Blogs from Liaoning, China, Asia - page 21

A monster storm hit Beijing last night, all Tiefa got was a lot of rain. We woke to rain, so Tai Chi was cancelled. Instead, Nora, Mike and I ventured to the Farmers market to try our hand at shopping. We purchased melons, lichee, nectarines and stuffed donuts. We gathered a crowd, everyone helping to translate what we wanted and how much. I think we made the merchant's day! We forgot that the guide books said to bargain, thank goodness, because Haihong said that they all gave us a good price. The lack of tourists makes a difference, the merchants do not get jaded.... read more

Each morning after breakfast a number of us, a differing number each day, walk up to the Pagoda here in Teifa. The first day I took a taxi up the steepest part. The second day, I stopped just before the 365 steps to the top. Today, I not only climbed the steps, but climbed to the top of the pagoda to the top and the best view of the city. I have included a couple of scenes from around the city that you might be interested in. Please notice that folks live in large high rise blocks, and the gardens replace lawns. Men really do play mahjong instead of sit in coffee shops gossipping and the shops are plentiful and colorful. They work hard to keep the city clean.... read more

Yesterday was quite and important day, we went to meet Haihong's mother. First, of course was tai chi. Then, after a wonderful breakfast of savory pancake, we walked up to the temple. But, for lunch we met Haihong's family. We didn't realize how fancy this was. Nora, Sara's American grandmother, got a pearl necklace and a jade bracelet as a gift, a silver ring for Mike, the American Grandfather, and a jade bracelet for me. We are blown away by the hospitality of the people here. Of course, this is one of the rare places where Americans are not all over the place.... read more

The class at Tai Chi this morning tried to teach us the proper form today. Haihong says that I look like I am catching mosquitoes! It is harder than it looks, but these folks are so flexible that it would be worth knowing more about it.... read more

The months since the spring holiday have been filled with visits, weekend trips, and surprising changes. My delightful parents came for a three week visit and toured me around Qingdao (home of the 2008 Olympic sailing port) and Dandong (directly on North Korea's shores); I partook in a glamourous photo shoot that lasted 10 hours without food and learned a model's life isn't actually as easy as it looks (photos to be added later this week); and I accepted a position as co-department head for English 10 in September (where I will be heading the boy's campus). My parents, if anything on their visit, fed me well. We ate every possible type of food available to us (which spanned from Chinese to Japanese, Korean, Mexican, Italian, and "Western"). Qingdao was a cool city with a very ... read more