Hi Susan!!! Remember us??? The adopting family? :) I was wondering how you were and if you were still in China, and here you are! lol Did you ever find a salt shaker? If not, let us know because we'll be back again in June. :)
I love reading your blog. It's so fun! We are all well.
Mary
www.oneblessedfamily.com
I just love your adventures....! Looks like you had a good (though hectic) time. Can't wait for you to get back home so I can hear about all your adventures first hand....
Peggy
Civil Service Exams Great job. I have some good news. I am going to be a Grandma in Nov.
David and his wife are expecting. Having some health problems. Had 2 CT
scans last week, was sent to a pulmonary doc and need 2 more. We are also
considering nursing homes for my mom. Will depend on what the docs say.
When will you be back home?
Living Vicariously Hi Susan,
I so enjoy living vicariously through your travels. Hainan seems like a beautiful, exciting place! I look forward to seeing you when you return. I saw Michele at GCN yesterday and asked about your return date. We both love your travel blog!
Enjoy,
Ellie
What a trip!! Glad that you took a trip to a warm area. We are getting 70-80 here now ... and first hummingbirds are showing up in Mary's garden. We miss our Susie!!!
The examination system Susie, you did a great job explaining the imperial examination system. This system was abolished in 1905 as Chinese intellectuals recognized that the country needed to modernize. At that time the idea was that western scientific learning needed to be grafted on to traditional Chinese learning, that Chinese learning was the root but that western learning should be added on because it was useful for development. This "grafting" metaphor persists until today. I often hear students say that they are learning English as a tool, something useful. It is the medium through which they gain western knowledge. Another thing that persists is the central role of the examination in education. Children learn very early to take exams and to pay attention to the scores they receive. They take hundreds, maybe thousands, of exams but the most critical one is the college entrance exam. That one determines which university (if any) you can attend and what professional field you can enter. Teenagers have little free time because they are always studying for this important exam. So, the imperial examination system may have been abolished but the core idea that examinations determine your future continues.
FCAT And, in Florida we have Jeb Bush's FCAT for Junior and Senior High School students. Most everyone, especially the teachers, hates this system for evaluating the performance of schools.
The colors in the photos are great! When - what century - were the exams given? And were they given to everyone? Sounds as though it was some sort of competition to get to be with the emperor in some capacity. Glad to hear HOng Kong was fantastic!!
Love, Gailey
yay! I'm finally catching up with your travel blog! I LOVE these photos. So exciting to see another person I know and love in them. =) You two look great!
numbers are wrong The picture labeled 6 is correct; the one labeled 7 is really 6; the one labeled 8 is really 7; there is no eight pictured. Sorry, Folks!
Susie
Stupendous!! You have some wonderful and artistic photos, Susie! Your trip sounds so fascinating. How long did it take to prepare all that for the burial? Was it done during his whole life in preparation for his death? And the gold figurine is beautiful. Thank you for the great "tour."
Hey, Susie! My two favorite pictures are the one of Sally and the other of the tree in the fog. Both are beautiful! I think the buildings are fascinating! Also, I notice the people are dressed so"westernly," much more so than when Dad and I were there (c. 1983). My memories of Shanghai are of very, very crowded streets, even early in the a.m.! Hope you are having a wonderful vacation now, too!
Love, Gailey
Wow! I'm glad you got in some travel practice in Shanghai before I come through. Though it sounds like you don't even need the practice. I think you've become a professional traveller!
I'm so sorry!!!! Well, just be patient and start over again...but remember, everyone you sent pictures to since you've been there still has them...at least I do. Would there be a way to re-send them back to you???
Peggy
Sorry Sorry to hear of your computer trouble. Will be anxiously looking forward
to your next message. Not much new here. Mom is sleeping more. Just
her new lower dentures and she lost them. Have a sitter coming this after-
noon so Frank and I are going to try to use our gift cards from Christmas.
It is in the 40's here today. Sunny . Had a lot of rain over the last 2
weeks. But things are looking up. How long will your sister be with you?
Bye for now. Love, Madge
I retired. I’m almost 80 now and have some old age problems. I do small amounts of traveling still.
Last summer I went to Hawaii with my sons and grandchildren. I still love to go camping although I do not have an RV anymore. I moved from Atlanta to Washington DC to be near family. I have been here seven years now. I will try to keep this blog up-to-date.
During the Covid pandemic I sat around too much and got fat and sassy so I’m now on a fasting diet. Maybe you’d want to know how that goes too.
I will stay in touch.
Subscribe if you want an email alert about new entries.... full info
Mary
non-member comment
Hi Susan!!!
Remember us??? The adopting family? :) I was wondering how you were and if you were still in China, and here you are! lol Did you ever find a salt shaker? If not, let us know because we'll be back again in June. :) I love reading your blog. It's so fun! We are all well. Mary www.oneblessedfamily.com