We live on the campus in a hotel, but

Everywhere I see babies with bare bottoms.... They start potty training very young and the hold them into a squat position and whistle to imitate the sound of peeing. This is very common to see little exposed bottoms front and back. Every time I see a child in a grocery cart I am afraid for the little boys.... Guess it works. I watched a little boy signal his momma and she pulled his pants down in front on us and he peed right on the courtyard in front of us... Cultural no one flinched but me.... Chinese food is NOTHING like American Chinese. This is steamed dumplings. We don't know but conjecture if it is a gambling pool I can read 3 words only. How about you? For Short legged dogs in China.... creative transportation of clean water 3 is a crowd? WHo needs a seatbelt, teh baby is between the gas tank and the daddy This is how they get noodles, not the lump on the table, he pulls an stretches until the noodles appears, fast as any pizza thrower... These are shots just outside the campus with the street vendors. Utterly crowded every minute and every space is used for bikes, then people, then street vendors.

Mt. Taishan and 6,660 stone steps

The leader of the 'Five Sacred Mountains', Mt. Tai

In ancient times, the first thing for an emperor (and crazy American's) to do on ascending to the throne was to climb Mount Taishan and pray to heaven and earth or their ancestors. It was said that 72 emperors of different dynasties made pilgrimages to this mountain. It started out with a misplaced BOSTON MARATHON group. No kidding we are some of the honored guest... These people are going to run the 6,660 steps, hopefully in less than 2 hours so they can have a long life. Yes, there were ambulances at the top!!! The honored guest drove up a switchback road to the extremely steep cable cars. Oh my, I am afraid of these almost as much as 6,660 steps. Of course I took hundreds of photos here are few of my favorite. You would have thought we had two heads... so many people took pictures of us, and wanted to talk to use and interview us... This is crazy.... We walk with the runners for a little, they are attempting to run up all 6,660 steps to have the blessing of a long life. A 8,000 RMB first place prize is the goals of some. We are driven up the switchback road to the cable cars.... VERY STEEP AND LONG CABLE CAR RIDE>>>>>>>> then a few hundred steps... no problem I want to go to the summit. I want a long life if the stairs don't kill us. This is just amazing to see this first hand... of course the pics are a close second... This is one of the padlock shrines... You lock your wishes and dreams on the top of the mountain for blessings. Each have special red character printed on them. I wish you could have seen some of these other wonderful sights...

A note about food

Milk is not in a container, but it bags.... Individual 8 oz bags... Some foods we simply get to recognize not from the words, but from the packaging...

On Campus some random shots

There is this "harder than limestone" rock with marvelous characters to be viewed use your imagination I am cerwith your without imagination, I am certain this is a pill of dragon bones unceremoniously dumped here. Other than adjusting to water and allergies we are doing quite well, and loving the cultural differences. This is the walkway to the RT mart, which is our local grocery store. Note the lip on the bottom to remind us we are in another country and watch our steps.

Amazing transportation post

Isn't this the coolest little 3 wheeled car you have ever seen? I want one. Notice that a bike lock works as a security method?!!!

Caligraphy

I forgot to show you this cool pic, This man is practicing his caligraphy with water and a pointed brush....

Twin babies, the campus figurehead and dumplings

This is a fascinating culture.... Many of my perceptions are already being overwritten. This proud pappa is blessed to have two boys. What a joy since the students I have talked to feel it is important to limit the number of people. Perhaps because they live in the mass of humanity and it is a lot. A perspective... our city has more people than our entire state has..... Now another interesting cultural difference is potty training. From early on the children are trained to respond to whistles and don't wear diapers, in fact they have pants with a split crotch.. Yes little brown bottoms are somewhat visible and the parents have the convience of allowing them to use the bathroom without removing their clothes. They help them to squat and that is pretty simple. TO much information for you mind and eyes... Oh well, it is part of your cultural training on this culture. The mother's in China love the attention we give their precious babies... Not so different than us. We had dumpling dinner tonight with a number of other English teachers... Wonderful and different. I still don't like TOFU.... even a year here will likely not change that... oh well Pardon me I almost forgot our statue of a world famous character. Even that has been an interesting aspect of chinese history of late....

Our washing machine sings......

JINGLE BELLS... Seriously just listen......

Our giant BUDDAH

This guy is outside our front room window... He is huge!!!!

our apartment..... pics

This is a lovely apartment, the counters are backbreathingly short for American's and the fridge is for midgets but we will do just fine as you can see.... Rick call's it our dance floor and it is big enough for two or three couples to dance.

We are NOT missionaries, but teachers of English

My good friends.... Tomorrow morning we fly to China. We are not going as missionaries, but as teachers of ENGLISH, we are not ashamed of our testimonies but to further the oral teaching of the gospel would only bring difficulty for BYU to send teachers to China. Teachers who will bring the light of the gospel in their eyes and in their actions. Of which we have the priviledge to do as part of this teaching experience. Our of respect, yes respect!!!! to the current Chinese government we WILL obey the laws of the country of which we will reside and provide a service to for the next year. We are excited to serve, we love our family more than anything else in this earth life, we expect to have a marvelous experience and will share it with you through this blog device. Yes our email is the same, and of course we will be starving for news from your lives.. our love,

Chinese going away party

Our wonderful children threw us a going away party. It was so fun!!!! CHinese food, hats, games and the tenderest gift of two songs by our grandchildren which turned Ella-Rene into jello. In fact, just to think of it turns me into jello and tears still. I didn't get pic's of everyone but here are at least some

Silk Road Trip

is scheduled in October...... This is the terra cotta soldiers plus .... I am excited and hope to take tons of pictures. While my pictures are as cute as the grandchildren photos on the various blogs (even outdated blogs hint!) it will be fun to share our adventure. We still don't have a lot of answer, and in fact I am expecting to not have answers for a while longer about what we teach and how many and stuff. That is why a blog will be so much fun. Will we miss you??? of course, but we will have a great learning experience and be home soon. A year is such a short time. I don't know blog etiquette, Perhaps I am rambling, but I just don't know quite what to do with myself. This photo is of Tam getting thrown as part of her ORANGE belt jujitsu advancement.

Uncle Joe and Ginny

enter the mission home tomorrow August 18th. Today we attended their Sacrament meeting with Rick's other siblings and enjoyed the emotions of leaving family and yet recognizing the service to fill a mission. Rick and I are excited for them at the same time reliving our own mission adventure as they talked. We are proud of you Elder and Sister Cannon

Pic's from the internet

Only 7 more days

and we will be one our way to Ji'nan, China The BYU required 100 hours of training was intense and fruitful. I can't say that I am an better at my own written English but I have a lot of ideas on how to teach oral English and some limited written English. We are excited and anticipate that we will grow and adapt. Currently we are in Sean's former apartment for the remaining 7 days. I have a laptop with Skype on it but no monetary value with which to make phone calls. Hopefully tomorrow I have Instant Messenger loaded, but that doesn't work with Mac's in time we will work that issue out hopefully as well. Sure do love our family