we're talking Indian Indians, not native Americans. I am a PC drunk!! [View Full Entry]

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China loves Christmas almost as much as I do, thank God!! I have been lucky enough to have many pieces of home with me during this Christmas season. My wonderful Mother has been giving me gifts each day of December. Many of the gifts have been crafts and projects, which I love lots!!! My friends have soon learned how I lack will power because I will try and open gifts days too early. I have enjoyed making stockings for my friends with lots of fun glitter. I also loved gluing together the foam nativity scene. It has been a perfect way [View Full Entry]

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Here are some more pictures from around Wuhan. [View Full Entry]

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I have had an eventful December thus far (including the first of too many goodbyes, finally making it to a softball game, and going to a Christmas Market at a French street in Wuhan), but I want to write about today’s adventures while they are still fresh in my mind. Sarah, Katie, Alexes and I met with Jo and Maggie for lunch. We went to a restaurant with spicy Szechwan dishes. The dumplings and the noodles were fantastic. After lunch, we headed over to the Guiyuan temple in Hanyang. Maggie was an amazing tour guide. She translated and explained everything for [View Full Entry]

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We played softball! [View Full Entry]

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After weeks of good intentions (and one thwarted attempt), we finally made it to the Art Museum. It was the last day of some sort of festival in Wuhan, so we were able to get in without paying the admission fee. Even though we only had a chance to explore two of the many galleries at the museum, it was so refreshing to meander through the high exhibition halls and just let the art wash over me. This particular exhibit was mostly newer pieces. They had used some traditional techniques, but they also branched into new styles. The paintings were also [View Full Entry]

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David invited us see a traditional Chinese music concert at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music. He and Barbara had been invited by the owner of a music shop where they had previously purchased some instruments. Tuesday night six of us piled into a black market van taxi and arrived at the store where the owner was waiting to walk us to the conservatory. We found out that it was an ErHu (air hoo) concert featuring other instruments. An ErHu is a string instrument with a long neck and a small cylindrical body at the bottom where snake skin is stretched. There [View Full Entry]

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For the last few weeks, I have been anticipating the holiday season. I was getting a little nervous because I knew that the excitement and novelty of living in China would wear off right around Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had fully expected to be hit with some full-blown homesickness. This is officially the longest that I have been away from home and I honestly thought that I would be feeling it more. Surprisingly, I am not really homesick at all. I miss family and friends like crazy and there are nights when I would give my left arm for a cheesy [View Full Entry]

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Thanksgiving was beginning to look pretty grim for us Americans living in a country where people have never even seen a turkey before let alone stuffing. We were going to make the best with what we had, until we were invited by our American friend who works at the Shang ri La to a western buffet. The seven of us and the two Seamens took the trip across the river to this really nice hotel. We were the first group there, I like to Christen buffets, and we just walked aroud in awe of the spread. The best was the cheese. [View Full Entry]

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We have been so lucky to have had the most beautiful fall weather last week. It is amazing to walk outside and feel as though it is September at home when in reality it is the day before thanksgiving. This week we spent time with our friends Jo and Maggie. Maggie wanted to cook some traditional dishes for us and sarah makes a mean scrambler so we decided to have a "banquet" as Jo called it, at my house. Maggie made excellent fish and peppers. She also made egg and tomato, which is very popular, and cucumber, pepper and chicken. It [View Full Entry]

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