Hello family and friends, and colleagues
Let me begin by saying that I am feeling much better today! And please pray that I stay that way! Traveling to different places can play little games with your body. But anyway, today was a great day. First we started with our usual meetings, meals, etc... but, we finally had a chance to go out with the locals. We visited a very high end mall today. They had jewelry for $50,000. I'm not kidding, and I'm talking U.S. dollars. Needless to say, no one purchased anything in that place. We also visited a famous school today and we had a chatting session with some Chinese students that were learning English. I have never seen a group of individuals who were so passionate about learning English. They did not want us to go. They asked me all sorts of questions about the NBA, Washington, D.C., studying, and my hair. Some of them even touched it and begged me to show them how I did it. The whole trip was so very interesting. They even publicized this event locally, so maybe you'll see me in a picture in a newspaper somewhere, or maybe not. Also, there is a girl with us who is 1/2 Chinese who has relatives here in Beijing. Neither she or her mother has met this side of her family, but it was arranged for her to meet them tonight. It was so very touching. Also, I had to use a squat toilet today for the first time. Let me tell you that I will do anything in my power to keep from doing so EVER again. And, a squat toilet is just that. A SQUAT TOILET! I have included a picture for your viewing pleasure. We also walked around the plaza tonight before we came in. That was pretty fun. I have included a picture of that too. Well, that's about it for the day. Off to bed, finally!
Tamara
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 10:56AM EST
Nimen hao,
Well today was quite an interesting day. We first visited the Ministry of Education where we had a presentation on the Chinese version of the Department of Education. The chairman could not speak English so he had to have someone to translate the whole presentation. So he would talk and then the translator would talk. This lasted for about an hour and a half. And, then questions proceeded after that. Well, we went through about three of these today, and after the 1st one they all seemed to run together. Everything is so formal here. And, it’s about 90 degrees, but it’s OK. We also went to a museum where we saw all kinds of artifacts like Ming Dynasty vases and Buddha statues, all of which are well worth more than $50,000 I would presume. I have included many of those pictures for your viewing pleasure. And, we eat Chinese food everyday three times a day. Now, I like Chinese food just as much as the next person, but I’m just now realizing that we are in China and in China they prepare Chinese food. ALL OF THE TIME!!! From the pictures that I am sending you, you will see ALL OF THE FOOD that we are served EVERY DAY for THREE MEALS A DAY, with variations of other Chinese foods. In many cases, things that we don’t normally eat. Some of the things that I ate today include cow stomach, jellyfish, fried bean curd in dough, tree ears (kind of like a mushroom), lotus root, Peking Duck, etc… They put all of the food on the table and they bring new stuff and take old plates away. They put these things on the lazy Susan and everyone takes a little from each plate. The jellyfish was quite interesting. It was kind of crunchy. We never finish all of the food and I feel sort of bad for having access to all of that food and there are poor people literally right outside, but they want to please us (Americans) and so if that means order more than enough food then that is what it means. Well, a little later in the day I was feeling a little strange and what do you know, I had to purge. After I did, I felt much better. That’s just what happens to me. After the first few days in a new country I get sick, and then everything is all better again. I guess it’s just new food, new germs, and we are still suffering from some serious jet lag. Which brings me to the end of this email. I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired and I am going to try to get eight hours tonight so that I can function tomorrow. And, I don’t think that I will be eating the cow stomach, the jellyfish, and anything else strange tomorrow. Although, our director did say that when we get to the southwest of China that we will probably be served dog. :o !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! No comment!!!!
Good night!
Tamara
Monday June 22, 2009 10:19 AM EST
P. S. I need for someone to call my mom to let her know that I made it safe. I don't know when I'll be able to get a phone card, and now that I took my laptop she doesn't have Internet access at home.
:)
Saturday, June 20, 2009 07:12PM EST
Hola, or should I say Nimen hao (Mandarin Chinese for Hello to more than one person),
I know that you are dying to know what happened with my luggage. Well, I am happy to report that I have it. Thank the LORD!! And, I have since changed my clothes. So, thank you for the prayers. Thanks for the emails too. I appreciate all of the concern and good thoughts. Things have been going very well. Today was another day filled with meetings and the like. Tomorrow is the big departure day and we have been inundated with details. One detail, which I particularly did not want to hear was the new policy on American travelers in China. Imagine this: Once you arrive in China on your plane the doors will not open for you to get off, but for masked men in suits with face covers to get on. We have been informed that they will have on this protection to protect them from the H1N1, AKA SWINE FLU! They will then go around to each individual person on the plane, probably about 150 or so, and check temperatures and signs of the virus. If a persons' temperature is elevated then not only will that person, but all the people sitting three seats to the right, left, three rows in front, and three rows behind will be QUARANTINED for up to 7 days. Well, once again pray for us. We'll see how it goes down. I'll leave you with that thought. And, I'll try to email when I arrive in China, but it may be a day or two.
Adios, (I don't know the word for goodbye in Mandarin yet).
Enjoy the pictures!
Tamara
Friday, June 19, 2009 10:57AM EST
Hello Everyone,
Well, today will make the first full day that I have been in San Francisco, and what a journey it was. Yesterday, at the airport in Greensboro, there was some sort of weight issue going on on the plane so they asked for 10 people to give up their seat. They were going to provide an alternate route and give a free plane ticket to anywhere in the continental US. Well, naturally, no one wanted to give up their seat, and they announced that the plane could not take off until the issue was resolved. I would have taken them up on the offer, but the earliest that they could get me to San Francisco would be 8:00 p. m. and my program was to begin at 5:00. So, I declined. Slowly but surely people began to volunteer, but it took about 40 minutes. So, guess what happened... I missed my connecting flight. Let me tell you, you have never seen anyone run through the airport like I was running, and I had only seen it in movies, but yesterday, that mad, crazy person trying to make their connecting flight was me. And oh what do you know, as I was running up they shut the door right before my eyes. Can you imagine. Well, anyway, I was booked on a later flight, about 3 hours later. Not too bad right. Well, the plane was packed, but surprisingly comfortable and I arrived in San Francisco quite content and ready to go. As I was looking for my luggage in the baggage claim I noticed that it was nowhere in sight. I checked with one of the attendants and what do you know, it hadn't arrived yet. So, here I write to you with the same clothes on from yesterday. Same everything. Although, I hand washed and hung my unmentionables so they are OK. And, this morning was the first time that I washed my teeth with a washcloth, because my toothbrush is in my other bag. But, all is not lost. They're supposed to be delivering my bag today at 1:00. Please pray that it all works out. So, that was my first half day in San Fran., which by the way is a pleasant, cool 58-72 degrees. What a difference from NC. There isn't even air conditioning where we are staying for these first three days before we leave for Beijing, nor is there a TV. But, it's all good. We are staying in a center that used to be a Catholic Convent, that is currently used for recovering alcoholics and other people on retreats. I find that very interesting. And it's very quiet. I have some pics attached. Well, I'll end this one here and keep you in suspense until my next update. Pray for me and my group and I will do the same for you all. Off to breakfast!
Tamara
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