Journey to Oahu

We started our journey to Oahu by taking a train from Nanjing to Shanghai, then flying from Shanghai to Tokyo, then just 6 hours to Honolulu. Rachel kept herself and her new little friend busy on the train ride to Shanghai.

We had a 6 1/2 hours layover in Tokyo/Narita, so we ventured out of the airport into Narita town. We are so glad we did, because it was our first experience in Japan, outside of the airport.

We made our way through Narita to a Buddhist temple, where a ceremony was taking place. We didn't go in, but I got a shot of a priest ringing the bell at the end of the ceremony.

We had a genuine Japanese dinner, complete with removing our shoes, sitting on the floor, and sipping green tea.

Nothing like a romantic dinner with 4 of our favorite people...can you see the look of relaxation taking over Jim's face as we get farther from Nanjing and work?

As fresh as it gets! This restaurant displays their fresh eels in front of the restaurant. You can thank me for not posting the video.

Jim had a moment of fantasy, as he saw a Harley on the street in Narita. So when are you too old for a mid-life crisis?!

Hawaii! We arrived one hour and 45 minutes BEFORE we left Shanghai on Dec. 18th. We lived the day twice, but then lost Dec. 26 on our way home. Rachel, our girl who is full of surprises, packed her own leis so we could be welcomed to the island appropriately!

Nothing like having a bunch of parrots dropped on you the first step you take in Waikiki!

We met our Minnesotan friends, the Thompsons, in Oahu. It was a happy reunion for everyone and what a perfect place to hangout with friends.

Jesse and Weston were inseparable during our time on Oahu. In fact, Weston left a few days before us and Jesse lost all interest in going to the beach at Waikiki..."It won't be any fun without Weston." Sniff, sniff.

Grace and Grace gave surfing a shot, as well as Jim, Judy, Becca, and Levi. The consensus is it's alot harder than it looks!

Some people head to a luau when they get to Hawaii, but the Arnebergs head to Taco Bell! We had to remind ourselves how to go through a drive-thru...and Jim had to remember how to drive.

We ate a pineapple a day. Yum.

And, of course, shave ice was a staple in our diets!

We took in the typical tourist sites, climbing Diamond Head on a nice overcast day.

We had perfect weather during the time we were there. We were thinking about all of our friends and family having a white Christmas on the mainland...

We had 2 occasions to see sea turtles, sunbathing on the beach on the North Shore...and had some educational conversations with the volunteers who help protect the turtles when they come ashore.

Snorkeling! We had a great day at Hanauma Bay, a sunken volcano crater with the coral reef right at the shoreline. I (Joann) didn't expect to snorkel due to my poor vision and inability to wear contacts, but they rented Rx snorkeling masks for nearsighted people like me. It was a gift to be able to snorkel and take in the beauty under the water.

The boys tried staying up on a boogey board. Jesse gave it a shot.

Levi started asking early on how he could live in Hawaii someday...

Becca, Grace, and Grace. I became convinced that it is good to have other teenage girls with you on vacation! They smiled alot and were fun to be around.

We took a whale cruise for an afternoon and saw 2 Humpback whales (from a distance) and group of spinner dolphins. We also got to make fresh flower leis. Some of our kids took part in the ukelele lessons and then performed for everyone on the boat. Grace came home with her own ukelele, a Christmas gift from Rachel.

Ahhhhhh.

We spent 2 days at the North Shore of Oahu, where the waves are BIG in winter.

We hiked the Manoa Valley to a waterfall.

Jesse was insistent on going to Pearl Harbor. It is a very moving memorial that made a deep impression on Jesse.

No comment.

Back in Shanghai. Jesse was given this bird carved from a large vegetable by a chef at our hotel. He carried it to the train station then decided he didn't want to hold it anymore, so he gave it to an employee at a shop. She was delighted with the gift and Jesse's generousity. It is good to be "home."

Happy New Year!

Warmest (really) wishes for a happy new year...whether you follow the lunar or the Gregorian calendar! We are very aware of the coming Chinese New Year, celebrating the Year of the Ox, as the stores are filled with CNY merchandise--lanterns, door decorations with oxen on them, specially-packaged foods, beautiful cards, etc. It's like Christmas-time in the US for the retail world.

Socially, families are planning get-togethers and, for folks like us, work groups are gathering to remember the previous year and toast to the coming year. We've been told CNY is very similar to Thanksgiving in the US--but it goes on much longer! The whole country can get gridlocked from all of the travelling.

The kids will get one week off from school--which seems crazy to us since they just had 3 weeks off for Christmas. But, alas, that is part of bridging two cultures. Jim plans to skip town during CNY, heading to Chihuahua, Mexico, to visit the Emerson plant there and assist in the training of two new Chinese engineers.

Weatherwise, we keep hearing the reports of a very snowy, cold Midwest...and I can't say I miss that part of American life! Here in Nanjing, it is getting colder each day, it seems, and there are rumors of snow, but I have yet to see any. We are wearing our layers and slippers and wrapping up in fleece blankets. We have heaters in each room (except the bathrooms!) and we are BLESSED to have in-floor heat in the main level of the house. Very nice on the toes.

Many of you have asked how we spent our first Christmas in China...well, we didn't! We got out of town, like most of the ex-pat community. It has been like a ghost town around here. Most of the ex-pats leave the day school lets out and return to their home country, returning the day before school begins. For the Arnebergs, we didn't see the need to return to Minnesota when we are gone for only one year total. While jet-lag and below zero temps and living with relatives sounds inviting, we made the decision to go to a warmer climate for part of our holiday time.

We spent Christmas 2008 in Oahu with Barack. We didn't actually see him, but we knew he was around...and wasn't he in Kenya a while back when we were there (2006)? Very interesting...I wonder how long it will take for him to visit China?

Hawaii was WONDERFUL. It was the right balance of relaxation, activity, sunshine, English, shave ice, and socializing. Our friends, the Thompsons, from Maplewood, joined us for part of our time there and it was a sweet reunion, esp. for Jesse and Weston and Grace and Grace. See the photos!