Nice surprise!

While Alice was in Kunming, she noticed street vendors with buckets of roses that were cheap-- REALLY cheap ($1.50 for a dozen roses).

Knowing that I absolutely LOVE flowers, she wished she could bring some home,

but with a plane flight, that might not work so well.

 At the airport the prices were just a bit higher ($3 for 20 roses) and the vendor packaged the roses in a box so they could go as checked luggage.  

(Thank you Air China for allowing more than one checked bag.)

After the flight when it came time to pick up the luggage in Beijing, there came the roses' box on the carousel.  The box was crushed and broken (we all know how luggage-handlers treat "fragile" things) but the roses looked fine--they made it!  TWO bunches, yellow and pink.  

It was like Mother's day all over.

Thank you Alice!!

Sleepover on the Great Wall

Sometimes, I stop what I'm doing and think, "wow! We ARE in China!"

As we've lived here now for about 10 months, daily life isn't much different from

what it was in Iowa.  To be sure, running errands is a bit different--having to arrange a

time with the driver instead of just hopping in the car and running to Walmart.  But I'm used to it now and it seems almost normal.  It's beginning to seem normal to plop down $50-worth of Chinese money for 3 boxes of cereal, some cheese and a carton of sour cream.

It's beginning to seem normal to be able to leave the apartment for my Chinese lesson or to go do something with my friends and leave the ayi folding laundry or washing the windows.

(Or to sit here at the computer while she does the breakfast dishes.  Nice!)

But then, something very unique comes up,

like the invitation from the Christian Fellowship (the non-denominational congregation

that is associated with the school) for the high school students to have a 

sleepover on the Great Wall.

 A chartered bus transported them the two-hour drive to Jixian. 

 The only problem?  There was a forecast of rain

so I had purchased plastic shower curtains to go around their sleeping bags, (especially to

keep them clean from the "China black grime").

But the group ended up sleeping in the guard towers, out of the rain completely. 

The next day was spent exploring the Wall, the nearby town, and

"affirming" the seniors in the group (hence the reason for the church's involvement).  

That basically meant the group (about 25 total), 

took time to tell about the good things they've noticed about a particular person.

 So yes, we are in China!  And yes, we are having marvelous experiences!

Off to Guizhou went Ellie...

It's always interesting seeing a new place through another's eyes.  

What did they think was worthy of a picture? 

On their first day in Guizhou, Ellie's senior class visited a Chinese

high school, supposedly to talk to and help the students with their English.

In her own words, "If I had 5 kuai for every time someone wanted to take my picture, I'd be rich!"

 It's been a phenomenon that strokes the ego... "Excuse me, could I take your picture?"

It's happened even to the older ones in our family (and I didn't even have to pay them to say that!),

but it happens most to our blonde daughters. 

It's been mentioned more than once that it will be missed once we move back to the U.S.

Then we'll just have the memories of being unique and beautiful.

While Alice visited an area that is unusually dry and sunny this year, (and hence the sunburn);

Ellie's area was unusually rainy.  

 Apparently good luck comes if you throw money on the floating turtle rafts.

 And Alice wasn't the only one to try new exotic foods.  This area had lots of

fish and such--squid, crayfish, etc.

Make your selection and the street vendor fries it in oil

 Oh, yeah.  And little crabs.  We're becoming more used to eating "street food".  

As long as it is cooked, it's okay.  And quite tasty.  But don't add in any lettuce or other uncooked things or you might be making a close, long, acquaintance with a toilet.  And western toilets

aren't very common (sometimes available at McDonalds).  Otherwise, you

get to use what we fondly call a squatty potty.

 But western civilization is encroaching everywhere!  Just look!  Ice cream!!

Even the flavored, soft-serve variety (notice the sign above).

Or Ellie's decadent-looking cone, (below).

 This area is known for the flowers, and for a dollar or two, you can have a fresh-flower

crown.  But having one of Ellie's Korean classmates model it is even better.

(And every picture with the Koreans has a peace sign, or a "live long and prosper" sign.

Point a camera and it's automatic!)

 Did I mention that it was rainy?  And cloudy?

The seniors traveled several hours by bus, then hiked up into the mountains, before taking a

tram up to the top.  And once they got there, what did they see?  A stunning vista?

 Hardly.  Ellie has a picture of the view--solid gray.

 Still, the area was interesting, and many signs proclaimed their

pride in the fact that it was part of the inspiration for the movie "Avatar" (with the blue people).

 Ellie had a good time.  She came home with some fun clothes from local tradesmen and a woven blanket.  But the best part of course, are the friendships made.

Returning to the U.S. in 3 weeks as she prepares for college will definitely be bitter-sweet for her!

Alice's Spring Trip to Kunming, China

For a year now, we've heard about "spring trips", and it was one of the reasons we 

chose Tianjin Int. School.  Each grade level takes a different trip:  the freshmen always

go to Kunming.  The seniors always go to Guizhuo.  

And for 9 days, Kevin and I got to be empty-nesters.

The cost of the trip is part of their tuition, which is paid by the company.

All we had to do was send along some money for souvenirs.

Alice's class (the freshmen) flew to Kunming in southwestern China.

Their group did a LOT of hiking.  They stayed in youth hostels.

They ate local food.  (And that got interesting!)

 They got a boat ride across a shallow lake, propelled by "poling".

Everyone wants a water buffalo... but if it's very muddy, maybe no one wants to really

touch it--except it loved having its head rubbed. 

 I got a text one evening--"Just finished a scary hike.  I love the mountains!"

A mom likes to receive those kinds of messages, especially after the scary part

is over and all is well.

Tiger Leaping Gorge.  One false step and there was no way back up. 

 Kevin and I have decided we really need to go see this place.

Before the hat was purchased,

the sunburn was well under way.

The group had several bus rides to different localities, along with over-night train rides.

Plane, train, bus, and foot!

 Rice paddies and terracing for tobacco plants (with plastic to protect the new plants).

 And more hiking.  

 Alice determined to be adventurous in trying all the local foods.  And she did it!

The chicken foot is basically chewed on, then you spit the bones out.

The dried lizards were crunchy.  

The group also did a day of service at an orphanage,

 and attended a Christian church service with a minority group, the Miao's.

The only other text I got all week:  "We had church for 3 hours, all in Chinese.  The music was really beautiful."

 The women have long hair that is put in a bun on top of their head to show 

they are married.

 But the joy on the face of a toddler, when being entertained, is universal.

 (not a real elephant)

The view from the hostel they stayed in.

So now the spring trip is over and done, and next May is a long time away.

But the memories will last a lifetime.

Gardening Fever

The weather in our part of China does an amazing change from winter to summer in

April.  Suddenly blossoms pop out of all kinds of trees, and 

it's time to go to the gardening store.  That's done a little differently here.

First, I needed some containers, and ceramics aren't expensive here

so we went to a vendor that has been fair in the past.

Her shop is just one small section of the building.  If I see a pot in the next aisle

that I like, I have to deal with a different vendor.  And of course, there are 

no listed prices, so you have to ask the price for each piece.  And then ask for the "friend" price.

We had a woman with us who is from Singapore, but of Chinese heritage, and suddenly the prices of everything were about half of what they were when we were just Americans (who are all "rich" and therefore should be charged more than regular Chinese.  I would agree that most Americans are better off than most Chinese, and I don't mind paying a little extra, 

but it never feels good to feel "taken"). 

 This young woman tied together my purchase,

 which made it home safely.  I filled the back of the minivan with plants (for inside to

help purify the air), and bedding plants: petunias, verbena, marigolds, coleus, etc. 

Having some dirt to play in has probably been the most important thing for me (next to having my kitchen stuff) to feeling content in my new home.

I keep looking out on my growing plants and I'm happy!

Having the new flowers all around the city has helped as well.

I was very excited to see the landscaping commence

 for the new buildings across our courtyard.

 The process was eye-opening.  Holes for the trees were marked, then

the trees brought in on a truck with small root-balls, and just dumped.

But it looks like the trees are living--at least all the ones that have been

watered.  Then came planting peonies:  hundreds of them.  Again, they were

just dumped in the area to be planted.

Bedding plants aren't put in flats and cute little 6-packs here.  They are in individual

soft plastic containers, with dirt that looks like gray cement.

Not every plant survives, but with hundreds planted, apparently, that's no problem.

I'm looking forward to the finished landscape.