Fall is here!!

Asia loves learning about the seasons - so today, when we told her that Fall (秋天 = qiū`tiān) was finally here, she asked, "where are the leaves, mom??"....since Fall is typically associated with colorful leaves all over the ground. Well, we don't have lots of colorful leaves, but the temps have dropped significantly, and we got our first rain (下雨 = xià yǔ)!! The chilly weather called for some hot soup & lounging around in jammies for the majority of our Sunday. This morning (Monday in China) the thermometer read 8C which = 47F!! That's getting cold for us! Its not even October yet!! We may have to bust out the winter clothes earlier than normal....but that is fine with us!

I am so glad we went on an adventure on Saturday....it might be some of the last warmth we see for awhile. Here are the kids playing at a big park with their "English friends." They loved playing in the sprinklers, running on the paths, eating our picnic lunch and riding this rickety bumper car ride. I am so glad they didn't fall out! :) But for now, its back to the books - continuing to learn new vocab, grammar, characters, tones and how to use it!! Justin's classes are much more rigorous this semester - his 3rd so far, and he has more homework and assignments at night. His language skills are incredible - but there is always more to learn! I am still hoping osmosis will work if I hang around him enough. :)

Rama-reflections - week 1

During Ramadan in the Muslim world, most restaurants are closed during the daylight hours. Here in Urumqi, that is not always true. There is such a vast diversity of peoples, so many restaurants are open for business, with slightly less patrons. Many families get up early for suhoor, a meal eaten before sunrise. Throughout the day, people will frequent the local mosque, offer regular times of prayer, and dress up if they go out. I have noticed more Uyghur men wearing their hats, and older women are dressed a bit nicer than normal. Also, during the afternoon - it seems quieter than usual! After the sun sets, the fast is broken with a meal known as iftar. We hear that Iftar usually begins with dates & sweet drinks that provide a quick energy boost. Most nights - the sunset is around 6:20pm, local time - so its not that hard to wait for a bountiful dinner.

But we have noticed some interesting things:

• Many of our Muslim friends do not adhere to the strict fast. Many of them eat during the day for various reasons (their tummy hurts, they are working too hard, job forbids them, etc).
  
• When we ask our friends why they celebrate Ramadan, we get an array of answers (to pay for our bad deeds, to know what its like to be poor, to follow the tradition of our ancestors, the Koran says to, even to lose weight!). So far only one friend has been able to communicate the correct reason Ramadan is celebrated this month. Times are a-changing.
  
• Fasting this month is expected for every Muslim - so its funny when everyone disappears during lunchtime. Where do they go? One day Justin saw one girl eating during lunch, and she was very embarrassed. Maybe being on a campus is harder for students, but we have been surprised by how many do not adhere to the fast.
  

apple pie a-la-mode

Justin eating apple pie & ice cream at a well-loved restaurant downtown. Eden can't wait to blow out the candle. We had fun celebrating Justin's 27th birthday! It was a "fun, relaxing, satisfying day" in Justin's own words. We also made tacos for dinner, which is always his fave!!

the first day of Ramadan

This is the first year we have ever really experienced Ramadan first-hand and we are excited to understand in a deeper way the roots behind many of the customs & practices in this foreign culture and region of the world. Hope you enjoy learning along with us.

From our reading, and talking with friends - Ramadan "a month of blessing" begins at sundown - the 9th month of the lunar calendar of the new moon. This month is considered Islam's most holy month - where Muslims commemorate the revelation of their holy Qur'an (570-632AD), set aside to devote themselves to Allah thru prayer, fasting and acts of charity. This year - Ramadan begins on September 12th at sundown, and ends on October 13th with a celebratory festival called Eid al-Fitr - a "festival to break the fast." Because Islamic holidays are based on a lunar calendar - they will change each year (by about 11 days).

According to Sharia law, all physically fit Muslims must practice this fast (Sawm) from food, water & other sensual pleasures during daylight hours. Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. Those exempt from the fast are: soldiers, the physically or mentally challenged, pregnant/nursing mothers, women who are menstruating, children under 12, and those traveling more than 50 miles. As well, everyone is encouraged to morally abstain from lying, malicious gossip, quarreling & trivial nonsense.

We are going to interview some friends to see what types of customs they adhere to, and what they might believe to be true about this holy month. We think it will be very interesting!! More info to come.....stay tuned!

my numerous job offers

One of the funny things about living in China as a foreigner is the contrasting pros & cons of sticking out in a crowd. While you might tire easily of the endless onlooking masses or pay a bit more for some things (skin tax), standing out also has its advantages. Being a white guy in a city of 3+ million Chinese people has provided for some interesting job opps. In the last two weeks, I have gotten three job offers, all of which I had to turn down for various reasons, perhaps the biggest being I am not allowed to WORK on a student visa. :)

Last week, a friend introduced me to a movie director looking for for foreigners who might be interested in acting in a movie. The main plot had a great message and they wanted me to sign up right there, but I didn't feel comfortable without seeing and understanding the script fully, which they don't have available for me yet. They said they would get back to me. :) We will see.

I also got offered a modeling job, which when I heard - I burst out laughing! While flattered, I know I am not up to most modeling standards, but then again, there are different standards out here. I had to turn it down though as it was an Ad for Bai Jiu (alcohol) which is what most people here use to get drunk. The funny part is - they wanted me to pose in a red cowboy hat. Ha!

The third job offer is the most common here and not as flashy- teaching English. I get asked to teach English almost weekly here - from training centers...to mothers who want private tutoring for their kids - there is an endless desire to learn English. But what was interesting with this latest part-time offer was the pay they were willing to fork out: 120 yuan per hour of teaching (about $16 US/hr) which is the highest pay I have heard of and plenty to live on out here. When I told them that I wanted to focus on finishing my language studies first, they asked me to tell all my friends in America about the job and if anybody is interested, there are plenty of options for you out here in Xinjiang. Let us know!!
~ Justin

Eden Sofia & Sydney Grace.....

So much has been happening lately, that we have a hard time keeping up. Eden & Sydney are changing and growing in leap and bounds, and in light of their big sister's eventful life - I wanted to post some new picts and share about their sweetness and glimpses into their lives. They are so amazing, huh? :)

Here is a beautiful moment with E - she was climbing thru this green tube at the park, and I caught her in action. She looks so grown up to me, and is losing that baby-look. She is full of adventure: daring and curious, yet shy and smart too. She loves to make people laugh.

Eden is also eager to use her blue potty, and attempting to wear big girl undies throughout the day. She is quite proud of her newfound skills. Its so wonderful that she wants to do this on her own! I love this smile...


Sydney is just now showing an interest in food! She is getting most of it in her mouth, and trying new flavors all the time. Her eyes continue to amaze us, with a darker hazel-green tint (like daddy). Each of the girls are so unique & gifted.

Sydney is a fast crawler! She is all over the house, pulling up on furniture, taking small aided-steps with the help of anything she can grab. She loves to play under chairs, in small nooks, or grab the toys A&E might be using too. She is quite vocal, and typically has this sweet smile most hours of the day. She is also getting numerous teeth right now, so her nights are a bit fussy and challenging for all. She is changing so much right now, so she is content to be near momma most of the time.

Since this is *our* blog - we love to revel in the beauty, giftedness, growth and brilliant qualities in our beauties. We cherish them!!

preschool princess

Today was Asia's first day of preschool! She was very excited to go, as we had gone to visit and meet her teachers a few days before. She felt SO grown-up and excited for this big day, especially with her nifty school jacket. If it were up to me (mom), I would keep her home for a few more years. But she really wanted to try it, and we are all FOR her venturing out and making friends. We really hope she can make some neat buddies and learn some language in the process. She also needed a Chinese name (as a formality) so we chose Mei-xing (美星 = beautiful star) in hopes that she can be a bright star in her school. The school is brand new, and only offers classes for children ages 3-6. I was especially thrilled to find a school this small with less older kids around. It makes me feel s bit more at ease, knowing she won't be exposed to too much maturity before she is ready...and its about a 5 minute walk from our apartment.

Here she is - with one of her teachers (Nu Laoshi) on her first day. It took a short time to warm-up, but now they are buddies. Today - Asia was the ONLY student in her 4-year-old class!! She got SO much attention, especially since there are three teachers per class!! I got to stay with her for most of the day, observing and helping her get settled. She doesn't know enough Chinese to communicate, but she is catching on with her hands motions, and short phrases. At one point she was in tears because she was frustrated with her inability to speak - but we know she is motivated to learn! I am not sure how often she will attend, but it will only be part time, since we still have our fun homeschool curriculum that we read thru together, and lots of explorative hands-on excursions as a family.

As we said goodbye to her new friends today, Asia didn't want to leave. As hard as it is for me to entrust her into the care of others, I am so thrilled that she has such a sweet spirit and desires to learn and be a part of this culture. We will see how it goes....one day at a time.

thirty something?

Another year, and still I feel young!! (we'll see how long this lasts!) Justin planned an exciting day together exploring a famous park atop the highest mountain in our city, and we got to overlook an entire 360 degree view. It was fun to go on a special date, view the city from a new vantage point AND eat a delicious lunch too! Here are some highlights...

Riding on the scariest ride EVER - this rickety bike contraption mounted on a flimsy rail high above some concrete. what were we thinking? We pedaled fast!








Here is Justin up on the rock, reaching to the sky and proclaiming victory. It was so fun to conquer the mountaintop and be walking around this historic park. We also ventured across a crooked bridge, and saw a bunch of boys fishing in the pond.

Overall, I had a wonderful day - and even got some chocolate cake to top it off! Good chocolate cake is rare out here!!