I have a Super Good Hood of MIghtiness!

No this isn't equipment for a role playing game. Sometimes the best things are right under your nose and you don't realize it. Over the last year, we shared some entertaining signs here in China. But on the first day of school, I looked closely at the hood in our college apartment. Lo and behold:



Please don't push the 'weak' button.

I have only 3 classes so far. I teach Monday, Thursday and Friday. Probably English Corner and more classes will be added. One of my classes is the same as last year. It's fun to have the same kids but I'll have to work a little harder planning since I can't just recycle lesson plans.

It was crazy the first day. These pictures are of the basketball courts. Students were still arriving. The dean of my department told me proudly that we have 8,000 NEW students. When I started here, there were about 10,000 TOTAL.




The army truck is for Freshman who leave for military training for 3 weeks, boys and girls, mandatory.

The Youth Hostel

China has been incredibly fun since we got here. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop after such a hard year last year. I think we just get the gist of things now. I have no doubt there will be trials, but life is feeling a bit more normal. So much so I need to make sure I jot down the things that ARE different.
The other day when I was at the bus stop I saw a scooter go by with live chickens tied in a rainbow across the seat all the way to about 2 inches from the ground. I went back to the Muslim butcher to buy some chicken and had to giggle. Xiao Zhang and I went to the large market together, and before we left I showed her video of how Americans chop up a chicken so she could tell the butcher. Remember the Chinese start at the head and just chop all the way down to the feet. Of course when we got to the butcher and Xiao Zhang told them how I wanted it cut, they laughed for the full 10 minutes while we waited.
Another woman came up while we were waiting and asked the shopkeeper for another bag because she dropped her noodles in the mud. Yuck right? Well the shop keeper was happy to give her a new bag. She set the new bag on top of the chicken guts while she put the old one in, and then the woman took off with the new chicken gut covered bag as happy as can be. ??
Today Jeff and I ventured down town and explored a new part of town. We ended up spending quite a bit of time at the Hump Youth Hostel. Yep! That's right. Apparently it has to do with Yunnan being right at the foot of the Himalayas. ?? You never quite know what to think about the English in China.
Speaking of which I will be teaching a workshop next week for teachers teaching English. I had a long meeting yesterday with the staff I will be working with and then to lunch and it was awesome. Being with the Chinese speaking English and Chinese is my absolute favorite part of being in China! I am so thrilled to be working so closely with Chinese this year.

Lotus in Bloom

Today was a fun day. A friend of ours asked Jeff and I to judge their "state fair". What a hoot. She is from Nebraska.......... So for entertainment we went to Da Guan Park where there are rides. You can't have a state fair without rides right? I cut out and photographed and sat among the lotus for a good hour.
I would have to say the lotus is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It is truly a miracle.
Life is picking up tremendously for me since I am not homeschooling this year! Yippee! I will be teaching four days at a private English school and mentoring/training staff. I am really looking forward to it. I am going to have to............. work. Work harder than I thought ;)
Savana and I will head down to Wenshan in a couple of weeks. Things are coming together for her nicely. I can't wait to see where she will be working. We met her roommate last week, and she is awesome!
I also start language back up next week. I am ready. My Chinese is rusty. It has been wonderful to see our househelper Xiao Zhang again, I really missed her. She had an unfortunate accident over the summer. Her daughter jumped on her back while she was eating a bowl of rice, and her face was smashed into the bowl on a table. Her mouth was cut badly and some of her teeth broken. We are working with the International Clinic to get her some help. Please keep her in your thoughts. She is in a tremendous amount of pain.
Blessings!

Scene from The French Cafe

Last night we had dinner at home and decided to go out on a date for dessert. We went to the "French Cafe."

I ordered an ice cream sundae which was quite good. Bobbie ordered...something. It looked like a white torte with a chocolate layer beneath and chocolate swirls on top. Sounds good, right?

After a couple of bites her face twisted a bit and she said, "What is that taste?"

Pause...."Liqueur?" she wondered.

Another small bite and pause..."It tastes like liqueur...hot dog liqueur."

She decided not to keep eating it. Probably writing this out doesn't give it justice but I laughed so hard I was getting worried that people we're staring at us (more than usual).

After our 'dessert' we walked to Green Lake Park and all of the lotus is in bloom. It's almost like Fall is Spring here because most of the rain falls in the summer. Everything is green, lush and blooming. We sat in front of the Green Lake Hotel and watched the sun set over the lake and the lotus. It was gorgeous, fun and peaceful. But we forgot the camera! Bobbie is taking a dear friend back to see the lotus. She's been here longer than us but has never seen this. Photos to follow.

Coming back is so different than last year. I am seeing so much more of the everyday beauty, joy and humor that I missed last year due to being in 'survival mode,' culture shock and a job I'd never done before. We are really excited about this year.

It's good to be back.

Swing rules posted below if you would like to keep reading. Click on it for a large view.

Kunming Sunrise

So jet lag has it's advantages...... waking up the last two mornings at 3:00am and 5:00am has allowed us to see some amazing sunrises.

What a difference returning to China after our first landing a year ago. It is awesome! I almost have to laugh when I think about all that we didn't know or weren't able to handle ourselves the first time around. I am currently reading a book a friend gave me on the way to the airport "Screams in the Desert!" About a woman's experience moving with her husband and young children to an arab country. The title says it all! We are so much more at ease, it is truly wonderful.
I find that I am able to experience and enjoy so much more, because I am not wound so tight or so unsure about what to do. Of course we still have so much to learn and adjust to, but it is a "bit" more familiar. It feels like we are easing in this time. Just cold showers since we arrived..... but, hey! It's not nearly as cold as the Smith River we were swimming in last week.
We happened to arrive during the Torch Festival and Ghost Day. I will share the links so you can read about them if you like. The pictures are of the burning and kao taoing outside our windows.

Ghost Day:
http://www.religionfacts.com/chinese_religion/holidays/ghost_festival.htm

Torch Festival: (this is a travel site, but it describes the holiday well)
http://www.royallighttravel.com/china_3.asp?idd=128&id=66&imgid=78

Summer Time Fun. We have made it safely back to Kunming! PTL

Pic: The Redwoods and the Smith River with friends! We are back home..... Kunming! And how wonderful it is! It was so amazing to see so many friends and family in the states! A few pics to follow our whirlwind summer in California. We will be journaling again if you would like to follow our next school year in China.
Savana's graduation and Lexi's birthday in Santa Maria with grandparents, family and friends!
One fun thing, was getting our family pictures done by Jeff's stepsister.

San Francisco with my dad!
Yosemite Valley with friends
Bridal Veil
Riding in Mariposa