Spitting

This bit of our experience of China probably doesn't need much explanation. It is definitely something I will never get used to and that is how much the Chinese spit. And it's not a polite little 'tut' spit off to the side of a street. It's a huge hocking loogie that involves deep throat hacking and a large amount of saliva which is then spat where ever the person feels like it. It is done noisily on trains, in the streets, out of bus and car windows and into bus dustbins. Most men make really loud sounds while doing it and some elderly women can also produce a pretty mean spit, but it will always catch my attention no matter who is doing it. The younger generation does it much less, but there are even a few rare students in our school who feel the need to spit during class in the garbage can. Some are start to campaign against it, but I think the movement is slow. It is definitely part of the everyday soundtrack of China. This picture is a sign on a train window.

Hard Beds

Another interesting fact about living in China is that the beds are as hard as rock!
Hard beds are very popular in China. Chinese people believe that hard beds are good for your health so the beds are made this way. Hotels don't even accommodate to the many foreign tourists coming to Shenzhen, so if you go to a hotel the beds are the exact same. Surprisingly even though our bed sometimes feels like we're sleeping on a kitchen table, my back has absolutely no problems here (which is rare). I know I'm going to miss this bed when I go back to Canada because I've had the best sleeps on it. Maybe China is onto something. Watch out Mom! I might be sleeping on your table this summer. (jk)

Squatters

This is what a toilet looks like when we are out and about in the town of Shenzhen. Occasionally we will be able to find a nice clean western toilet, but most of the time we have to suffer through using a 'squatter'. They are absolutely horrible, but when you gotta go you gotta go. We avoid them like the plague, but unfortunately they are unavoidable. If you are curious as to how we use them, which is a feat in itself check out this website for instructions http://www.banterist.com/archivefiles/000348.html

Birthday coming up

Ah yes and for my birthday that is coming up I've decided to round up the teachers here and have a big potluck on Sunday night. All I want is real food.

The information to go with the pictures: February Break

So I just realized that I haven't actually written about our February trip and it's April already. To fill you in, our school had a two week holiday at the end of February to celebrate Chinese New Year. For most of the Chinese this is they're only holiday all year and they go ALL OUT. It symbolizes the end of a business year for many and thus there are many superstitions and traditions held. One of the weirdest I heard was that you need to get a hair cut before New Year day because you couldn't cut if for the whole month afterward. If you did cut in during that month your uncle will die. Fireworks were set off everyday at any time of day for 3 weeks straight. One new years eve the WHOLE ENTIRE TOWN was setting off fireworks all at the same time. I cannot begin to describe the feeling of standing on a ruff in a city of over 14 million watching fireworks of all shapes and sizes coming out of every street corner, every apartment window and on top of every building. It was 360 degrees of thousands of fireworks...it was breathtaking.
Jayme was able to come visit me for these wonderful two weeks off so she was able to join in the festivities. Jay arrived Friday night and spent two nights in Shenzhen with us before we flew up to Beijing with my Mta friend Alicia. We were in Beijing for 4 full days of tourism. We walked the great wall, went to ti'an men square, saw the forbidden city, went to a jade market, learnt about traditional chinese medicine, did some really really cheap shopping, saw a temple fair, watch an acrobatic show, went to an antique market, ate peking duck and even ate in between. We were completely exhausted by the time we left back to Shenzhen.
In shenzhen I took Jayme to all my great shopping places to get cheap purses and pearls, we got a hair wash, ate my favorite sushi restaurant and fit in a pedicure and then one day later Greg, Jayme and I left for Boracay in the Philippians. There we layed on a beautiful beach everyday, took a glass bottom boat tour, checked out some nearby islands, did some snorkeling, ate really good food, drank a lot of cocktails and went in a zorb (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zorbing). After 6 days in the sun we had a beautiful tan and we ready to return back to our normal lives. Jay stayed for one more night in Shenzhen before she sadly left me for Canada.
Ever since then Greg and I have been back into our normal schedules or work, gym, mandarin lessons. Greg still tutoring, playing basketball and eating Chinese BBQ and beer. We're starting to get excited about coming home. Under 100 days left!