TUESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER

WE ARE STILL WITHOUT INTERNET IN OUR 'APARTMENT' SO WRITING THIS FROM THE OFFICE COMPUTER. THE MACHINE IS SO OLD, MOST OF THE LETTERS ARE WORN OFF THE KEYBOARD AND THE CAPS LOCK KEYS STICKS! APOLOGIES IS THIS IS HARD TO REACH BUT AH, THE JOYS OF CHINA!!

ALL WELL HERE. NOT SURE WHERE WE LEFT OFF SO WILL JUST JUMP IN.

YANTAI IS CONSIDERED A VERY OLD CITY AND IS DEFINITELY A COMBINATION OF OLD AND NEW. DRIVERS EDUCATION ACTUALLY EXISTS BUT I DON'T THINK THEY TEACH THEM ANYTHING EXCEPT WHAT THE GAS PEDAL, BRAKE AND 'D' MEAN. REAR VIEW MIRRORS ARE FOR CHECKING YOUR MAKE-UP AND SIDE MIRRORS ARE ONLY THERE TO LOOK PRETTY. AS MENTIONED EARLIER, THE SIDEWALK IS AN INCONVENIENT PLACE TO DRIVE--BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP THEM. IN YANTAI, RED LIGHTS ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS AND MANY JUST IGNORE THEM. I THOUGHT MEXICO CITY WAS A DANGEROUS PLACE UNTIL COMING TO CHINA!

SATURDAY WE WENT WITH RANDI AND DENNIS (FELLOW TEACHERS) BY BUS TO A TOWN EAST OF YANTAI CALLED WAIHAI. IT IS A NEWER CITY AND VERY CLEAN. THEY ACTUALLY OBEY TRAFFIC LIGHTS AND DRIVE (MOSTLY) IN A LANE. WE GOOFED AROUND SO MUCH BEFORE GETTING ON THE BUS AND THE 1 1/2 HOUR TRIP WAS ACTUALLY 2, THAT WE RAN SHORT OF TIME. WE HAVE DINNER PLANS DOWNTOWN WITH MEI AND SAMSON (SHE IS TRAVELING TO KUTZTOWN IN OCTOBER). THEY HAVE BEEN SO NICE TO US WE WANTED TO TREAT THEM TO DINNER. AFTERWARDS, MEI AND CHANG TOOK ME SHOE SHOPPING AT A DOWNTOWN DEPARTMENT STORE. ON THE 4TH FLOOR OF A VERY LARGE DEPARTMENT STORE ARE ABOUT 40 SHOE SHOPS. EACH IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND CARRIES DIFFERENT BRANDS. THE COMPETITION IS FIERCE AND LAST YEAR'S BOOT STYLES WERE ON SALE! YES, I DID BUY BOOTS FOR WINTER.

WE TOOK THE DAY EASY SUNDAY AND WENT GROCERY SHOPPING, CLEANED HOUSE (AN EVERY-OTHER-DAY EVENT SINCE THE CHINESE DO NOT PAINT THE PLASTER AND IT GETS VERY DUSTY VERY QUICKLY), AND . . . WENT TO PIZZA HUT FOR DINNER. HAS TO HAVE BEEN ONE OF OUR MOST EXPENSIVE MEALS: $8+ FOR A LARGE PIZZA--BY CHINESE STANDARDS THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. FOR THE SAME PRICE, I COULD HAVE BOUGHT 2 NICE BOTTLES OF CHANGYU WINE. HOWEVER, IT SHUT ANDY UP AND HE HAD 2 SLICES FOR LUNCH YESTERDAY!

CLASSES ARE GOING WELL. THE STUDENTS ACTUALLY APPRECIATE WHAT WE ARE DOING! KNOW ANDY TOLD SOME OF YOU ABOUT THE FLOWERS AND CARDS FOR TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY LAST WEEK. WHAT A TREAT. I THINK I WILL HAVE TO FINALLY THROW THE FLOWERS OUT TODAY!

THE MIGS WERE VERY BUSY YESTERDAY. WE DIDN'T HEAR OF ANY AMERICAN MANEUVERS BUT ABOUT EVERY 20 MINUTES, ANOTHER PLANE WOULD FLY OVER. THEY ARE VERY LOUD AND DISRUPTIVE. OUR CLASSROOMS ARE NOT AIR CONDITIONED SO WINDOWS ARE USUALLY OPEN. WHEN THE JETS ARE FLYING, THE WINDOWS HAVE TO BE CLOSED--THE TEACHERS GET VERY WARM BUT THE CHINESE AREN'T USED TO HAVING A/C SO THEY ARE COMFORTABLE. CHINA HAS PROVEN TO US JUST HOW SPOILED WE WESTERNERS ARE. EVERY MORNING AND AGAIN IN THE AFTERNOON, WE CLIMB 72 STAIR STEPS TO GET TO WORK--NO ELEVATOR. WE CONSIDER IT AN INCONVENIENCE, NOT SO OUR STUDENTS OR THE STAFF. I AM HAPPY TO REPORT, THAT ANDY'S KNEES LAST UNTIL ABOUT THE 3RD FLOOR BEFORE HE HAS TO GIVE THEM A REST AND I CAN NOW MAKE ALL FLIGHTS WITHOUT A STOP FOR AIR--THE YOGA MUST BE PAYING OFF! MOST OF THE CHINESE TRAVEL BY BUS (IF THEY USE TRANSPORTATION OTHER THAN BIKE OR FOOT) WHICH HAS NO A/C AND IS VERY SLOW AND USUALLY CROWDED. IF ANDY OR I GET ON, SOMEONE USUALLY GIVES UP A SEAT FOR US--BECAUSE OF OUR AGE! THIS WHITE HAIR DOES PROVIDE SOME ADVANTAGES!!

NEXT WEEK WE HAVE 3 DAYS OFF FOR AUTUMN DAY (WE GET TO MAKE UP 2 OF THEM ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY!). WE ARE GOING ACROSS THE BAY TO DALIAN WHERE THERE IS ANOTHER WECL SCHOOL AND A ZOO (PANDAS AT LAST!). ANDY SHOULD HAVE SOME PICTURES BY THEN AND HOPEFULLY OUR OWN INTERNET TO WORK WITH!

THINK THAT ABOUT COVERS IT FROM HERE. WE'LL ADD MORE LATER (PROBABLY THIS WEEKEND!).

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!