CHRISTMAS IS COMING IN CHINA.

Our Little Christmas Tree is all aglow with the spirit of Christmas in Jinan, China.


I started out showing you a picture of our Christmas tree, left by the previous English teachers here, the Beachely's. We will have a Chirstmas party with all the BYU English teachers on Christmas night at our apartment. White elephant gifts, food, Christmas carol singing, and some sort of dramatic program will liven up the night.

Perhaps I should explain the map that in the last post.

We live in Jinan. On Thanksgiving weekend, we went to Beijing. It took us 3 hours on the really fast (Bullet) train.

Then two weeks later we went over to the Yellow Sea -- ocean and to the city of Qingdao. Both places were beautiful.

In four weeks we will head down to Hong Kong. We might fly because it only costs $250. each and takes about 3 hours. If we were to take the fast sleeper train it will cost $95. each to Guangzhoa. That takes 22 hours. We then would have to go a little way to Shenzhen about $10. each. From Schenzhen we have to go over on a bus to Hong Kong. When the BYU conference is over with on the 18th of January, we will stay a few days longer and enjoy the sights and sounds of Hong Kong. We still have until February 10th before school starts again in Jinan.

I want to be have another adventure and visit Gullin. Then I propose that we go up to a small town called Zhanglia, where one of my graduate students lives. From there we would go to Shanghai for a few days and then back to Jinan. All this is possible except for one major problem. It is the Chinese New Years Holiday and every Chinese in the country is traveling home for the Holidays. Of course, I think everything is possible, and we always meet some really wonderful people along the way who seem to be there in our path, just to help us. We call them our guardian angels and tell them so after they rescue us from one or another daily peril. We sometimes wonder if our daughter, Tammy has been assigned to us, to watch over us and help us while we are far (7000 miles) from home in China. But as you look at the map you notice that we really are a long way from Jinan and perhaps a western toilet. Also, I don't think we know how to hitch hike here very well yet. We will see. But you have to admit it does sound like a great adventure, just to try that. We would have to spend a lot of time on the train with such a plan. But we also like reading books while we travel. That helps make time go by faster.

The Cities whose names are in red are where there are BYU English teachers. We hope to visit each of those cities before we return to the states in July. We will see...

I was so excited to start and tell you about our great trip of Qingdao, but I can't get the picture to add to the blog. So I guess Jay will have to do the blog on this trip. You can see our travel map of China. Our next trip will be in January to Hong Kong. I am looking forward to that experience.

Our trip to Qingdao was amazing and we would like to go back in the late spring so we can enjoy the ocean and the beach there.

It really is a beautiful place, but Jay will have to tell you more about it.

Dana

DEEP THOUGHTS BY DANA

WIGGED OUT...

Our trip to Beijing was wonderful. We have never been on a organized tour and it was really fun, especially since we went with all these amazing people that were from BYU training program.

When we got back it was time to do something new to the apartment. This is Jay at his desk. Before we left to Beijing I saw this really great painting of the ocean. It reminded me of
Hawaii, North Shore. I thought about it all the time we were gone and when we got back I ask Jay if we could get it. He said yes if I could get a good price. I am not sure if $43 is a good price but we got it and brought it home to put on the wall in front of his desk.


On Friday, tomorrow morning, we are leaving on another short trip. It is to Qing Dao. They had some of the Olympic water rowing sports there.
It is suppose to be really a beautiful place, where they also sell pearls. It is
right in the sea shore. It is also suppose to be cold there now. It should be fun though.

I have also included these current pictures of me. There is a reason for it. It has gotten cold here, and since we don't have a car to get to a place, we have to walk out side a lot. That means
I have to wear something on my head to keep warm. Well, I got these really great ear muffs that help till it gets really cold then I put on one of my white hats. They work really well but my hair looks really bad after a little while which means I never get to take off the hat when
I am out.












So today, Jay thought it was time to get a wig. He bought me one. So this is my new wig that you will probably see me in sometimes, at least until the weather gets warm again and I don't need to keep my head warm. So while we are on this trip to the ocean, I will be wearing it a lot. That way I won't have to worry about my hair and for warmth, it will be like having on two hats on. It is a new thing I am
trying. What do you think?

LOST WEIGHT. FEEL GOOD. I LOVE CHINA!

BEFORE AND AFTER PHOTOS.

At 260.

Having lost 30 pounds here in China in three months, I feel pretty good and have had to buy some new clothes. I feel really good and look forward to what the rest of the school year has in store... Losing an average of 10 pounds per month is probably too much, but I certainly know how to slow that down....if I want to.

Walking is so great. Who needs cars anyway?




First week in China. In San Francisco on the way to China the second time.

At dinner with another English Teaching couple, at Jenny's American Food Cafe in Jinan last week. Yes, we had lazagna and Casa Dea's.

Also, as you see, Christmas is coming in China.

KAREOKE NIGHT AT THE TEMPLE -- OF HEAVEN

THE TEMPLE OF HEAVEN, BEIJING, CHINA

Mother Land Songs:

On our trip to Beijing, on Sunday evening at the "TEMPLE OF HEAVEN", a wonderful tourist attraction in Beijing, we saw a marvelous celebration of Chinese Culture.

These people apparently love to sing and dance. They had gathered with their fellowmen and women to enjoy mutual fun and fellowship. They were singing songs of the Mother Land and otherwise trying to entertain the group with musical instruments, chinese folk songs and traditional dance.

They were entertaining others....kind of like an open mike night in Austin, or Kareoke night. We saw choirs of men all singing loudly while all trying to push and shove toward the front and center of the group. They seemed to be singing old Military, Country and/or Patriotic, heart felt songs. Some were feeling really good, clearly a few french fries short of a happy meal however.

One of these men called me over and indicated that he really liked my new fur hat. However, he kept trying to straighten my red star so the point stayed straight upward.

These are short videos or singing and dancing samples, posted for your cultural information and entertainment.

One singer was trying to hit the high notes of the chinese folk song and well, she simply choked!

If you want to learn these songs, simply sing along until you know the words...