A (Half) Year in Review

Nimen Hao!

     So because I'm officially done teaching until the middle of February (yes, you read that right), I decide that this would be a good time for retrospective of my journey so far, in images.  Hopefully I'll be able to shed some light on some aspects of my life in China that many of you are curious about (even if you didn't know it).

Teaching:
      Very  different experience here. The kids are still kids, but here they really want to learn.  They actually homework, and take extra classes... weird.

Class right after lunch; Singing Karaoke to get ready for class.

The Macarena... What better way to introduce China to the World?

School Assemblies are quite impressive... and Damn cold.

One of the more entertaining competitions, The students are dubbing and English movie

Living:
     There are many challenges to living in a different culture, but Er Wai (#2 Foreign Language School) sure makes it easier, and a lot more fun. 

Nothing says co-worker bonding like Tug-of-War!

or biking to the (not so) Yellow River

Yeah more Macarena

Traveling:
     This is a huge country and I've only left Henan once so far, but my current home province has  a ton to offer.  Travel is relatively inexpensive and easy to arrange.

The Chinese really know how to draw you into a museum.

Some of the best sites are those found randomly.  The park near school has tones of random gathering areas  and statuary....

some more random than others.

Travel is really cheap in China, even by goat.

Amazing architecture that you can't find anywhere else. (The Chinese Pavilion at the Shanghai World's Fair)

and of course trouble.... cute trouble...

Eating:
     As you all know, I absolutely love the food here.  There are many options and many creative dishes here.  Below are some new ones that I haven't shared yet.  Enjoy!

The Hip-Hop Ganstaz are stretching noodles (there's a short video below)

Yum! Boiled Bullfrog... tastes like... well tastes like you might think frog would taste like, with surprisingly large bones.

An oldie but a goodie, Peking Duck is definitely one of my favorite non-street food dishes.

The Korean food here is also quite amazing and ridiculously spicy

 Enjoy the show!

My Most Unique:
  

Very Inexpensive, and effective daycare

This is the fifth such sign in a row... What female problem is cured at a Procreation Hospital?

Who doesn't like burning things... even better when it's for a good cause.

Yeah...um... cool... this way, right?

What a great aspect of American culture to share... Everyone deserves a blue ribbon.

How the heck do you paint a fish?

What a strange range of possible drinks for my little bear cup...

Yummy...

Fried tasty scorpions...

     Well, who knows what I might see or do in the next six months.  Since I'm done teaching for the semester I'll actually be traveling next at the end of next week.  My first stop will be Haikou for a few days, then Guangzhou for two days, and then Bangkok for 5 days so my next post probably won't be until after I return just before Spring festival.

Zaijian