Weather Report

Weather reports in: It's foggy skies throughout northern China and airports are shutting down. So is the winter weather causing the poor visibility or is it a mixture of acid pollutions floating around? Well the report says the weather, but did you know the PM2.5 measure in the air, which is obviously higher in China, is what causes low visibility. With no emission standards Asia's toxic pollutants are so wide they are navigating the globe. -says Discover Magazine. "Causing a long list of health problems, including neurodegenerative disease, cancer, emphysema, and perhaps even pandemics like avian flu," explains the masks worn all over Asia. They've become the new fad. Gotta have the Hello Kitty face mask, everyone's doing it! So my tip of the day read about it. Go Green. Or in the future your going to play my favorite Shanghai game, the sun stare, unusual because of it's constant possibility.

Chinese Morals Deteriorating

2 year old toddler hit by 2 cars in China. Friday morning October 2011 a small baby was left to wander in the streets of Guangzhou in southern mainland China. China is embarrassed of the negative publicity they are receiving from the rest of the world. Perhaps they should be a little bit more concerned about the lack of ethics the people possess, and the reason the world is concerned. To my best understanding from what my former expats friends have said, since Mao's communist government control the people didn't act because:

1. they fear harsh punishment, from involvement in crimes

2. have lost a sense of moral conscience with the ban of religious activity, and uncensored laws

3. and their well known idea of saving face amongst everything else, easily blaming others

Lets remember other's mistakes and try to learn from them. When you see someone in need don't ever be afraid of helping no matter how small. Please read this horrible article, and be a little more aware of people around the world.

Music Video of the Year

http://www.youtube.com/embed/KD5sm7xtx0A

Day with the Greenlands

Monday I had the privilege of spending most of the day with the Greenland's, our adopted family in Shanghai. First, Cindy Greenland went with Annie and I to the financial tower, the second or third tallest building in the world. Then we met her husband for lunch at the Radisson Hotel. The restaurant at the top is 5 stars, the out side of the floor spins so you can see the entire city from every angle, while you're slowly spinning. After Annie and I went to the Shanghai museum with five floors of Chinese art, really interesting. Not in words though, I did think it was funny that the lady made me drink some of my water in security so she knew it wasn't poisoned or something. We met the rest of the family for dinner at Munchies, an American restaurant!! And then we all went to the Wax museum, where I met some new friends like, Jackie Chan, Winston Church Hill, Albert Einstein, and Wolverine. What a great day!

Happy Mothers Day

Homeless Wednesday

This post is shocking and should be taken as lightly as possible. Yes the facts presented are indeed true and the characters truly go by the names Annie and Bailey. After indulging on the spaghetti I took so long to prepare, the nightly goal was to obtain a wrench needed to higher the seat on Annie's new mode of transportation. Excited by such an adventure, we ran out of the house in our pajamas, with only 12 RMB. We were fortunate enough to find such a strange object and the man was willing to accept 12 instead of the asking price of 15. So it seemed like a successful journey until... we returned home... with no keys. After continuous laughing at our stupidity, and coming to a realization of our situation, we decided to ask the friendly security guards for help calling a lock smith. The price was high even after bartering but we complied knowing there was little left to do if not agreed. The first door opened within seconds, but the second door was stubbornly holding it's ground. Thirty minutes went by and the men, so eager to get into our house so we could pay them, were at their last string. Our communication was poor but the last option was to drill a large hole in the door. Annie and I decided against it, we would probably be forced to buy a new door from the land lord.

So after much praying the men left and Annie and I were, what's that word? HOMELESS! truly, frightened, alone, with only our wrench. But two miles away lives two families in our branch, all we had to do hope we remembered where they lived. Sadly the first was a failure, we knocked on so many doors, but it was very difficult because their complex's are high security and give out no information. Perhaps it was the suspicious wrench Annie rubbed between her fingers? Sadly neighbors are not very friendly here and no one knew who the Family even was. They were our best hope.. as we were walking down the street the silliness became quite frightening, it was now probably about 10:30, I was wearing flip-flops, shorts, and a sweater, attractive I know! And it was getting cold. If the District president wasn't home our options for staying the night were the bar, the park, or to continue walking all night protecting ourselves with our wrench. How strange we must have looked wandering around Shanghai at night. The light finally looked up however and with much humiliation the Dyer family took us in. They provided us with a bed, tooth brushes, breakfast, and sister Dyer even let me wear her daughters pants to work the next day.

I know those who care about me may be worried, but please don't (mom). God was watching over us and I learned a big lesson.

Easter

Thanks to my mother, Annie and I had a most delightful Easter! Thanks for the package mommy! I don't have much else to say, we dyed the eggs Annie poorly boiled:) And ate some of the chocolate that we hadn't already consumed! Oh and I made my first glow in the dark egg! And along with my Chinese flag I made an American flag. I miss you America! Easter can make a girl home sick, even when they get to have an easter egg hunt over Skype.

Happy 28th Birthday Rochie

We celebrated Rochie's birthday with some cakes from cafe 85 and glow sticks for candles. By the way Rochie is our new roomate, also my coworker. She's hilarious, she just moved in one day. She is from the Philipenes, and likes celebrity gossip and Christian music. We also locked her in the house the other day. I didn't know you could get locked inside a house, but she did... and that is Rochie.

Tianmuhu Lake

rice fields



hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil

My center went on their spring outing this week! We were able to go up north to some mountains and a really cool lake that I never saw. Even though it can be pretty awkward between my coworkers and I, the trip was successful and enjoyable even though Annie couldn't come:( Monday night we went to the hot springs, the lady wouldn't let me take pictures but I wish I would have hid my camera in my towel. It was like a day spa resort, the ultimate relaxation availability. There were hot springs every where, some were even scented with flowers, lemon, and wine. I laid on a hot stone bed, who knew stone was comfortable? The bizarre part was the fish pond. I sat in a hot spring full of millions of little fish who eat your dead skin. It took a long time to relax enough to hold still because it tickled so bad, but apparently it's really good for your skin. Oh yeah women's swim wear is usually really modest but the mens swimming suits are repulsive! A little longer than a speedo. That was not the most shocking part of the night but I will resist telling for the nasty pictures I could paint in your head.

Tuesday we hiked to the top of the mountain through the bamboo forest, apparently really famous in Chinese movies such as hero, never seen it, heard it's good? First and greatest part of the day however was the bamboo raft ride. Our boat driver lost his footing and fell off the raft!! Sean my coworker and I were the first to the top of the mountain. It was stairs strait up for 1,200 meters, and deathly hot outside! But super beautiful. At the top were keyless locks lining the fences, lovers inscribe their names on them and it is symbolic of a never broken love. It sounded more romantic the way Sean described it. I just wanted to use the log to gong the bell. On the bus ride there they gave me a cucumber:) they eat them like apples it makes me laugh. I also craved my name into a couple bamboo stalks...

Annie's blog is better than mine

If you want more details, because my sweet mother told me I only give the readers digest version, you can read Annie's blog, it's way more in-depth, I don't know where she gets the time? But it's a lot better than mine!

Xiamen

I flew in an airplane four times in two weeks!!! I know I just had the best vacation ever but here goes round two! Does this girl ever work or does she just play? I just play really, I won't lie. Annie and I went to Xiamen Island with all her coworkers, which is a little north of Hong Kong. I had to follow a bunch of Chinese tourists and a yellow flag:) All we were missing was matching hats. Chinese vacations include little walking to sites, lots of food, and shopping. Not my idea of a perfect vacation but definitely fun with the people we were with! I tried snail, some shrimp looking thing, fried banana, what looked like an octopus leg, lots of rice and other Chinese food. Since it was an Island there was sea food everywhere. While everyone shopped for free time Annie and I build the greatest lighthouse sand castle ever! Included with spectators and photos. We got to go to a Buddhist temple, but you are only allowed to pray if you haven't eaten meat. Also I went to Xiamen university's campus, the most beautiful campus in China apparently. Our other attraction was a piano museum, we took pictures even though we weren't suppose to but I didn't get to play them. I've only played the piano twice since i've been here and it has been for FHE at the Olsen's and I totally slaughtered the songs:( I guess you really do lose your talents when you don't use them. I probably climbed every tree and rock I could find, it's too tempting the trees were amazing! The high light of the trip had to be two of the girls playing with the dead fish on a stick! You just had to be there!

Yangshuo

Vacation time with all us girls from Provo Utah!! I flew to Guilin Saturday night after work and spent the next four days in Partying with my peng you's:) Sunday we took a bamboo raft from Guilin to Yangshuo and found our hostel we stayed in. Monday we biked all over the country side, on our way to dragon bridge, but we got super lost and it was like trekking through a national geographic's magazine. Men were plowing the fields with their bare feet and water buffalos. We just had to sing the Veggie tales song with the local water buffalos! We jumped off Dragon bridge which is 400 years old and also 10 meters about 30 feet high. We also took a cooking class, weird right? But it was far out, like being on a cooking show with everything all ready measured out and the river and mountains in the background. First we went to the market to get the ingredients, the smashed pig faces, snakes, and dried birds were nothing: there were dogs and cats for sale too!!! dead or alive, it was so sickening, and the butchers yelled at us to get out of there. I learned to make beer fish, cooked greens, cashew chicken, eggplant, and stuffed vegetables. Yummy! but they use oyster sauce for everything which isn't my favorite, and most chinese food is cooked in oil. Tuesday we hiked moon hill, and went to Longmen cave. We walked to the end of the cave, jumped in the natural springs, came part way back and played in the cold mud, then sat in the natural hot springs. Our tour guide left us so we high jacked a boat and rowed our selves out of the cave! On the way home we saw a camel:) wednesday we went rock climbing!! Best ever! I did the easy, medium, and hard climb. We finished the vacation with a little souvenir shopping and drove the airport. Annie and I got back to our apartment at 2 in the morning, and worked the same day. Ok it wasn't bad, I didn't have any classes Thursday. All together a most successful vacation! Next week is Xiamen!!

Chongming Island

I went to Chongming Island with the Greenland's. They are this amazing family in our ward who always invite us over for Sunday dinner! There is nothing better than american friends to help with the cultural differences. Anyways, they were over the top generous to Annie and I on tuesday! We got to run like gerbils in balls on the water, rock climb, zip line, go-kart, ride a crazy ride, and paint ball. I have two welts! The ride was like Samari at Lagoon but ten times slower, all the rides were, apparently Chinese people are scared of them.

Stranger and Stranger

I know this is a poor photo but anyone can see that is a bizarre amount of styrofoam to be carrying on a bike!! By the way it is not uncommon.

Also the Chinese people hardly ever exercise so they think i'm insane that I run everywhere, occasionally I see elderly walking around, or doing tai chi in the park. What they do do is walk backwards, I saw a women walk into a bush the other day! Most unnatural.

The second picture we got stuck on the freeway because the road was merging to one lane, and everyone got out of their cars to see what was going on. Some were even taking pictures, we were just taking pictures of them! Maybe this is where the Chinese fire drill came from. If I wasn't squished in the back of the car I would have run around the car.

April Fools

I can't believe I pulled off something so big! But thanks to Annie's malicious fraud skills, she made a document stating the reasons for our return home from China asap. I think I gave my mom an ulcer. I'd attach it except i've tried and tried and i can't figure it out:( but it was legit!

They are my LiFe

Tuesday through Saturday are my chinese babies. I teach ages 0-3 years old at Gymboree. They call me lao shi (teacher). My chinese is yi dian dian (very little) but we get by:) I've learned to communicate in other ways. They love to dance to the never ending music with me.

Sunday and Monday are my english kids. I got called to be a nursery leader in my branch. Even though we only have 100 people in my branch we average about 14 kids every sunday. On mondays Annie my roomy and I watch the Olsen kids Alia and Seth. They lost their mother last year and we love to spend time with them they are so sweet!