Ouch My "Blog" Hurts...

Here is the Restaurant we road to

 Nimen Hao!
So this post took longer to write than I usually would take, mostly because I wasn't really sure my hands would be able to type.
Thursday, during the Mid-Autumn Break, Han, Li's husband, offered to take us all on relatively short bike ride to the Hunguagwe Temple and tomb, about 20km outside of Luoyang.  Now this trip had three purposes, first to see the beautiful country side, second to eat some awesome mutton soup, and third to actually see the tomb and the temple.

Our rides, all ten of them

Everything started so easily, Han explained that this ride would probably take about an hour and a half to get there.  The ride was not too difficult, and the scenery was awesome.  Once we finished with the temple and the group decided that we would take a short detour to the Yellow River, Han was pretty sure that is would only be about another 10km, pretty easy ... alas it was not to be...

This soup was awesome, even with the gelatin cubes of blood

We needed to take a slight detour around a brand new power plant... a 30 minute detour.  Then we were back on track, a mere hour more of riding, up hill, and we arrived at the Yellow river, a mere 10 km from Xiaolangdi Dam (Three Gorges Dam).  this is when we realized that we had to follow the river back to Luoyang, and we had to ride up stream (and up hill). Now out of the the ten of us, there are really only 2 avid bikers (and I'm not one of them), it's hard to to really explain the the ridiculously intense hills that we had to ride up.  I do not like riding my bike in the mountains...especially up mountains.  Now both Li and Han were surprised by the intensity of this stage of the ride, apparently neither of them had actually made this ride before.  I can't count the times I heard one of them tell us that "this is the last hill", or "It's all down hill to Luoyang from here", only to find yet another freaking hill. 
Now I'm always up for an adventure, but when an hour and a half bike ride turns into a twelve hour bike ride, things have gotten out of hand a bit... I kept telling my self that the scenery was worth the ride, and that's true, but I'm not sure that the scenery was worth the inabiilty to sit for two days... Enjoy some of the pictures taken during this great adventure:

 

Andy, one of our music teachers, at Hunguangwe Temple

The Granny Cypress, over 800 years old

The entrance to the tomb, we were not allowed to take photos inside

The Corn fields in the country side

Our massive line of bikes on the way to the Yellow river

One of the many Cave-Homes, people actually live in these, they have electricity, and heat

Michael encouraging Jing to keep going (It's amazing what a snickers can accomplish)

Here is the half completed bridge we had to walk our bikes across

See the Yellow River in the distance? Me either...

It's harvest season, the local farmers are drying their corn before they sell it, they hang it everywhere

The green you see on the street is actually sesame, before it's dried and whacked

Neighbors, new and old houses side-by-side

More of the beautiful country side

One of the ridiculous hills we had to ride up

 

Xiolangdi Dam from the bridge

The natural geology of the three gorges

Han, Li, Barbara, Matthew, Jing, Me, Kim, Michael, and Skyla (Andy took the picture)

At the near top of the a hill, we had to ride our bikes through this tunnel...

When we realized we had taken the long way back

Just past the dam, still not at the top...

Andy, taking a picture of the reservoir, still not at the top...

A strip mine near closer to the top, but still not there...

Some young onlookers who found our arrival to be very interesting in their little town

Finally the last hill

A very appropriate sign, finally back in the city

after 12 hours... this is how I felt...

Zaijian

Mid-Autumn Update

Ninmen Hao!
So as most of you know, I've been fighting off this bug for a week.  Well thanks to Li I finally broke down and went to the doctor, the very Chinese doctor...
Now I'm not really sure what your perceptions of Chinese health care are, but mine were cautious at best.  Now my first impression of the doctor's office was ".... .... ...."
We stepped through the plastic sheeting that is in place of the door, and We were in the doctor's office, actually in the doctor's office, he greeted us and everything.  There was no waiting room at all, and no waiting time, actually he started his examination as soon as I sat down.  10 minutes later, Dr. "guy" (I never did catch his name) told me that this was "going around" (which I usually hear in America) and he started to dispense my meds, 8 yuan later I was on my way home with two days worth of medication.  Two days later, I'm actually feeling almost back to normal.  Insane, but true, the Chinese health care system wins this round easily.

Here is 1 dose of my meds (3X a day)

Here is one of my new duties, Crazy English, I stand in front of all of the Junior 1 Students and shout  new sayings for them to repeat...fast

Here is an example of one of my best rookie mistakes in China:

So I gave my last class a treat today, lollipops... which apparently had freaking whistles in the stems... Luckily there were only 2 minutes left in class... Awesome...

Zaijian

Sunday? Let's Make It Wednesday!

Ninmen Hao!
Sorry it's been so long.  I've been fighting off my first Chinese cold all week.  It's been a very interesting week.  So earlier this week I found out that next Wednesday is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a three day break from school where people eat Moon Cakes (no relation to the Moon Pies of the States) and celebrate the coming of Winter... I think, it hasn't really been clear what actually happens.  So in order to have these three days off we need to make them up somewhere... right away.  Now Mid-Autumn Festival is a lunar holiday and this year it falls the week before National Day, October 1st (Chinese Independence day), where we get a week off.  so here is what my schedule for the next two weeks looks: (you may want a calender, paper, writing utensil, and alcoholic beverage to follow this)
Sunday (today) is now Wednesday; Monday and Tuesday are still Monday and Tuesday; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we have off; Saturday is now Thursday; Sunday is now Friday; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the following week are still Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the following week; Friday is October 1st, National Day, and the start of National Week; Saturday, Sunday, the Next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we have off; That Friday is Friday; that Saturday is Thursday; and finally that Sunday is Sunday the 10th and we're back to normal as far as I know... Got it? Good!
I actually had to triple check this to make sure it was right... and I'm still not sure.
Here are some random pictures from the week:

My Case of Moon Cakes

Each container holds a different kind of Moon Cake (Mostly Bean and Nut based)

My New Roommate...

Some former students

The Pic's this week feel a bit weak, sorry as I said, I haven't been doing much more than trying to recover.  This week should be good, at the very least I should get to the White Lion Temple (the first Buddhist temple in China).  I'll keep you all informed.

Zaijian

P.S. My students have started to bring me copies of the article about me.  The overall article is really just a mini-bio about me, but it highlights the fact that I'm into Chinese history and my desire to travel.  So this kids have been offering me little tidbits about their country and their area, actually very interesting.

THE BANQUET!!!

Ninmen Hao!
To start today, I'd like to make a quick disclaimer: I have been to school parties, I have been to staff meetings, I have been to school barbecues, but nothing I have been to before can compare to to the Teacher's Day Banquet.

Yes these beers are for me, all 5 of them...

So First, The whole banquet was put on by our neighborhood party leader, He is like the boss of our area.  He paid for the whole this as a sign of his appreciation for what we do... 4 hours later we were all very appreciative (except my Mormon friends who were still very appreciative, just not in the same way as the rest of us).  Our evening started off with a short speech by our Principal, Mr. Bai (which I have apparently been misspelling this whole time). He welcomed the staff, and talked about what a great year we had last year, and how he has nothing but high hopes for doing even better this year, pretty basic stuff from an administrator, right? Well he then proceeded to go to every table in the room and make a toast to all of the teachers (at least 23 tables), Mr. Bai can hold his baijiu (also finally spelled right).  I soon came to realize that even though I was at a table of non-drinkers that I would not be left out, or forgotten. Mr. Bia is a Baijiu Ninja, The man would materialize behind me with a full glass for the both of us, of course he also knows that I prefer beer so he helped out with that.
As the evening went on, and the alcohol flowed so did the food and the the performances, and almost everyone performed.  These performances weren't out a of a sense of duty or expectation, but out a sense of pride and celebration. Here are some of the great performances:

Principal Bai's Opening Speech

The Department of Moral Education (P.E.) doing the qiaqia (this is how they spell cha-cha)

A mass of slightly inebriated teacher sing with Mr. Jai (on the right)

One thing I learn at the banquet is that no one, and I truly mean no one can upstage Mr. Jai.  This man is our Department Chair and he always has a kind word or encouraging story to share with the group, one-on-one his stories become even more entertaining.

The start of the meal

It's Smiling at me...

Part of the Junior three teachers

Junior 3 had the best test scores in the city last year, and some of the best students in Henan (the province). Because of the students' performance the department of 41 teachers gets to split a bonus of 350,000 Yuan (a little over $1,200 a piece).  Plus Head teacher now get payed 700 Yuan/month for that duty.  The head of the Junior 3 teachers actually got promoted to assistant principal as well (this is definitely an example of incentive payment).

Pretty Impressive Ribbon Dancing... We had to follow this act...

Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah... Yup...

More flowers as gifts (Ms. Li is on the far right, she is the one insuring that I survive this year)

Jing and Amy (from left to right), Too of my colleagues

Principal Bai Rocking the Karaoke (and yes he has Baijiu in his hand)

Mr. Jai dancing around with some teacher's child, we were all a little worried about the split pants...

Party Favors, I now have 3 bottles of Baijiu that will most likely be here when I move out... This vintage was only slightly corrosive to my throat...

Me... right before the hour walk home...

Thanks to Han, Li, Mr. Jai, and Jenny I made it home safely and had an amazing conversation.  Apparently walking through the park at night is not something many people do, but when they have a giant inebriated Meiguo (American) there is a lot less to worry about. I had a video to upload, but apparently I filled my blog with too many fancy photos and words... phooey...

Zaijian