Language Learning,"This Means No More Chicken Heads For Dinner!!"

Elise and I have had 2 chinese lessons and we are wondering how the heck we are going to get this language thing down. Chinese is a tonel language so you can say the same word 5 different ways and it means 5 different things. The 5 tones are, high which looks like this --, rising /, falling then rising \/, falling \, and neutral. Depending if the word has additional meanings one word could mean more then 5 differnt things for ex. ma. Ma with a high tone means mother, ma rising tone means hemp or numb, ma falling then rising tone means horse, ma falling tone means scold or swear, and ma neutral is used to ask a question so this one word means 7 different things depending on how you say it. (so you see our challenge)
Another challenge that Elise and I are tackeling since we are wei gor rens (foriegners) is learning pin yin. Pin yin was adopted in 1958 and is a system of writing chinese language using the Roman alphabet, but don't expect the chinese to understand this system. Pin yin is the first step in language learning. Just an example of how challenging pin yin can be, try to pronounce the letter "q." As an english speaking person you are probably trying to pronouce it the way you learned it in preschool or 1st grade, but in chinese you would be totaly taken back to school if you tried that, you pronounce it like saying the letter "g" in our alphabet. (again you see our challenge)
Elise has started language learning with her tutor and I have sat in on her classes trying to get a head start on my school, which starts March 2, let the fun begin!! Not all is bad in our language learning. We are learning much each class, so maybe soon we will be able to order good food and tell our local market friends we dont like our food starring at us.

A Day at Peach Island

Elise and I met some friends and they wanted to go to what is called Peach Island. Peach Island is actually completely opposite of a island. It is at the top of a mountain and they are unable to produce peaches (why they call it peach island is, well beyond me). The myth here in China, is when the peach tree blossoms, to go and visit for good luck and also a place to find love. So you will see many young people there. It is quit beautiful and peaceful. Here are some pictures of the day. You will see pictures of the tress and of these locks, the story about the locks is, two lovers buy a lock and lock it on this chain and there love will be sealed. We saw locks that dated as early as 1968 and as late as Feb. 18, 2009.

You want to stick that where?

So today we got our medical tests back. We passed. We had to take a phyisical before they can accept us in the university and give us our visas. The medical exam was the most interesting physical we had ever had. We started off with a blood test. That was pretty standard. Then we moved on to a urine test. We used the squatty to do this in a TINY cup. Tim's squatty overflowed on him during his business. Tim yelled and was trying to not spill his tiny urine cup as water overflowed from out of his stall. He shot out of his stall like a bullet! I laughed so hard! It was quite a site. An interesting thing about the urine sample was that we had to put our tiny open cup with 10 or so other open cups on a tray. Very unsanitary and confussing. That's China. The funny thing about the phyisicals, are that besides a few tests, most were done in public in plane view of everyone to see. Privacy is a luxury.
Other than Tim's excitement for the day, the rest were quick and painless....and don't worry, nothing was stuck where it didn't belong.

Can anyone tell me where the bathroom is???

So, we're trying out this blog thing. This will be a very general blog that will give you a glimps of our life in China through an American's eyes. There are so many things we love about China. As an American I'm finding new things all the time that I want to adapt to my culture. For example, the way that everyone respects their elders is very nice. Not even so much respecting their elders, but people will give up their seats on the bus for elderly, or make them as comfortable as possible in any way they can. It's really nice.
It is always easier to recognize the things that seem bad, more. For example, the toilet sittuation. Or should I say lack there of. A whole in the ground is more fitting. We are getting our "squatting" muscles strengthened though! The fact that we have to squat isn't the end of the world. What is difficult, is that there is no public restrooms besides the beloved McDonalds in our town. So, in the 90 degree weather, we end up drinking alot of water...but have full bladders often. This is our current big issue that we are trying to wressle through! It sounds so trivial...but part of life here. :)