What are these people looking at, you ask? Just another day of the Arneberg kids enjoying the adventures of China! They got the chance to be children in plastic bubbles on one of the lakes on Purple Mountain.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
High Inflation Affects Arneberg Kids
By Joann
What are these people looking at, you ask? Just another day of the Arneberg kids enjoying the adventures of China! They got the chance to be children in plastic bubbles on one of the lakes on Purple Mountain.
What are these people looking at, you ask? Just another day of the Arneberg kids enjoying the adventures of China! They got the chance to be children in plastic bubbles on one of the lakes on Purple Mountain.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Settling-In
By Joann
Delivery Day! We've had several of these lately. Here we are receiving our bedroom furniture. We've also received our dining room table for 10 and our air shipment. We've heard our surface shipment is in customs and should be here in a week or so. Yay!
Rock Band is here! We sent a wii with our air shipment and now we can rock-out whenever we want. 
Poor Levi HAD to get an apple laptop for school. The school is introducing laptops for middle school students this year, probably adding them for other grades next year. The school will buy back the computer at the end of the year.
The gate at the entrance to "home." Dongjiao is a hotel run by the government, as well as a compound with residential housing.
Cookies! My cookie sheets arrived in the air shipment, but no chocolate chips to be found. Chocolate chunks do in a pinch.
Delivery Day! We've had several of these lately. Here we are receiving our bedroom furniture. We've also received our dining room table for 10 and our air shipment. We've heard our surface shipment is in customs and should be here in a week or so. Yay!
Rock Band is here! We sent a wii with our air shipment and now we can rock-out whenever we want. 
Poor Levi HAD to get an apple laptop for school. The school is introducing laptops for middle school students this year, probably adding them for other grades next year. The school will buy back the computer at the end of the year.
The gate at the entrance to "home." Dongjiao is a hotel run by the government, as well as a compound with residential housing.
Cookies! My cookie sheets arrived in the air shipment, but no chocolate chips to be found. Chocolate chunks do in a pinch.TCKs: Third (or Fourth) Culture Kids
By Joann
Meet Ruchika and Alexander. Ruchika is Australian-born to Indian parents and now lives in Nanjing. She is 8 years old. Alexander is 17 years old and is Dutch, but has lived in Canada before moving to China. On this day, I rode the bus to school and sat by this unlikely pair as they each listened to one ear bud from Ruchika's ipod. I love how kids here easily "connect" with others.
Meet Ruchika and Alexander. Ruchika is Australian-born to Indian parents and now lives in Nanjing. She is 8 years old. Alexander is 17 years old and is Dutch, but has lived in Canada before moving to China. On this day, I rode the bus to school and sat by this unlikely pair as they each listened to one ear bud from Ruchika's ipod. I love how kids here easily "connect" with others. IKEA
By Joann
If you build it, they will come...and they did!
IKEA of Nanjing opened a few weeks ago and we were crazy enough to go looking for household items during the first weekend.
The view outside: traffic jam!
The view inside: lots of people going in; few people going out. Not a good sign for my claustrophobic husband!
If you build it, they will come...and they did!
IKEA of Nanjing opened a few weeks ago and we were crazy enough to go looking for household items during the first weekend.
The view outside: traffic jam!
The view inside: lots of people going in; few people going out. Not a good sign for my claustrophobic husband!
Culture Learning in a Taxi!
By Joann
On a rainy Sat., Jim went to work with the van and we decided to meet up later at IKEA (on opening weekend...see previous posting). I took a taxi from home and on the way, my taxi driver drove through a puddle at high speed and sent a wave of water over 2 elderly men! Unfortunately for the driver, he came to a stoplight and the 2 men quickly approached and blocked the taxi with their bodies and they were MAD! The driver turned off the car and got out and the 3 of them argued up and down for a good 10 minutes. I sat in the back, wondering if I should get out and find another cab. First, I took some photos, then the driver looked at me and I signaled that I wanted to get going. He reached into the car and pulled out a handful of cash and gave each of the men some money. We all went on our way. The driver laughed (giggled, really) and chattered to me in Chinese the rest of the way to IKEA.
On a rainy Sat., Jim went to work with the van and we decided to meet up later at IKEA (on opening weekend...see previous posting). I took a taxi from home and on the way, my taxi driver drove through a puddle at high speed and sent a wave of water over 2 elderly men! Unfortunately for the driver, he came to a stoplight and the 2 men quickly approached and blocked the taxi with their bodies and they were MAD! The driver turned off the car and got out and the 3 of them argued up and down for a good 10 minutes. I sat in the back, wondering if I should get out and find another cab. First, I took some photos, then the driver looked at me and I signaled that I wanted to get going. He reached into the car and pulled out a handful of cash and gave each of the men some money. We all went on our way. The driver laughed (giggled, really) and chattered to me in Chinese the rest of the way to IKEA.Thursday, August 28, 2008
Photos
More photos for your viewing pleasure. We learned in one of our cross-cultural trainings that you should take lots of photos early on because things will start to look familiar. I think we are getting to that stage. Here is a selection of things that have pushed me to grab my camera. I'll try to keep it close at hand. (But, I have to say, my kids start whining when I pull out my camera: "That's going in the blog, isn't it?! You're turning into Uncle Tom!")
A neighborhood birthday party. Lots of children (all from our compound) and lots of goodies!
This little guy caught my eye when I visited the Children's Hospital (a new facility) with "Hopeful Hearts." He is 7 months old and has very expressive eyes. He looked like he wanted to tell me something.
A heart patient and her mom. Three of us (me and 2 fluent Chinese speakers!) visited them to discuss her situation. "Hopeful Hearts" will donate towards a portion of her hospital expenses. We gave her a doll and a puzzle and she was captivated.
Rachel working on her Chinese characters for school. She uses a calligraphy pen and traces over the characters. Stroke order is very important.
A neighborhood birthday party. Lots of children (all from our compound) and lots of goodies! 
This little guy caught my eye when I visited the Children's Hospital (a new facility) with "Hopeful Hearts." He is 7 months old and has very expressive eyes. He looked like he wanted to tell me something.
A heart patient and her mom. Three of us (me and 2 fluent Chinese speakers!) visited them to discuss her situation. "Hopeful Hearts" will donate towards a portion of her hospital expenses. We gave her a doll and a puzzle and she was captivated.
You can see her scar where she had heart surgery. She has developed a chronic infection that requires more treatment. They put IV's in almost all of the patients--for the children, they put them in their head.
This little girl had corrective heart surgery and will need more surgery. On this day, she was being moved from the ICU to the general ward. She is from an orphanage in a very poor province and the hospital is seeking help for her medical costs. The nurse said she is very "tough." She was almost expressionless while we were there, even when we gave her a stuffed bear.
I just liked the sign. The Nanjing Children's Hospital is a brand new facility. The nurse we met with told us that, due too environmental toxins in the rural areas, they expect to see 1-2% of all children with heart defects.
Rachel working on her Chinese characters for school. She uses a calligraphy pen and traces over the characters. Stroke order is very important.
My new "antique" Chinese computer desk! Huh? It is an antique table that has been modified to be a desk. The center piece rolls out and is a chair. My neighbor Jing helped bargain for a good price.
My kitchen. Note the washer and dryer; not my first choice for placement. The rice cooker never goes in the cupboard. We get drinking water delivered as needed (aobut $1.50 for one bottle). The posters on the wall are so I can point to a fruit or vegetable to communicate with my househelper about what to buy. She is very proud of her ability to get good produce at the market.
Our "backyard." We are up against thick woods and have a nightly chorus of singing insects--and who knows what else!
The big news among the Americans, including Levi who has graduated to a foot-long with all the toppings! I'm not sure the Chinese people are as excited as we are.
We've Been Busy!
By Joann
It has been awhile since I've posted anything. I guess that means life is keeping us busy, which is good. The kids continue to do well. The transition continues to go smoothly and we are very grateful for that!
Jesse tells me he has 8 friends at Dongjiao (our compound). There are more at school, so he is alwalys flitting from house to house to keep up with all the boys. I hear from Grace that Rachel has a gang at school. Grace reports that they all come and stare at Grace and her friends, not speaking a word. I think they are "teenagers-in-training," but Grace does not appreciate that! Rachel is also getting friend-time at home. Amelia, age 7, lives next door and Kaitlyn, age 12, is a few houses down. I've always loved the fact that cross-cultural kids are willing to play with any one of any age.
Levi is playing co-ed touch rugby and comes home tired and happy. The word on the street is he is the new "hottie" at school. I've been meeting moms who say, "Oh, you're Levi's mom!" Levi is not enjoying all of the attention, however. One girl invited him to sing a duet in the school's talent show...he declined. ;-)
Grace. She has found her friends very easily and is caught up in the world of texting and instant-messaging. One of her closest friends lives right next door, which is good for developing those face-to-face skills! She is playing volleyball and seems to be keeping up with school. She has to complete a major project for the year, so we are brainstorming for ideas. There is a boy we keep hearing about. Ugh. Some things are the same all-over the world.
Jim is working away at Emerson. His boss from the US was here this week. We hosted him at our house (our first guest!) and then went out for dinner another night. I think the visit was good overall, but maybe Jim should report! Jim continues to drive to work in the morning and bike home at night, much to the amazement of his driver.
I am keeping our driver busy. This is high season for meeting people and getting involved. Most of the ex-pats leave for the summer and return just in time for school to start in August, so now is my chance to find connections and get introduced. I've had some nice lunches and attended a cultural program on marriage in China.
I've also been mildly involved in an organization called, "Hopeful Hearts." They seek out orphaned or poor children in need of heart surgery and help fund the cost. Part of their work is actually meeting the children and families and their doctors and nurses. Yesterday, I was able to go to the Children's hospital to visit with 2 little girls--one from an orphanage who has some major heart defects and another little girl who has had surgery to correct her heart but has a chronic infection that requires more treatment. It was very touching to be able to see the children and learn more about their situations. (See the photos.)
I have also had a HUGE opportunity fall into my lap. I learned last week that 2 German women--one a doctor and one a midwife--will be starting a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) course with a Chinese doctor and English translater. These two women plan to study for 2 years; I am unable to commit to 2 years of study, but they are willing to let me join them for as long as I want. Sooooooo, Monday morning I start school! I guess I'm kind of in that mode, so here we go again. The class will meet for 20 hours a week, all while the kids are in school. TCM is very intriguing to me, especially the herbal medicines. I'm eager to see how we progress; thankfully we all are starting from the beginning. Stay tuned!
We are planning our first "holiday" in China. The kids get 10 days off in late Sept/early Oct., so we are heading to Beijing. My hope is we will get to Beijing soon enough after the Olympics and the Paralympics that we will be able to take in the landscaping and floral displays that have been done all over the city. You'll hear more!
We will start meeting tonight with a small group of couples from the International Christian Fellowship to do a study of Galatians. It is such a blessing to be in this international community. We are seeing some exciting things happen around us.
No news to report on our shipment, unfortunately. We've heard it is in Shanghai, but the Olympics have slowed down all imports. We keep hoping that any day it will appear on our doorstep. In the meantime, we do all our cooking on the stove-top and get by with what we brought or bought. I hate spending money on things I know are sitting in our shipment. We are also waiting for our furniture order to come in. We are far from suffering, but we are looking forward to really settling-in to home.
We've heard the State Fair is in full swing! Go have some Tom Thumb donuts and a Pronto Pup for us! We'll be back.
It has been awhile since I've posted anything. I guess that means life is keeping us busy, which is good. The kids continue to do well. The transition continues to go smoothly and we are very grateful for that!
Jesse tells me he has 8 friends at Dongjiao (our compound). There are more at school, so he is alwalys flitting from house to house to keep up with all the boys. I hear from Grace that Rachel has a gang at school. Grace reports that they all come and stare at Grace and her friends, not speaking a word. I think they are "teenagers-in-training," but Grace does not appreciate that! Rachel is also getting friend-time at home. Amelia, age 7, lives next door and Kaitlyn, age 12, is a few houses down. I've always loved the fact that cross-cultural kids are willing to play with any one of any age.
Levi is playing co-ed touch rugby and comes home tired and happy. The word on the street is he is the new "hottie" at school. I've been meeting moms who say, "Oh, you're Levi's mom!" Levi is not enjoying all of the attention, however. One girl invited him to sing a duet in the school's talent show...he declined. ;-)
Grace. She has found her friends very easily and is caught up in the world of texting and instant-messaging. One of her closest friends lives right next door, which is good for developing those face-to-face skills! She is playing volleyball and seems to be keeping up with school. She has to complete a major project for the year, so we are brainstorming for ideas. There is a boy we keep hearing about. Ugh. Some things are the same all-over the world.
Jim is working away at Emerson. His boss from the US was here this week. We hosted him at our house (our first guest!) and then went out for dinner another night. I think the visit was good overall, but maybe Jim should report! Jim continues to drive to work in the morning and bike home at night, much to the amazement of his driver.
I am keeping our driver busy. This is high season for meeting people and getting involved. Most of the ex-pats leave for the summer and return just in time for school to start in August, so now is my chance to find connections and get introduced. I've had some nice lunches and attended a cultural program on marriage in China.
I've also been mildly involved in an organization called, "Hopeful Hearts." They seek out orphaned or poor children in need of heart surgery and help fund the cost. Part of their work is actually meeting the children and families and their doctors and nurses. Yesterday, I was able to go to the Children's hospital to visit with 2 little girls--one from an orphanage who has some major heart defects and another little girl who has had surgery to correct her heart but has a chronic infection that requires more treatment. It was very touching to be able to see the children and learn more about their situations. (See the photos.)
I have also had a HUGE opportunity fall into my lap. I learned last week that 2 German women--one a doctor and one a midwife--will be starting a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) course with a Chinese doctor and English translater. These two women plan to study for 2 years; I am unable to commit to 2 years of study, but they are willing to let me join them for as long as I want. Sooooooo, Monday morning I start school! I guess I'm kind of in that mode, so here we go again. The class will meet for 20 hours a week, all while the kids are in school. TCM is very intriguing to me, especially the herbal medicines. I'm eager to see how we progress; thankfully we all are starting from the beginning. Stay tuned!
We are planning our first "holiday" in China. The kids get 10 days off in late Sept/early Oct., so we are heading to Beijing. My hope is we will get to Beijing soon enough after the Olympics and the Paralympics that we will be able to take in the landscaping and floral displays that have been done all over the city. You'll hear more!
We will start meeting tonight with a small group of couples from the International Christian Fellowship to do a study of Galatians. It is such a blessing to be in this international community. We are seeing some exciting things happen around us.
No news to report on our shipment, unfortunately. We've heard it is in Shanghai, but the Olympics have slowed down all imports. We keep hoping that any day it will appear on our doorstep. In the meantime, we do all our cooking on the stove-top and get by with what we brought or bought. I hate spending money on things I know are sitting in our shipment. We are also waiting for our furniture order to come in. We are far from suffering, but we are looking forward to really settling-in to home.
We've heard the State Fair is in full swing! Go have some Tom Thumb donuts and a Pronto Pup for us! We'll be back.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
A view of our "cul-de-sac" at Dongjiao. Rachel took the photo from a balcony off her bedroom.
The moving truck! It was a little less work moving from Villa #26 to Villa #21 with just our luggage and whatever else Jim had accumulated since November. Neither of our shipments have arrived and we aren't holding our breath for them to come. It seems every ex-pat has a story about how long it took for their shipment to arrive.
One of Jim's favorite things about the house: a big storage shed! The bike is one of two he has bought since living here. This is a local bike like most people ride--no gears, not likely to get stolen, but SLOW! He has a road bike he rides home from work.
Grace, Levi, and Rachel in their seats on the school bus. The word on the street is you stay in your same seat all year long--or negotiate for a new one.
Jesse boarding the "school bus" at 7:25 am. The bus is provided (for a fee) by the property management and is a social event each day.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Ready, Set, Go!
By Joann
Life is in full-swing for us in Nanjing. Jim is working like a dog, going into work early every morning by car and biking home most nights (about an hour ride--or 51 minutes if he is trying to beat his personal best!). He has conference calls with the USA usually 2 nights a week. This week, Emerson is being visited by a group of Rosemount employees from Eden Prairie, which means alittle socializing and alittle ping pong.
The kids started school last Wednesday, August 13! (Check out http://www.nanjing-school.com/) So far, so good. The kids at the international school are really international. Our kids' history of living in Africa and then China is really no big deal; most kids and teachers have lived in numerous places in the world. They have new friends from all over: Austrailia, Germany, New Zealand, England, Brazil, South Africa, Holland, and Korea. The school is made up of about half Korean kids. In the older grades, esp., the percentage of kids from Korea is high.
Jesse's teacher has taught all over the world, including Jesse's birthplace: Nairobi, Kenya. They had an instant connection. Rachel's teacher is from Canada and she is really enjoying each day in his classroom. She is also loving the drama and art classes. Levi and Grace have homerooms, then move from class to class like in the US. All of the kids have started Chinese and Levi is taking French as well. Grace had the choice to take 2 languages or 2 sciences. Her parents encouraged her to go with Biology and Chemistry.
Some after-school activities have started. Grace is trying volleyball 2 nights a week and Levi just signed up for touch rugby. (His mom is happy with the "touch" part! We'll see if it is truly non-violent!) The word is there are competitions with other international schools so they will get to travel some throughout China. Each day we learn alittle more information...communication is not always clear.
We moved again! Jesse told me it was our fourth move: Roseville to Hong Kong to Nanjing Crowne Plaza to Villa #26 at Dongjiao to Villa #21 at Dongjiao. (I think Hong Kong was just a visit, personally.) We are now in our "real" home--at least where we will live for the year. We have ordered furniture, including 2 sets of bunk beds for the kids and the largest table we could find in China. I searched high and low for a large, affordable table--not an easy task in a country with small families. We ended up asking a manufacturer to special order a table for 10. In the meantime, we have furniture on loan from the hotel.
(Dongjiao Guesthouse, where we live, is a state-owned hotel property with villas, townhouses, and apartments for residents. They regularly host government staff, so security is tight. In fact, soldiers live and train on the property. Because it is a hotel, we have the benefit of towel and linen service (a huge perk in a very humid place with small dryers!) and a choice of furniture to use while we wait for our own furniture. From what we have heard, we have a very good situation. Many of the properties that ex-pats live in are managed by individual landlords and experiences vary widely.)
Our house is set against thick woods. There are 9 other villas in our "community." It feels very much like how Jim and I grew up--all the kids go to school together and then run together after school and bounce from house to house. The moms gather at two central picnic tables once in a while and the dads drive-in (or are driven-in!) around dinner time.
I am working on getting my schedule in order. Grocery shopping is more time-consuming here. I need to rely on our driver, Li Min, and I can't find everything I want at one place. There is a Sam's Club-type place and I have yet to visit one of the "western" grocery stores where you can buy cheese and canned items and cereal! Most grocery stores have a small section of imported foods, which helps us find familiar items. Mostly, we eat Chinese every night. My new rice cooker is in use almost daily! I think Friday night will be our night out to visit one of the pizza or sandwich or burger joints in town, although we did find a wonderful Chinese restaurant that advertises that they don't serve animal parts and they have English menus!
I am planning to meet with a group this week called "Hopeful Hearts." They mostly raise funds for Chinese children that need heart surgery. One of the women involved is fluent in Chinese and she visits with the doctors and the patients in the local hospitals. I am hoping to join her and get some exposure to local hospitals. I am also pursuing contacts in a medical and nursing school and an orphanage. Everything takes time as the process unfolds. August, esp. is a slow month as many people go on holiday until the beginning of September.
I am also checking-out my options for language learning. I will probably take an organized class geared for adult-learners. It is called "Survival Chinese," which seems to be what I need most days!
We assume you are all enjoying the Olympics! China is making itself known, for sure. We have many stations that broadcast different events throughout the day. We just found the one Chinese-run station that is in English, so now we will get more of the drama. The hotel management is planning a closing ceremony party for all of the residents on Sunday. It will be a good time for us to meet all the neighbors.
Life is in full-swing for us in Nanjing. Jim is working like a dog, going into work early every morning by car and biking home most nights (about an hour ride--or 51 minutes if he is trying to beat his personal best!). He has conference calls with the USA usually 2 nights a week. This week, Emerson is being visited by a group of Rosemount employees from Eden Prairie, which means alittle socializing and alittle ping pong.
The kids started school last Wednesday, August 13! (Check out http://www.nanjing-school.com/) So far, so good. The kids at the international school are really international. Our kids' history of living in Africa and then China is really no big deal; most kids and teachers have lived in numerous places in the world. They have new friends from all over: Austrailia, Germany, New Zealand, England, Brazil, South Africa, Holland, and Korea. The school is made up of about half Korean kids. In the older grades, esp., the percentage of kids from Korea is high.
Jesse's teacher has taught all over the world, including Jesse's birthplace: Nairobi, Kenya. They had an instant connection. Rachel's teacher is from Canada and she is really enjoying each day in his classroom. She is also loving the drama and art classes. Levi and Grace have homerooms, then move from class to class like in the US. All of the kids have started Chinese and Levi is taking French as well. Grace had the choice to take 2 languages or 2 sciences. Her parents encouraged her to go with Biology and Chemistry.
Some after-school activities have started. Grace is trying volleyball 2 nights a week and Levi just signed up for touch rugby. (His mom is happy with the "touch" part! We'll see if it is truly non-violent!) The word is there are competitions with other international schools so they will get to travel some throughout China. Each day we learn alittle more information...communication is not always clear.
We moved again! Jesse told me it was our fourth move: Roseville to Hong Kong to Nanjing Crowne Plaza to Villa #26 at Dongjiao to Villa #21 at Dongjiao. (I think Hong Kong was just a visit, personally.) We are now in our "real" home--at least where we will live for the year. We have ordered furniture, including 2 sets of bunk beds for the kids and the largest table we could find in China. I searched high and low for a large, affordable table--not an easy task in a country with small families. We ended up asking a manufacturer to special order a table for 10. In the meantime, we have furniture on loan from the hotel.
(Dongjiao Guesthouse, where we live, is a state-owned hotel property with villas, townhouses, and apartments for residents. They regularly host government staff, so security is tight. In fact, soldiers live and train on the property. Because it is a hotel, we have the benefit of towel and linen service (a huge perk in a very humid place with small dryers!) and a choice of furniture to use while we wait for our own furniture. From what we have heard, we have a very good situation. Many of the properties that ex-pats live in are managed by individual landlords and experiences vary widely.)
Our house is set against thick woods. There are 9 other villas in our "community." It feels very much like how Jim and I grew up--all the kids go to school together and then run together after school and bounce from house to house. The moms gather at two central picnic tables once in a while and the dads drive-in (or are driven-in!) around dinner time.
I am working on getting my schedule in order. Grocery shopping is more time-consuming here. I need to rely on our driver, Li Min, and I can't find everything I want at one place. There is a Sam's Club-type place and I have yet to visit one of the "western" grocery stores where you can buy cheese and canned items and cereal! Most grocery stores have a small section of imported foods, which helps us find familiar items. Mostly, we eat Chinese every night. My new rice cooker is in use almost daily! I think Friday night will be our night out to visit one of the pizza or sandwich or burger joints in town, although we did find a wonderful Chinese restaurant that advertises that they don't serve animal parts and they have English menus!
I am planning to meet with a group this week called "Hopeful Hearts." They mostly raise funds for Chinese children that need heart surgery. One of the women involved is fluent in Chinese and she visits with the doctors and the patients in the local hospitals. I am hoping to join her and get some exposure to local hospitals. I am also pursuing contacts in a medical and nursing school and an orphanage. Everything takes time as the process unfolds. August, esp. is a slow month as many people go on holiday until the beginning of September.
I am also checking-out my options for language learning. I will probably take an organized class geared for adult-learners. It is called "Survival Chinese," which seems to be what I need most days!
We assume you are all enjoying the Olympics! China is making itself known, for sure. We have many stations that broadcast different events throughout the day. We just found the one Chinese-run station that is in English, so now we will get more of the drama. The hotel management is planning a closing ceremony party for all of the residents on Sunday. It will be a good time for us to meet all the neighbors.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Daily Life in Nanjing
Captions by Joann (be sure to scroll down to Jesse's posting after the photos!)
People like to take pictures of us and we like to take pictures of them! Grandparents are often carrying the grandchildren.
Levi test-driving his new mountain bike before he made the purchase.
Jim blending-in with the crowd. Yeah right...He bikes home from work and on this day stopped at the bike shop to help Levi buy his bike.
The entrance to the cableway up Purple Mountain.
People like to take pictures of us and we like to take pictures of them! Grandparents are often carrying the grandchildren.
Dinnertime! Mom is feeding both boys as they sit outside her shop at the Confucius Temple shopping area.
Levi is searching for the perfect hat. This one didn't make the cut!
The Olympic mascots can be seen all over the city. We like the panda guy best because he reminds us of Bumper!
Twenty-two years!!!! We celebrated with dinner out with Rachel (the photographer).
Levi test-driving his new mountain bike before he made the purchase. 
Jim blending-in with the crowd. Yeah right...He bikes home from work and on this day stopped at the bike shop to help Levi buy his bike.
A woman walking her dog. We see lots of pets, but the kids haven't convinced us to get one yet (maybe a goldfish!).
This man wanted to talk to us. He told us he was 71 years old. The elderly people of China value good health and are often seen exercising in the parks in the early morning or evening.
We look at them; they look at us. The artist is painting a scene inside a tiny bottle.
The entrance to the cableway up Purple Mountain.
Grace and Levi in the distance on the cableway. The ride took over 30 minutes to get to the top. Jesse was afraid he might lose his flip-flops so he held them tightly in his hand the whole time.
It's a long way up. We went on a quiet day during the week. The mountain is a busy place on the weekend. It is a little cooler and the air is clearer on the mountain.
Purple Mountain has an elevation around 450 meters (about 1500 feet). (We gotta figure out this metric system...temperatures, distances, weights...I need some math review!)
Jesse and Rachel at the top of Purple Mountain. Believe it or not, this was a clear day!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Life on Purple Mountain
(Photo shows Jesse's feet as they dangle from the ski lift/cableway that goes up to the top of the mountain.)By Jesse John (as told to his mom)
Purple Mountain is where we live. It's called Purple Mountain because of the color of the rocks. At the entrace of the mountain, it has trees that are split to grow in 3 directions.
We live next to a hotel and we have free access to the swimming pool, ping pong, tennis court, and cheap bowling. I've been swimming 5,000 times! You have to wear swimming caps.
The name of the place we live is called "Dongjiao." I made friends with an 8-year-old named Justin and he has a brother named Nathan and he is 12 years old. Their dad is from Michigan and their mom is from China. They've lived here for 4 years. The other kids that live here are on vacation until school starts next week.
There is another boy named Martin. He's Dutch and he likes to play soccer. We played soccer once and it was really hot. If I go outside for 5 minutes, I start sweating like crazy. We bought popsicles but they don't freeze in our freezer!
We move into our actual house next week. It wasn't ready when we were ready to move so they let us live in another house. They are painting and cleaning our house. Levi and I will get a bunk bed in our room. The room colors will be red, gray, and white.
I like to eat "jiaozi"--Chinese dumplings--and Chinese noodles. The American food tastes alot different, like hamburgers and pizza. I like it here.
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