http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/dawninshenzhen/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from dawninshenzhen en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:29:57 +0000 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 04:29:57 +0000 After months of nonposting and deep deliberation I've decided to discontinue this blog for the time being. While my life is quite exciting to me I realize that it may not be for everyone else out there. My original reason for having a blog was to keep my family in the loop of my life as I was out gallivanting around the world but now I live close to my family again so the need is no longer http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/blog-262453.html I was reminded the other day that I had not updated this blog for a while. I have no real excuse except that it's been so cold I only want to curl up under a blanket next to the fireplace with a good book. Typing requires extracting my fingers from the warm cacoon. It's been snowy and cold here in Iowa this January. Well it's always snowy and cold in Iowa in January but it has seemed particu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/blog-239975.html I feel like I'm being blessed this year with perfect Iowa weather as a reward for coming home. This fall was gorgeous with mild weather holding out through November. Now this winter is shaping up to be a beautiful snowfilled one. Iowa doesn't always get snow in early December but we've had a few snowfalls so far and they have turned the world into a winter wonderland. Last Thursday we rec http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/blog-226326.html Act 1 Thanksgiving DayIt's been years since my family had a traditional Thanksgiving at least partially due to my becoming a vegetarian as a teenager and we decided that this wasn't the year to break our tradition of being untraditional. So on Thanksgiving Day my sister my mom and I gathered to bake Christmas cookies and candies. We had a chance for extra celebration because my sister got http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/blog-224276.html That's my new motto. It's been brought out this year in response to the way in which the Christmas sleigh has overrun the Thanksgiving turkey. Now I like Christmas as much as the next person but I happen to believe that Americans should spend equal if not more time and effort towards preparing for and celebrating Thanksgiving than they do for Christmas. Why you ask Because Thanksgiving http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/Des-Moines/blog-221599.html I know I know. I haven't been keeping up. I'm sorry My computer crashed and my camera's broken and I'm trying to settle into being back home. I promise to update you all again soon http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/blog-216885.html It's a tragedy. Here's a link to an article about this horrible deed. httpdesmoinesregister.comappspbcs.dllarticleAID20071019NEWS017101903641001NEWS. We're all morning the loss of Eric and the injury of Annie. Anyone who was ever greeted by their shining smiling faces on the way to the State Fair which is pretty much everyone in Iowa is in mourning.Ok obviously we aren't reall http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/Des-Moines/blog-212563.html Mom played hooky from work and we drove to Omaha to visit the zoo. For some reason my whole family has a love of zoos. Whenever we're on vacation someplace with a nice zoo we go. Last week I thought to myself You know it'd be nice to go to the Omaha Zoo. I haven't been there for years. The next day Mom said You know I can take a day off of work. I think we should go to the Omaha Zo http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Nebraska/Omaha/blog-204698.html Here I am back in the U.S.A. It's very strange trying to adjust back to my own culture. My stomach doesn't like the food my mind is on language overload and even after 3 weeks I can't get over how terrible American television is. Seriously.I'm quite excited that I'm back in Iowa for the autumn. I haven't been in Iowa at this time of year for 11 years. I had forgotten how beautiful everyt http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Iowa/Des-Moines/blog-204001.html Here it is the middle of August. The summer has just flown by I spent 3 weeks in Weifang Shandong Province as the ldquoforeign teacher managerrdquo for a summer English camp at Weifang 1 Middle School. This was the first year CTLC worked at WF 1 and I was sent to make sure things went according to plan. Boy did they not Letrsquos just say that it washellipan experience. And w http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-192336.html I traveled to Weifang Shandong Province again for work. I attended meetings and also got to visit some tourist spots in and around Weifang. My Chinese colleagues took an embarrassing number of pictures of yours truly so I figured I should share them with you all. I know how much you love seeing my smiling face http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Shandong/Weifang/blog-173647.html One of the perks of my job is that I often get free tickets to exciting events around Shenzhen. The government likes to promote Shenzhen as an international city and therefore they set aside blocks to tickets specifically for foreigners. And because I work with one of the government bureaus I often get first shot at these tickets. Also I'm often asked to find as many other foreigners as I can http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangdong/Shenzhen/blog-180800.html Sen left this week for a yearlong stint in Angola Africa. I'm sad. I know that this is a good opportunity for him and that in the long run it is good for our future but I'm still sad that we'll be apart for a year. Shenzhen seems a bit pale and tepid without him by my side. For Sen's last night in Shenzhen we were able to round up most of our crew for a farewell dinner. We had a great time http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangdong/Shenzhen/blog-175408.html Sen treated me to a short vacation in Thailand. We went to Phuket a beautiful island in Thailand for three days of pure laziness. Phuket is a popular tourist destination and as a result we didn't experience a lot of true Thai culture however it was a lovely getaway from China. Our trip was short but that just means we'll have to return again someday. We spent a lot of time walking on the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Thailand/South-West-Thailand/Phuket/blog-173666.html I'm posting this entry about 1 month too late. I have no excuse except laziness. Sorry everybody Grandma and Dad came to visit me in China It was so wonderful. We spent the first day in Hong Kong and rode the new cable car to the Big Buddha. The cable car ride takes 25 minutes and during the entire journey we enjoyed spectacular views of Lantau Island. The cable cars were shut down a couple o http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-173622.html Dad and Grandma arrive in 6 hours I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself I've been speaking and writing in exclamation points all morning We're going to see Hong Kong Shenzhen and Beijing. I get to introduce them to China Updates will probably be sporadic while they're here. Gotta go try to calm down for the next 5 hours and 58 minutes http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Hong-Kong/blog-156246.html May 1st is recognized in many countries around the world as International Workers' Day. In China May Day kicks off one of three annual Golden Weeks 7day holidays established by the government essentially to increase spending. The other two Golden Weeks are National Day on October 1 and Spring Festival otherwise known as Chinese New Year. Almost the entire country has the week off and they http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangdong/Shenzhen/blog-155240.html One of the joys of living in China is coming across amusing English translation attempts. Here's one I caught today as I was walking down some stairs. In Chinese it reads Be careful of bumping your head. The actual translation made me giggle. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangdong/Shenzhen/blog-150474.html True story As I was sitting in the Shenzhen Airport last week waiting for my plane to Beijing Sen sent me a text message with a picture. No it wasn't some kind of sweet goodbye and have a safe trip message. It was a picture of the entry to the staff bathroom in the lobby of our building the bathroom that the guards and janitorial staff use. In front of the bathroom door was a new addition t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangdong/Shenzhen/blog-147761.html The world should mourn the loss of literary genius Kurt Vonnegut Jr. just for one moment. So it goes. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Guangdong/Shenzhen/blog-147756.html