have this coming to me because I may have made a comment or two about our 85 degree days on the beach in July while you were roasting in the Arizona oven (anyone remember my comment about searching out the twigs of shade in the parking lot?). And so it is...soup for dinner, Michelin Man jackets, and the discovery of a couple of yummy, hot drinks from Starbucks.

How about that segue to Starbucks? Read on...I have discovered two new loves: caramel macchiatos and toffee nut lattes. Unfortunately on the long list of things you can get mega-cheap in China (name-brand knock off purses, custom made cashmere jackets, produce, etc.), Starbucks is nowhere on that list. My new drinks of choice cost 33 RMB each - about $5 US. And...unfortunately there is only one - count 'em ONE - Starbucks in our area. And by "our area", I mean 30 minutes away. If cost and lack of convenience isn't reason enough to avoid Xing Ba Ke (that's Starbucks in Chinese), then the parking lot is a definite deal breaker. The Starbucks in question is located in a mall and although there is something like a kagillion people here, there are only about 40 parking spaces and ABSOLUTELY NO logic as to how people drive - head-on with no room on either side to veer is common OR park - wherever the hell they want including blocking the one and only end so you can't loop around but rather have to back up to exit the single car exit which also happens to serve as the single car entrance. Among my many "China experiences", sitting in a van while it makes a 27-point turn is on the list (somewhere between using a squatty potty and seeing men pee along the side of the road on a daily basis). I am quite certain that making my driver take me to Starbucks has shaved years off his life. Does that mean I will give up my latte? Nah, I just told him today that next time he can drop me off along the road and I will walk in from there. My wonderfully-sweet, super-protective, and ultra-professional driver responded, "Good idea, Geneal!" Just imagine him saying that with his thick Chinese accent and it's very cute and quite telling about how he feels about the situation.

And lastly, I have overcome one of my biggest fears about living in China and here's the bottom line: it's not awful...but...

I had my first haircut in China yesterday and the good news is I will not have to wear a hat every day for the next month. The bad news is I have come to terms with the fact that I spend a lot of energy and drama on what is my HAIR. Many of you empathize with me on the sensitive subject of hair and many of you probably want me to shut up already! However, the topic is in my title so I will sound off and then be done with it. Here it is: I decided in September when we were in the states that I had had enough of the long (long for me) hair and had it cut to my preferred short style. This means more maintenance but it was worth it and I was ready to be brave in China. So, I went (alone) to a salon in a hotel that a few of the teachers had spoken highly of. Lily is the stylist's American name (also my niece's name so it was fate...right?). She doesn't speak English so we did some pointing, some finger measuring, and some nodding...it was all good, no miscommunication there! Then I got to experience my first "dry wash" which involves her putting a giant blob of shampoo on my dry hair while sitting up in the chair. She then rubs a little, sprays a little, rubs a little, sprays a little - you see how this goes. I did get a normal rinse and while lying there I considered making a break for it. Wet hair and a windy, 40 degree day just seemed more risky to me than just getting on with the haircut. She began to snip and snip and snip with no apparent focus or direction. I'm pretty sure I didn't breathe for the duration. She then proceeded to 'thin' every inch of my hair - the bangs I was growing out? Well, I'll be starting over. Anyway, it's way too late to make this long story short so I will just say that my friend had to trim a few strays when I got home (thanks Yukiko!) but today when I styled it, I realized (with enormous relief) that it's not that bad. I can live with it...hopefully until December when I can visit Andra and sit back and enjoy my time in the styling chair; relaxed, breathing easily, chatting away, no Kung Fu grip on the arms of the chair...

Thanks for reading! And today if you're in Arizona, open your windows and enjoy the warm sun on your face. And if you're in the mood for Starbucks drive on in and park without anxiety or the urge to go monster trucking over a row of cars. And next time you're off to the salon to see your beloved hair stylist, give them a hug.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-05T23:51:00.007-07:00

Where can you fully embrace Halloween for what it is (or what it should be): a child-centered excuse for playing dress-up, going door-to-door essentially begging for sweets, leading to what can only be described as blissful, massive, candy-consumption? Where can you enjoy all that Halloween has to offer without cowering under an umbrella of "political correctness" or fearing that you may offend someone, somewhere...CHINA, that's where! The girls' school spent an entire afternoon enjoying festivities - Halloween-themed games (ghost bowling, anyone?) in each classroom and a costume parade. Then we went over to Campus Village - where we live - and had more games, a petting zoo and hayride, a kids buffet of Halloweenish foods, and a costume contest (Erin won a free smoothie from the cafe!) Here are a few photos of our celebration...

I helped in the second grade station - ghost bowling! Good times...

My little "Super Girl" in the mummy wrapping station.

My little "USA Diva" in the costume parade. She is following her teacher - all of the teachers dressed up too. What fun!

Here is Emma on the hayride. They rode all around the neighborhood (she was itchy and cold but had a great time).

Erin is with her friends - they always divide everything by age groups here. Fine in theory, but it makes it hard to take pictures when the kids are split up.

They even made homemade piñatas!

There were about 100 kids trick-or-treating in our community. The girls received lots of Chinese candy (yuck) and some candy brought from the states - thank goodness for the "parent tax"!

Fortunately all Halloween activities were on Friday, a crisp, clear fall evening, because on Saturday we were hit with middle-of-winter type temperatures. It lasted through the beginning of the week. When we walked to school Monday, it was 27 degrees!

If you haven't checked our website in a while, go there now! (web.me.com/fendog) There are pictures from September (the girls in a Chinese wedding and our trip to Dandong) and from October (our trip to Beijing and more Halloween).

What a Life...

2009-10-25T22:39:00.007-07:00

While zipping around a lake in the Hutong area of Beijing at a break-neck speed of 8mph, I realized two things: 1) my children have accrued many airplane hours in the last 6 months - I know this because as Mike was driving the boat, Emma and Erin recited the customary flight attendant speech: "...the captain has turned on the seatbelt sign...please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts low and tight across your waist..." This rendition includes hand gestures, perfect posture, and what I may describe as a rather "uppity tone" AND 2) even in the open waters of a lake, in a battery powered boat, there is no common sense nor etiquette in Chinese driving.

Here is Emma in "flight attendant mode" on our rickety little boat. Both girls got to drive - it was definitely one of their favorite Beijing moments.

Our near head-on collision with a fellow boater in the tunnel - we were in the tunnel first! After some bumping and scraping we came out the other side unscathed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We returned to our China home in early October after a wonderful visit to the states - it was two weeks of family, food, shopping, food, friends, food, laughter, and...did I mention food? Life is good in the states! Everything is accessible (food, clothing) and clean (bathrooms, restaurants). On our last leg of the trip to the US, Erin asked who our driver would be in Arizona - how soon they have forgotten about life pre-China! While I was sad to leave Arizona, getting back here has been good too. As mentioned above, we took a weekend trip to Beijing and had a great time. Here are some highlights:

Here we are at the Forbidden City where we hired an English-speaking guide. There is endless symbolism and legend in Chinese culture (colors, dragons, numbers), she explained a lot and made the tour much more meaningful for us. And she took our picture!

We toured Beijing's Hutongs - these are very old villages located around the Forbidden City. Lots of culture and history to be seen (if you want to know more about the Hutongs: http://www.chinavista.com/experience/hutong/hutong.html). We traveled as a family in a rickshaw - our driver sure earned his money!

Here are the girls with our rickshaw driver - he was wonderful - he was very friendly and spoke a little English.

I just love this picture of Emma! Every time the girls broke into a fight or whined about something, Mike would tell them that he would leave them in Beijing to drive a rickshaw or hawk t-shirts at The Great Wall.

Ah yes, we DID ride the Beijing subway at 5:00 on a Friday...it is not for the faint-hearted! Mike and I had to plant ourselves around the girls so they wouldn't get squished (literally).

We rode the cable car up to The Great Wall. Seeing it go on and on in both directions is breathtaking. The Beijing haze was present but otherwise, it was a beautiful day.

(Note: When all was said and done, in three days we had traveled by plane, taxi, bus, van, subway, rickshaw, and cable car).

Mike and his girls with an incredible backdrop, don't ya think?

After a gloriously non-Chinese dinner at The Outback with our friends, we hit an international bookstore and the night market. This is where you can get anything on a stick (chicken hearts, sheep testicles, baby shark, for example). We settled for strawberries deep-fried in sugar - yum!

Erin in the middle of the walking street (no cars allowed). She had just enjoyed a Starbucks hot chocolate and taken a few photos with some locals. Too bad she's not having any fun!

Next stop: Shanghai for Thanksgiving! Crazy life, huh?

If you haven't visited our website to see our September pictures, go now! web.me.com/fendog

Check next week for our October pictures - more from Beijing and Halloween!

Sweet September

2009-09-20T21:58:00.020-07:00

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!

A Little of This...A Little of That

2009-09-03T23:07:00.005-07:00

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!

The First 100 Days...

2009-08-23T03:57:00.010-07:00

One hundred days…that is how long we have been living in China! It seems like a good time to reflect, take inventory of my experiences - good, bad, and different. Here is what I came up with:

In the past 100 days I HAVE…

met people from all over the world including Scotland, Australia, Korea, Germany, and the Czech Republic (of course China and the US too)
had my picture taken with a dolphin
spent over 36 hours in one-on-one Chinese lessons (and I am making SLOW progress)
drank milk from a box – it has a shelf life of one year
bagged my own groceries each and every time I have shopped
have made my own sour cream and croutons and baked homemade banana chocolate chip muffins – how domesticated am I?
figured out how to communicate almost entirely by pantomiming
had only one date night with Mike
appeared on Chinese TV (seriously - CCTV interviewed me - I only agreed because I thought the lady at the event was asking if I wanted to 'spin the wheel' when she was actually asking if I wanted to be 'interviewed' - oh the horror!)
driven (well, have been driven) to the beach - only 5 minutes from our home
(on many occasions) seen four adults riding on ONE motorcycle
walked my girls to school
bought several boxes of Cheerios which cost 85 RMB - about $12 US!
ordered dinner in Chinese
read six books
bought fruits and vegetables at the local street markets
used a squatty potty successfully (this means I didn’t pee all over myself)

In the past 100 days I HAVE NOT…

pumped gas or driven a car
done laundry or mopped my own floor
watched a rerun of Everybody Loves Raymond or King of Queens
went through a drive through
missed being a working mom
shopped at Target, browsed at a Barnes & Noble, or sipped Chai at Starbucks (and unbelievably I have lived to tell about it!)
received a piece of junk mail
seen a single cactus or said, "Thank goodness it's a dry heat!"
eaten my mom’s cooking
found a good place to get a pedicure (I have a place but it's just mediocre at best)
used a credit or debit card (just RMB baby!)
went shopping for clothes or shoes
had a haircut (dark roots, split ends, gray hair, oh my!)
been to a movie
gotten ready in a full-length mirror (I don't have one)
seen my family :(

There it is...100 days and counting in our China adventure. We are now in the process of counting down until our first trip home. As of this posting, we have 33 days until we begin our journey home for a two-week visit!

Here's to the next 100 days...a little adventure, a lot of friendship, and memories to last a lifetime!

Vacation vs. Real Life

2009-08-14T06:36:00.013-07:00

We have lots to update this week! We are now in our third month living in China and there are still times when I feel like I am caught somewhere between an extended vacation and the (sometimes luxurious, often stinky) reality of LIVING here. We had experiences this week that illustrate that strange contrast. (I also have posted pictures on my Facebook page...and at the end of the month Mike will update our webpage with our August photos - sorry if you are overwhelmed by the duplication of efforts...)

Anyway, my friend Yukiko and I decided we needed to get our families out of town for the day and so we loaded up our vans and headed to Bing Yu Gou National Park last weekend. It was about a two-hour drive north but unlike Phoenix, heading north does not mean cooler temperatures. All this beautiful green stuff comes at a price: moisture - ugh! So it was hot and wet and crowded but fun nonetheless. The pictures below capture a few of the highlights...

Trejan, Nicole, Emma, and Erin - they are all good pals and we are so thankful to have them right across the hall in our building!

The scenery was truly beautiful and to get from place to place we had to take boats.

These "hamster wheel" things are really popular and can be found at any beach. Emma, Nicole, and Trejan tumbled around and laughed hysterically which meant they didn't actually get it spinning too much.

Erin went in with Yukiko and we told her she looked like she was in a washing machine - she never found her footing but she loved every minute.

Mike got to have his fun too...he rode the zip line from one side of the park to the other. (This also seems popular here). He has this on video so check the website at the end of August!

Seems like I always have to include some bathroom comment but if you lived here, you would understand... The driver stopped here for us when we requested a 'clean' bathroom. What we found is what I will call"a child swallowing" hole in the ground. Mike wanted to take picture of it but couldn't hold his breath long enough and the gas station guys yelledat him when they realized that he had a camera.

So that concludes our recent vacation-like experience. We have decided we will stay put until the fall to wait for cooler weather and smaller crowds...unfortunately bathroom conditions will not improve any time soon (luckily my children have rather sturdy bladders - neither of the girls went to the bathroom from 9am to 6pm!)

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On to the hard core reality stuff - life as a resident of China...the girls started school on Thursday. They have had a really fun summer playing and going to the beach so Emma wasn't sure she wanted to go back to school. But when the day came she was excited and ready to go. She had hoped her teacher would be Ms. Adams who is the mom of her friend Gracie. So we are all thrilled that she will be in Ms. Adams's second grade class (which, I might add has 11 - yes 11 - students!) Erin on the other hand has been excited all summer about going to Pre-K in the 'big kids school' BUT...when the reality of being in school all day every day came around, she was rather dismayed. We have had tears the past two days but once I leave she does okay. She has 8 kids in her class with a teacher and full-time aide. I think it will be a great year for both girls. Here are some photos:

Oh my...I know what you're thinking...

My little girl is so grown up!

Here they are in front of their school which is a 5 minute walk from our condo.

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A couple of other quick notes...we are excited to have a new driver. Mr. Teng (pronounced tongue) started this week after other driver was let go - it's a LONG story. We are really happy that Mr. Teng seems super safe and professional. Lots of people have said that the driver is pretty important in making your experience here successful - we are quite dependent on them, after all so that makes sense.

Also, we just booked our tickets for a trip home! The girls have a fall break so we will be arriving in Phoenix on September 26th for a two-week shopping/eating/visiting tour. Tell Starbucks to stock up and Andra, get those scissors sharpened - I need a haircut!

Blogger's Block - Take Two

2009-08-05T00:07:00.006-07:00

It's true...I have what I have termed, "Blogger's Block". If Webster's adds it to their dictionary, I want credit! This is the third blog entry I have started and the second one entitled "Blogger's Block" (hence the 'take two' in the title). Here's an idea that might help: if you have a question for me about my life on the other side of the earth, send it to me...maybe I will do better if I have a specific focus for my blog entries. Ugh...the teacher and aspiring writer in me is a bit disgusted by my lack of focus and motivation!

And just so I don't ramble on about a million different things, here is my focus for today: Back to School!

Emma and Erin will begin their school year at Dalian American International School on August 13th. After a 5-10 minute walk to the palace-like private school which is across from our condo, the girls will be at school from about 8:45 to 3:45. Emma will be a second grader (gasp!) and Erin will be in Pre-Kindergarten (sob!). Erin so far is thrilled at the idea of going to school with the big kids but I am having some issues with her being gone ALL day. Class sizes here are, without exception, limited to 18 students. Both girls will start with about 12 kids in their class and more will be added as more Intel families move to Dalian in the coming year. They will have Chinese class every day at school (they have been taking private lessons over the summer and are doing really well). They also have music, PE, library, computers, art, and science spaced throughout the week.

As for me, I plan to help at school and even substitute when they need me. It's strange to have gone from being on-the-go-super-busy to...hangin'-around-wondering-what-do. I have been cooking and baking more...working out some...chatting with the other moms lots...reading every day...trying to learn Chinese...but it's different - somedays I am grateful and at peace and other days I just miss being in a place where I can drive to where I'd like to go - my mom's, Target, the mall, Rigatony's, anywhere that speaks English and has a good bathroom. I guess I'm longing for home a bit lately...the newness has worn off and I am a bit restless.

I think I will end here and publish this post before I have to start "Blogger's Block - Take Three". Please check our website: web.me.com/fendog for the July recap in pictures. Some are on Facebook but I think there are some new ones and the captions on the site are from Mike.

***Now...will somebody PLEASE go to Paradise Bakery and order (and enjoy) a Southwest Chicken Caesar Salad and giant Diet Coke with lots of ice?! Do this and think of me :)

Solar Eclipse in China (by Michael)

2009-07-25T16:39:00.006-07:00

This week parts of India and China were treated to a rare solar eclipse. It was reported that this would be the longest (6 minutes) eclipse of this century.

In Dalian we only experienced a partial eclipse. For about 5 minutes it got visibly darker and people flocked to the windows to try and catch a peek. We had people looking though 4 pairs of sunglasses, results from their X-rays, paper with holes cut out, and even the old fashioned way...just looking up without protection.

It was such a big deal here that we had meetings cancelled from 9-10am so that people could watch and the TV news couldn't stop talking about it.

Here are a few pictures from one of our factories in Shanghai, China (south of our location) where they got to view a full solar eclipse in a very cloudy sky.

This is a great example of how dark it was at 9am in Shanghai

A good look at a total solar eclipse (black and white photo)

A color photo of the moon ready to block the sun

Shengri Kuai Le! (Happy Birthday)

2009-07-14T22:34:00.015-07:00

Last week we celebrated Emma's 7th birthday and according to her, it was "one of the best birthdays ever"! I was unsure about what to do for the big day and I had heard people talking about an indoor water park at a nearby hotel. I decided I would try to host a birthday party there. It contained all the craziness and quirks involved with trying to navigate a foreign country but in the end, fun was had by all. Many of our new expat friends came along to swim, celebrate, and eat cupcakes (which barely survived the tropical climate of the park).

Swim caps are required at all public pools here.

"Why?" you ask...TIC (this is China). That's the answer folks

around here give when there is just no logical answer.

Erin loved the slides and followed around her big kid friends most of the time.

We are so thankful that her big buddies love her too!

Can you believe I have a seven-year-old?

Couldn't resist taking a picture of the sleeping lifeguard! TIC!

Maybe it's heartless to post this on a blog...but I didn't think anyone

would believe me if I told them that adults wear floaties!

Emma chose The Real Eddie's for her birthday dinner.

She thoroughly enjoyed her BBQ chicken wings!

The people here really shower children with gifts. Our driver gave

Emma a giant stuffed animal and our Ayi brought her a cake.

Chinese people are pretty wonderful and sweet...

Chinese cakes - not so much!

On another note, the ease with which the girls have transitioned to life in China is nothing short of amazing. Their only sources of stress come with shopping trips - too hot, too stinky, too many people, and don't even think about having to use a restroom! They really enjoy life in and around our condo where kids and free time are in no short supply. We are so thankful that we have the support of so many people both here in China and at home...

Two-wheelin' Bliss!

2009-07-13T06:46:00.006-07:00

It's funny how nearly EVERYTHING about our lives is different now that we are living in China. There is almost a strange contradiction when something actually feels "normal" in such a "non-normal" environment. So here is a bit of normal for you...two little girls learning to ride two-wheelers!

How to cool off...Dalian style (by Michael)

2009-06-30T06:23:00.006-07:00

Summer is here and temperatures are starting to rise. I think this Friday the local weather team has predicted a high of 87F! After living most of my life in Arizona I thought I had all the tips down for keeping cool in the summer, but while here in Dalian I have learned a new way to beat the heat.

You don't need any fancy devices or gadgets, just lift up your shirt. I have included a few examples as a quick training guide:

You find yourself on a job site and getting too hot...just hike up your shirt (check out the name of that place).

You are working a wedding photo shoot and you get too hot..just hike up your shirt.

After a long day you decide to go out for a few drinks with the fellas and you get too hot...that's right, hike up your shirt.

Now that you have been trained, I encourage all of you to take this tip from Dalian and give it a try!

Visit our website to see some new pictures!

web.me.com/fendog

It's not right or wrong...just different by Michael

2009-06-21T04:11:00.010-07:00

We have been in Dalian for a little over a month and here are some of my thoughts so far...

Living in a country that is roughly the same size as the US and has over 1,000,000,000 more people, you quickly discover that there is always a crowd.

Here is a photo at Olympic Square. You can find Walmart, McDonalds, a huge electronic market, several soccer fields, and a lot of people.

Dalian is a “medium city” with about 7 million people living here (more than the entire state of Arizona) and I am pretty sure that all of them are where we want to go on the weekends.

We have been successful in finding places to eat that we are accustomed to like:

McDonalds – We have only been there once, it tastes the same.

Pizza Hut – We have not eaten there, but they do have “clean” bathrooms that the girls will go into.

Subway – Either it is better than in the US, or I was REALLY hungry that day.

KFC – The Chinese LOVE this place.

Dairy Queen – Hey Shoes, ask Louis if he can transfer you to the An Sheng DQ…you can move here and get a job! A medium Blizzard™ is only $2.30US.

We have started to get more adventurous and try some local places to eat. On Friday we went out to eat with two other families at a really nice place called the Modern Coarse Grain Restaurant. Before we went up to our private room the wives ordered dinner by going to a section of the restaurant where the chefs have prepared uncooked plates of all of the choices for the day and you simply point and tell them how many you want. In most places in China you eat “family style” meaning that you order a dish and the entire table eats from it. They also had several aquariums with live creatures including fish, octopus, shrimp, crab, and turtles that you can pick from as well…you can’t get any fresher than that! We had a lot of great dishes (some new to us) and we all walked away full. The bill for the 15 of us came to about $3US per person.

If you are seeking even more "adventure" there are street vendors selling items ranging from rotisserie duck…

Here are the girls next to a local place selling ducks. From what I can tell you can get a whole cooked duck for about $2US (neck and head are included).

…to people cooking skewers of meat - beef, chicken, pork, lamb, shrimp, or squid. We had a BBQ at work a few weeks ago that featured the above items and I have to say that it was one of the best BBQs I have ever had (including the squid)!

Another place where locals get food is the street vegetable markets. This is where you will find the freshest and best priced items (and weirdest smells).

On this visit to the market we purchased green onions, lettuce, garlic, cucumbers, and tomatoes. We bought about 2 pounds of large ripe tomatoes for about 45 cents US.

I will leave you with this funny part of our China experience. We are often amazed at signs that are misspelled or how they are labeled. Here are a few that we ran into in the past two weeks:

You would think that a place owned by Walmart could afford to hire someone that knew how to spell chicken (this was spotted by Emma).

This ride was spotted in Xinghai Square (supposed to say Viking).

We spotted this cake at a local bakery. With Emma's "bithday" coming up, I wonder if I can point out the mistake and get a discount!?!

The One-Month Mark...

2009-06-14T06:08:00.005-07:00

It's hard to believe that four weeks has passed since we made our move to China. We have enjoyed some beautiful weather, met lots of wonderful expats, and learned a thing or two about what it's like living in the PRC...

Western food is available in some restaurants and grocery stores. It costs a bit more for the comforts of home but it's worth it. So, no - we are not eating like "locals"...yet.
A driver who speaks VERY minimal English can still get you where you need to go - IKEA, Subway, and the beach for example.
Words cannot describe the driving here...right turns from the left lane, running red lights (honking the horn as you drive through makes this okay apparently), and no matter what crazy move is made you can be sure to see a BUS bearing down on you...
Having an Ayi (maid) is inexpensive and wonderful...I may have to find someone upon my return that will iron my pajama pants :)
Smells...so many, many, stomach-turning smells...please take a moment to appreciate the sweet smell of a mall bathroom or the produce section at Fry's and know that you are blessed.
My Chinese language lessons leave me with a headache and sweaty pits...learning Chinese may turn out to be one of my greatest challenges and hopefully one of my greatest accomplishments.
In a matter of a few weeks, Emma and Erin, who used to be able to play for hours alone or with each other must now constantly have a non-familial playmate. Not sure what will happen when we don't have a neighborhood of open doors and safe streets and playgrounds.

Despite some of the less-appealing China-isms, we feel grateful to be here and know that this is absolutely the opportunity of a lifetime. If you've ever thought of visiting the far east (or even if you haven't) we would love to have you visit. We are making plans to begin our travels within China and would enjoy nothing more than showing you around!

Now I'm off to cram for my Chinese lesson...teachers are always the worst students, aren't they?

Keeping up with the Fendricks...

2009-06-07T07:13:00.003-07:00

I know what you're thinking...a driver, an ayi (maid), blissful unemployment...and no blog updates in weeks! Truly it's not for lack of trying! There are just some things we are unable to access here - good TV shows, clean restrooms, Pam cooking spray, Starbucks chai lattes (had to throw that one in), and Blogger. Mike installed some techy-type thing on our computer so now it thinks we are in Lake Tahoe instead of Ch*#@ and we can get to our blog.

We received our shipment on Friday and after a weekend of work, we are nearly "resettled". I considered saving some unpacking for the ayi but decided that I would like to put things away the way I want. We have learned that if you leave anything out, it will get put away but most likely not in a logical or convenient place. Sunglasses...books...keys...they must all have A PLACE. If not, have fun looking in every drawer and cabinet.

As I watched the moving company unload the 62 pieces in our shipment, I realized how ridiculous it was to have so much STUFF. We have lived in utter cleanliness for the past three weeks with what we could fit into six suitcases and five shipping boxes. Choosing what to wear was a snap and there was very little to clutter our lives. I actually feel embarrassed about the sheer volume of what I thought were the things I had to have to live a happy life. It is a good lesson, I think, and definitely confirmation of how blessed I am. I am fairly certain that our driver only owns two nice shirts because that is all we have seen him wear and we have seen him every day since we arrived. I would never want him to see what's in our closet.

The girls are doing well. They have lots of friends and can run and play every day in our complex. School has been an adjustment for Erin - she is in a montessori-type preschool and the head teacher speaks a little English and the helper, only Chinese. She cries a little less each day so I am sure she'll be fully adjusted by next week when school lets out for the summer (ugh). She will be in a full-day Pre-K program next year and we're already working to build that up - I can't deal with tears every day. Emma is doing great with school which is really fantastic. She was an 'asteroid' in Friday's community time presentation and she had so much fun. She was thrilled to finally get her scooter in the shipment - now I just have to convince her that she needs to learn to ride her bike!

Michael is keeping busy with work and has dreams of becoming a ping pong player extraordinaire. I intend to support that dream whole-heartedly :) He gets a weekly massage right here in Campus Village and is trying to get me to try the hour-long foot massage (which costs about $9US). I am going to start language lessons on Monday and I am actually quite excited about this - I have renewed motivation for learning the language - I will meet one-on-one with an instructor twice a week for an hour and a half each lesson. Wish me luck!

Well, that's the update for now. Please also check out our website - there are new pictures! web.me.com/fendog. Now that I can get to the blog, I will try to write at least once a week...check back and keep us in your prayers! Thinking of you and wishing you well...

Greetings from the other side of earth!

2009-05-20T02:04:00.016-07:00

Ni hao! (Sadly, that's about the extent of my Chinese at the moment). Michael did the most recent blog entry so be sure to scroll down for his "take" on our recent journey. I will try to make my comments as succinct as possible but a lot has happened in the last week! Perhaps I will recap with pictures...

After a morning of taking deep breaths so I wouldn't throw up (and some tears, lots of luggage, and kid questions galore) our journey began. We are all smiles!

Ahhhh...blessed ignorance! They really had NO idea what they were in for...still smiling!

Emma discovered how difficult it is to sleep on a plane, even when you are stuck there for 12 straight hours. She was finally able to rest during our layover in South Korea. I took a nap too! Erin seems like a born traveler - she had all kinds of fun and never complained as long as she was fed and watered (which then led to 6+ trips to the restroom - on a positive note, I no longer have issues with using airplane restrooms).

We made it to Dalian late Saturday night (China time). After a good night's rest, we took a walk to a park near the hotel. The girls got lots of attention - people smiled, waved, patted - the girls have been surprisingly okay with the attention. It's a little unnerving at times but I know it's all innocent and the Chinese truly love children. Especially children that look so different (and beautiful - that's not just my biased opinion - that's what they say!)

While I did some "start-up" shopping, Mike took the girls to the beach which is less than 10 minutes from our condo. They collected sea shells and as you can see, really had a good time. They have not been to school yet this week and both are READY. Sisterly love has run its course and it is time to spend some time apart. Erin is going to start tomorrow but Emma has to wait until Monday...we're pretty bummed but what can you do?

Here are the girls with our driver, Cai (pronounced by the Chinese as "Tsai" but by us Americans as "Chai"). Yes, it's some sort of sick joke that he shares the name of my one true vice that I must sacrifice while here in China - Chai Lattes from Starbucks. It's a little twisting of the knife in my heart every time I say his name. I obviously haven't lost my flair for the melodramatic, huh?

In addition to a driver, we have already had an ayi (maid) helping us with laundry, cleaning, and maybe, eventually, cooking. It's sort of strange having someone in the house all day but it's a big enough place that we don't actually run into each other much. The language thing is challenging, but so far, we've done okay.

We did some grocery shopping today at the local Trustmart (Chinese Walmart). We experienced some "street food" in these dumpling sort of things. Erin and Mike chowed down, Emma and I nibbled. Again, I am amazed at how at home the girls seemed. In our previous trips, my experiences with local shopping left me frazzled and overwhelmed but they really do roll with things. Our only roadblock has been the potty situation - Erin has had one successful attempt at the squatty potty - picture me holding her hands as she leans waaaayyyy back. Today was a little too much though - a quick walk into the mall bathroom and she declared, "NO! It's stinky in here!" I need to learn how to tell the driver that we need to stop at a hotel (the nicer ones have Western toilets).

This is the view from our patio...we are surrounded by green hills and beautiful vegetation. The community is far from the city and is gated so the kids all play the hours away after school. There is a park-type playground right outside our kitchen window. Every Wednesday there is a themed-buffet dinner in the Campus Cafe and most of the families gather there for some social time. Everyone we have met has been wonderful and once the girls are settled in school, I will be able to participate in the "ladies' activities"...coffee Fridays, art class, yoga, book club...

Well, that's going to have to be all for now. As you can see, it is a busy, full life at this point and I have no complaints. I am sure that once we have settled ourselves in and I take a deep breath, I will feel the effects of distance from my family and friends. I am so thankful to have so many people who care about my family and who are following our adventures...keep in touch!

We made it!

2009-05-18T18:32:00.002-07:00

I am happy to announce that we have made it to China! Here are a few fun trip facts:

11 pieces of checked-in luggage (all pieces made it)
3 different planes
3 different countries (USA, South Korea, China)
15 hours of actual flying time
26 hours door-to-door travel time
0 "are we there yet"
47,348 questions from the kids about stuff they saw along the way

Overall the trip went fine and we are glad we got it under our belt (the kid's excitement of being in a plane has worn off). Due to swine flu concerns we had to fill out health forms and have our temperature taken before entering the terminals in South Korea and Dalian. In Dalian before we could leave the plane two people in full bunny suits and masks entered the plane and took every one's temperature before anyone could get off.

We stayed in a hotel for two nights and on Monday we moved into our new place in Campus Village. It is great to finally be "home" and start to unpack and get settled in. The girls are really enjoying having their own rooms (Emma even made her bed today).

Today we took the girls to the local beach (5 minutes away) and they played in the water, collected sea shells, and enjoyed a beautiful Dalian day.

We will post some pictures as we get settled in and share some of our adventures.

I'm fine...really

2009-04-28T19:34:00.008-07:00

I am the type of person who for some reason, gets a little obsessive about very ordinary things that to most other people, have little meaning. For example, I have a thing with birthdays...I like them to be even numbers or if odd, to be divisible by five...neither of my girls births worked out by the way (one is the 7th and the other the 21st). Or if someone has an unusual manner of speaking (voice/articulation), I tend to lock into that and hear very little of what they actually say. Where am I going with this? Well, I also use expiration dates as kind of "markers" about important events. Like if the milk is expiring on December 27th then I get excited because I think, "By the time the milk is old, Christmas will have come and gone!" The bottom line for this blog is: there are several things in my refrigerator that will expire AFTER we're in China...this is just a little too real, a little too life-changing - our move date is close. Am I making any sense? Is there something disturbing about obsessing about a very ordinary date on a very ordinary salad dressing bottle?

So there you have it - perhaps it is a accurate reflection on my state of mind right now: scattered, anxious, paranoid, overwhelmed, disbelieving. It's enough to make me want to take a NAP... According to the countdown clock Mike has put on our computer, we have 16 days, 3hours and 11 minutes until we are on our way to China. Perhaps you can see his state of mind - excited, confident, ready, giddy, and fully on board with no backward glances.

The truth is, we are making progress toward the move and there is quite a bit involved - I won't bore you with the details other than to say one of my anxiety cures seems to be shopping (for all those things I am fearful I won't find on the other side of earth). My shopping "therapy" would not be possible without my mom who takes Erin nearly every day so she can play with my niece and nephew. In my defense, the three kids have been together every day since they were newborns so they just don't know any different - they want to be together to play. But it has truly been a great gig for the last few months - a stay at home mom without any kids to look after. It's about as good as it gets, huh? (Thank you Mom!) While in China, I may have to turn on the computer cam and lock the kids in the room with it so my mom can watch them and I can have peace :)

Thirty (30!) Days and Counting

2009-04-14T21:17:00.004-07:00

Well foks, here we are...a mere 30 days away from the move of all moves! Our house is now listed and we're looking for renters - the VISA paperwork is in it's final stages - lists are taking over my life as I attempt to prioritize my tasks and shop for all the "must-haves" before we leave. Most people assume I am hard at work packing up our lives but in fact I am in full "sort" mode. The packers will do the actual boxing up of everything so my job is to decide what will go with us on the airplane, what we will ship via slow boat, what we will put into storage, and what we don't want to have to eventually unpack in two years (so Goodwill gets it).

Not much of an update, I know, but check out Mike's contribution on our website: web.mac.com/fendog. He added a FAQ section - lots of great info!

The Bedtime Chatter Battle

2009-04-06T22:19:00.005-07:00

"Mommy Erin's talking..." "No I amn't*! Emma's the one who's talking!" And so it goes pretty much every night here at our house. This of course is in between back rubs, water breaks, and knock-knock "jokes". Last night when Mike went to check on the girls he heard Erin chatting away, and he said, "Why are you still talking? You're supposed to be sleeping." Her reply? "I'm praying to Jesus!"

We have 38 more nights for the bedtime chatter battle and then we bid farewell to bunk beds. Soon they will be separated by walls with no one to annoy but themselves (and of course, their adoring parents).

*Note: The word "amn't" is Erin's creation which comes from putting together the words 'am' and 'not'. At some point I will correct her but for now, it's just cute.

PRC - Here we come!

2009-03-25T20:57:00.002-07:00

It is with some hesitation that I write this post...while Mike keeps reassuring me that it's definitely a "go" this time, I can't help but have a bit of doubt/denial keeping me from embracing our new move date. Our airline tickets are purchased and we will be leaving our Arizona home on Friday, May 15th. We are feeling blessed that the condo we chose in October is still available for us and they are getting it ready for us to move in! That's all for now - there will be more to come!

Finally...a successful trip to Disneyland!

2009-03-18T12:07:00.007-07:00

We have made trips to Disneyland in the past and have had our challenges...sick kids, raccoon-like sunburns on both girls, hot weather, long lines, and a fire in our hotel, just to name a few. We decided to try it again and it was fantastic! Here are a few photos...

Ahhh...sisters! They got along rather splendidly on this trip. Yippee!

Daddy and Emma are all smiles on the Dumbo ride.

Our longest wait was to meet the princesses but it was totally worth it. We had photo ops with Ariel, Jasmine, and Belle.

We had family rides on the carousel which is truthfully about as fast as I care to go!

Aren't they sweet??

Erin turned about five shades of red when she met Minnie! She was really nervous!

Gotta have the family photo when you enter the park.

The bunk beds in our hotel room were a source of great excitement for the girls (even though they have bunks at home).

There is no CHAI in CHINA...

2009-03-16T22:27:00.005-07:00

I have an addiction...there, I said it...to some you may be shocked and dismayed, to others, this is old news. My name is Geneal and I am addicted to Starbucks Iced Chai Tea Lattes.

On both trips to China, we visited several Starbucks and there I would stand, searching...searching for my treasured beverage on the menu. But alas, it would not be found. Oh, I might soothe myself with a hot chocolate, but it would not replace my craving for my "iced venti nonfat chai". So what would a rational, level-headed, future alien-resident of China do to remedy this problem? Well, they would write to Starbucks China! Here is my plea...

Hello, I currently reside in the United States but will be relocating to Dalian, China in May 2009. I LOVE your Tazo Chai Tea Lattes! Unfortunately, I cannot get this drink in China...any plans to add it to the menu? I realize I can buy the product at retail stores like Target here in the states, but there is just something special about getting it from Starbucks...the cup, the good ice, the green straw... Please help! Thank you!

I am sick, right??? The bottom line is, when I make the move to China, I will suffer from withdrawls of many things...my friends and family, Mexican food, being able to read and understand the goings on around me, and now, also my beloved Starbucks beverage. Here is the reply I received...

We are glad that you have interest in our products. However, considering the special tasting, the Chai Tea Latte is more popular in U.S. and it is not the core item for us in China, so we may not have plans to introduce it to the Chinese customers recently.

The Chinese to English translation is endearing :) but not what I wanted to hear. If you need me in the next month or so, you can probably find me getting my fix while I still can at my local Starbucks!

China Moments

2009-03-07T19:24:00.002-07:00

Things still look "on track" for a May departure date and we are starting to get back in the mode - well at least the very early stages - of getting ready. We need to decide what we will take with us on the plane, what will be shipped via sea, what will be stored, and what needs to vanish.

Our relocation company in China asked me about our preferences for our driver:

- Do you want a driver that speaks English?..."Yes"

- Do you want a non-smoker?..."Yes"

- Do you want a driver that knows the streets of Dalian?..."WELL YEA!!!"

I could could see us now trying to communicate with our driver to agree on what location we are trying to describe, and them have him ask me where it is. At this point I can find two locations really well; the hotel I always stay at and my favorite hot pot restaurant (which I can walk to from my hotel).

Our friends that are already there have been telling us that it is still very cold (might get up to 32F/0C) but nice and clear. Damon, if you read this...I was in shorts and a T-shirt working in the yard today.

- Michael

A hot air balloon ride to China...anyone??

2009-02-17T20:51:00.004-07:00

I guess I needed my four-year-old to rekindle my sense of adventure for our future trip to Dalian, China. Each child in Erin's class (she's #6, that's not her age) dictated to the teacher where he or she might go if they could, and how would they like to travel (car, plane, hot air balloon)? I can tell you honestly that most 4-year-olds want to travel to the beach, Disneyland, or McDonald's (by various modes of transportation). Not our child! I am proud to say that Erin is the only one on the whole wall that proclaimed that she would like to go to China! I guess she's as tired of hearing us talk about the ifs and whens as much as we are tired of discussing it.

There is news to report however! I have been reluctant to add to the blog because I was fairly certain that my frustration and growing apathy would be obvious - I did not realize that six weeks had passed since my last entry. I apologize and will try to update weekly from here on out. Anyway, Mike has been in discussion with those holding our lives in the balance and we are approved for a mid-May departure. You may be asking..."So, is this for sure???" To which I would reply, "Well, we thought having our plane tickets and movers scheduled was for sure last time, but..." See, there's that apathy I was talking about! Anyway, as far as we can tell, everything is moving forward with the project in China. Hiring will begin in the summer and Mike has lots to do to get things ready for the trainees.

I have been truly grateful to have these months to relax a bit, to enjoy our Arizona winter, to have all the extra time with family and friends. Now we will regain focus and begin making the lists and following our calendar for the countdown. We have been keeping in touch with our friends, Damon and Yukiko, who moved in the beginning of January. They have had some challenges but are doing really well - they are keeping an eye on our place which is right across from ours. Because of the delay in our move there is no guaruntee that the place we chose will still be available when we get there. Oh, and Mike and I may also have to go through the "medical exam" again because the government requires that you do it within six months of your move into the country. If you need a refresher on that subject, go back to Mike's October blog. Interesting how the exam at the time was traumatizing...when it was over, it was rather hilarious...now I'm back to being traumatized!

Well, this should catch you up a bit. I will follow up and fill in the blanks when I can!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T22:07:00.002-07:00

Well, tomorrow would have been the big moving day for us...instead, we are going to take a day trip to Flagstaff to play in the snow! Throughout the last month and even more in the last week or so, we have thought about how differently our time would have been spent had our move went ahead as scheduled. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that while we are disappointed that things are up in the air for us, we are both grateful to have had the holidays minus the stress of packing, etc. We had a wonderful Christmas and we're looking forward to what 2009 has in store for us.

Mike has had the last two weeks off so as far as we know things are still on track for March. We will definitely keep the blog updated. Our friends from Oregon will be on the flight to Dalian tomorrow as scheduled so we are anxious to follow their journey and live vicariously through them.

Thanks for reading our blog and keeping our family in your prayers!

Where has December gone??

2008-12-22T21:58:00.005-07:00

December is inevitably busy and chaotic, but yikes! I have posted a few pictures (scroll down past this entry) to try to capture some of our activities that have taken place in the last few weeks. While it's always sort of sad to see the holidays come and go, there is something to be said for getting back to "normal".

I personally have had a very blessed month and I have put off writing about it because I am not quite sure how to capture it in words, so here goes my attempt...

Despite our delayed departure date, the farewell parties went ahead as planned. It began with a party hosted by Kristy, my best friend since fourth grade. It was a girls only night and I still feel a bit overwhelmed when I think about the fact that so many women that I love and cherish were gathered together in one place at one time. I am not sure what we laughed at more...the embarrassing stories of my youth or Kristy trying to read Chinese words during our trivia game (which I won by the way!) It was a beautiful night from start to finish and I have found myself thinking that women should take turns having parties for each other. Just a party to appreciate friendship and share memories - there is truly nothing like it. Thank you Kristy and all the gals who celebrated with me!

The next celebration came in the form of a holiday/going away party hosted by my fellow teacher and dear friend Tammy. This was for the Humphrey staff and it was truly a gift. Not only was I given a box full of recipes, but they also presented me with a journal full of letters written by my beloved friends at Humphrey. It was a great night! Again it makes me think that we should take time more often to share how much our lives are impacted by each other. I am so grateful to have been a part of the Humphrey staff - thanks to all of you for your support and friendship!

And so, as Christmas quickly approaches, I find myself somewhat glad that we are not taking off on January 3rd. I am able to enjoy the holiday and the time with family and friends. Maybe God needed to slow things down a bit for me so I could take it all in...whatever the case may be, I will celebrate relationships and be thankful for blessings big and small.

Merry Christmas to you!

It's been a busy December!

2008-12-22T21:22:00.003-07:00

We went to the Fab 68 picnic at Desert Breeze park - we froze a bit but the girls had a great time!

Ah yes, to be a first grader! We got a collective "kick" out of the missing teeth epidemic at Emma's Winter Concert at school...
The girls visited with Santa at Bass Pro Shop this year. This is the first year that I haven't had to be in the picture - the girls were all smiles without me!
Erin celebrated her 4th birthday at Organ Stop Pizza with our family and friends. My mom is the cake decorator in case you are wondering...
We had Christmas with the Fendrick side and the girls got to have some fun with cousin Jacob.
Here are the cutie pie cousins at the Risen Savior preschool performance.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Did we say January...???

2008-12-01T19:48:00.003-07:00

Well, I resigned from my teaching position, the movers were scheduled, and our plane tickets were purchased...January 3rd was to be our grand exit...alas, it is not so! Michael received the "official" word today that our move has been pushed to mid-March. Yes, you read that correctly - we will be hanging around for an extra couple of months. There are mixed emotions as you can well imagine. I am grateful for extra time of course, but the uncertainty (because does March actually mean March? or will that turn into June or July?) is truly a test of faith and flexibility.

Mike and I have reveled in our individual and joint pity parties and have come to this conclusion: We cannot change what we do not contol. Our family is healthy, we have our home, we have one stable income, and countless other blessings - we will keep our sense of humor and our appreciation for all that is right in our lives.

Stay tuned...more to come!

No more "Mrs. Fendrick"

2008-11-26T21:21:00.003-07:00

Well, I am officially unemployed...it hasn't quite hit me yet, even after a rather difficult day. Giving up the "Mrs. Fendrick" role and going back to a day to day existence in which I am either called "Mom" or "Geneal" is going to take some getting used to. Although I have only been a non-teacher for about 6 hours or so, I feel the need to briefly reflect on my past life.

Being a teacher means that you have days of frustration and failure mixed with days of joy and fulfillment (that should sound familiar if you happen to be a parent). Standardized testing and mountains of objectives to cover takes away from the creativity and energy that every teacher wishes he or she could share with students. What stays in tact are the relationships that are formed each time a new group of kids enters your classroom. Those are the relationships that I will miss...

And regarding my fellow teachers, I can only say that if you ever have an opportunity to work or volunteer at a school you will see what I saw every day - dedicated, committed, hilarious people who make even the hard days seem easier to face. You know those friends who stop to listen when their 'to do' list is a mile long? Those who bring you a diet Coke or a piece of chocolate when you otherwise might hurt someone? Those who will remember where you "filed" that ever important copy of something or other that you needed yesterday? Well, those are the people that I have been blessed to work with...those are the relationships that I will miss...

So my reflections have not been quite as brief as I had hoped - if you know me well, then you are not surprised. What do you expect? This is a fairly large chapter in my life that has now come to an end (let me - or rather Mike - clarify...this is "temporary retirement"). Thanks for reading...Mrs. Fendrick is signing off...

Gotta love the widgets!

2008-10-28T20:53:00.002-07:00

I noticed this bookshelf widget on my friends blog and well...I thought I would give it a try! Reading and writing are two of my favorite pastimes and they will become my "job" when I get to China - I plan to settle in a bit and begin my book reading marathon. If you have any recommendations, I will gladly take them!

Just a note: Mike thinks I have crossed the blog-geek line with my "bookshelf"...maybe I have...

Oh my...

2008-10-22T21:11:00.002-07:00

Just wanted to share a sweet and rather comical moment that must be documented as part of our future lives as "alien residents" of China: As Emma and I were driving home from school today she said, "Mom, there are only two Chinese kids in my class." To which I responded, "Oh, who?" Emma, with all sincerity said, "Me and Mailan".

If you are a parent or even anyone who has spent any time at all with kids, you know the feeling of wanting to burst with laughter and then run to tell the first person you see! I promptly turned up the radio in the back (so Emma wouldn't hear me repeat the story) and called Mike to say, "See what you've done!??!" So there you have it, our 6-year-old now thinks that she is indeed, Chinese.

I guess in some ways I am grateful that she does not get caught up in the physical features that make us all different. Rather she sees people, in all their diversity, as essentially the same. Priceless, huh?

Our home away from home...

2008-10-15T20:42:00.004-07:00

Well, we have completed the main objective of this trip - finding a home to live in during our two-year stay in Dalian. Campus Village is the housing development located very close to the Dalian American International School. Without know too much about the housing, we were kind of hoping to live there simply for the convenience factor of being within walking distance to school - also this community serves as kind of "mini-America" in our minds.

Mike and I and our friends, Yukiko and Damon, have secured the last two units in the village and we are thrilled! We will live literally across the hallway from each other on the second floor of a beautiful condominium. The building and its furnishings are designed with the westerner (American) in mind. In fact, the home we will have in China will be bigger and more lavish than the one we have in Chandler... It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a den. The kitchen is big and spacious with lots of storage and an adjoining maid's quarters. Emma thought she might like to have the maid's room (since we are not going to have a live-in maid) but now that we have seen it, that's pretty much out of the question. The room is no bigger than a prison cell - it has a shower, sink and toilet, and there is room for a small cot but that's about it!

Intel is providing us with "basic" living provisions including beds and start-up bedding, couches, tables, two 42-inch flat screen TVs and a jacuzzi tub...like I said, just the bare necessities! There is a gym on the grounds and a restaurant. The only drawback to our living location is that it is out in the middle of nowhere - about 20 minutes from the closest shopping/dining area. This just means that I have to be a little more organized about meal planning since I will not have easy access to stores, etc. It's a small price to pay to know that we are in a safe, quiet, clean place where our kids can ride bikes and play at the playground that is right outside our kitchen window.

We spent time at the school and it is a wonderful place. Emma's classroom has only 14 kids so far and they are waiting for four ex-pat kids to arrive, including Emma. They already have her cubby marked with her name so they are ready for her! Her teacher, Miss Lisa, seems great and we just have a really positive feeling about the whole set up. We have lots of pictures but I will have to wait until I get home to add them to the blog. Stay tuned...

Thanks for reading our blog - I know it's lengthy but there is so much to share!

Day 4 - Medical Exam

2008-10-14T06:56:00.003-07:00

Michael's take....

Ahhhh, my turn to take this Blog out for a spin! Today we partook in the medical “exam” required for immigration. We were met in the hotel lobby at 8am by some folks from the company that handles our immigration and an English speaking nurse from ISOS (I am sooooooooo glad she was there to help out).

The clinic was walking distance from our hotel and once we entered we realized that we were no longer in “Kansas.” The waiting room was full of people filling out forms and waiting in lines with no sense of order. Once our chaperones completed our paperwork we got into a line to start the “exams”.

Exam 1: EKG
One by one we were ushered into rooms that offered little privacy and when it was my turn I was immediately told to lie down and pull up my shirt. The “nurse” then applied suction cups to several parts of my body and she attached these to a “machine” via something that I can only describe as jumper cables for a car. The “equipment” in the room looked like it was state of the art in 1950.

Exam 2: Blood Pressure
Once I had completed my EKG I had to wait in another line for a blood pressure check. This “exam” had the newest equipment in the clinic. Basically I had to stick my arm into a blood pressure machine similar to one you would find in a Walgreens or a supermarket. Once the reading came out (it was a bit high) the “nurse” asked if I was nervous...”well YEA” I responded. She then listened to at least 15 spots on my chest and I was on my way.

Exam 3: Eye Exam
This test took me back to my days in grade school. I had to hold a stainless steel cover over one eye and point to the direction the “E” was facing. After several different lines and switching eyes I got a score of 1.0. I am not sure what that means, but I was then off to the next line.

Exam 4: X-Ray
I have to start this section by saying...I think I might glow in the dark now and I am pretty sure I will never father anymore kids. I followed the “nurse” into a room and had to stand in front of the X-ray machine while holding a – what I presume – shield over my backside. The machine was the type that the “nurse” had to slide in a film canister, I am pretty sure that many medical museums have this type of machine on display as “back in the day...”

Exam 5: Blood Draw
The blood draw was one of the best I have ever had as the nurse was a master. She found my vein right away and inserted the needle with no problem.

Exam 6: Ultrasound
Yes, all people are required to complete this “exam” and I am happy to say that I am not pregnant. I am not sure what the “nurse” was looking for but she checked everywhere and after she was done I was left to clean up a ton of gel off of my stomach as I left a room with the door busting with several others waiting for their “exam”.

Exam 7: Urine Sample
This was our last act in our “exam” and probably the funniest. We were handed a small cup that held maybe half the volume of a Dixie cup and a plastic test tube that held less than that. I had been warned about this part of the “exam” and was told to think a lot about the sequencing of my actions as there was no place to set the test tube once full.

Because the cup we were given was so small it did not take long to fill and I had to set it aside as I completed what I had started. After finishing, I looked over and realized that I had set my cup next to others that people had also left on the window ledge. My heart stopped as I had to think about which one was mine. I then filled the test tube and left the restroom (I did throw my cup away so that others didn’t have to see my sample).

I will say that the men were pretty lucky as the women had to complete the urine sample in a restroom with only a squatty potty. If you do not know what a squatty potty is...consult Google.

After all was said and done we all have some great stories to tell and are relieved that this experience is over. After having the rest of the day to think about it, this experience was not so bad. I think our fears and anxiety were heightened as we are in a place where we do not speak the language and don’t know the process...this is a great reminder why we need to learn Chinese and learn to roll with the punches.

2008-10-13T15:12:00.005-07:00

Well, we are mid-way through our house hunting trip and everything is going well. It began a little rough as Super Shuttle was waiting outside our house at 3:40am and I was still in my towel and blow-drying my hair. Now Mike knows it IS possible for me to get dressed in 10.2 seconds! Anyway, the flights were all on time and smooth (agonizingly long, but smooth). I just kept thinking that the next time I have to make this trip, it will be with the kids and will be the beginning of our ultimate adventure...

On Sunday we went out in search of a 'fabric mart' that Mike had heard about. There was floor after floor of every kind of fabric you can imagine and you can literally have just about anything custom made. We will definitely go back to have jackets made - no sense getting them now to take home and pack up later. They will even make beautiful cashmere sweaters in any color or style you want for about $30 (and I am imagining you can negotiate the prices from there). Mike is totally into the "let's have it made" mantra - bedding, sweaters, jackets - I personnally, am a little bit more of the "let's keep it simple" mantra. I don't have to speak Chinese to purchase something off the rack!

On Monday we went with a guide to set up our bank account, visit the "gym club", and check out what will be our zillions of choices for shopping. There are the wet markets which means the local fruits and vegetables sold on the street (best deal for sure - just have to wash everything really well) - you can also by any kind of meat or fish there too but we're going to stick with meat that is refrigerated... Thankfully there are plenty of places that feel like home (minus good air conditioning) for shopping. Yukiko and I are preparing for the major shopping spree we will have to have to get our homes set up!

We will be heading out soon (it is very early Tuesday morning right now) to look at our housing choices. This is what I am most looking forward to. We will also be spending time at the school and seeing what it looks like when things are in full swing. There is lots more to share but it's getting long. I will write later after we have news about our house!

Riding the other side of Earth

2008-10-04T16:59:00.001-07:00

Riding the other side of Earth

2008-09-30T15:23:00.005-07:00

Here it is! While there have been countless discussions, scads of questions, and seemingly never-ending planning regarding our move to China, this is the first official written documentation. So, welcome to a birds-eye view of the craziness that is our life at the moment. There are days when you may find our family blog to be informative; days when it may make you laugh or cry; but in the end, it is my hope that it will serve as a detailed journal of what will be the adventure of a lifetime. Visit often, I will try to journal regularly...

Here is what is what I know today, September 30th, 2008:

Mike and I will be traveling to Dalian on October 10th. I am looking forward to this trip - we will be choosing our house, finalizing Emma's school registration, and spending time with our friends, Yukiko and Damon. You will hear about these friends often. We met them on our trip in July '07 - they will move from Oregon with their two kids at the same time we move. Since we met we have considered our two families a "package deal" with regards to housing and travel schedules. We feel so blessed to have met them!

The latest and greatest news to share is that I will be entering the world of "temporary retirement" on November 26th - this is about 3 weeks sooner than the original plan. There is simply too much to do to get ready. Working and preparing for the move/Christmas/Erin's birthday would result in me in a straight jacket bouncing around a padded room somewhere!

We will be leaving for our new home on January 5th, 2009. Many emotions are tied up in this impending date - when people ask me how I feel about the move, I often reply, "Excited AND terrified". That pretty much sums it up! The girls are definitely excited - they can't wait to have their own rooms and maybe even a house with stairs! Ahhh...to have such simple needs.

That's all for now! Check back in soon!