Winter weather is the pits! I am such a warm weather creature. Put me on an island that has plenty of sunshine, warm beaches and salty ocean water and am a happy soul --- yep, I guess the winter blues have hit! Today has been an interesting day. The day began with the gray sky and misty rain falling.again. It has been a very wet and dreary week here. I long for a warm sunny beach! After Jim left for work this morning, I poured myself a second cup of coffee and was determined to get moving! Just as I was about to hit the shower, the apartment went dark! Yep, all power - gone. So, I retreated to the window to read a little, but the sunshine was not appearing! I waited patiently hoping the sun would begin to shine or the lights return -- I am spoiled and just love the modern convenience of electricity! After one hour, no lights, no internet, no phone, no heat! BRRRRR --The concrete walls in the apartment keep the temperature cold.
I was able to get the engineers to come to our room and investigate the problem. As they assessed the power outage, I found another sweatshirt and added the fourth layer of clothing to my body. I was told they could fix the problem - yipee! As they worked I busied myself with a few small tasks and considered the rest of my day. I was not prepared for the repairs to take most of the morning! They made several attempts to correct the power outage problem. Let's see, the lights work, television, and the internet (whew), but I can not express just how cold my hands are at this very moment. I am still wearing the layers of clothing and sit with a comforter over me as I type. It is sooooo cold! I have moved our birds, Fred and Ethel into the bathroom and they are enjoying a day under the heat lamps. Perhaps I will join them!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Times Square!
Guess what has opened in Suzhou! Times Square Shopping Mall! The new shopping mall is large and has a Burger King, Dairy Queen and other fast food eateries to choose from. Jim and I made our trip to the BK and savored the familiar taste of a Whopper, Fries and Coke. Yum -- at least for the first thirty minutes after we had consumed our meals. Shortly thereafter, I was in search of Rolaids or Tums. You can guess that I didn't find what I needed to cure the overindulged tummy ache. I did however, enjoy a nice hot cup of ginger tea. The ginger root has so many healthy properties. I have discovered that cooking with ginger is quick and easy and brings great flavor to just about any dish.
I will do my best to get the camera slung over my shoulder and take a few pictures of the new shopping mall. The area is very family friendly and boasts of kiddie play lands complete with a small indoor train ride, carousel, and mini-prehistoric dinosaur land! The Spring and Summer months promise to bring crowds to the area. I am looking forward to taking the ferry boat ride and my turn on the jumbo Ferris wheel!
Check back with the blog site soon for pictures!
I will do my best to get the camera slung over my shoulder and take a few pictures of the new shopping mall. The area is very family friendly and boasts of kiddie play lands complete with a small indoor train ride, carousel, and mini-prehistoric dinosaur land! The Spring and Summer months promise to bring crowds to the area. I am looking forward to taking the ferry boat ride and my turn on the jumbo Ferris wheel!
Check back with the blog site soon for pictures!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Home for the Holidays!
"I'll be home for Christmas! You can count on me..." It is so true, there is no place like home for the holidays! We had a most wonderful time together with our children and our families! We packed our bags and made a trip across the ocean to be with our family and friends!
We felt so very blessed to return to our old neighborhood to be greeted by a welcoming oyster roast! It was such a great time and I still find it amazing that during the holiday weeks our friends took the time to plan a party for us! WOW!
The weeks home were filled with laughter, food, late nights, early mornings, food, food, and more food! I think we ate our way through the advent time! Today, I am still working on losing a couple of the pounds I discovered on the return trip home. The sights, sounds, and smells of the holidays in familiar settings bring such a comfort to the soul!
We enjoyed celebrating... college degree accomplishments!' Birthdays! Anniversarys!; Christmas Eve!; Christmas Morning! Family Gatherings!; New Year's Eve!: New Year's Day!
It was difficult to board the plane and leave behind our families and friends and our children...but we also know they will come to visit us soon! Yipee!
We felt so very blessed to return to our old neighborhood to be greeted by a welcoming oyster roast! It was such a great time and I still find it amazing that during the holiday weeks our friends took the time to plan a party for us! WOW!
The weeks home were filled with laughter, food, late nights, early mornings, food, food, and more food! I think we ate our way through the advent time! Today, I am still working on losing a couple of the pounds I discovered on the return trip home. The sights, sounds, and smells of the holidays in familiar settings bring such a comfort to the soul!
We enjoyed celebrating... college degree accomplishments!' Birthdays! Anniversarys!; Christmas Eve!; Christmas Morning! Family Gatherings!; New Year's Eve!: New Year's Day!
It was difficult to board the plane and leave behind our families and friends and our children...but we also know they will come to visit us soon! Yipee!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Christmas
Today was volunteer day again at the "O". The day reminded me a bit of the Christmas story....the children were nestled all snug in their beds -- BECAUSE they could not move! They were dressed in not three; not four but sometimes five layers of clothing. Absolutely incredible! They were dressed like little bundles or PIllsbury dough babies! If they had fallen I don't think they would have felt even the slightest bump! One little fellow was lying in his crib with the blanket on top of him. It wasn't until I noticed the covers moving that I discovered he was even in the crib. He smiled the cutest little grin when I pulled the covers back. I rolled him over and helped him sit up for a minute. He is learning to sit up on his very own will! Yipee! This is the same little child that three weeks ago was fed by the Ayis flat of his back with his little hands tucked inside his pants to prevent him from putting his hands to his mouth. I was thrilled to see him making progress.
Another one of the children has CP and is forever smiling at us! What an optimistic attitude she exudes! I would imagine that she will never know the joy she brings to our hearts with her toothless smile. She ate her banana today and was more content to nuzzle her head against me than to actually eat the banana. She always wants to share her food with the other children. We insist that she eat at least 1/2 of the fruit before we will pass it along to the others who have already devoured their portions. Our resident flower is the food taker of the group. She patrols around the room seeking to snatch any of the food that isn't being eaten at a lightning fast pace. Today, she camped out beside the joyful child in great anticipation that the banana would fall to the floor. It didn't fall to the floor, but I made sure she had another 1/2 later in the morning.
One of the volunteers that goes with us on Thursdays had spent her time during the last few months knitting the most beautiful sweaters, bonnets, booties, scarves and pants for the children. The items were adorable! The Ayis came rushing over and were exclaiming how wonderful the gifts were! The Ayis also spent a lot of time throughout the morning admiring the handiwork. She is a knitting diva! She will not admit that her work was superb! I have asked my friend to please teach me to knit when we both return from our holiday visits abroad. Maybe I can learn to knit a scarf or two and we can make gifts for the Ayis. She will be leaving next week for her homeland, Norway. She will be so missed by the children while she is gone. She is a gentle soul and quietly enters the "O" nursery each week loving on the children, tending to the diapers, clothing, etc.
After the children had enjoyed their bananas, the Ayis began telling the older children to take the cribs outside onto the balcony into the sunshine. So, the cribs were dragged outdoors into the bright shining sun and the little dough babies were placed in their cribs to bake! The layers of clothing were not removed and each child slowly began to perspire. We, the volunteers, began going from crib to crib to try and make the children more comfortable. Some of them we were able to adjust in the cribs so that the sunshine didn't bake them to a crisp. After bottle time for the youngest of the crescent rolls - I swear that is what they reminded me of -- it was time to change the diapers. So, quickly we changed diapers and some of the soiled layers of clothing. Replacing all those layers of clothing isn't an easy accomplishment! We searched through the armoires for clothing in gradual sizes so that the children weren't so bound.
We all noticed today that many of the little children had been given botched haircuts. Upon closer examination we learned that the children had what appears to be cradle cap -- and we have agreed to bring baby oil with us next week and place it on their heads to ease the itching and dandruff.
Following the bottle feedings and frantic clothing changes, we took the older children into the playroom. I had brought a surprise for the children -- crayons, markers, papers to draw and some coloring papers with Christmas trees, Santa and ornaments on them. It was my hope to trace each child's hand and begin making a wreath to decorate the room for the Christmas party. What is the saying? "Some of the best plans ...." The children were so thrilled but getting to each one and attempting to trace each little hand was impossible. Karen and I did the best we could -- The children LOVED the opportunity to color and draw but all were not quite sure what to think of us tracing their hands. We laughed and sang a few Christmas songs with them and they hummed along. As I left today, some were still coloring and having fun! I realize the markers and crayons will not be around next week -- but that is fine with me....I would take them markers and crayons every day if I could.
In just a few short weeks, we will have a Christmas party for the children and Jim will play the part of Santa. He is busy now growing out his beard and belly. Hee hee -- at least he can use this as an excuse for a couple weeks anyway. I am excited to have the opportunity to be there when the children can experience a taste of Christmas fun! They deserve a party every day!
As you prepare your homes and hearts for this special time of year, please pray for the children living in Orphanages around the world.
Another one of the children has CP and is forever smiling at us! What an optimistic attitude she exudes! I would imagine that she will never know the joy she brings to our hearts with her toothless smile. She ate her banana today and was more content to nuzzle her head against me than to actually eat the banana. She always wants to share her food with the other children. We insist that she eat at least 1/2 of the fruit before we will pass it along to the others who have already devoured their portions. Our resident flower is the food taker of the group. She patrols around the room seeking to snatch any of the food that isn't being eaten at a lightning fast pace. Today, she camped out beside the joyful child in great anticipation that the banana would fall to the floor. It didn't fall to the floor, but I made sure she had another 1/2 later in the morning.
One of the volunteers that goes with us on Thursdays had spent her time during the last few months knitting the most beautiful sweaters, bonnets, booties, scarves and pants for the children. The items were adorable! The Ayis came rushing over and were exclaiming how wonderful the gifts were! The Ayis also spent a lot of time throughout the morning admiring the handiwork. She is a knitting diva! She will not admit that her work was superb! I have asked my friend to please teach me to knit when we both return from our holiday visits abroad. Maybe I can learn to knit a scarf or two and we can make gifts for the Ayis. She will be leaving next week for her homeland, Norway. She will be so missed by the children while she is gone. She is a gentle soul and quietly enters the "O" nursery each week loving on the children, tending to the diapers, clothing, etc.
After the children had enjoyed their bananas, the Ayis began telling the older children to take the cribs outside onto the balcony into the sunshine. So, the cribs were dragged outdoors into the bright shining sun and the little dough babies were placed in their cribs to bake! The layers of clothing were not removed and each child slowly began to perspire. We, the volunteers, began going from crib to crib to try and make the children more comfortable. Some of them we were able to adjust in the cribs so that the sunshine didn't bake them to a crisp. After bottle time for the youngest of the crescent rolls - I swear that is what they reminded me of -- it was time to change the diapers. So, quickly we changed diapers and some of the soiled layers of clothing. Replacing all those layers of clothing isn't an easy accomplishment! We searched through the armoires for clothing in gradual sizes so that the children weren't so bound.
We all noticed today that many of the little children had been given botched haircuts. Upon closer examination we learned that the children had what appears to be cradle cap -- and we have agreed to bring baby oil with us next week and place it on their heads to ease the itching and dandruff.
Following the bottle feedings and frantic clothing changes, we took the older children into the playroom. I had brought a surprise for the children -- crayons, markers, papers to draw and some coloring papers with Christmas trees, Santa and ornaments on them. It was my hope to trace each child's hand and begin making a wreath to decorate the room for the Christmas party. What is the saying? "Some of the best plans ...." The children were so thrilled but getting to each one and attempting to trace each little hand was impossible. Karen and I did the best we could -- The children LOVED the opportunity to color and draw but all were not quite sure what to think of us tracing their hands. We laughed and sang a few Christmas songs with them and they hummed along. As I left today, some were still coloring and having fun! I realize the markers and crayons will not be around next week -- but that is fine with me....I would take them markers and crayons every day if I could.
In just a few short weeks, we will have a Christmas party for the children and Jim will play the part of Santa. He is busy now growing out his beard and belly. Hee hee -- at least he can use this as an excuse for a couple weeks anyway. I am excited to have the opportunity to be there when the children can experience a taste of Christmas fun! They deserve a party every day!
As you prepare your homes and hearts for this special time of year, please pray for the children living in Orphanages around the world.
How the Journey began...
I have a friend who was kind enough to remind me that I didn't really give any explanation to our arrival in China.
Well, here are the initial steps to our journey to Suzhou.....
My husband works for a textile engineering company. The company has undergone many changes during his career time of 30 years there. The company was located in our hometown of Atlanta, Georgia and we lived and worked happily near our families and friends. Life changes began in 2003 when he was given the abrupt news that the company would be closing the facility where he worked. The path of our life at that time was one child leaving for college and the other about to graduate high school. Following much prayer, we made a choice to move our family to Charleston, SC and Jim would continue working for the same company.
During the same year, I made a summer trip to China with other volunteers to teach English in the classroom setting for 2 weeks. My trip was filled with the wonderful amazing sights of Beijing and other areas of China. I met so many wonderful people and my heart was immediately changed - forever. I developed a great love for the people of China at that time. On one of the evenings that I called home during my trip, Jim tells me that his company is planning to open a facility in .... CHINA! Wow! Have you ever had one of those moments where deep within your spirit you know that the news will change your life? That is exactly how I felt at that moment. I was silent and Jim asked me what was up? I tried to explain to him that I felt we would be living in China one day. He didn't quite "get it" at that moment. My visit ended and I returned to unpack our lives in a new home and new community.
It was during the next year that Jim would have an opportunity to live and work here in Suzhou for six months with his company. His company sent him over to assist with some initial training and other facility work. To be completely honest, I was a bit sore that he was being given this gift of living in China rather than myself! What I didn't understand was that his heart needed to be touched and melted for the people too! After six long months of him working here in China and me living separately in a new home, new friends, new job that I began to realize our lives would be taking many new paths. Our son was busy pursuing his degree in another state and our daughter had just begun her adventure in the college life. I will admit that I allowed some roots of bitterness to become entangled around my heart as I took on a new job and was not quite sure of why and where our lives were going. Jim's job was taking him to China and I was the new kid on the block in a new job, etc. Some people call it an "empty nest" syndrome...probably some truth to that - -but I also know that I didn't apply my core principles of faith to my life and therefore slipped into a spiritual drought.
As time progressed and Jim returned to the states to live and continue working there, I pretty much felt like I would not see China again except on a personal vacation. I allowed my heart's desire to return to China to grow cold and I buried myself into my work. It was about July of 2007 when a co-worker called me one night and told me to turn on the TV -- when I did it was all about China! Immediately, my heart was again flooded with the familiar longing to return to this great nation. Why? I knew that we had a life in the states and two children in college, a mortgage and all that goes with life -- bills, commitments. I have not even mentioned the emotional pull of family and friends. Again, I placed my inner thoughts and emotional tugs to the side.
It was sometime early December that Jim received a call from a co-worker here in China and the question was asked -- "How do you feel about living and working in China?" Jim responded with for how long? He didn't want to return and work another six months without my being able to join him. The details became clearer and the offer was for two years. We began to pray about what our decision should be....leave our children who are young adults, leave our family and friends, sell the house? God's answer was clear that we were to return to China. So, we told our family --- at a very untimely moment -- Christmas Day--- that we were moving to China. Talk about a Christmas Grinch Moment! We didn't want to tell them via phone or email and as most families know, the face to face gatherings for out-of-state family time is well, holidays. I still recall the hurt and pain it caused for my parents-- but I pray they have a peace about where we are living and why we are here.
This is a long story but please hang in there.....as we returned to our jobs in SC following the Christmas holiday, we learned on January 11th that the facility in SC where Jim worked was closing the doors! Amazing how God was preparing us to move even before we knew that Jim's job was being removed from SC anyway! My employer was a home builder and developer and if you know anything about the home building industry in the states you know it has been in financial crisis now for about a year. The job I held was in a position where I was privilege to a great deal of confidential information and I knew that the company would not last through the crisis. My only question was for how long will I work? My job ended in Feb. 2008. Jim was scheduled to depart for China April 30. We quickly painted the house and cleaned as best we could and placed the house on the "for sale" market. Typically, houses in the beautiful town we lived in sold very quickly, but alas -- the housing market was flooded with homes for sale! So, again, my fragile faith began to question -- Lord, are you sure you want us to move? Are we really supposed to be in China? How will we sell our home? Should we really sell our home? When will we sell our home? Answers? Not really--- I was so concerned that perhaps I didn't hear the Lord -- maybe I was just so wanting to return to China that I was self-directing....I had certainly not been living my faith like I should.
It was after a dear friend invited me to attend a seminar in ATL - home - that I would have a clear answer and understanding. Jim was already here in China and I was very distraught. No employment -- houses were not selling and well - I was not hearing any answers to soothe my fears. During the seminar one of the speakers asked if any of us were in a dry and dusty desert? Did we feel that God had led us to a place and left us? HELLO? She was talking to me! After the message of encouragement -- I realized, that was just like God -- he led Jim to China and had me remain in SC to teach us something about ourselves and about Him! I was so humbled to be reminded that yes, he was leading and had never left me! I surrendered that day to accept the time ahead .... No matter what the outcome would be.... It was upon my return from the trip to ATL that a contract was placed on our home and it sold. The next month was a flurry of shuffling items to self-storage -- ATL to my parents home / my sister's home and moving items to the apt for our children. The moving company came in and finished the job of packing up the house and taking most of the items to permanent storage. My mom and aunt came over in early April to help us clean and make the house look pretty for the buyers. My dad came over in July to assist with the overseeing of the movers and self-storage moves. Wonderful neighbors came and cleaned our home as I exited. They were angels sent just when I needed them. My strength was gone and my heart was aching -- the reality of leaving family and my children and friends behind was about to overwhelm me.
So, following the closing and move out the house -- I stayed a week more with my children in a tiny little apt and packed up three very large, heavy overstuffed luggage bags, one trunk, and a carry on bag and boarded a plane at 4:30 AM in Charleston. I still remember my kids helping me get the luggage to the car. My strapping healthy son, tells me that the plane just may crash! Mom, do you really need all of this stuff? Such a guy! And yep -- needed every bit of it - Jim was thrilled with the food stuffs I packed and of course he was happy to have Listerine and toothpaste, etc. Ryan honestly didn't think I would be allowed to board the plane with the heavy bags -- but God went before me there too! The line was LONG at check in and the little man who was the ticket agent, simply said, "You gotta be kidding me!" when he weighed each luggage item. Let's just say that total weight was over 300 lbs! I am so grateful they didn't charge me for the over weight limit -- I only paid for the two additional bags-- whew! Today, the airlines have strict fees and restrictions - -I fear I may be to blame for some of that! As I was leaving to board the plane, my sweet and comedian daughter says to me, "Study hard now, and we will see you at Thanksgiving!" She told me that she felt like the roles had been reversed and I was the kid leaving home for school. How sweet -- she kept me from absolutely losing it there in the departure line. I waited and lost it on the plane. My reunion with Jim was just one week prior to our 25th wedding anniversary. We had been given such a gift -- to celebrate our anniversary together!
I am daily humbled and so grateful the opportunity to live here in Suzhou. It is not "home" and I painfully miss the sounds of family. I miss my children and their smiles and occasional drop in visits to the house. I miss the family pets -- the wagging of Gibson's tail and the little love bites from Sassy. I miss the smell of Jasmine in the backyard and the feel of dirt in my hands when planting new flowers. I miss taking a quick drive to the ocean and feeling the sand between my toes. I miss seeing the tall pine trees and the red Georgia clay! I miss my sister and her sweet adorable family! With all that I dearly miss - I am where God wants me to be for now. So despite my aches for home....I am content.
The community here is such a melting pot of cultures. I believe I have met people from almost every country on the globe living and working here in Suzhou. The expat community is very large and we have a wonderful time! The local people here in Suzhou are for the most part very welcoming and friendly. I know our time will go very fast and I hope to make the most of every opportunity here!
I hope my long winded explanation doesn't run you away from the blog. I promise the next posts will not be quite so lengthy!
Well, here are the initial steps to our journey to Suzhou.....
My husband works for a textile engineering company. The company has undergone many changes during his career time of 30 years there. The company was located in our hometown of Atlanta, Georgia and we lived and worked happily near our families and friends. Life changes began in 2003 when he was given the abrupt news that the company would be closing the facility where he worked. The path of our life at that time was one child leaving for college and the other about to graduate high school. Following much prayer, we made a choice to move our family to Charleston, SC and Jim would continue working for the same company.
During the same year, I made a summer trip to China with other volunteers to teach English in the classroom setting for 2 weeks. My trip was filled with the wonderful amazing sights of Beijing and other areas of China. I met so many wonderful people and my heart was immediately changed - forever. I developed a great love for the people of China at that time. On one of the evenings that I called home during my trip, Jim tells me that his company is planning to open a facility in .... CHINA! Wow! Have you ever had one of those moments where deep within your spirit you know that the news will change your life? That is exactly how I felt at that moment. I was silent and Jim asked me what was up? I tried to explain to him that I felt we would be living in China one day. He didn't quite "get it" at that moment. My visit ended and I returned to unpack our lives in a new home and new community.
It was during the next year that Jim would have an opportunity to live and work here in Suzhou for six months with his company. His company sent him over to assist with some initial training and other facility work. To be completely honest, I was a bit sore that he was being given this gift of living in China rather than myself! What I didn't understand was that his heart needed to be touched and melted for the people too! After six long months of him working here in China and me living separately in a new home, new friends, new job that I began to realize our lives would be taking many new paths. Our son was busy pursuing his degree in another state and our daughter had just begun her adventure in the college life. I will admit that I allowed some roots of bitterness to become entangled around my heart as I took on a new job and was not quite sure of why and where our lives were going. Jim's job was taking him to China and I was the new kid on the block in a new job, etc. Some people call it an "empty nest" syndrome...probably some truth to that - -but I also know that I didn't apply my core principles of faith to my life and therefore slipped into a spiritual drought.
As time progressed and Jim returned to the states to live and continue working there, I pretty much felt like I would not see China again except on a personal vacation. I allowed my heart's desire to return to China to grow cold and I buried myself into my work. It was about July of 2007 when a co-worker called me one night and told me to turn on the TV -- when I did it was all about China! Immediately, my heart was again flooded with the familiar longing to return to this great nation. Why? I knew that we had a life in the states and two children in college, a mortgage and all that goes with life -- bills, commitments. I have not even mentioned the emotional pull of family and friends. Again, I placed my inner thoughts and emotional tugs to the side.
It was sometime early December that Jim received a call from a co-worker here in China and the question was asked -- "How do you feel about living and working in China?" Jim responded with for how long? He didn't want to return and work another six months without my being able to join him. The details became clearer and the offer was for two years. We began to pray about what our decision should be....leave our children who are young adults, leave our family and friends, sell the house? God's answer was clear that we were to return to China. So, we told our family --- at a very untimely moment -- Christmas Day--- that we were moving to China. Talk about a Christmas Grinch Moment! We didn't want to tell them via phone or email and as most families know, the face to face gatherings for out-of-state family time is well, holidays. I still recall the hurt and pain it caused for my parents-- but I pray they have a peace about where we are living and why we are here.
This is a long story but please hang in there.....as we returned to our jobs in SC following the Christmas holiday, we learned on January 11th that the facility in SC where Jim worked was closing the doors! Amazing how God was preparing us to move even before we knew that Jim's job was being removed from SC anyway! My employer was a home builder and developer and if you know anything about the home building industry in the states you know it has been in financial crisis now for about a year. The job I held was in a position where I was privilege to a great deal of confidential information and I knew that the company would not last through the crisis. My only question was for how long will I work? My job ended in Feb. 2008. Jim was scheduled to depart for China April 30. We quickly painted the house and cleaned as best we could and placed the house on the "for sale" market. Typically, houses in the beautiful town we lived in sold very quickly, but alas -- the housing market was flooded with homes for sale! So, again, my fragile faith began to question -- Lord, are you sure you want us to move? Are we really supposed to be in China? How will we sell our home? Should we really sell our home? When will we sell our home? Answers? Not really--- I was so concerned that perhaps I didn't hear the Lord -- maybe I was just so wanting to return to China that I was self-directing....I had certainly not been living my faith like I should.
It was after a dear friend invited me to attend a seminar in ATL - home - that I would have a clear answer and understanding. Jim was already here in China and I was very distraught. No employment -- houses were not selling and well - I was not hearing any answers to soothe my fears. During the seminar one of the speakers asked if any of us were in a dry and dusty desert? Did we feel that God had led us to a place and left us? HELLO? She was talking to me! After the message of encouragement -- I realized, that was just like God -- he led Jim to China and had me remain in SC to teach us something about ourselves and about Him! I was so humbled to be reminded that yes, he was leading and had never left me! I surrendered that day to accept the time ahead .... No matter what the outcome would be.... It was upon my return from the trip to ATL that a contract was placed on our home and it sold. The next month was a flurry of shuffling items to self-storage -- ATL to my parents home / my sister's home and moving items to the apt for our children. The moving company came in and finished the job of packing up the house and taking most of the items to permanent storage. My mom and aunt came over in early April to help us clean and make the house look pretty for the buyers. My dad came over in July to assist with the overseeing of the movers and self-storage moves. Wonderful neighbors came and cleaned our home as I exited. They were angels sent just when I needed them. My strength was gone and my heart was aching -- the reality of leaving family and my children and friends behind was about to overwhelm me.
So, following the closing and move out the house -- I stayed a week more with my children in a tiny little apt and packed up three very large, heavy overstuffed luggage bags, one trunk, and a carry on bag and boarded a plane at 4:30 AM in Charleston. I still remember my kids helping me get the luggage to the car. My strapping healthy son, tells me that the plane just may crash! Mom, do you really need all of this stuff? Such a guy! And yep -- needed every bit of it - Jim was thrilled with the food stuffs I packed and of course he was happy to have Listerine and toothpaste, etc. Ryan honestly didn't think I would be allowed to board the plane with the heavy bags -- but God went before me there too! The line was LONG at check in and the little man who was the ticket agent, simply said, "You gotta be kidding me!" when he weighed each luggage item. Let's just say that total weight was over 300 lbs! I am so grateful they didn't charge me for the over weight limit -- I only paid for the two additional bags-- whew! Today, the airlines have strict fees and restrictions - -I fear I may be to blame for some of that! As I was leaving to board the plane, my sweet and comedian daughter says to me, "Study hard now, and we will see you at Thanksgiving!" She told me that she felt like the roles had been reversed and I was the kid leaving home for school. How sweet -- she kept me from absolutely losing it there in the departure line. I waited and lost it on the plane. My reunion with Jim was just one week prior to our 25th wedding anniversary. We had been given such a gift -- to celebrate our anniversary together!
I am daily humbled and so grateful the opportunity to live here in Suzhou. It is not "home" and I painfully miss the sounds of family. I miss my children and their smiles and occasional drop in visits to the house. I miss the family pets -- the wagging of Gibson's tail and the little love bites from Sassy. I miss the smell of Jasmine in the backyard and the feel of dirt in my hands when planting new flowers. I miss taking a quick drive to the ocean and feeling the sand between my toes. I miss seeing the tall pine trees and the red Georgia clay! I miss my sister and her sweet adorable family! With all that I dearly miss - I am where God wants me to be for now. So despite my aches for home....I am content.
The community here is such a melting pot of cultures. I believe I have met people from almost every country on the globe living and working here in Suzhou. The expat community is very large and we have a wonderful time! The local people here in Suzhou are for the most part very welcoming and friendly. I know our time will go very fast and I hope to make the most of every opportunity here!
I hope my long winded explanation doesn't run you away from the blog. I promise the next posts will not be quite so lengthy!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
XI AN
We had a terrific trip to Xi An, China. Xi An is located Northwest of Suzhou. We departed Suzhou Sat morning and traveled with about 150 employees from Jim's company via tour bus to the Pudong airport in Shanghai. It took three different groups on three different airplanes to get us all to our destination. Upon arrival in Xi An we loaded three tour buses and began our journey to the city of Xi An.
Once we arrived we found our way to the hotel. It was on a very overcrowded street that I didn't think the buses could manage. I was WRONG! The bus drivers were experts and could maneuver the buses with great ease and precision. I was completely amazed. I would not want the job of a bus driver here in China. The cars, bikes, pedicabs and pedestrians simply ignore the buses! Imagine a HUGE bus coming down the street right at you and not moving! Yep -- the bus stops or blast the horn which sounds like a tug boat horn! Then maybe the pedestrian will move or the bike will slightly move over to allow the bus to pass through the street. AYE!!!!!! Our driver never flinched, cussed or even rolled his eyes.
We stayed at a bargain hotel that proved to be shelter and warm showers! You can't ask for much more than that on a trip with so many people! I was thankful to have hot showers and a toilet! It was another adventure with hand signals to explain to the housekeeper that we needed toilet paper. T.P. is another convenience that you appreciate even more when traveling. The housekeeper returned smiling with the smallest roll of TP I have ever seen! I expressed my sincere appreciation and told Jim we must find a convenience store. Ha ha!
We opened the window to allow fresh air to enter the stale stuffy room and were greeted with the sounds of traditional Chinese music. Our fabulous view was a bit obscured by the burglar bars and the wall of the building next door. When the screen was open we could actually touch the building next door. Despite our view, the room gave us a place to shower and rest until the next event on the schedule.
The afternoon had slipped away and dinner was arranged for all of us in the hotel restaurant. Dinner was SPICY! The food was traditional and I enjoyed it! The fish here is usually served with bones, head, etc. Jim will not eat the fish because of the bones - but I was so hungry I didn't care. I was happy to enjoy a familiar taste less the extra hot peppers. The group quickly completed the arranged dinner and we all hit the streets. We walked about 10 minutes and found the Bell and Drum Towers. The towers were glowing with lights in the night sky. They were beautiful. It is unfortunate that we didn't have the opportunity to actually tour the towers on this trip. We will make certain that we tour the towers on the next trip to Xi An.
The city had a local street which was called "Muslim Street." The local Muslims were dressed in warm clothing complete with traditional head coverings for both men and women. The street was filled with local patrons selling everything from puppy dogs, shoes, handbags, jade bracelets, bracelets made from cow bones, blankets, nuts, fruit and hot food! The smells were intense! The food was actually appealing and we tried a local treat. I can not remember the name of this dish, but it was prepared by a street vendor and was something like dough steamed and rolled in a peanut - nutty spice. You could select a filling for your treat on a stick of you wanted it. The choices were lemon, apple, fruit, berry and meat. So, I think I requested the apple filling, but I didn't taste anything close to apples.
We continued our journey down the street and encountered beggars and stalkers. The beggars openly wanted money and the stalkers wanted our camera, wallets etc. The tour guides came up to us and said, "Be careful with your personals!" So, we guarded our bags. I had the camera around my neck and sure enough we had a group of 2 then 3 then 4 men carefully walking behind us and around us for our time on the street. The street had alley ways that were filled with more sales and local people. We found a few souvenirs and continued around the towers.
While on our city tour, we stumbled upon not one, not two but three Starbucks! YUMMY! The air was cold and the warm familiar taste of a "Carmel Machiotto" hit the spot! Time to recline and take a rest until day 2! We turned out the lights and prepared to sleep only to hear the continued sounds of the street through the window. The room was equipped with heat but not a/c or fan. It was still stuffy and closing the window wasn't an option. I could only laugh out loud as we attempted to actually sleep.
Day Two: Morning came very early and my puffy eyes were proof of no sleep! The warm shower was wonderful. Thankfully, I had brought a couple of instant coffee packets with us and we made some warm coffee to get us going. The trip planned for today is to the Terra Cot ta Warriors and History Museum of Shanxi. We drove for approximately 2 hours. The weather is cold and we are all layered in warm clothes. Upon our arrival at the museum, we were greeted by a very large statue and KFC! Yep -- you just can't imagine China w/out KFC -right? The museum is located in the countryside. The terra cotta warriors were discovered when local farmers attempted to drill a well and came across bronze statues. The discovery has been claimed as the 8th Wonder of the World. I can agree. We entered the first building approximately the size of three football fields to find rows and rows of soldiers that had been unearthed. The mounds of dirt were still in the process of being excavated. I have seen photographs on the Internet prior to our visit, but I wasn't prepared for the reality. Two additional large buildings housed more of the artifacts and actual excavation is ongoing. One of the tour guides said that the warriors were reappearing to conquer the earth once more! Hmmmmm....interesting statement. The warriors have certainly gained world wide attention!
We continued to tour the museums and I wanted to remain and take more pictures. The walk to the museum was beautiful and I was hoping the sun would appear. The mountains surrounding the open land were shrouded with dense clouds. The photographs barely reveal the outline of the mountains. Hopefully, when we return next Spring or Summer the skies will allow the view to be photographed.
We gathered again and loaded the buses to enjoy another traditional Chinese dinner together and then back to our hotel. We all struck out to enjoy another stroll through the city. While we were out we followed some of the colleagues to a local dinner spot. One of the men who works with Jim ordered the food for our tables. The dishes included: duck, roasted chicken, ox tail, squid, jellyfish, lamb, fish, and other mystery dishes I can't recall. After dinner, we stumbled upon WAL-MART! Oh joy -- but we found TP, contact solution and gum. Back to the room to enjoy another night of horn serenades!
Day Three: We
Today we are off to see the Imperial Tomb of Tang Dynasty. The buses drove for about 2 hours from the hotel and we found ourselves in the country hillside again. We visited the the Imperial Tomb of Tang Dynasty. The actual location of the tomb is unknown and the location we were taken to visit is the tourist spot of the monuments dedicated to the Emperor and Empress.
As we approached the monuments the local villagers came out begging for us to purchase their wares. I strolled over to the edge of the mountain to get a photo and discovered the village where they lived. A sweet little lady came over to me and wanted me to go to her house with her for 50 yuan. Of course I had to decline because we were with a tour group. We were also offered rides on horses around the village. I wanted to go so badly, but Jim was completely in objection. We will not leave the group! OK -- OK. The villagers saw us arguing and it was funny to see their reaction to our verbal disagreement. They continued to approach me but when Jim would turn around and say NO!, they would look at me and say, OK OK -- as if they had sympathy for the woman whose husband didn't want to adventure into the countryside ....and get left in Xi An!
After we completed our walk up and down the famous "sacred hallway" we visited another museum. This one was filled with wax figures dressed in period clothing. The hallways steadily descended to a room much lower than the entrance. It was dark and musty. The final room was located behind a shrine and altar. This room had a replication of the Emperor Gaozong and his wife in a glass coffin. It is said that the Empress had her two only sons killed so she could inherit the throne of power in Wu Zetian. OK -- not a very nice lady. Following our tour of the museum, we had a meal. The meals also continued a steady decline in appeal and taste. The best part of this meal was the noodles. We ate a couple bites of noodles and then devoured the granola bars I had in our backpacks!
Back to the city of Xi An to see the City Wall! It was built to protect the city of Xi An from battle attacks. Interestingly, the city gate would allow attackers to enter the wall and then they would be surrounded by another wall which held archers. Jim likened it to "fish in a barrel" -- great strategy!
We completed our trip to Xi An with a return to Suzhou via overnight Train! The train station was so very crowded! We waited for about 1 hour until our train was available. The train trip in itself was an experience I will not soon forget. We slept in the "hard-sleeper" cars. The bunks were three high and each "compartment" held a total of six bunks. The bathroom was community shared and located at the end of the car. Each car slept 60 people. It was not a toilet as we are familiar with in the US. It was a squatty. About every two hours an attendant would take a bucket of water and clear the bathroom.
We played Uno and laughed for a couple hours. Jim's co-workers are a lot of fun and they were so gracious and even attempted to teach me a few new words! The train announced "Lights Out at 10PM" in Mandarin of course -- and they were not joking. It was dark on the train! Jim was kind and gave me the bottom bunk and he took the middle bunk. He was so kind! When morning came, we still had about 6 more hours to ride the train to Suzhou. The bathrooms were busy!
We finally reached Suzhou and made it back to our little apartment. Fresh linens, clean shower and toilet! I could not ask for more at that moment. We had taken in a lot of sights, sounds, tastes, smells and were ready for a rest. Unfortunately, we also brought back with us head / chest colds. Jim had not been feeling great before we left and by the time we returned he was completely sick. He went to the Dr. on Thursday and now I am struggling with the same sore throat, cough, and body aches. We are both taking meds and hope to be on the mend before we journey home for the holidays. I don't regret our trip to Xi An one little bit. I am eager to return to Xi An and take in more of the sights.
I am placing a few of our pics from this trip --- hope you can enjoy.
Once we arrived we found our way to the hotel. It was on a very overcrowded street that I didn't think the buses could manage. I was WRONG! The bus drivers were experts and could maneuver the buses with great ease and precision. I was completely amazed. I would not want the job of a bus driver here in China. The cars, bikes, pedicabs and pedestrians simply ignore the buses! Imagine a HUGE bus coming down the street right at you and not moving! Yep -- the bus stops or blast the horn which sounds like a tug boat horn! Then maybe the pedestrian will move or the bike will slightly move over to allow the bus to pass through the street. AYE!!!!!! Our driver never flinched, cussed or even rolled his eyes.
We stayed at a bargain hotel that proved to be shelter and warm showers! You can't ask for much more than that on a trip with so many people! I was thankful to have hot showers and a toilet! It was another adventure with hand signals to explain to the housekeeper that we needed toilet paper. T.P. is another convenience that you appreciate even more when traveling. The housekeeper returned smiling with the smallest roll of TP I have ever seen! I expressed my sincere appreciation and told Jim we must find a convenience store. Ha ha!
We opened the window to allow fresh air to enter the stale stuffy room and were greeted with the sounds of traditional Chinese music. Our fabulous view was a bit obscured by the burglar bars and the wall of the building next door. When the screen was open we could actually touch the building next door. Despite our view, the room gave us a place to shower and rest until the next event on the schedule.
The afternoon had slipped away and dinner was arranged for all of us in the hotel restaurant. Dinner was SPICY! The food was traditional and I enjoyed it! The fish here is usually served with bones, head, etc. Jim will not eat the fish because of the bones - but I was so hungry I didn't care. I was happy to enjoy a familiar taste less the extra hot peppers. The group quickly completed the arranged dinner and we all hit the streets. We walked about 10 minutes and found the Bell and Drum Towers. The towers were glowing with lights in the night sky. They were beautiful. It is unfortunate that we didn't have the opportunity to actually tour the towers on this trip. We will make certain that we tour the towers on the next trip to Xi An.
The city had a local street which was called "Muslim Street." The local Muslims were dressed in warm clothing complete with traditional head coverings for both men and women. The street was filled with local patrons selling everything from puppy dogs, shoes, handbags, jade bracelets, bracelets made from cow bones, blankets, nuts, fruit and hot food! The smells were intense! The food was actually appealing and we tried a local treat. I can not remember the name of this dish, but it was prepared by a street vendor and was something like dough steamed and rolled in a peanut - nutty spice. You could select a filling for your treat on a stick of you wanted it. The choices were lemon, apple, fruit, berry and meat. So, I think I requested the apple filling, but I didn't taste anything close to apples.
We continued our journey down the street and encountered beggars and stalkers. The beggars openly wanted money and the stalkers wanted our camera, wallets etc. The tour guides came up to us and said, "Be careful with your personals!" So, we guarded our bags. I had the camera around my neck and sure enough we had a group of 2 then 3 then 4 men carefully walking behind us and around us for our time on the street. The street had alley ways that were filled with more sales and local people. We found a few souvenirs and continued around the towers.
While on our city tour, we stumbled upon not one, not two but three Starbucks! YUMMY! The air was cold and the warm familiar taste of a "Carmel Machiotto" hit the spot! Time to recline and take a rest until day 2! We turned out the lights and prepared to sleep only to hear the continued sounds of the street through the window. The room was equipped with heat but not a/c or fan. It was still stuffy and closing the window wasn't an option. I could only laugh out loud as we attempted to actually sleep.
Day Two: Morning came very early and my puffy eyes were proof of no sleep! The warm shower was wonderful. Thankfully, I had brought a couple of instant coffee packets with us and we made some warm coffee to get us going. The trip planned for today is to the Terra Cot ta Warriors and History Museum of Shanxi. We drove for approximately 2 hours. The weather is cold and we are all layered in warm clothes. Upon our arrival at the museum, we were greeted by a very large statue and KFC! Yep -- you just can't imagine China w/out KFC -right? The museum is located in the countryside. The terra cotta warriors were discovered when local farmers attempted to drill a well and came across bronze statues. The discovery has been claimed as the 8th Wonder of the World. I can agree. We entered the first building approximately the size of three football fields to find rows and rows of soldiers that had been unearthed. The mounds of dirt were still in the process of being excavated. I have seen photographs on the Internet prior to our visit, but I wasn't prepared for the reality. Two additional large buildings housed more of the artifacts and actual excavation is ongoing. One of the tour guides said that the warriors were reappearing to conquer the earth once more! Hmmmmm....interesting statement. The warriors have certainly gained world wide attention!
We continued to tour the museums and I wanted to remain and take more pictures. The walk to the museum was beautiful and I was hoping the sun would appear. The mountains surrounding the open land were shrouded with dense clouds. The photographs barely reveal the outline of the mountains. Hopefully, when we return next Spring or Summer the skies will allow the view to be photographed.
We gathered again and loaded the buses to enjoy another traditional Chinese dinner together and then back to our hotel. We all struck out to enjoy another stroll through the city. While we were out we followed some of the colleagues to a local dinner spot. One of the men who works with Jim ordered the food for our tables. The dishes included: duck, roasted chicken, ox tail, squid, jellyfish, lamb, fish, and other mystery dishes I can't recall. After dinner, we stumbled upon WAL-MART! Oh joy -- but we found TP, contact solution and gum. Back to the room to enjoy another night of horn serenades!
Day Three: We
Today we are off to see the Imperial Tomb of Tang Dynasty. The buses drove for about 2 hours from the hotel and we found ourselves in the country hillside again. We visited the the Imperial Tomb of Tang Dynasty. The actual location of the tomb is unknown and the location we were taken to visit is the tourist spot of the monuments dedicated to the Emperor and Empress.
As we approached the monuments the local villagers came out begging for us to purchase their wares. I strolled over to the edge of the mountain to get a photo and discovered the village where they lived. A sweet little lady came over to me and wanted me to go to her house with her for 50 yuan. Of course I had to decline because we were with a tour group. We were also offered rides on horses around the village. I wanted to go so badly, but Jim was completely in objection. We will not leave the group! OK -- OK. The villagers saw us arguing and it was funny to see their reaction to our verbal disagreement. They continued to approach me but when Jim would turn around and say NO!, they would look at me and say, OK OK -- as if they had sympathy for the woman whose husband didn't want to adventure into the countryside ....and get left in Xi An!
After we completed our walk up and down the famous "sacred hallway" we visited another museum. This one was filled with wax figures dressed in period clothing. The hallways steadily descended to a room much lower than the entrance. It was dark and musty. The final room was located behind a shrine and altar. This room had a replication of the Emperor Gaozong and his wife in a glass coffin. It is said that the Empress had her two only sons killed so she could inherit the throne of power in Wu Zetian. OK -- not a very nice lady. Following our tour of the museum, we had a meal. The meals also continued a steady decline in appeal and taste. The best part of this meal was the noodles. We ate a couple bites of noodles and then devoured the granola bars I had in our backpacks!
Back to the city of Xi An to see the City Wall! It was built to protect the city of Xi An from battle attacks. Interestingly, the city gate would allow attackers to enter the wall and then they would be surrounded by another wall which held archers. Jim likened it to "fish in a barrel" -- great strategy!
We completed our trip to Xi An with a return to Suzhou via overnight Train! The train station was so very crowded! We waited for about 1 hour until our train was available. The train trip in itself was an experience I will not soon forget. We slept in the "hard-sleeper" cars. The bunks were three high and each "compartment" held a total of six bunks. The bathroom was community shared and located at the end of the car. Each car slept 60 people. It was not a toilet as we are familiar with in the US. It was a squatty. About every two hours an attendant would take a bucket of water and clear the bathroom.
We played Uno and laughed for a couple hours. Jim's co-workers are a lot of fun and they were so gracious and even attempted to teach me a few new words! The train announced "Lights Out at 10PM" in Mandarin of course -- and they were not joking. It was dark on the train! Jim was kind and gave me the bottom bunk and he took the middle bunk. He was so kind! When morning came, we still had about 6 more hours to ride the train to Suzhou. The bathrooms were busy!
We finally reached Suzhou and made it back to our little apartment. Fresh linens, clean shower and toilet! I could not ask for more at that moment. We had taken in a lot of sights, sounds, tastes, smells and were ready for a rest. Unfortunately, we also brought back with us head / chest colds. Jim had not been feeling great before we left and by the time we returned he was completely sick. He went to the Dr. on Thursday and now I am struggling with the same sore throat, cough, and body aches. We are both taking meds and hope to be on the mend before we journey home for the holidays. I don't regret our trip to Xi An one little bit. I am eager to return to Xi An and take in more of the sights.
I am placing a few of our pics from this trip --- hope you can enjoy.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Pearl City
Wow! We visited an area here today known as Pearl City! It is amazing to say the very least! The store is filled with pearls of every color, size and quality! The best pearls are very expensive of course. How much fun it was to select some Christmas presents for our family and friends back home.
We hope the gifts will be enjoyed as much as we enjoyed selecting each one!
We hope the gifts will be enjoyed as much as we enjoyed selecting each one!
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