The Best Christmas Party Ever

Merry Christmas! We are missing family, friends and America, especially during the holidays. But we had such a great opportunity last week. Bobbie teaches (and I sometimes help) at two different schools run by the same man. He has a heart to share the truth with local children while helping to improve their English.

The school(s) put on a Christmas party for the children and their families and it was amazing! It started with party hats and ‘horns.’ Actually, at first, I thought I was going to go mad. 75 of these horns being blown at once in a 20’ x 70’ room almost killed me! But of course, the kids loved it.

Bobbie gave a powerpoint presentation on Christmas traditions and symbols and on the true meaning of Christmas. It was very moving. It reminded me of Isaiah 55: 10-11

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Wyatt, Lexi and some of their friends did some skits, songs and even magic tricks. A group from Australia led some more Christmas songs and some of the students performed. This is one of Bobbie’s students, John, playing flute. He rocked!

There was a gift exchange and the joy and excitement in the room was palpable as Christmas gifts always are for kids.

It finished with a big feast. There were probably over 150 people and I don’t know how many families.

Our friend and my student Wendy, who we talked about before, also works at the school. Towards the end, she asked if I liked the party. I told her it may be the best Christmas party I’d ever been to. “Really? Why?”

I told her that to me Christmas is really about two things: happy children and the story of J.C. coming to earth and this party did an excellent job of achieving both those things.

Some more pictures:

Floating down the Li River

The foreign teacher staff at Jeff's college
Fishing the Li River


Even the birds fish

Water Buffalo
Grazing on the Li River


Now I understand why they call them water buffalo! So cool. Yes, we are ashamed that it has been almost a month since we have blogged. The time has flown by! Jeff finished finals this past week and his last class will be Friday. Then he has 2 months off! Crazy I know. Savana came home again today, and will be here until mid February. Between Christmas, New Years and Chinese New Year there is a lot of down time.
I have 2 weeks off with the kids for Christmas, except for 2 evening classes. Tomorrow we are presenting the Christmas story to 100-150 people. Jeff and I are doing a power point and the kids are going to sing, do a skit and some magic tricks! It is seriously going to be insane! Hope to post pictures.
We are so thrilled to have our little family together this Christmas. We are counting our blessings and wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Culture Shock Experience After One Year in China

We find it interesting after looking at our stats for our blog that our highest hits come from Israel. Over 200 weekly. It seems there is a lot of interest in culture shock. If you would like us to share more about our personal experience with culture shock, please let us know. We would also love to hear from those in Israel and what information they are looking for.

One battle we all face as foreigners in China is anger. We hear more and more both in country and out how foreigners living in China struggle with anger, sometimes even rage. We have heard story after story about incidents where expats loose their temper in what seems to be a fairly mild situation.

We find ourselves struggling with anger issues too. It is really strange to me since for the most part China is such a peaceful environment and the Chinese value harmony and unity. I think that personally it may have to do with the everyday grind of a culture that is so entirely different from my own. It wears on you. We seem to constantly look for something familiar to give our overloaded senses a rest. The language bombarding your ears 24 hours a day, the strange food, the dirty streets, the spitting and bathroom habits right in the streets seem to get to you.

You expect that after living in this environment for over a year, you would have adjusted. Yet, it doesn't seem so. I know for me personally one of the stress points for me is taking a taxi; which I have to do often. I never know if the driver will understand my Mandarin or how he will react to me. For the most part the drivers are very friendly and cooperative. But, a friendly cooperative driver can also prove to be a problem. The more friendly they are the more they want to talk! And this is a stress-er. One reason being I am learning Mandarin not the local dialect, and most drivers only speak Kunminghua the local dialect.

But, we press on! We want to be here and we want to figure this out. We want to understand more about this culture and the wonderful people. We are after all not Chinese and these things take time, even years.

Kunming West Mountains

We parked at this beautiful temple and then walked a good hour up the mountain side into the local villages

Linda on the left and Zoe on the right




Leaving the temple grounds

Walking up the mountain side trails


It is not uncommon to see the local farmers carrying large loads to take to market


If we haven't already mentioned it, Yunnan is famous for it's mushrooms. Yunnan ships it's mushrooms all around the world. They are sought after buy some of the top restaurants. Our family love the mushrooms here! The Chinese are not put off by poisonous mushrooms; they know how to prepare them so they are safe to eat.

Walking into one of the local organic farms
The garden

There are many vegetables all scrambled together. There is not necessarily any rhyme or reason to the planting.

White carrots!

The restaurant

She is preparing the vegetables we picked for our dinner

We played a little ping pong......
and sang a few songs!


Lexi and I have two very good friends who are mother and daughter; Linda and Zoe, who also happen to be our neighbors. They are so sweet and so fun to spend time with. Not long ago they took us hiking up into the West Mountains. It was beautiful and wonderful to be out in nature. One of my favorite things is hiking, but I don't get to much in China.
Many Chinese are very concerned about the quality of Chinese food. There have been several reports about the products such as oil, soya sauce etc, that have unthinkable ingredients to lower the cost of production. Fertilizer and other treatments are also in question. I have heard from several of my Chinese friends how distressed they are, and scared to eat! It gives you a whole new perspective on the food and drug administration.
One of Zoe's favorite things to do is to hike up into the mountains and pick her own food at local farms and villages who then cook it up for you right there! It is the Chinese "organic" experience. They feel it is much healthier and safer. Yet, the whole trip takes about 5 hours to get a meal!

Happy Thanksgiving From China!

Wow! Has it really been 3 weeks since we blogged? Crazy. I would have to say the Beauty and the Beast play at the kids school did us in on top of our regular schedule. After all the shows ended and helping host the cast party I went back to work on a Monday; I was so tired I fell into a deep sleep on the bus!

I was so out of it, when we arrived at the last destination the entire bus emptied out and was reloading, when several people tried to wake me up to get me off the bus! I guess I am becoming more comfortable in China............. maybe too comfortable.

I think we are somewhat recovered and now into another busy stretch. With Thanksgiving coming up, I will be putting on 5 power point presentations for my students and their parents. It is an excellent time to share about who and why we are thankful.

Next week I will also be teaching a new class to Korean and Chinese moms. I am looking forward to deepening relationships with these women and the topics we will be discussing. It seems opportunities are never ending now. Our hope is for energy and stamina to keep talking and building relationships!

The kids had a great time in Beauty and the Beast. It really had such an amazing story of redemption! With songs I had never heard before and deeper understanding of the story line, it was really very moving. Several people were even crying! I think what hit me the most, was how so many of us feel like monsters, and we desperately want forgiveness.

We took two Chinese neighbors 3 times! They absolutely loved it. They provide subtitles in Chinese, so it was fun to take friends.

Wyatt just returned from Shangri La where he went camping with Boy Scouts for 4 days. He really enjoyed it, and had some very interesting stories to tell. They built a very nice play ground for a school there. What a crazy experience and different perspective this boy is getting through Boy Scouts in China.

Many blessings to all of our family and friends. We are truly so grateful for you! Feel the love!

Happy Happy Thanksgiving! We have so much to be Thankful for~

Visit to a Tea Plantation

The interesting thing about Chinese tea, is that all the different kinds of tea come from the same crop. The difference between green tea, red tea, oolong, etc. is when they pick it and whether it is fermented or not. So interesting!
They poor high because this allows oxidation...... and it's really cool looking! The Chinese make a beautiful art and ceremony over making, pouring and drinking tea.
One of the Chinese sayings is to "cha" or to tea. When they drink they imagine the tea searching for impurities in the body and allow it to flush the system.
The girls and I will often comment that we are "cha-ing"!


This bowl is incredibly hot to dry the tea leaves. And they do it bare handed!
Rolling the moisture out of the leaves.


Edward! Such a cutie.
Caro, who Savana has become very close to.
Beautiful