Hello All,
I have not posted in a while. I am sure you have been waking before your alarms in the morning, rushing to the computer with that same nervous excitement that we all get on Christmas. Then when you see I have not posted it is as if Santa passed you over that year....right?....yes?....no? Well Santa has not forgotten you, he is just so busy with all those damn elves and reindeer that he can't sit his butt down and make you your rocking horse that is this post. I feel a bit like Santa with my expanding waist. The food continues to be appetizing and the air dirty enough to be nervous about running much. The result is too much fuel not enough fire. Not that I am complaining. I was wondering if I would lose interest in the food here. The fact that I am half way through my time in China and still happy when meal time roles around is a good thing. Additionally, when I do run I have not had any of the knee or hip pain that has plagued me over the past year, also a good thing.
As for my teaching duties, I am still pleased with how classes are going but I am ready for our upcoming trip to Yunnan and the break from classes. I was told a long time ago that the best qualities for longevity in teaching teenagers are a sense of humor and patience. I am learning the limits of my ability in these areas. That is all I will say about that.
Laura was here. That was awesome. I am so happy that she was willing to make the long trip. I miss her but in many ways I am glad that she and baby-to-be are back in close proximity to those Boston hospitals. Skype continues to be a lifeline and I am grateful. Below is another video we shot while out and about in Xi'an.
That is all for now.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
A good day
Today was one of those days that just makes me smile. Here are the highlights:
1) My run.
Great run in perfect weather with Luke to start the day.
2) My commute to work.
First, the Green Line train was waiting for me as I crossed St. Paul Street. Then, I was just far enough out of rush hour that the train skipped a few of those less trafficked stops, making the trip into town super quick. I hopped off the Green Line, walked to the Red Line, and that train was waiting for me too. I slid onto the train just as the doors were closing. Once I got off that train at JFK/UMass, the bus to take me to campus was ALSO just right there – waiting – and as soon as I got on the bus, it sped off to campus. The whole trip took me 39 minutes. 39 minutes!!! Astonishing. My typical commute is about an hour. And that’s not all – once on campus, as I was walking to the stairs, the elevator doors opened up in front of me. So, of course, I had to treat myself to an elevator ride. It was the world’s greatest commute.
3) The train incident.
This part is funny. Last night, I was trying to refill my Charlie Card (subway pass) but the machines at work weren’t taking debit cards, so I couldn’t add any money to my card. So, today, I pieced together $2 in coins, or what I thought was $2. As I was dropping my coins in the coin slot on the Green Line, I dropped a coin down the steps. Since my gigantic belly makes it pretty tough to bend over, the train driver actually got out of her seat, climbed down the two steps, and picked up my quarter from the disgustingly dirty floor. Now, Bostonians, I know you agree – that is very atypical train driver behavior. So, I dropped that coin in the slot, went to put in my other coin, and realized it was a Malaysian coin, not a US coin. The wonderful train driver looked at me, smiled sweetly, and just said “let’s just call it a day, honey”. So, I thanked her and turned around to stand in the moderately crowded train, tripped over an old woman, and fell into the crowd. As I picked myself up, another woman saw that I was pregnant and got up from her seat so I could sit down. I protested, but she insisted, so I gave in. As I went to sit down, I tripped over a blind man’s cane, fell partially into his lap and partially into the open seat, and knocked over the same woman I knocked over the first time. Brad was on the phone with me for half of this scenario. Everybody laughed. It was a silly little way to start the day.
4) My work day.
I was able to do my first phone meeting of the day while I was out on my morning run. Always a great way to start the work day. My second meeting of the day was a Skype meeting with somebody from Korea. I had allocated 30 minutes for it. It took 10. So, I had 20 free minutes in my day, which is pretty wonderful. Then, my budget meeting ended early. Then, my union meeting yielded good news for all graduate program directors (which means me). Then, my department meeting ended early. Finally, my admissions meeting ended 30 minutes early. All in all, a completely unusually convenient day for Laura.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
An early anniversary celebration
Brad is amazing! Since we won't be together for our 6 year anniversary in April, Brad surprise me with a celebration on Friday night. We spent the night at the Swisstouches Hotel in Xi'an, which was one of the nicest hotels I've ever been in. After work on Friday, we walked over to the hotel (across the street from the school), walked around the place (it had a bunch of cool restaurants and terraces), and chilled for a bit. Then, Brad treated me to an hour massage - which was AWESOME. Very similar to US massages, except at the end of the massage, the masseuse served me rose tea with actual rose petals floating in the pot. Yum. The massage felt amazing, and totally got me in the mood for a luxurious night. After the massage, Brad and I had dinner at one of the restaurants... vegetables, beef, pork, and noodles. At one point, I asked for a Sprite. Since we have a bit of a language barrier, the waitress didn't understand, so I made a hand motion to indicate I'd like to see a menu. Still, I wasn't clear enough, apparently, and we ended up with the check! It was a cute situation. After dinner, we rode up to the 30th floor to the Swistyle Bar for mock and cocktails. Very swanky bar with live music and huge plush couches. We had one whole side of the bar to ourselves! The next day, we treated ourselves to a yummy moderately Western breakfast before heading out to the Shannxi Museum with the Brookline students. All in all, a killer anniversary, yet again!
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| This is about the best I can do without a hairdryer! |
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Muslim Market & Local Living
A trip to the Muslim Market, the Drum Tower, and the City Wall comprised most of the day and night. We hopped the 29 bus from Gaoxin to the City Wall and stepped off the bus into the most crowded street I have ever seen in my life. Scratch that. The most crowded place I’ve ever seen. Including packed concerts. Including Michigan’s football stadium during a home game. The streets were absolutely full of walkers, bikers, stray dogs, homeless people sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, and cars driven by eager drivers. Sometimes the people were in the road. Sometimes the cars were on the sidewalks. There really isn’t much of a method. Basically, the aim is to get where you’re going as quickly as possible. It’s unreal. We powered through the crowds over to the Muslim Market, which is an incredible array of small stands next to each other with salespeople pushing chopsticks, polo shirts, Louis Vuitton suitcases, Chinese board games, you name it, onto curious Westerners for a “good price, a very good price.” Essentially, what happens is a Westerner shows an interest in something, a local salesperson magically appears with a calculator, the salesperson types in a ridiculously high number, the Westerner counters with a ridiculously low number, and the process continues until somebody wins – usually the Westerner. Brad just looked at a red Ralph Lauren polo shirt and was accosted by a salesperson who quoted him a “good price” of 250 yuan (about $40). Brad wasn’t interested in the shirt at all, so he was having some fun with the bargaining… by the end of the bargain, he was being offered the shirt at 50 yuan (about $8 dollars). He politely walked away, despite the salesperson trying to drag him back by the arm. They’re relentless. We had tons of fun bargaining and bartering. Brad spent the most money on a present for baby girl – a Taekwondo Panda shirt. Above, you see a video of us walking through the Muslim Market down one of the less crowded lanes that’s lined with food carts. We finished up the day at a traditional Muslim restaurant with Brad’s travel agent, Richard (don’t know his Chinese name). We ate qiezi and green beans, shaved beef, roasted corn and pine nuts, and beef and lamb dumplings. It was delicious.
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| Decisions, decisions! |
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| Laura perusing the goods |
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| Sad - birds in cages everywhere |
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| The Drum Tower |
The next day, we spent the day with She Ying, our friend and colleague here, and her family and friend’s family. Of course, neither of us brought the camera with us, so let’s just say that we saw local life at its best. We went to a huge park next to the Tang Paradise equipped with a children’s playground, pond, and lots of street art. The children’s playground was surrounded by a bunch of trampolines. Apparently, these trampolines are standard at children’s playgrounds around Xi’an. They have a harness for the children and the parents bounce the children in the harness by pulling on a long cord. Children love it. Brad and I went for a lovely walk around the grounds, counted 16 kites in the sky, and enjoyed a few quiet moments before dinner.
Dinner was an event. Here, for formal dining, we were told that there are 3 courses served: (1) a cold course (with 6 dishes), (2) soup, and (3) a warm course. The cold course included dishes like sausage, lotus root, herbal medicine (no joke), and shredded potatoes. The soup was a potato and meat soup (pork and chicken, still with bones). You spit your bones on the table. The warm courses included a whole bunch of unrecognizable stuff. We tried it all. The one recognizable thing was the individually served fish that appears with its own fire cooking it. The fish comes complete with its little eyes and every other part of it. Our job is to peel the meat off the bones while its eyes follow us. I did it, but I didn’t love the experience. Brad loved it. To drink, for the second time in one week, we drank warm soybean juice. It really does taste like warmed, pureed soybeans.
Check out the Photos link for more pictures of our recent adventures!
Friday, March 16, 2012
March Madness strikes...even in China
Well, my bracket is shot. For so many reasons. Missouri. Duke. Michigan. In an incredible act of loyalty, I had Michigan going all the way, beating MSU for the title by 2 points. Whoops (to be clear, this entry is a Laura entry, not a Brad entry).
In more global news, we're having a blast here in Xi'an. It's hard to pick what to report on - so let me organize my thoughts a bit:
1) Brad
2) Gaoxin
3) Terra Cotta Warriors
4) Food
1) Brad is rockin' China. He has found a routine that works for him and the students. Each day, he heads to the classroom between 8-9ish, unless he has an ambassador-type event/meeting to attend. Then, he is with the students - teaching/supervising/etc - until 3: 45 when they all take a culture class together. Each day, the culture class is something different - cooking, calligraphy, painting, sewing, sports, etc. I've joined them for painting and calligraphy. I am terrible at both in China. The culture class ends at 5 and then Brad is either free for the night or he supervises the students for one final class of the day. He is always done with the students between 5-6 pm; however, the Chinese students are still in school. When Brad and I leave campus for dinner, usually between 6:30-7:30 pm, the Chinese students' parents are waiting for their kids at the gate to the school. So, some kids are looking at 12 hr school days. Plus, they have school on Saturdays! Wild.
2) Gaoxin High School is one of the elite schools in Xi'an. There are unbelievable services and relationships that exist between this school and sister schools all over the world. Yesterday, I interviewed 38 Chinese students who are fighting for 20 spots to travel to California or Singapore over the summer. There are opportunities to travel everywhere! The students who don't go to California or Singapore will have an opportunity to apply to travel to the UK or to Australia. Also, about 100 students are traveling to Boston for the summer - so I'll hook up with them while they're there. I'm here doing some research, so my contact here, Xiaolin, has organized a bunch of interviews for me next week so I can study the role of sport in the lives of all students here. It's just another example of how accommodating the school is of guests and how interested the school is in being involved in scholarship all over the world.
3) I saw 'em. The Terra Cotta Warriors. On Wednesday, I spent the morning checking them out with a bunch of people from the University of Kentucky. They're amazing. I'll post pictures when I'm with Brad (I need his camera cord). There isn't much to say except it is really hard to capture the enormity of the TCW through pictures and words. They are a sight to see.
4) The food is wild. The Shanxi province is known for its noodles, so most dishes are noodle-based, and the rest are rice-based. Some of the food highlights include...
Eating Hot Pot earlier in the week. We had a VIP room at a gorgeous restaurant where we had unlimited food. A huge hot pot is placed in the middle of each table and then different types of vegetables, noodles, and meat are dropped in. Lots of mushrooms too. We were served bean juice with our meal (which tastes how it sounds). Toward the end of the meal, the chef came into our room, took a single noodle (about 5 inches long) and stretched it out to about 10 feet with a dance routine in which the noodle sort of flew above the heads of all of us in the room. It was astonishing. Then, the noodle goes in the hot pot and we all eat it! Yum. We ended the meal with a dragon sculpture made of fruit and left with gifts in hand. I got a special gift (I'll post a picture of it later) for being pregnant. Then, the women got pot pourri as gifts. It was lovely.
Thai food with a bunch of Brits, including a Brummy! We went out with a bunch of international teachers for dinner and enjoyed the most unusual tasting Thai food I've ever tasted (probably because I've only tasted the US version of Thai food). Spicy, lots of curry involved, lots of vegetables... A very different experience.
Shanxi local noodles. A few days ago, I went to lunch with Xiaolin and the UK folks to a local restaurant that served only Shanxi province food. Again, the biggest difference... almost all vegetables. Every meal is full of vegetables. There is very little meat in most dishes. We sat at a round table with a circular moving device in the middle on which all the food is placed. Then, you just take off the middle device whatever you want to eat ... and there is always food left over.
Chinese BBQ. It is eaten outside. It is yummy. Mainly vegetables, but Brad did get his fill of beef, which made him very happy! We went to Chinese BBQ with Leiying (a friend from the state) and her friend and husband. The experience was amazing. Leiying speaks okay English, but her husband doesn't speak the language at all. The 5 of us had a wonderful time, even without all of us being able to communicate!
Japanese food. Last night, we went to sushi with the Brookline students. For you Bostonians, we went to a place that looked and tasted a lot like Oishii. But, for 10 of us to eat (with food left over), it cost us the equivalent of $164, which is less than what it costs two people to eat at Oishii! Amazingly different. I was told the sashimi was yummy - I stuck with my veges! Once baby girl enters the world, the first thing I'm doing is getting a dirty martini and Fugakyu take out. I can't wait!!
That's about it so far. So much is happening that it's hard to touch on everything. Sometimes, the best parts are those that seem almost routine... for example, one of my favorite occasions so far was walking through one of the parks here (gorgeous park) and people-watching with Brad with a cup of coffee in hand.
We're heading to the Muslim Market today and then to dinner with Brad's travel agent over here. Apparently, we're having a traditional Muslim dinner. Tomorrow, we're having dinner with our friend and colleague, She Ying, and her family at her home. I've been here a week and food invitations keep on coming... everybody is so hospitable!!!!
Love to all back home!
In more global news, we're having a blast here in Xi'an. It's hard to pick what to report on - so let me organize my thoughts a bit:
1) Brad
2) Gaoxin
3) Terra Cotta Warriors
4) Food
1) Brad is rockin' China. He has found a routine that works for him and the students. Each day, he heads to the classroom between 8-9ish, unless he has an ambassador-type event/meeting to attend. Then, he is with the students - teaching/supervising/etc - until 3: 45 when they all take a culture class together. Each day, the culture class is something different - cooking, calligraphy, painting, sewing, sports, etc. I've joined them for painting and calligraphy. I am terrible at both in China. The culture class ends at 5 and then Brad is either free for the night or he supervises the students for one final class of the day. He is always done with the students between 5-6 pm; however, the Chinese students are still in school. When Brad and I leave campus for dinner, usually between 6:30-7:30 pm, the Chinese students' parents are waiting for their kids at the gate to the school. So, some kids are looking at 12 hr school days. Plus, they have school on Saturdays! Wild.
2) Gaoxin High School is one of the elite schools in Xi'an. There are unbelievable services and relationships that exist between this school and sister schools all over the world. Yesterday, I interviewed 38 Chinese students who are fighting for 20 spots to travel to California or Singapore over the summer. There are opportunities to travel everywhere! The students who don't go to California or Singapore will have an opportunity to apply to travel to the UK or to Australia. Also, about 100 students are traveling to Boston for the summer - so I'll hook up with them while they're there. I'm here doing some research, so my contact here, Xiaolin, has organized a bunch of interviews for me next week so I can study the role of sport in the lives of all students here. It's just another example of how accommodating the school is of guests and how interested the school is in being involved in scholarship all over the world.
3) I saw 'em. The Terra Cotta Warriors. On Wednesday, I spent the morning checking them out with a bunch of people from the University of Kentucky. They're amazing. I'll post pictures when I'm with Brad (I need his camera cord). There isn't much to say except it is really hard to capture the enormity of the TCW through pictures and words. They are a sight to see.
4) The food is wild. The Shanxi province is known for its noodles, so most dishes are noodle-based, and the rest are rice-based. Some of the food highlights include...
Eating Hot Pot earlier in the week. We had a VIP room at a gorgeous restaurant where we had unlimited food. A huge hot pot is placed in the middle of each table and then different types of vegetables, noodles, and meat are dropped in. Lots of mushrooms too. We were served bean juice with our meal (which tastes how it sounds). Toward the end of the meal, the chef came into our room, took a single noodle (about 5 inches long) and stretched it out to about 10 feet with a dance routine in which the noodle sort of flew above the heads of all of us in the room. It was astonishing. Then, the noodle goes in the hot pot and we all eat it! Yum. We ended the meal with a dragon sculpture made of fruit and left with gifts in hand. I got a special gift (I'll post a picture of it later) for being pregnant. Then, the women got pot pourri as gifts. It was lovely.
Thai food with a bunch of Brits, including a Brummy! We went out with a bunch of international teachers for dinner and enjoyed the most unusual tasting Thai food I've ever tasted (probably because I've only tasted the US version of Thai food). Spicy, lots of curry involved, lots of vegetables... A very different experience.
Shanxi local noodles. A few days ago, I went to lunch with Xiaolin and the UK folks to a local restaurant that served only Shanxi province food. Again, the biggest difference... almost all vegetables. Every meal is full of vegetables. There is very little meat in most dishes. We sat at a round table with a circular moving device in the middle on which all the food is placed. Then, you just take off the middle device whatever you want to eat ... and there is always food left over.
Chinese BBQ. It is eaten outside. It is yummy. Mainly vegetables, but Brad did get his fill of beef, which made him very happy! We went to Chinese BBQ with Leiying (a friend from the state) and her friend and husband. The experience was amazing. Leiying speaks okay English, but her husband doesn't speak the language at all. The 5 of us had a wonderful time, even without all of us being able to communicate!
Japanese food. Last night, we went to sushi with the Brookline students. For you Bostonians, we went to a place that looked and tasted a lot like Oishii. But, for 10 of us to eat (with food left over), it cost us the equivalent of $164, which is less than what it costs two people to eat at Oishii! Amazingly different. I was told the sashimi was yummy - I stuck with my veges! Once baby girl enters the world, the first thing I'm doing is getting a dirty martini and Fugakyu take out. I can't wait!!
That's about it so far. So much is happening that it's hard to touch on everything. Sometimes, the best parts are those that seem almost routine... for example, one of my favorite occasions so far was walking through one of the parks here (gorgeous park) and people-watching with Brad with a cup of coffee in hand.
We're heading to the Muslim Market today and then to dinner with Brad's travel agent over here. Apparently, we're having a traditional Muslim dinner. Tomorrow, we're having dinner with our friend and colleague, She Ying, and her family at her home. I've been here a week and food invitations keep on coming... everybody is so hospitable!!!!
Love to all back home!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
22 week check up, mom and Brian visit, and China bound!
Last Monday, I had a 22 week check up! I was so lucky that my mom was in town and able to come with me - it was so much fun. The doctor even pulled in the u/s machine so my mom could see little baby on the big screen. Everything looks great - baby is super active, swallowing like crazy, and growing by the day. Going to the appointment with my mom was definitely the highlight of the long weekend.
The rest of the weekend was uber fun as well. Mom and Brian came into town on Friday night and met Luke and me at my place. We then had the most relaxed 3 day visit ever - lots of wonderful chats, great walks, yummy food, and amazing company. While Luke and Brian watched MSU play on one of the night, my mom and I went to Cuchi Cuchi, which is one of my all time favorite places in the world! It was a blast.
I'm currently in China with Brad. I'll update a bit later with pictures and stories. The place is wild. I thought Boston was loud - it is a constantly screaming city - cars honking, fireworks popping (to ward off evil spirits), and streets bustling with people. Baby even got into it a bit and started making such a fuss that Brad could feel her kicks from outside my tummy!
The rest of the weekend was uber fun as well. Mom and Brian came into town on Friday night and met Luke and me at my place. We then had the most relaxed 3 day visit ever - lots of wonderful chats, great walks, yummy food, and amazing company. While Luke and Brian watched MSU play on one of the night, my mom and I went to Cuchi Cuchi, which is one of my all time favorite places in the world! It was a blast.
I'm currently in China with Brad. I'll update a bit later with pictures and stories. The place is wild. I thought Boston was loud - it is a constantly screaming city - cars honking, fireworks popping (to ward off evil spirits), and streets bustling with people. Baby even got into it a bit and started making such a fuss that Brad could feel her kicks from outside my tummy!
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