would anyone like their number?

Merry Maids of China

I should have taken before and after shots or at least the process. Katie and Thomas through insanity, is my only guess, agree to help me clean and move in.  The came over around 11am and stuck it out til the bitter end at 7pm. Those two can clean an apartment like professionals. They are so organized and thorough. By the end of the day we figured he could count half a year done for home-teaching.  

They dusted, swept, scrubbed, mopped, wiped down, sprayed down and cleaned out. It was such a relief, I was able to pack, arrange, transfer and move. Yes, my list was a lot easier for that I apologized profusely. I know I will never be able to repay Thomas fully for scrubbing the bathroom floor. Really could I please find a guy that is able oh and willing to do that.

By the end we had taken out 3 loads of garbage, done 6 loads of laundry:bedding, rags and towels and moved just about every piece of furniture in the apartment.

The topper of the day though had to be beating the rug. Katie and I took the rug outside and threw it over some exercise equipment across the courtyard. (I promise to add pictures later) Both of us where in short sleeves, and flip-flops from cleaning indoors. We were quite a sight to be seen beating a rug outside with a broom in 30* weather. Of course 3 different students passed and asked what I was doing, I would have figured that was obvious but hey when the Americans do something it is always a spectacle. Thomas came out to join us and we all took turns whacking that thing. Boy is beating a rug therapeutic. I love that scene in the new Sense and Sensibility when Eleanor takes a good whack at the rug, really it helps.

Once all the cleaning was done I told them their slave hours were over but they still offered to remain and help move the last of my things down. Troopers to the end. Thanks to them it was all done by 7.

Unfortunately, the customary doughnuts and take out pizza was unavailable for the moving crew but we were able to settle for McDonald’s after a long day. I felt truly pathetic repaying they entire day with a Big Mac but that was as good as it got.

So here is another THANK YOU, to Katie and Thomas, I could not have done it without you.

Thank goodness my Home-teacher is in town because it’s moving time. I know it’s only two floors down but its the mental moving that is killing me right now. I was hoping not to move for another few weeks but due to some unforeseen circumstances its just best I move this weekend. So tomorrow it is. So fam and friends, who skype you will no longer have to suffer a dirty room as a background. I will have an office in my new place. I feel like I’m moving into a mansion going down stairs.

I’m moving into Adam and Dantzelle’s old place. It’s a 3 bed 1 bath! Of course I will do a full tour once I’m moved in and everything is clean. That second part is the key there.  But it will be deep cleaned before Winter break. I want everything ready for when Kelly moves in!

So many new things wait! Oh, just thinking about a couch makes me want to melt. I am going to be sad to leave this apartment. I’ve grown quite attached. My first real place, not to shabby. And to be perfectly honest I’m going to miss the free mandatory daily workout going up four floors.  Not that I’m complaining about moving to the second floor.

Wednesdays are always horrible days for me. They are my busiest. The first change I make next semester is my Children’s night class. I’m putting my foot down and refuse to do it on the night of my craziest day. A full day of classes and then a night class just about does me in.

I woke this morning in a slight depression no real reason but I just can’t seem to shake the funk. Thank goodness tomorrow is Thursday and I get to see the rest of the gang for lunch. Okay if I can just make it through the afternoon and then the evening things will brighten.

Well off to class.

Adam and Dantzelle have left Weifang. I am left alone at the school. My circle of Western friends has begun to shrink. Over the next month and a half that circle will continue to shrink. I cling to two rays of sunshine, I will always have Katie and Thomas across town and Kelly will join me in the Spring!

I can hardly believe it is already December, and half way through at that. I feel like I got here last month some days, others I feel the 3 months 2 weeks 5 days and 15hours. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to meet Adam and Dantzelle and all their help in adjusting to life in China. I think it safe and only honest to admit I couldn’t have adjusted so quickly without them. I will feel their absence but am grateful for their time.

Best of luck you two, with all your future travels. The memories we’ve shared will always be dear and thank goodness when all else fails I can call you when I need someone to understand life in China.

Okay I just realized how long this was, I needed to vent. Sorry, I obviously got carried away

Ahhh! I’m still cooling down.  A 45min bus ride turned into a two hour ping-pong game! We were suppose to have one last shrimp fry before Adam and Dantzelle took off. Okay so the journey started at 5:20 I decided to go ahead of Adam and Dantzelle as I didn’t want to sit around until Dantz finished classes. I was half way to Jusco (supermarket) when I realized I didn’t grab the money I had laid out, crap okay just skimp at the store.

I was trying to get ingredients for Easy Almond Roca for the Christmas Party this weekend. I needed to use Katie and Thomas’s toaster oven so couldn’t put shopping off. Chocolate is so dang expensive here. Don’t even try finding chocolate chips so I settled on a Y20 Dove bar got the rest and tried to find a bus direct to the University, this is were all my troubles began.

I should have just walked the extra two blocks and grabbed the 16 but no I wanted to be lazy. I called Katie and she told me the 52 would work but I would have to transfer to the 16 once I got to DongFong Lu, okay I can do that. Well obviously not. As warned the bus went down shady back allies but got back on a main road headed east. I thought it was the wrong street but I noticed that the 16 ran parallel so I jumped off, NEVER CHANGE your answer. That was something I learned in Elementary always go with the first answer second guessing is ALWAYS wrong.

I got off and tried my hand at characters. I knew the characters for South Gate (南门) found the stop four away and waited for the bus. Mind you I take full responsibility for the following adventure but the Chinese sure are not helpful when it comes to directions! Let me lay out what I know, Katie and Thomas work at Weifang University which in Chinese would be Weifang Daxue. They live outside the South Gate which is Nan men. Okay so logically put the two together and you get their stop right?!? Well the bus stop sign had a stop that read Nan men, I assumed (yes I know what assuming means) as Weifang University was a big place in town they were just dealing with gates. I hopped on the bus and asked the Driver Weifang Daxue nan men. He said no and point across the street to the opposite bus stop. The 16’s are tricky here there are two 16 routes both will eventually pass the University South Gate.

That is when I should have gone with my first answer yet again. I knew which direction I wanted to go. So why I was letting someone direct me differently when there was obviously a language barrier is right up there with getting in that cab with a stranger. I crossed the street and looked at the board again okay, I’ll give the driver this much to get to the stop marked Nan men I needed the opposite side of the road but turns out I was reading the wrong stop. I figured this out 15 min later when I realized I was back on the street I started on, back at Jusco. My heart sank, I called Katie to figure out what had happened, that’s when I found out all though it is a University they don’t call it Daxue it is Xueyuan or College! What the heck! So the bus stop I needed was on the original side labeled, Weifang Xueyuan Nan men. What I can’t figure out is why the driver didn’t catch my drift when I said University (Daxue). Daxue Nan men should at least indicate I want to go to a school. Turns out Nan men bus stop is a shopping mall. COME ON PEOPLE work with the foreigner here please!!!!!

I get off cross the street and broad yet another bus. This one was the right one I knew for sure as it was the bus stop I should have just walked to in the first place! By then I was completely exasperated with the whole situation but mostly at myself as I should have just gone with my first instinct.

I’ve come to realize I can gauge my mood by the volume level on my Zune. It is normally at about 6 while riding a bus. By the time I made the final switch I was on 14. 20 is when I buy a ticket for the next plane out of China. Excessive today, yes, hormones aren’t helping anything. To top it all off I missed my stop as I was too absorbed in self pity. So what should have been a Y2 45min ride was Y4 2hour ping-pong game across Weifang. By the time I reached Katie and Thomas’s I was on 16 and then Katie asked for the bread crumbs I’d promised to pick up. Whoops, Katie is just to gracious she was on the ball with a substitution and not a hint of frustration.

So lesson learned always go with answer number one. NEVER EVER EVER change your answer.

Holidays abroad are always tricky. The Gang decided to get together Tuesday night for Thanksgiving dinner as Thursday was going to be a busy day for all of us. Katie and Thomas were kind enough to host and we all were eager to pitch in for a real feast. Dantzelle and I headed over early to help with the food and the guys did a last min Wal*Mart run for essentials.  

The table, the most important part of Thanksgiving!

Katie had done a beautiful job preparing . My heart melted when I walked into the apartment. She had Nat King Cole playing in the background, one of my Mom’s favorites, the table had been set and she had splurged on a center piece. It felt like home.

We all ate with forks excepting the Chinese guest, June who got chopsticks.

I promise to add more pictures when I get them from Katie. The meal was delicious. We had Idaho mashed potatoes, canned creamed corn from the States, Stoffers Stuffing, street sweet potatoes, green beans, delicious rolls, spicy roasted chicken (turkey is EXPENSIVE here) and Ocean-Spray Cranberry Sauce.

June was running late which allowed us to have a prayer which we were all grateful for. As we sat around the table we shared what we were thankful for. Current situations always play a strong role in what one is thankful for and being in China only makes this so much more true.

What I’m thankful for:

• I am thankful for my family, both at home who support me and love me unconditionally and the one acquired here in China.
• I am thankful for the opportunity I have to travel and experience first hand the many wonderful cultures and peoples on the earth.
• I am thankful I’m an American and that I will always have a country to come home to when I am tired of being abroad.
• I am thankful for the many freedoms I enjoy and the knowledge that all men are created equal.
• I am thankful for education and the freedom of information we enjoy in America.
• I am thankful for the Church and the comfort and security it brings when I am thousands of miles away from home. I am thankful for the instant family and protection it gives.
• I am thankful for a job that has given me the opportunity to come to China and learn to appreciate America and it’s freedoms in a way that NO other country could.
• And last but not lest, I am thankful for the opportunity to learn Mandarin. (whether or not I will actually be able to speak Mandarin is still to be determined but I’m grateful for the opportunity none the less)

Left-overs! Katie and June

No complaints here.

 

We all stuffed ourselves in true Thanksgiving fashion. It was wonderful.  I got a lot of leftovers, which is not a complaint! Dinner covered for the next few nights, yippee!So the after dinner we road home and yes mother the following is true, Dantzelle and I listened to Christmas music. I even sang along. All in all Tuesday was a wonderful Thanksgiving!

 

To be honest I woke up this morning and forgot that it was Thanksgiving. In class this morning a student asked when Thanksgiving was as she thought it was coming up. It took me a second to realize today was Thanksgiving. She kindly replied with a Happy Thanksgiving and then inquired about my plans for the day. I had already arranged to meet Bonnie for lunch but I no plans for the evening.

I had an enjoyable day between Bonnie and about a half a dozen students who stopped by in the evening for a chat. I ended with a Thanksgiving dinner for one. I decided to go out in true Thanksgiving, make a pig of oneself style. I ate through the rest of my left-overs in one go. I have to admit chopsticks are starting to become second nature.

Solo Thanksgiving Dinner!

Just like any other night excepting the food was so much better.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

 Will someone please enjoy a few Deviled Eggs for me, that was the only thing missing from our feast.

To all my family and friends, thank you for always being there for me. Your support and kindness is irreplaceable.

We made the train in plenty of time this week! Jane was kind enough to make a pack dinner for us to take with us to the train station. Tuna sandwiches and Egg Salad sandwiches. Delicious! Egg Salad is my favorite, unfortunately I’ve never been able to make it. Go ahead, laugh, how hard can egg salad be, obviously beyond Kayte’s abilities!

We all got comfy and slept!

After a late night Saturday and a long Sunday I finally conked out on the train.

I have decided to  reserve the train ride for my Children Class preparation. Coloring pictures takes so long but it seems to make my train trips productive as I usually just zone out to music.

Sunday was so much more relaxing when we spent the night Saturday. I just might start making it a habit sleep an extra three hours! Not to mention avoid the early train hassle and the COLD!

P.S. Nana if you could send a copy of your Egg Salad with detailed instructions I would love it! You always made the best Egg Salad sandwiches.

My purchases:

Hair Clip, I purchased hoping to use for a shrug I brought with me.

Versace perfume

Hermes-Paris Tote

JiMo is a small goods market on Steriods there are four levels two above ground and two basement levels. If Victoria was serious it was a bomb shelter but I think she was just using that as an expression.

In front of JiMo - Jade dealers

Entrance to shoppers Disneyland

Spectacular Jade Sculpture - Can someone please explain how you get this piece home once you buy it.

For Thomas’s  25 Birthday Katie planned a party at Pizza Hut. I met up with Katie at Zhong Bai and hour before to help her get a cake. I’m glad she ran into some students because if it had been left up to the two of us I don’t know if we would have been able to purchase it in time. But with their help we were able to order and get it made in 20min. I didn’t know they had to make it, I figured we could just buy a sheet cake.

We arrived at Pizza Hut before everyone else and Katie got everything arranged upstairs.

The candle Katie got was awesome.

The Chinese Birthday Candle! aka Flame thrower!

Anna is a new edition to the group she is a Brit studying at Weifang University until the English school she will teach at opens.

 

It was a great evening! The cake was absolutely delicious. I love the frosting here because it is heavily whipped and thick but it is not exceptionally sweet.

Left-over Birthday Cake

Even with six of us we couldn’t finish the massive cake. So rather than lug it all the way home Katie gave it to one of the many people in need near the Tai Hua, who has thrilled to accept it.

 

Birthday Boy with Hostess

 

They even had a photo op!

 

I got up at my usual time for Sunday morning, 5:45am I was out the door at 6:05 and ready to begin the trek. We caught a ___ trap cab to the station and had 10min to spare before the train. I think that just might be a record for us. Usually the last few mins is a sprint to catch the train on time. So all was well this morning getting to the train and Adam conveniently discovered it is possible to purchase return trip tickets here in Weifang. So upon arrival to Qingdao we had a 30 min head start as we didn’t have to stand in line for tickets.

Chinese ___ Trap or Cheap Taxi if you care to gamble with your life.

And another big bonus we found a bus stop closer to the train station. Before it was a brisk 1/2 a mile jaunt to the bus stop to catch the 304. Now it is but a mere block! So with all our good fortune this morning we caught the bus and gathered other members along the way. Turns out the 304 is the bus most members take to church we just have never gotten on the bus that early. So we were at church 15min early, it was splendid, no jogging through the complex and up the stairs arriving out of breath and trying to sneak in during the opening song.

After the block (3hours of church) there was a baptism for a Korean boy who had turned 8. When I was informed of the baptism on the bus I was curious where it would be preformed as we meet in a home rather than a chapel with a font. Turns out the branch owns a portable font that was set up and filled in the dinning room. It took the entire block to fill and I’m guessing by the time the baptism came around the water must have been chilly. It was a truly amazing baptism to witness as I contemplated the circumstances it was done in.

Of course in true Mormon fashion there were refreshments, I should really say for this case a dinner was provided for the entire branch. Delicious Peking Duck in a crepe wrap of sorts also sweet potatoes and steamed buns with fruit for dessert.

After all was said and done we headed to the bus stop for the return trip. The morning trip had gone so smoothly I guess I should have expected the return trip to set things right. As we were coming straight from Church rather than the University as normal we caught a different bus, the 301! That bus route is now on my never ever again if you paid me a 301 Yuan. We caught the bus at 2:45pm with our train leaving at 4:16 that was plenty of time, or so we thought. Construction, congestion and just plain CHINESE traffic were all conspiring against us. We pulled up to the bus stop across from the train station at 4:05. WE BOOKED IT! Adam was the first one off and the first one gone. By some miracle there was a break in traffic just as we darted across the street and into the station. The line into the station was thinner than normal and we rushed through security, skipped the escalators and took the stairs down two at a time. We cruised into the waiting room across the station at about 4:12 and luckily the guard hurried us through the gate. Then up the escalator one step at a time, they are most definitely not meant to be ran up! Completely out of breath we made it to the platform and could finally slow to a walk as the conductors on the platform where making final preparations to leave. As we found our car I tried to ignore all the stares as I continued to pant and cough heavily.

Once seated on the train my body just wanted to collapse. I am not in shape at all and yesterday’s little excursion did a number on my knee which did not make today’s sprint any easier. I had to ration my water to keep from vomiting. I finally settled into the seat and pulled out my Kindle.

I still can’t seem to shake the cough, oh how I hate physical exercise. Really, how anyone finds running pleasurable beats me.