first trip out

Traveled a bit last week due to our teachers needing days off to give oral English exams to high school students.  Worked out well b/c we had some friends here visiting.  

We traveled out the countryside and got to go to one of the highest ariel bridges in the world, or so we were told.  We skipped the bridge, but the view from the ground wasn't bad either.  We kind of felt like we were on an island (Lost) due to the tropical sounds/lush vegetation.  It was really pretty fun.

The next day we traveled out to a less touristy area...Logan had the camera and took some pictures of a banana orchard...sometimes it is banana trees as far as you can see!  And this picture is of a village right outside of the small town that we went to that day.  The houses in this village, as well as a village that I explored, are built on stilts....and they even fence off a yard and park a car or motorcycle under the house, kind of like a garage.  It is like an Asian suburb, except all the poor (minorities) live in this suburb area.  We enjoyed our trip out, despite our limited language, and look forward to our next trip.  For now it is school for the next two weeks, and then maybe another trip.

down south of the border

Made a little trip down south, but we didn't start in California.  However, this license plate was present in Laos...go figure.  These are just a few pictures of Laos that we got.  It was a fun "quick" little trip.  We spent more time on a bus trying to get there than we did in the actual country.  However, once there, we did partake of an awesome lunch!  Seems like a poorer country, but the people were incredibly friendly and helpful.  

Chinglish #2

Chinglish #2....

"Natural beauty will do you justice."

Promised House Pictures....

So, as most of you know, we've been living it up in YX.  Currently we are in an on-campus apartment that has 2 bedrooms, a dining room, kitchen, and bathroom.  The blog only allows me to post 5 pictures at a time (if any of you know what I could do about this...maybe pass that info on), but really it isn't too much of a problem b/c our house is small, and there's not much see.  

This first picture is of our spare bedroom...it holds our books, extra luggage, a tv we don't use, and this room is also where Logan practices his mandolin!

Here is Logan working hard in our bedroom!  There is no technical living room, so we do most of life in this room.  You can see the bed, Logan's closet and Logan's desk.  I have a small desk (more like a dressing table) on the opposite side of the room and my own closet as well.

Here is the dining room.  Our lovely table and fridge...the opening and windows that you can see go to the kitchen.  Taking this picture, I'm standing in the bedroom, and the front door would be to my left.

Here is one side of the kitchen.  Stove top and water dispenser...need I say more?

I'm standing at the stove now....looking towards the opposite end of the kitchen.  The door is to the bathroom, that's my washer on the left, and our kitchen/bathroom sink!  Yay...no dishes in this picture.  The windows on the left w/ the ugly curtains are to the outside world, and the windows on the right look into the spare bedroom/mandolin room.  Also pictured is a Drumgoole's apron...that is for Liz and Karl...

I guess that's about it for now.  Sorry that the layout for this blog is kind of boring, but at least you got pictures!!!!!

--da

Script.

This is the script that is used by the people we are living among. All the businesses in our city are required to post the name of their businesses in this script ABOVE the Chinese name. I have no idea what it says, but I think it looks cool.

My First Asian B-Day Gift

Last week DA and I were perusing one of the shopping districts of our city (mainly just trying to figure our way around this city) and I saw a shirt that I thought was amusing.

Lo and behold, Daryl-Ann bought it for me!

Perhaps the best thing about it is the writing and the picture are that fuzzy suede-like material that usually doesn't last through a single wash. I figured I would get a picture of it now before the writing fell off of the shirt or it shrunk 4 sizes from a single wash. Both are extremely possible.

Last year, Lord of the Rings Extended Edition DVD box set! This year, T-Shirt with environmentalism propaganda... who knows what could be next?

Thanks honey for always keeping things interesting!

LH

Happy Birthday, Logan!

To my wonderful husband on your 23rd birthday, I love you very much!  Happy birthday!  

Love,

Daryl-Ann

(To any of you readers...take a second to wish Logan a happy birthday and tell him one thing you like/appreciate about him.)

Happy Two Years...

Today is our 2 year anniversary.  Here's to my wonderful husband who takes care of me no matter what country we may be in.  I love you, Logan.  

--da

The Funny Story Pic

Alyssa recommended that I post the commy photo shot that I had to take my shirt off to get. The shirt is not mine.... although I kinda wish it were.

Funny Story

Well, now that DA and I are students, we had to get student visas instead of travel visas. One of our American friends who has been here for a while took us to the Foreign Affairs Bureau to apply for them. After the official spent 5 solid minutes analyzing our passports and our current visas, he looked up at us with his best intimidating look and asked in Chinese, “Why did you decide to come here now to study? It is an odd time of the semester to begin school.” Thankfully the guy we were with has dealt with these guys many, many times and simply answered, “Right now the weather is very beautiful”..... Satisfied with his answer the official gave us the applications and told us that we needed to go take pictures for the application. This is where the real fun begins.....

The three of us walk down to a nearby Kodak photo shop and tell the workers that we needed a picture taken of each of us for visa applications. I was delighted by how serious these guys take their job. First of all they seem uptight and high-strung anyways, but they looked at me and told me that I could not take a picture today because my shirt was too light. Baffled by his demand we insisted that it was okay, but he would not budge. To take a picture I had to have a darker shirt. The man then looked at our American friend (who was wearing a dark shirt), and told him that he needed to change shirts with me for us to take the picture today. Again, the seriousness of these guys who run a photo booth was hilarious. We all loose control and laugh hysterically and I begin to take off my shirt to expose my bare skin to the world and change shirts with our friend. After this I stand in front of the camera and the photographer then poses me to his liking with the most serious face imaginable. All this for a little 1x2 inch, $2.50 picture. And I can honestly say that a day hasn’t gone by where something like this has happened.

LH