Hongyuan Binguan Shijiazhuang

After meeting up with the other english teachers arriving at the beijing International Airport. We took a 6 hour busride to Shijiazhuang. This city is the sister city to Des Moines, IA and although it is nearly unheard of in the US it has a population greater than US cities like Chicago.
We arrived around 11:00 at night and checked into the university. Luke and I went outside looking around as opposed to ...

... he looks much older than me he's only 31. I ask him how much he makes for each 1,200 km trip, he says about 500 yuan. He says he can make the trip 20 times a month. He's got two sons, a wife, a nephew, both of his parents to support. Where he comes from he has to save money for his sons' wedding and the construction of their new home when they get married. It cost 60,000 yuan to find a wife and 100,000 to 150,000 to build a new house. He admits he'll ...

... br>
We went to dinner and had a party for Eileen’s birthday-
everyone met at a restaurant downtown- Sable brought her to the restaurant and
we surprised her- she cried of happiness- really going to miss Eileen. Went to
Sable’s apt afterward, everyone caught up with one another and we played
drinking games. Then went to 7 club for a bit.

Some things I’ve done with my Middle School students over
the last few weeks ...

... m either traveling or working a lot on the weekends, I usually never can but this Sunday I made a point not to schedule any lessons so could go. We took two cars out to Dragon Lake- about an hour outside the city. It was beautiful. We went on a speed boat, then went on a paddle boat, then caught some worm-fish things, had a nice picnic and relaxed by the water. It was great. Hoping to be able to go out with them again sometime before I leave. I really like both of their families.

... which lies to the west, provide charming natural scenery. Mt. Cangyan Scenic Area and Zhangshiyan Scenic Area also attract visitors from all over China and the world. As the economic, political, cultural and scientific center of Hebei Province, Shijiazhuang is becoming more and more ...

... with and experience the Chinese bar situation. Make sure to bring your cameras and wet your appetite for some pijiu and bijiu!!!!!! Saturday night, after the practice, I went to get my first Chinese massage. I went with a bunch of friends- It was wonderful! We walked by the window of the place and I saw a man on a bed smoking a cigarette getting a foot massage- I laughed out loud he looked so funny. They put is in a room with 4 people ...

... signs and having them sign them.  I have many Chinese names on my signs but i have a few English names too that include Fergie, Mariah, and Lucifer.  I got told to have a happy birthday from Lucifer... that is a first.  We ate, we hung out at my apt, went to the bbq, and then to the club. It was a long and fun night! I really had a great birthday and everyone here really made it extra special. At least 3 people bought me chocolate and Megan got me peanut butter AND chocolate so I ...

... morning (Monday- got an extra day off because of the holiday), we met up with everyone including jake and a few of his friends and took a couple taxi's to the outskirts of the city to an amusement park/botanical garden. it was awesome! everything was so pretty! and this place was huuuuge. the park surrounds "Century Park Lake." it was really hot but we were so excited to see everything that we just kept buying water and treckin on. it was ...

... and carried it the rest of the way! I tried to thank him but he had no idea what I was talking about so I just took my suitcase back and gave him the best smile I could. I ended up falling asleep on the train. After a 20ish min cab ride from the train station I was finally home! I could have fallen asleep right when I walked in the door but my wiban kept talking to me about the apt. and where things were and how to ...

... that he has written over the past 2 years (several of these he wrote as a visiting scholar at the UW last year). Only13 full professorships are available this year at his university - and 100 associate professors applying for these 13 positions. Last night we had dinner with a lecturer in pharmacology at the Hebei Medical University. He teaches or supervises labs for 12 hours/day, 6.5 days per week. His only time off during the term is on Sunday ...