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Friday, December 14, 2007

Zai Jian Xanga

The time has come, my friends, to change blogs. China has blocked Xanga and it's just not working to try to go around it anymore. In fact, it has taken me two weeks of trying to access the Xanga home page to just write this and I'm even using a three-part proxy! Maybe someday I can use Xanga again when I return to the States but until then my new blog address is listed below. One of the perks of the new blog, besides being able to actually access the page to post from, is that you don't need an account to comment on the blog. Hint, hint. :) Also, here is the link to the photo album from our trip to the Rices for Thanksgiving. Goodbye, Xanga!

http://www.yangtzepilgrim.blogspot.com/

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Odds and Ends
- I've been having computer problems and haven't been able to access Xanga for a while. The reinstallation cds are on the way so hopefully I'll get that taken care of soon and post more regularly again.
- The weather has become cold and rainy already. Boo.
- I have a dream. Maybe I should call it more of a wish or a hope. For the past two months I have, in addition to my university classes, been working part time at a primary school in order to make some extra money with the hope of making this dream come true. When/if I know for sure it's going to happen I'll share more.
- At the moment my iTunes is set to random and the last three songs that have come up have been :Christmas songs. Hmm.
- For the first time in my entire life my eyes teared up when I was cutting onions this week. Does that mean something? It really hurt. Almost as much as that time that I got hot sauce in my eyes.
- I'm taking swing dance lessons!! Amy is my teacher and is quite the expert in dancing. She has taught classes in the States before but I believe this is her first international course. I love it!! :)
- Happy Birthday to Kim!! Kim's birthday was last Saturday and we threw her a murder mystery/dinner theater party. It was a lot of fun. The setting was Whittington Hall, England in 1935. Each of us had a character to play and we received clues as the night went on. I was a famous (and quite dramatic) actress named Thelma Cooper. Although I was a bit scandalous I'm please to report that I was not a murderer. Also at the party was Kim, the emotional widow; Beth the Venetian detective; Amy, the guilty mother-in-law, Brad the author and German spy; a famous tennis star, a reverend, a duchess and a nephew in need of some cash. Fun fun.
Amy make glasses from a clothes hanger and ribbon. Very nice! And don't worry....we haven't picked up smoking...it's just a marker! :)

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Happy Halloween!!

Last Saturday we had a big Halloween Bash for the students. I thought our students did quite well for not really having any point of reference for Halloween or even a party for that matter. I will try to post a few favorite pictures and then you can check out the rest on Facebook. We also invented a new catchphrase for the holiday....."Spooky Everyday!" Those of you familiar with China will appreciate this since you know that it's VERY common to hear or see the wish of "happy everyday." :) Happy Halloween from Yichang and wish you "Spooky Everyday!"

Adorable Panda Amy, Beautiful Mermaid Beth, Hello Kitty, Awesome Capt. (Brad) Jack Sparrow, Gaudy Gaugler the Bird, and Quail Man Dawson

My amazing freshmen boys did a great job making costumes for their first Halloween party: a pirate, Sichuan Opera mask and Harry Potter!

And my dear student, Steve, won the hearts of the foreign teachers by dressing up as a milk carton for us. :)

Friday, October 19, 2007

On being sick

For the past week and a half or so I've had a "bad cold." It actually wasn't anything too serious, just a lot of coughing, sneezing and nose blowing, but it warranted a lot advice from concerned students, friends and neighbors. I can't say that I've followed all of it but I definitely appreciate their care. Here's what I learned.

1. Wear more (layers) of clothes.
2. Take more medicine (especially Chinese medicine).
3. IMMEDIATELY go to the clinic and get an injection. Then, continue to get an injection for the next couple of days.
4. Go to bed earlier at night.
5. Drink more hot water.
6. Try boiling or steaming a pear and then eating the pear and drinking the flavored water (supposed to help with coughing).
7. Avoid eating eggs.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Here's your sign!

We'll start with this little poster that came with our apartment and is permanently stuck on the cabinet door. It was just last semester that we figured out it is promoting the one child policy. Oops!!

For years we've been wondering what these two signs mean. No BBQ on top of your car? Absolutely NO letting your car catch on fire? No feeling sad or "blue" in this area? Hmm...

This one is a personal favorite of mine. I know what they're going for here but I can't help but laugh. Drums, guitars, and flutes all welcomed but no trumpets allowed!

Oh, crazy English...

I like how this sign puts our city of Yichang on par with Beijing and the Olympics. Um....did I mention that we are a 22 hour train ride away?

***EDIT***
One more picture that belongs in this post: Coco....Coco Banana!!