Home Again

After a whirlwind trip back to the U.S., here we are again. Hard to believe that a year ago, we were nervously boarding a plane half-way around the world, not knowing what was in store for us. For certain, we did not think Erich would be running a Western cafe/community center that we love and is our home away from home. Nor did we think we'd be considering a third year here after my 2-year contract was up.

As we woke up this first morning back in China, a little groggy from our travels, I was uncertain how I would feel...un/comfortable? missing the U.S. already? excited? nervous? nothing? It was just another sunny morning, seventeen stories above the rest of Beilun. Took a shower, had my tea, did a little unpacking, made a list of things to do. It wasn't until I decided to leave and run errands that anysort of clarity came to me. I got my bag together, grabbed my bike, headed down the elevator and turned the old iPod on shuffle. As I mounted the bike and pushed off in front of our building, "Jai Ho" came on, the sun seemed to shine for me in a sky of blue dotted with puffy white clouds, and a breeze rushed through my sunglasses. I was invigorated. "Welcome Home" the morning seemed to be saying to me. I smiled, knowing that I was meant to be nowhere but here. These are the moments that anyone lives for...to feel that you have a place and purpose and that it is exactly where you are and what you are doing. These things change, but in this moment in time, I know this is my place and this is where I am happiest.

Our trip back to the U.S. was fabulous. Thank you to all of the friends and family that made time to hang out and catch up! And to those of you who we couldn't, know we were thinking of you and hope that next time we're back, we can meet up.

Having been out of the country for a year, there are definite differences that stood out as we entered the good ol' U.S. of A. Some more notable than others, some are expected while others may seem weird, but here goes my attempt at explaining a few:

1) Food. The most noticeable and consistent difference for me. The large portions, salt, sugar, and fat in our (American) foods is unbelievable. Also, we have a lot of pre-packaged, pre-cooked, preserved foods available both in groceries and in restaurants. Most chain restaurants in the U.S. don't really "cook" anything...they dethaw, recook and serve. All of the food items were already made and shipped from somewhere else. In Beilun, for the most part, you go to a restaurant and you can see the staff out back washing the fruits and vegetables. They are fresh and seasonal, likely bought from the same market that we go to. And it makes a difference...the food tastes better. Americans alsoeat very heavy and large portions. Erich and I went to a "Chinese" restaurant in Ohio to compare food and taste and found it to be very "Americanized". Almost none of the options were Chinese foods we had seen or heard of in China. They had more meat and noodles/rice with less vegetables than real Chinese food. The spices were too complex and overdone...too sweet, too salty, too much. The portion sizes were unbelievable...we left with enough food for 5 more people to have eaten. Ugh, and you just feel heavy when you walk out the door. No wonder after every meal in the U.S. Erich took a nap. So, yes, it looks like I'm hounding on American diet and food intake...because I am. I was also guilty of indulging in foods that are not good for you in amounts that exceed what I really need while in the States, but it left me wanting to go back to China...where there aren't McDonald's and Starbucks on every corner, where instead there are fresh fruit and veggie stands on every street, where the average local would prefer a large glass of fresh squeezed watermelon juice to a cola any day, where the average Chinese person doesn't know how to use a conventional can opener because they don't eat preserved foods. I bought a book called "The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite" at the airport to learn more about this. I'm about halfway through and would highly recommend...it focuses on the brain science behind our eating patterns and decisions in the U.S., how our foods have been engineered and changed over time, and the ways that the food industry and society support these habits. Very eye opening.

2) Seclusion.In China, you can't go a day without talking to and interacting with many many people. You go to the store and talk to the taxi driver, you have a drink at Cup O' Joe and a curious Chinese person comes over to chat, you ride your bike down the street and see a family you know so stop to ask how summer is going. I found that in the U.S., you could easily go through your entire day without much interacting at all. Maybe it's having our own cars that makes this somewhat of an issue. When you take a taxi or bus, you're communicating to others where you want to go, where are they going, directions, etc. In your own car, you are alone, you make the decisions without having to explain, and as you drive on the highway to your destination with your window up and AC on, you find yourself in a bubble away from the rest of the world. Other than that, there are our houses...in China, most everyone lives in high rise apartments. You know your neighbors, you see them in the elevator and walking around the neighborhood. You interact. In the U.S. your house is separated from your neighbors by land, fences, and plants. We actively seek this seclusion and privacy and now-a-days, neighbors sometimes don't even know each other. Maybe some of it also stems from the fear and crime that our (American) society sensationalizes...which leads me to my next observation...

3) Crime and safety. I have yet to feel in danger or feared crime in China. It is so safe here...no one, not even police, carry a gun, incidences of robbery/thieves are rare, and the people make deals based on mutual trust and keeping your word. When fishing in Arkansas this summer, Erich and I saw a large rifle peaking out from a blanket where we checked in for poles and a boat. Huh? Really? Why? That alone struck me with more discomfort and fear than any and all situations I've experienced in China. In Beilun (about 600,000 people), kids can safely play all around the neighborhood without fear or restriction (just watch out for the unruly motor bikes), you can travel, walk, or bike alone at all hours and feel secure even if you're lost, you can disagree with a local and not fear they will pull a gun or harm you physically. The number one crime in China (according to a few Chinese friends) is embezzlement and bribery. While these are not admirable crimes in any way, I will take them any day to the murders, abuses and robberies you see in America every day.

4) Personal space and courtesy. So I've been pretty anti-U.S. in my blog so far...apologies...I really do love America; but I love China too (and China has faults of it's own...trust me). One thing that I do miss and wish there were more of in China is the recognition of personal space and courtesy to other people that Americans have. For example, during my trip to the store this morning in Beilun, I was nearly t-boned by a car who wanted to drive on the sidewalk where I was riding my bike, I had loads of people running into me without looking or recognizing that I existed in the store, and it is not uncommon for someone to literally pick up items in my cart and rummage around to see what I've decided to purchase. Yes, this is what makes China China and yes, I do kind of enjoy it (it adds to the lack of isolation as stated earlier), but sometimes an "Excuse me", or "I'm sorry" would be nice. I've learned to deal with it here and "feel the love" of the Chinese wherever I go, but it is a big change.

5) Last and most important, friends and family. We have been lucky to have developed a great network of friends and sense of community here in China, but we still love and miss the family and friends from the U.S. It was refreshing to be in the comfort of our family and friends for the past 2 weeks. It had been a year and catching up with many of you was long overdue. We realize how much we are missing out on the lives of those who are most important to us by being so far away. We can't be there to welcome a newborn into the family, to join in on traditions of the holidays, to help a loved one who is sick, or to just grill out and catch up on the lives and thoughts of friends. It's a big bummer, but at the same time, we are enjoying the opportunities to make new friends and have unforgettable experiences and memories with them in China. Thank goodness for Skype, Facebook, email and Magic Jack, but we can always use more time with you all. So don't hesitate to send us emails, respond to this blog, just say hey on Facebook, or forward photos of what's exciting in your world. We love you all and cherish any time you make for us.

Gender Bender

So we're in China...sometimes I have to remind myself. You get into a routine and get settled in and occasionally, I have to remind myself out loud that I, indeed, am teaching and living in China. Life goes on no matter where you are. You work, you go to the grocery, you explore and bike, you visit with friends...it becomes just another day.

And then there are times when I am reminded of my whereabouts through the stark differences in mindset and lifestyle that I sometimes encounter with our friends here. For example, in one recent conversation with a Chinese friend, we began discussing families and children. He asked if Erich and I had considered babies and, having to explain our current (and possible long-term...sorry mom) aversion to starting a family, I returned the question to my newlywed friend. He informed me that, yes, in a year or so he and his wife would likely start a family of their own. Oh, and they would have a boy. This fact, he was confident in. I unintentionally giggled at this comment and continued to inquire. "Well, you never know...you have a 50/50 chance. But if it's a girl, you'll still love it just as much" I stated with certainty, waiting for his reply. He laughed, shook his head, and made a noise, which I took as a sign that this possibility was not something he was comfortable with and it was actually ridiculous for me to suggest. He went on to explain that he had never even considered the possibility of having a girl, because he was sure he would have a boy that was strong and good. And that a girl would not be good and would not carry on his name and that he didn't think he would love her the same as a boy...but in the end, it didn't matter, because he would have a boy, so this conversation was pointless.

We changed the subject.

But it still lingers with me, weeks later. And I am reminded that I am living in a place that has a one-child policy still in place. That when I meet a new, local friend and begin a basic conversation...asking the question, "do you have brothers/sisters?" is almost always a silly question with which they answer "no" and give a strange look like "why would I?". It took me a few months to remember not to ask that, as it was not a point of conversation in China.

I am also reminded that it is currently illegal for women to get a sonogram to find out the sex of their baby in China. Sadly, this is because many who would learn that they were having a girl would find ways to terminate the pregnancy before the child was born...in order to have the chance to have a boy in a second pregnancy.

I have read in several books about China that the number of males to females here is grossly imbalanced because of these cultural practices (however, several of my Chinese friends deny this fact, stating statistics that the government has published claiming that the ratio of males to females is nearly equal). In the publications I read (which are sent or brought to me from the States, as most of them are illegal and do not meet censorship criteria), millions of men will not have a mate in the near future, simply because there are not enough women in China. There is speculation of what this will do to this massive country...higher crime rates? a harder working and larger working class? rise in prostitution? I don't know, but it bothers me. I love so much of the China I live in. I want it to live up to the "forward thinking" and "progressive" lifestyle that it advertises all over...but I find it challenging to accept that this basic gender bias exists in the homes of so many these days. Of course, this does not represent the actions and opinions of everyone in China...we have local friends who feel and think differently. But I believe they are the exception, not the rule.

As an independent and thoughtful woman, I find this topic intriguing and unsettling. I have a hard time wrapping my head around it, so I have been reading a lot of books about Chinese culture and having conversations with local friends to understand. I usually end up with more questions than answers. So much of the current lifestyle and thought in China stems from policies and events of the Cultural Revolution and Mao. Maybe I didn't pay attention much in HS World History, maybe it was never taught, or maybe it's because I am now living and breathing this stuff...but I wonder how I didn't know these things before. China is so unique in it's politics and social standards. In some ways, they have changed dramatically since the 1950's and in others, we might as well have frozen time. I am consumed by trying to understand ways China's recent history is impacting its present and future.

So I sit here on my couch, drinking my morning tea...just as I have in Colorado or Ohio in years past...feeling like I could be anywhere participating in my morning routine. Just another day...?

Changed Perspectives

Living in another country, any country, is bound to teach you new things, open your eyes to new ways of living and change your perspective on who you are and what your role is in this world. If it doesn't, then you're not truly "living" in another country.

We learn small things every day here that alter our preconceived notions of how daily activities must be performed.

• We were surprised when we first went to purchase trash cans at the store and all they sold were really small ones. But it makes sense now...first, this allows us to monitor how much we really are wasting and tossing out and reevaluate what we're consuming. Second, we take our trash out on a regular basis now...it doesn't really smell and the house stays cleaner because waste stays in the apartment for less time. Third, the "trash man" makes his rounds to our apartment at least 3 times a day. He rides his pedicab cart around the neighborhood and sorts through everyone's "trash" to pull out recyclables. This way, the recycling is done for everyone and there is never a pile of waste or a dumpster of stench sitting outside our apartment building.
• Grocery shopping is done almost daily by the Chinese. You buy what you need for that meal/day and that's it. Every trip to the grocery can be done using the little hand baskets...rarely have I seen a local with a cart full of goods (exceptions = rice and oil). I have still yet to master this and often shop only once a week, but I see the value and meaning in this shopping ritual and I have high hopes to master it in due time. 1) While more and more Chinese are purchasing cars, many still rely on bikes, buses, foot, or taxi...buying a load of groceries at once is illogical for someone who can't fit them all on their bike. 2) Buying too many groceries at once means the food is that much less fresh the longer it sits in your kitchen. Why buy Friday's groceries on Monday when you can buy them on Friday and they'll taste that much better? Plus, there are so many fresh, local fruit and vegetable markets around...why would you want anything less than fruits/veggies picked that day? 3) If the food sits too long, it rots and is wasted. There aren't the level of preservatives in foods/produce in China as there are in the States. The food tastes more natural and subconsciously I feel better about what I'm eating, knowing that it wasn't genetically enhanced or altered to look nicer or last longer. But it also means it goes bad quicker. No sense in buying your eggplant for next week when it will be floppy and soft way before then.
• I have never been more content NOT having a car. Actually, I've never been "without car" in my life until now. Since I was 16, I've owned a vehicle and relied on it to get me everywhere. I never realized the stress that comes along with it. Yes, it is convenient...and in most of the U.S. it is unfathomable to be able to get around without your own car (we have SO much to learn in terms of public transportation). But along with the freedoms having your own car brings, there is the cost of gas/insurance/car payments/maintenance, the stress of being SO dependent on something that could pop a tire, blow a belt, or do any number of things to completely alter your daily activities...not to mention the fact that you always have to have a DD or other plans when you're out for the night having some drinks :) While it's somewhat alarming to see the transition of the Chinese culture to a car consuming society, they still have public transportation that will do you just fine if you want to avoid the chaos of driving yourself around. Buses, pedicabs, taxis, eBikes, walking, subways, trains. You can get anywhere in this enormous country (and for very cheap) without your own car. I have so enjoyed riding my bike, getting my very own Chinese bus pass, and just walking to get where I need. It has definitely changed my perspective on where I want to live and work if/when we move somewhere else...living somewhere close enough that I can bike to/from work/grocery/restaurants/friends is a priority. (Fort Collins, I never appreciated or made use of your wonderful bike-friendliness until now :) )

Oddly, while living in a country that has a reputation for it's unregulated pollution and lack of personal hygiene (I can't argue against either of those claims...both unfortunately very true), I have come away with a stronger desire and appreciation for a more sustainable way of life. Less waste...buy/eat local and fresh...use public transportation. I admit this is not something I imagined I'd learn here. I thought after living in Fort Collins, CO that I already knew, understood and appreciated how to live "greener"...but honestly, I didn't embrace it as fully as I should have or could have. I sometimes imagine life back in FoCo and how amazing it would be to ride my bike everywhere, shop at the farmer's markets, and be a part of a CSA...why wasn't I doing more of that when I actually lived there???

I guess all I can say is "Thank You, China" for this change in perspective.

Home is Where the Food Is

A few weeks back, a local friend of ours, Jacky, invited us over to his home to join in on a traditional Chinese feast of foods. Upon arrival, we got the grand tour of his new apartment, were treated to teas/beers, and lookedat engagement photos of he and Zhou (his fiance)...which by the way, the Chinese don't kid around about. These photos were bono-fide professional, straight out of an advertisement or high fashion photo shoot. Apparently, ALL of the Chinese do this when they get engaged. We've seen them out with their entourage on nice days...make-up artist, costume changes, trunks of photo equipment...it's fabulous :) Anyway, they looked like rock stars and we are so excited to be going to their wedding on April 24...another post about that I'm sure.

Back to the food though. As we sat at the table with Zhou and her sister, table FULL of bowls with delicious little treats (some identifiable, while others remained a mystery hiding under sauces and breading). Prawns, fruit cakes, edamame, corn, rice noodles, bamboo shoots...we barely had room for a small bowl to eat from. Using our manners, we let our mouths salivate as we waited for the host, Jacky, to join us from the kitchen. After awhile, Zhou, who speaks little English, yelled into him, which prompted him to tell us to PLEASE start eating, he would be in the kitchen awhile longer cooking the rest of the meal. THE REST? "You mean there's more?" We inquired. Sure enough, as we ate to our hearts content, large bowls were condensed to small bowls, small bowls were emptied and taken from the table, only to be replaced by more large bowls of hot food. Fish soup, sweet, sticky rice, cooked green vegetables, shrimp...the mound of disembodied/inedible seafood parts was growing in front of Erich each time I looked over. I was pleasantly surprised to see that as I glanced at Zhou's small-framed sister, that her pile was twice as tall as Erich's :) And since Zhou is also somewhat of a vegetarian (who only eats seafood), there were vegetable options galore. By the end of the meal, of course, we made room for a few beers and card playing, but I don't think you could've fed us another bite.

Something about that night made it feel like home...a home away from home. Granted, the food was different than what most American families would cook for a get-together, but the love and care that went into the meal was there. It was the best meal I've had since we've been here and it wasn't necessarily because of the food (which by all means was absolutely delicious...I made Jacky promise to give me some lessons so that I could cook some proper Chinese meals for our family/friends this summer). The spirit of friendship and family was there.

And now, with Cup O' Joe up and running, we hope we can offer the same sense of belonging, family, and support to locals and expats that our friends in China offer to us. Week one has passed and the cafe has easily become a go-to spot for many locals to grab some fresh bread, get their caffeine fix, or use a non-squat toilet :) They even got a shipment of what I call "monkey bread" from the French bakery that the cafe purchase breads/pastries from. I never thought I could feel my grandma next to me when she is so far away...as I bit into a slice of the nutty, cinnamon-y, carmelized goodness, I closed my eyes and was transported to her kitchen early in the morning, with the smells of coffee and sounds of morning chatter in the background.

Food is universal. Love is universal. We are lucky to be surrounded by lots of both.

Little Business in Big China

I find it redundant to apologize AGAIN for belated blogging, so will skip that whole paragraph and hope that someone is still checking in occasionally to see what we're up to. Just know that this is not abnormal...expect random and monthly (or longer) updates.

Starting 2011 in China has been full of surprises to say the least. It's official that Erich and his local Chinese business partners are starting a small coffee/sandwich shop in Beilun! Construction is nearly complete and opening day is scheduled for early April. It's been an interesting process watching it all happen so fast and learning the intricacies of turning an empty storage space into a western cafe/community center in the middle of China. They're calling it "Cup 'O Joe", but I'm sure the locals will have a name they call it based on the food or look of the store front...just like we do with the local restaurants whose signs are all in Chinese. There's the "white tablecloth" place that has good qie zi (eggplant) and some crispy rice dish that Erich goes crazy trying to describe in broken Chinese because we still don't know the name...and the 2-story "spicy" restaurant on the corner...do I need to explain that one? I could go on for awhile, but the point is that I am just as excited to hear what the locals call the cafe as I am for the place to open. The overall concept is to create a "community center"/restaurant for expats and locals to interact. Along with the variety of deli cheeses and meats that you can't get unless you have time for a 4 hour drive to Shanghai for lunch, the cafe will have a DVD/book exchange wall, free Chinese and English lessons, a "craigslist-esque" message board, and resources for local hikes, explorations and guides to Beilun. So, yeah, it's like any other crunchy granola, poetry reading, web-surfing cafe in the States...but we're in small town China, so this is the one and only of its kind. Are the Chinese ready for this?...I guess we'll find out. So needless to say, Erich has been busy with designing the floorplans, pricing out a menu, schmoozing with the locals and expats, and recently they've been interviewing for employees. Wish him luck and we'll update you after opening day :)

Cheers to 2011

Happy New Year! Erich and I celebrated in true Chinese fashion...freezing half to death and hardly recognizing the day is any different from the one before or after it :) We did, however, depart from Beilun to explore some parts of China. I mean, how can you live here for at least 2 years and say you've never been to see the teracotta warriors or the Great Wall? We figured we might as well check it off of our list while all the Chinese locals are working and it's too cold for tourism to be very high. Boy were we right! Xi'an and Beijing were absolutely, bone chilling cold...but the days were crisp and clear, the air quality was at it's highest, and we had plenty of room to explore and see everything without other tourists elbowing us along the way.

The first leg of ourholiday journey was Xi'an. Here, we trekked to see the teracotta warriors...amazing. My favorite part of the whole trip by far. To see the massive task these people undertook thousands of years ago was beyond comprehension. And it's all still a work in progress...after all, the site was only discovered in 1974. We saw plenty of ruins still being uncovered and archeologists putting together the pieces as we visited. The most interesting thing to me was the personality and individualism put into each warrior. No two are the same and their stances/facial expressions tell a story about who these people were and the times in which they lived. We were in awe and spent enough time there to let our fingers and toes go numb before catching the bus back to our hostel. A truly amazing experience.

Xi'an is not just known for theterracotta warriors, the city was the old Western capital of China. The ancient city wall is still standing and surrounds the city proper. Erich and I bundled up, after a night of teaching local Chinese men how to play card games like spoons and mushroom, to rent bikes and ride along the top of this city's fortress wall. It took about 90 minutes to bike the entire perimeter and it was a refreshing way to see Xi'an from an elevated view. We had the opportunity to see the locals preparing to celebrate the Chinese New Year in a few weeks...we are so excited to see the elaborate decorations, fireworks and food!

The trip to Xi'an was short but sweet. We took an 11 hour train ride from there to Beijing for the next leg of the trip. The train was fine...nothing luxurious and we slept most of the way. The highlight was sharing a room with a man from Tibet who spoke some English and pardoned the little (and broken) Mandarin Erich and I try to speak. He was so calm and peaceful in the way he spoke and shared pictures and stories of his home. He kindly gave us a large bag of yak meat and a box of Tibetan tea...after which Erich and I panicked..."What do we have to give him in return? Our backpacks consist of dirty socks and toothbrushes..." Cultural faux pas #1: Never travel without small gifts to exchange in China. We offered a miniature terracotta warrior figure we boughtas a souvenir in Xi'an, and he (likely knowing it was a mass produced tourist lump of clay), "left" it on the train as he exited in a few stops. Kind man, kind heart.

Anyway, we arrived in Beijing fullof excitement...we had 6 days to see all we could, visit with Erich's aunt and uncle who were flying in for a few days, and compare Beijing to its rival Chinese city, Shanghai, which we have visited 3 or 4 times already. A friend of a friend kindly gave us a run down of the city our first day in. Among the many stops we made, she took us to the "meat street" vendors. You may have seen Anthony Bourdain or more likely Andrew Zimmern perusing these stands on TV. "Sir, some seahorse? Perhaps a centipede? These bull testicles are of the highest quality!" Needless to say, I ate some vegetable dumplings and steered clear. Erich, on the other hand, was in heaven. He tried a few meats and let Anna and I squirm at his considerations.

We were so happy to see some familiar faces the next day! We met up with Erich's Aunt Sheila and Uncle Bob, who were kind to brave the wind and cold to spend some time exploring with us. They really made it feel like the holidays for us and we cherished the 3 days we spent with them! First stop was the Forbidden City on what ended up being our coldest day traveling. Imagine being in a place where, only a few hundred years ago, only the emperor and his royal staff were allowed. We tried putting it in perspective and compared it to being allowed access to the private quarters of the Vatican or the President, but it still didn't compare. Some of the actions and decisions (for better or for worse) made in the places we were standing have changed Chinese and World history as we know it. Everything we saw and felt there was quite impressive.

New Year's Day was spent exploring the Summer Palace of the Empress and getting to the Great Wall. We could not have asked for a more perfect day...the sun was beaming down on us, the skies were clear as ever and blue as can be. It was still cold, but the wind had disappeared and made it bearable to be outside for more than an hour at a time. After a 2 hour drive outside of Beijing, we arrived at a section of the Great Wall. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was pretty dead there. I guess those are the perks of traveling to the Great Wall #1: on New Year's Day, and #2: in the middle of one of the coldest weeks in Beijing. I was expecting throngs of tourists and having a difficult time getting a photo without all of the people swarming...I was glad to be proved wrong :) As we approached the ascent, we were informed and saw photos that, yes, this was where Bill Clinton had also visited. (They love that man in China.) The view from on top was breathtaking. We could see rows and rows of mountains in the distance...made me wish I was back in Colorado. The wall meandered and wiggled its way on top of the peaks surrounding us and there was a peaceful calmness as we walked along this wonder of the world. It was magnificent and we are looking forward to going back and hiking it or maybe camping out along the wall.

A little mythbuster action (on behalf of Erich) concerning the Great Wall of China:

1) Yes, you can see the Wall from space. However, you can also see many other manmade structures...bridges, major highways, etc.

2) There are not a load of dead bodies (of those who constructed the Great Wall) buried under the wall. #1: If this were true, it would affect the structural integrity of the Wall. #2: Ewww, gross, who does that?

3) Much of today's current Great Wall was rebuilt in the 1980's. The original 2000 year old wall only exists at the base of the current wall.

4) There is no ONE Great Wall of China. It is in actuality several walls that branch off and separate from one another. If anyone has claimed to have hiked the entire Great Wall from end to end, they are lying to you.

Thank you, Erich.

Last days in Beijing consisted of exploring weekend markets, museums, temples and of course, Tianaman Square. I was hoping for some kind of action on the square...even if it was just street performers and vendors. Nope. It really is just a huge parking lot with an evil history...with Mao watching over (both literally and figuratively...his portrait is hanging at one end and his mummified body is on display for viewing on the other end). The security is more than I have ever seen in all of China combined. Guards everywhere, 10 cameras on each lamppost, metal detectors, police vehicles cruising the perimeter...you'd think Mao himself was about to rise from the dead and wreak havoc on the Chinese again. Was the security like this before 1989 as well? It was both the most uneventful and potentially eventful place we visited.

Returning back in Beilun, we really felt more "at home" than ever before. After seeing some more of China, we appreciated where we live and the people in our town. There is a comfort in small towns (of 600,000 people) that you don't get in the big cities. Yes, we got our fill of ethnic foods and consumerism in Beijing and Xi'an, but there's something about the smile of taxi drivers who know your name that we can't find anywhere but in good old Beilun :)

Ho Ho Ho

Christmas in China...never thought I'd be starting out a Christmas card with those words :) My apologies for waiting so long between posts. A lot has been happening since early October and I guess we've just been too busy living it to take a second and write about it. So now that we're on Winter Break and have plenty of time...here goes my attempts at highlighting some of our life and adventures in China over the past few months.

Let's move backwards...we spent Christmas Eve trying to conjure up some Christmas spirit in Ningbo. The Chinese do put forth some great efforts to try and make it feel like the holidays, despite the fact that almost none of them celebrate Christmas and the Chinese New Year is still another month away. The hotel we stayed in last night had a huge Christmas tree, staff in Santa hats and "Silent Night" on repeat all night long. Of course we missed all the Christmas traditions of the U.S. and our families/friends, but hats off to the Chinese for making our holiday memorable...we had a gingerbread house, chocolate santa, cookies, hot tea and a card signed by the entire staff delivered to our room...and we had a beautiful view of the city to keep us company all night long. I guess if you think about it, it's like if American hotels were asked to decorate, prepare foods and celebrate Chinese New Year in Jan/Feb. I have a feeling we would not do half as good as the Chinese do at pretending we embody all that the festivities mean.

Earlier this month, the local government also had an "Overseas Experts Friendship Party" for all the expats in honorof the holidays. This video is of Adrienne and George whenthey were brought on stage for part of the traditional Mask ChangingPerformance. Very cool. I was also asked to do some drumming for a "hot potato" type game, there was some hand shadow art and plate spinning ceremonies to ring in the holidays :) The Chinese do know how to entertain!

The snow gods also blessed us with an unusual gift for Beilun...2 inches of white, powdery loveliness that caused school to be closed for a day! Fortunately, we were able to welcome this winter "el nino" with several friends over many, many drinks and proper celebrating. After we all called it a night, Erich and Travis snuck out to the school grounds and built this massive snow man to greet the staff/students when we returned. The guards werethoroughly entertained as they watched the guys use a cardboard box to pack the snow, find a plastic vacuum attachment for the nose, and "borrow" some ornaments from the school xmas tree for finishing touches. We will be lucky to see this much snow in Beilun again this year, so we cherished the sight and feel of "real" winter for a few days :)

Amidst the cool and sometimes rainy days of winter, we've also had some really beautiful, sunny days to explore the surrounding area. I would never have the courage to blindly ride bikes, hike, or take the bus to these places by myself...but with Erich and friends as my guides, we have uncovered some amazing spots around Beilun. We took an amazing and breath taking bike ride into the mountains one morning...riding along the lakes and bamboo forests outside of town. I snapped this photo as Erich and Tim took a break to help a local man move huge poles of bamboo down the street. This other photo is us in front of one of our favorite temples/pagodas that we've explored. It is so peaceful, quiet and has so much to see and think about there...definitely a great place to spend a few hours and relax.

We're constantly stumbling upon surprises as we walk the streets and chat with locals. Little bits of American pop culture sneak into our lives in ways that sometimes we don't realize how weird and out of place they are. Take for example this...as we meandered out of the grocery store towards our bikes awhile back, we both began to sing the words to a familiar song. "Hey Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine you blow my mind..." huh? Where the heck is that coming from? As we turned around, we were greeted by a lovely show of song and dance. Three Chinese girls in cheerleading uniforms adorned with pom poms were doing high kicks and "spirit fingers" on a stage in front of a small crowd. I have no clue what the purpose of the staged performance was...Selling bloomers? Chinese "So You Think You Can Dance"?...we will never know.

The world is full of mysteries and we are lucky to be uncovering so many of them here :) We miss and love you all...Merry Christmas and cheers to a peaceful New Year...