just four weeks ago we were finishing up our last days before may break.  although spring break had just been three weeks before, we were still all really ready to get out of here!  the pollution had been bad, it was still cold and on and on ... 

 

we finished school on friday, went for a beer at the pommie and then out with friends for a little bit.  the following day i was up and at em trying to get packed for thailand.  kim, kendra and i flew out later that night around 10 pm for bangkok.  we arrived around 4 in the morning, bargained for a taxi and went straight to the hotel.  we had told the hotel we would be very late but we arrived even later than expected as our flight had been delayed.  they had given our room away!  back in a taxi and on to the next place - even though it was pretty nasty we were exhausted and slept easy. 

 

the next morning we awoke to blue skies, warm weather and BANGKOK!!!  we immediately went back to the other hotel because it was on Kosan St. full of hostels, bars, and backpackers from literally all over the world.  it is a pedestrian street and if you ever travel to bangkok i highly recommend the buddy lodge.  splurge for the best room - cheaper than a super 8 in the states but nicer than the holiday inn.  we had our own patio, beds for three and a pool on the roof.  stepping out of the hotel was a street full of people, pad thai vendors, fruit stands everywhere selling mango and pineapple and all the shopping anyone could ever want to do.

 

we spent the next four days following a strict daily schedule.  1.  sleep in  2.  go to breakfast  3.  go to pool  4.  do something cultural (the grand palace, temples, Chatachuk market, spa, river cruise, walking the many streets and side streets, shopping)  5.  nap  6.  shower and get ready for dinner  7.  bed

 

we were quite happy with our schedule.  all three of us just fell in love with bangkok.  it is gorgeous - tropical - and the food is unbelievable.  it seemed so easy going compared to beijing.  on the third day we all agreed that something was missing but couldn't seem to figure out what it was.  i know now that what we were missing was culture shock.  bangkok seemed quite easy after so many months living in asia.  the characters and language of course are different, the food is different, new atmosphere and way of live, but still asia and no culture shock.  maybe we are becoming world travelers after all... ;-) 

 

on the last day we took a tuk tuk (open air motor taxi) home the long way through china town.  we all perked up - it's funny to feel comfortable and at ease at the sight of a few chinese characters and red decorations in all the windows.  at 10 pm that night we left for the airport for a 1 am flight - don't think us irresponsible - we knew the flight would get us to work on time by 8 am the next day and we were right.  jerry (my favorite driver) was at the airport and he took us straight away to school.  no worries - a couple cups of coffee and a few math classes later i was on my way home for a nap with a tan and a new summer wardrobe in my bags.

 

i highly recommend thailand to anyone who ever has the chance to go.  i will be back next year and more if possible!

 

the following week frank (a fellow teacher) and i were on our way home from school.  it was one of the first really nice, warm days of spring (a little too late if you ask me) and he suggested going to the lake instead of home.  you don't have to twist my arm for these things and soon his wife and other friends met us.  we spent a lovely afternoon in the sun and on the way home when i went to pay for the taxi, i realized my wallet was gone. i paniced and rushed home to cancel all of the cards inside.

 

two days later i received a phone call from bju - the local expat hospital here in beijing.  two weeks ago i was taking a sip of my drink at a restaurant when a man bumped my elbow and cracked my left front tooth.  the whole bottom part cracked off and i was walking around for two days like a serious rugby player.  i scheduled an appointment with a wonderful dentist at bju (going to the dentist in china is a whole other story i can tell you about later if you want to hear...) and she fixed me right up.  anyways, i had left my wallet in the first taxi of the day at the lake - he had turned it into the police station - and they had found my receipt from the hospital, contacted them and they had contacted me!  funny how these things all work out.

 

so i left school that afternoon with kris to go get my wallet from the police station.  i had been told that no one there would speak english which turned out to not be entirely true - two gentlemen told us good morning as we entered.  they then snickered and pointed to two chairs by the window.  we sat down but i didn't think they knew who we were so i got up to try to explain - immediately they pointed back to the chairs.  ok.  out came the captain (or boss of some type) with a wallet stapled in a brown envelope.  he motioned us over and slowly undid the envelope.  he then started to take things out one by one and slammed them on the counter.  each time he would take something out he would look at it, look at me, shrug his shoulders and then say God only knows what.  the other six police in the station would laugh hysterically and then he would go for the next thing.  i was actually enjoying myself and i asked kris if she thought i was getting some type of public scolding.  she said she was pretty sure of it and asked me to look sorry.  i was probalby getting insulted left and right but when you understand absolutely nothing it just doesn't have the same effect.  i just kept smiling and once everything had been taken out (including my sc drivers license, copy of my passport and all of my money) the captain pushed everything over to the side of the counter for me to put away.  he shook his head, shot me a smile and left the room.  although there were no smoking signs everywhere several of the men were smoking and offered kris and i one.  no thanks - i'm getting out of here!

 

hopefully that's my only trip to the beijing police but at least it's good to know the taxi drivers are honest - and i hope in some way rewarded!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

over a month ago now (where did that month go?) spring break arrived and mama and mrs. betty along with it.  i left on the monday of break for the airport.  i had been very specific about their entry into china.  the airport is typically very crowded, there are several forms to fill out at a few different places and customs can take ages.  it is hard to find a cart and there is no one there to help with baggage so i had encouraged them to pack light.  i waited with anticipation for them to emerge from the luggage room and finally they did... but with no bags!  they came smiling down the walkway - so happy - and i asked them immediately where there things were.  mama replied - oh he has it. here came a sweet chinese man with their things.   they had made a friend already in china and found someone to bring their bags for them.  this was only the beginning of days and days of stories! 

 

we flew out the next afternoon for the yangtze river cruise which proved to be not only relaxing but informative and more than a little sad as well.  i'll tell you all about it when i get home but basically a lot of people are losing homes that their families have lived in for up to seven generations.  in the afternoons we drove through these villages and everything has been taken from the homes - including the front doors - to the new apartment buildings that the government has built for them to move into.  we met a lot of nice people on the cruise and enjoyed four days of just catching up with each other. 

 

when we returned to beijing we had a whirlwind ten days of shopping, touring, dinners, friends, seeing schools and tons else.  we visited a small school in the village by isb and then went to a boarding school nearby where parents can begin boarding their children at age two!  i enjoyed showing mama and betty ann off at my own school where friends i have had since day one here were so excited to meet them.  i threw a small party for them one sunday afternoon where over 40 of my friends stopped by to say hello.  and the best night - they spent all afternoon cooking fried chicken, mac and cheese, green beans, cucumber salad, potato salad, deviled eggs, crab dip and a birthday cake for me and my closest friends!

 

these two got pretty good at bargaining in the markets and even surprised xiao wei (local tour guide and friend) with their prices!  he was quite impressed.  and they enjoyed leftovers from the dinner with xiao wei on top of the great wall.  they have now hiked more of the wall than me!!!

 

the two weeks passed too quickly and before i knew it we were back at the airport.  it was sooooo hard to say goodbye after they had been here and we had such a good time.  my kitchen looked like mamas had been here - my apartment had been full of people - i had a great time and now it was ending all too quickly.  even though i knew i would be going home in just two and a half months - that seemed way too long.  i kept reminding myself that spring would be here soon and another break in may not too far behind.

 

but i woke up the next morning to cold weather and my first beijing dust storm.  there was literally a half inch of dirt covering everything - little did i know that was the beginning of many and warm weather was still over a month away!  since then i have traveled to bangkok - will write about that this week - spent more time getting ready for our first gig this week - and now only five weeks until my first year in beijing is done!  i can't believe how fast this first year has gone.  i will be seeing ya'll soon and in the meantime... ask mama about the hookah! 

it's 1:30 pm, monday afternoon, the first day of spring break, and mama and betty ann will be landing in approximately two hours here in beijing.  i am soooooooo excited!  i have a full two weeks planned for them but there is so much to see and do and i want them to see it all!

 

the last weeks here have been eventful.  awhile ago i walked into the popular expat grocery across the street called april gourmet.  the second i walked in one of the cashier girls came running up to me "yellow carrot, yellow carrot" - i had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.  she grabbed my arm and walked me over to the vegetables. 

 

one of the many services of this grocery is that you can call and order groceries for delivery.  i'm not sure if she had gotten confused with the order or something called a yellow carrot really exists but i wasn't much help.  i showed her orange carrots, yellow peppers, bananas???  the only westerner around i offered to call the lady who had ordered the groceries but as i didn't know how to make my offer in chinese, still wasn't much help. 

 

but these experiences are always good for a laugh.  and we still laugh everytime i go in for milk or whatever.  and still i've seen no yellow carrots - but if you know what one is - let me know and i will take one to her!

 

two weeks ago karen, the bass player in a girl teacher band called principle of yin, asked if i would like to join as rhythm guitarist.  theirs had quit and they were looking for someone.  sure!  i explained it had been a long time since i had played but that i knew a good number of chords and would be willing to try.  as the band is made up of beginning musicians i thought it sounded like fun.  the first practice went well but at the end of it karen asked me to tell her about the band i had been in in college.  i've never been in any band i said and everyone looked up.  oh she said - i must have had you mixed up with someone else!  :)  i think they asked the wrong person but it has been for the bestf.  i had forgotten how much i love playing music.  we have a gig on may 13 at some outdoor festival and we are working on seven different songs for the big debut.  we will have a picture made soon which of course will be posted here for your viewing pleasure.  ;-) 

 

the following saturday, anke our drummer and her husband took me down to instrument street so i could buy a used guitar and amp.  it was fun going from shop to shop, bargaining for instruments and supplies and i finally found MY guitar - and i love it.  the owner threw in some pics, a new set of strings and a bag for free and i have been practicing a lot ever since.  they have lots of violins for sell there too so you never know...

 

later that afternoon my friend ashley flew into beijing.  ashley was a good friend of kristin's when she lived in new york and we would always hang out when i went to visit.  a fellow southerner, ashley is originally from charleston.  she has been in hong kong for six weeks and stopped by beijing for three days before going back to the big apple.  it was so good to see her!  we had a full three days of dinners at the red rose and peking duck, a trip to the great wall, and of course massage.  she will be back on business again in the fall and i hope she will be able to come back - and kristin you need to come with her!  :)

 

hope all is well - i will post more pictures soon - going soon to get mama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

so, i have now been back in beijing for almost a week now and i have completely recovered from jet lag.  well, almost... 

 

three weeks in beaufort just wasn't quite enough.  i arrived very late on a friday mid-december and spent my entire first week sleeping and eating.  literally.  i was asleep every night by 7 or 8, awake by 6 am in time to have breakfast with my parents (they cooked breakfast - every morning!) spend some time reading, checking emails, do a little shopping for things i can't find in china and time for a nap!  dinner with the family and ready for bed again.  i slept more in my first week back in beaufort than i think i slept my entire first semester here in beijing.  but the sleep was sweet and much needed.  christmas day came and it was so nice to be in church with my family that day and then lunch, presents, nap :-), went to watch sam kick, dinner and an all around perfect day.

 

after christmas, i spent more quality time with my family and friends.  we had a back yard oyster roast one night with premium oysters, chili and frogmore stew - nice fire and good friends.  i got to see the beaufort high lady eagles play and enjoyed a nice visit with angelica the next day.  it was so good to see all my friends from beaufort high - i miss working with them. 

 

i took in some good ole american movies and spent as much time with my nephews as i could.  jaxon is completely amazing - i enjoy one on one time with him as he is as cool as any of my friends could ever be.  :-) miles is as precious as ever captivating you immediately with those big blue eyes and braydon - well, you just fall in love with him at first sight!  i couldn't get enough of them. 

 

my siblings aren't doing bad either.  jim and shay are doing good.  liesle is still enjoying her big business on bay street at the barbershop, laura is having fun being mama and sam is gorgeous as always.  he made the all area team for football and i am sooooooo proud of him!  i got to see him kick on christmas day and even though i loved the moment it made me a little sad to think of all those games i've missed.  i got to visit with mama and daddy lots and i am so thankful for all the support they have given me in this endeavor.

 

all too soon i was on a plane back to beijing and after my fair share of tears at the charleston airport i felt somewhat ready to get back.  that feeling stayed with me on the plane as i wrote my reports for students for report cards on my lap top all the way to beijing.  there were some college students on the plane coming for a semester abroad and i could relate to the anticipation in their eyes.  i had fun sharing stories and giving advice of what (and especially what not) to try.  i was excited to see everyone again and happy to be back in china - until i got off the plane.  and then all of a sudden i was back in dusty smoky spicy overwhelming china.  but as all things are a learning experience i now know that coming back just takes some time to adjust.  i felt it in october and here again after christmas.  somehow my bed got much harder over the break and none of my clothes fit.  who has been changing things in my apartment?  ;-)

 

alicia had been on the same flight as me and we immediately dropped our stuff off, showered, and then went for sezchuan and massage.  i slept perfectly through that night and woke up thinking well, there's nothing to this - i don't have one bit of jet lag.  i made it energetically through my first day back at school and through practice.  that night i went to frank and emily's for dinner and felt good until i ate.  and then i hit my brick wall.  i always look forward to the good food and company on monday's but on this particular night and i had to eat and run.  i made it home as quickly as i could and hopped right into bed - i didn't even take my coat off! 

 

i was up by 4 am the next morning and the rest of my week was pretty much just that.  making it through every bit of the day that had to be done before i could come home and crash.  and i realized that sometimes jet lag isn't such a bad thing.  i have been wide awake for school every day this week and i am so tired by the end of the day that i don't have too much time to think about how much i miss and love my family.  and i miss and love them much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

after practice on friday i went to dinner at a mexican place with kim, frank and emily and later barry met us at a place called the goose and duck.  now this is where you go if you are homesick.  it is a traditional irish bar but everything about it screams america - including the clientale.  saturday morning i had practice and then i met carey and barry at the big flower market.  much to my delight my first purchase was an orange tree.  yep, that's right - an orange tree.  china has these great mini-oranges, smaller than a mandarine.  and the tree is small as well, not quite as tall as me.  i was so excited as i remember all those florida orange trees from my childhood.  i bargained to a better price than i was expecting and wandered on to see what else i could find.  a few purchases later i came back to have my tree delivered.  when i told barry how cheap i had gotten the tree he asked me if i had tried one yet.   well, no i haven't.  he plucked one and began peeling.  as he was peeling the orange the vendors in the market all started watching.  they were even tapping shoulders of others to get them to turn and watch.  this isn't looking good i was thinking but too late now.  barry took one bite and all the people started laughing and saying "sour, sour" these things are more sour than a lemon!  you didn't tell me that before i bought it i said and they were laughing more.  can i trade it... no!  how can fruit that looks so much alike taste so different.  these people make me laugh.  and i make them laugh so i guess it all works out.  but i must say i love my new tree, sour or not, and i was thinking through the whole thing, it's ok to be back here.  good ole china - i feel good with it.

 

we walked our plants outside to a little white mini-van and one of the laughers drove us home with our new plants.  afterwards barry and i went to lunch at a restaurant where the specialty was silk worm among other things.  we settled for hot pot and then went to an antique furniture market.  i bought a cool kitchen table with chairs as i feel more like nesting now and i am quite happy with my new purchase. 

 

tonight i went for dinner with ghasson and jennifer, kris and barry and some more friends.  as ghasson is italian and we were in an italian restaurant we were given no menus.  he told the chef to bring us his best things and that is what we got.  another great meal.  ghasson keeps promising us he is going to take us all to tuscany and you all know i will be the first to commit to that!  i still think i may end up in italy one day.

 

so that is all for now - i am feeling much better about being back and am looking forward to a weekend in shanghai in just 5 days!  i will write again when i get back.  hope all is well, take care and i am missing all of you already!!!