A year abroad

We are approaching our one year anniversary this month. I've been a broad my whole life, but this is Tim's first time and in short, we're both into it. It was in August of 2006 that Thailand had their latest bloodless coup and nearly caused us to alter our plans. I am so grateful for the opportunities and experiences we have been afforded in the last year. Thank you to those who have prayed for us and encouraged us to step out on this adventure. We think about home a lot and the people there, but we are happy and ever so thankful for this journey.

I regret not having updated our blog sooner, especially now that some of the freshness and firsts impressions have mixed in with the daily bump and grind of Qinhuangdao. Nonetheless, we will do our best to recapture the progression and some of our entertaining experiences as we muddle our way through life in a distinctly different culture.

As you may well have noticed, I have an affinity for list making and superlative declarations. I think this may be the most efficient and satisfying way to attempt to document the last year abroad.

The Top Five Coolest Things We've Done in China So Far

1. Walked on the Great Wall of China
It's totally awesome and it doesn't get old (I think that the majority of our students would emphatically disagree with the previous statement).

This is the "Dragon's Head" of the Great Wall, starting at the sea, just 45 minutes from us, in Shanhaiguan. This was our first time on the wall. Very exciting.


This is an unrestored section of the Great Wall in the mountains near our home. If you look closely, you may see Lisa standing in the nearest turret. We had the place to ourselves, it was incredible.

2. Tried our hand at Tae Kwan Do
We stink, but kicking targets is a lot of fun. I wish we had pictures of this to share. It was Tim, We Lei (a student our ours), me, and a bunch of little kids who squeaked and squealed when we walked into the room dressed to do some serious kicking. I'm sure I was a major let down to one and all. I walked in wearing a green belt (the one that comes before black). Our instructor said we should consider cage fighting. We're thinking about it. Needless to say, I didn't bring the camera but then I remember the camera about as well as I do birthdays. If we've missed yours don't feel bad. I wished my Dad a Happy Belated Birthday a few weeks before his actual birthday, missed my Mother's (mistaking her date for my father's) and then sent another belated birthday wish to my cousin Nicole, except that I got a return e-mail from a friend Nicole living in New York letting me know that her birthday wasn't until Feb. So "Happy Birthday" to one and all. I love you dearly and I hope you have a special day. :0)

3. Walked around 798, a contemporary art district in Beijing
We got to see what young Chinese artists are up to and managed to forget we were half a planet away from home for an afternoon.


You can see some of the many galleries in this area listed here. We spent the better part of the day walking from one studio/gallery to the next.



Some graphiti art. Man with Rhoo meets Michael J. Fox from "Back to the Future."

4. Hung out with some friends in the mountains
The air was fresh, the scenery was beautiful and Tim got to show off a bit on the rocks.



From left to right, these are Gang (a personal trainer at the gym where we exercise),
David and Wei Lai (two students from AoJia).


5. Made a sandwich
You'd have to be here to fully appreciate the magnitude of this achievement. It's greatness was, however confirmed by the fascinated onlookers who gathered to watch. It really was a great sandwich. So great.

The things we have declared will be incorporated into our lives once we get back home
1. Rice cooker. How did we ever live without one?

2. More tea, less coffee (though let it stated that the superiority of coffee is not being called into question here, and on all counts, in regards to drinking pleasure, coffee shall remain my all time champion)

3. Washer, but no dryer
Thailand taught us the beauty of washing machine technology (washing in tubs loses its charm eventually) and China the superfluous dryer. You just need a good sun room and a clothes line.

4. No shoes in the house.
Dad, you can wear yours if you want to.

5. BYOTP we've given it up, along with the coffee.
Toilet paper is for Nancies. Save the trees!

Things we used to take for granted but now long for
1. queues
Even nice looking old ladies will cut in front of you, elbows and all, if you don't stand your ground.

2. days off
I wonder if there is a Chinese word for vacation?

3. clean bathrooms (t.p. and soap included)
Okay, okay, t.p's not just for Nancies actually, it's for Crigers too. Just kidding about the whole BYOTP thing, promise.

4. anonymity
It's nice not to be noticed.

5. sidewalks reserved for pedestrians (rather than serving as an additional lane for completely insane traffic)
Cars are boss around here. Things like lanes, lights and speed limits are all optional, and peds are but lowly creatures who must dodge or die. Bicycles are prolific, they're a touch higher on the scale than peds and are nearly as wild.

6. food (not bathed in obscene amounts of oil)
fresh vegetable salads, chips and salsa, avocados, granola, hummus, Birdland bread, Pei Oh's cooking....

7. a general lack of spitting and horking and horking and spitting and public urination
Our friends in Thailand gave us a heads up on this one, but you just won't believe it unless you see it. Our apologies Joel if you've already bought your tickets and this revelation makes you regret it. We're looking forward to seeing you.

9. personal space
I guess that's what happens when you move to a country with 1.3 billion people.

10. fixed prices and the typically cordial interaction between buyer and seller
Bargaining is the way of life. We are better at it than we were at Tae Kwan Do but not much. Shopping in general tends to be stressful. I try to remain invisible for as long as humanly possible because once you are spotted and caught showing slightest interest in something, you will be hotly pursued until you buy or run away. I usually dash. Sometimes Tim works as a decoy to lure off the worker bees in the opposite direction. In many stores the employee/customer ratio is about 5-to1,- so we are far outnumbered to begin with. My favorite shopping fandango happened early-on here. Tim was looking for some black pants to wear to work. In seconds we were hemmed in by at least 6 or 7 ladies talk talk talking away at us and holding up one pair of pants after another. I did the dash feeling too claustrophobic, but once I got a few clothing racks between me and them I looked back at Tim surrounded by squawking ladies in blue vests and despite the sanity and safety of my new location, I just had to go back. I arrived back on the crazy scene and a woman was holding up some faux denim pants that must have been, no kidding, a 48 inch waist. We still laugh when we think about it. What was running through her mind is beyond us. Now it's five months later, and we often find ourselves wondering that same thing on a regular basis.