The One-Month Mark...

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...

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!

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!

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

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

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

"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.