Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

Here is a couple of billboard size signs that are posted in Shekou. Keeping to Chinese efficiency, the Chinese government wants to remind people not be lazy and keep working hard. These are the only two signs we've seen, but I'm willing to bet there are several more. Interesting propaganda. I wonder what signs in the U.S. would say? Anyone want to take a stab in the comments section on this post?

Jamie and I couldn't find the steps for the entrace to the mountain, so we decided to just walk around Shekou instead. We walked for a couple of hours and actually ended up at Wal-Mart, which just goes to show that all roads lead to Wal-Mart.

I took a few pictures including the two here of some sites in Shekou, and I have added them to China Album 2 at the bottom and even put them at the front of the slideshow. Be sure to check them out.

We are now watching the closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games. It has been a great one and one that I'm sure people will not forget. Jamie and I will never forget it as we remember every four years for the Olympic Games where we were in 2008. Great show so far and somewhat sad as the games come to a close. If you get a chance to watch it in primetime in the states, be sure to check it out.

Tomorrow is our first full day with students, and we are quite excited and anxious to get started. We both went in to work for several hours this weekend to get things straigtened away. Wish us luck!

Xiaomeisha Beach

The school sent the new faculty to Xiaomeisha Beach this morning for a day in the sun. I found this little article on Xiaomeisha Beach and Damiesha Beach in Shenzhen. It was a beautiful day we we relaxed after quite a stressful week of learning all there is to know about our jobs. The picture above is at the entrance to the beach of Jamie and I. I have dedicated a brand new slideshow at the bottom of the blog just for Xiaomeisha Beach today. Be sure to check it out. I have also added just a couple of more pictures from our balcony of Sea World and the harbor on a particularly clear afternoon.

The first couple of pictures in the Beach album are on the way to the beach. We were able to pass by one of the ports which unloads the huge cargo ships. I couldn't do the photo much justice, but it was a site to see. If you look closely in the background of the first 2 photos, you can see giant cranes which lift the crates off of the barges. The entire port stretched for about 3 miles. Amazing! Gives a new meaning to Made in China!

By the way, if you haven't checked out the women's trampoline event for the Olympics, it is pretty fascinating. I remember girls doing flips on the trampolines growing up, but never quite like this. Not sure if they'll air it in the states, but I'm sure you can find videos online or YouTube. Be sure to check out our photos and keep emailing us. I really do enjoy it when I receive emails from family, friends, and previous co-workers. If you can, spread the word about the blog to anyone who might be interested.

Last Day of Summer

For the first time in a long time, I'm sort of excited about going back to work/school. Today was a very relaxing last day of summer for us. Jamie spent the morning taking a walking tour of Shekou with our Director and other co-workers. I was "anti-social" and didn't stray very far away from the couch and Olympics watching the 6 different channels broadcasting the games over here. It was great as I was able to watch just about every event throughout the day including women's badmitton, air rifle, judo, synchronized diving, and all of the other sports that the U.S. media usually does not show because of time constraints. Tonight dinner even consisted of going to Pizza Hut and bringing it back as we watched Shrek in English and more Olympic events. I told the little girl at Pizza Hut that Jamie and I wanted a large pizza with pepperoni and pineapple. The girl scrunched her nose up at me and looked at me like I was crazy and probably thought it was the grossest thing she'd ever heard. I received a similar response one time in Las Vegas at a McDonald's when I asked for a chicken biscuit. The guy told me plainly, "We don't put chicken on a biscuit." Truett Cathy would've fallen over dead.

As I sit here now, the Chinese basketball team is hanging with the American team. The funniest part is listening to the British commentators who know as much about basketball as I know about building a NASA space shuttle. The do appear to be able to get the names of the players correct and the score. The rest of the world has learned how to play basketball and their talent almost matches that of the Americans as is evident of the last 2 Olympics and other World Games that the U.S. has actually lost. I guess it makes the 1992 Dream Team all that more special. You have to wonder how much they would annihilate the international teams of today.

Well, toward the end of this post, the U.S. has a 13 point lead at halftime and has dunked the ball more than a child dunks French fries in ketchup. Not the cleanest basketball ever, but it'll work.

Good night America. Good day to you!

Shattered!

I'm not sure if the U.S. is broadcasting the Olympics live tonight or not, but Michael Phelps just shattered the World Record and won gold in the 400 meter individual medley. The announcers here was stating that this first event for him was where he would tell the other swimmers what kind of shape he is in. It looks as though the other swimmers will be swimming for 2nd. Amazing!

My uncle just sent me a Phelps Tracker from USA Today. It compares his progress to that of Mark Spitz and provides you with his schedule of events.

Check it out here... Phelps Tracker

2008 Olympics!

Charles Robinson over at Yahoo Sports wrote this little small column about the top 5 moments of the opening ceremony. See if you agree? We were unable to hear all of the commentary at the beginning because we were at McCawley's and it was in Chinese, but once we got back to the apartment, we heard the British commentary. I'm sure the U.S. commentary will be interesting to hear. I was speaking to my parents this morning and as soon as the drums came on, they were already ooohing and awwwing. Here is the link...

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/news?slug=cr-ceremony080808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

We are off this morning to a pancake breakfast hosted by our Director (principal). It'll be nice to have an American breakfast this morning (Are pancakes American?).

2008 Summer Olympics Beijing

Jamie and I kicked off the Olympics by going out with a couple of friends to McCawleys, an Irish pub. Apparently, many Americans had the same idea. The Sea World area which we live next to was jumping with excitement for tonight's opening. I have posted a few photos of the evening, but most did not take well because of the lighting.

I was going to do a run down of all of the performances and such of the opening ceremony, but decided against it because they were truly amazing to watch, so I don't want to spoil it for you. If you can, watch some of the opening. It is by far the best opening ceremony that I have watched. It is rather lengthy, so settle in with some food and your choice of a beverage. You can always take a break when the countries walk into the stadium. At minimum, watch the first hour. The Chinese have gone far and beyond what any other country has done as far as artistry and aesthetics for these games. I believe they want to shut up the skeptics in what they can do as a country and just how "one" they really are. There were over 20,000 volunteers in the opening ceremony, and from what I hear around here, volunteering for the Chinese is just something that is not done. Many of the performances are ones that have never before been seen and are spectacular. I'm not sure how many U.S. stations carried the games that early in the morning, but everyone should watch them on Friday night. I believe the coverage begins for you all at 7:30 and goes until midnight for the lighting of the torch.

The picture above is of the flags that were hanging at Sea World. As I type this at 1:00 am, there are still plenty of people down there celebrating.

Email me and let me know if you thought it was as cool as I thought. It may just be because everyone around here is caught up in the fever. The closest Olympic event in in Hong Kong for some equestrian. Everything else is in or around Beijing, clear across the country. We can't go into Hong Kong because of our single entry work visa. I'm sure the stations around here even on our basic cable will be telecasting many of the events though.

Olympic Day

Slow day for Jamie and I, but we are resting up to go out somewhere and watch the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Many of you have asked if we'd be able to see any of the Olympic events. With new teachers reporting on Monday at school and us just getting our bearings, it is highly unlikely. Plus, it is clear across the country to Beijing. It would take a 24 hour train ride to get there. I'm sure with some previous additional planning on my part, we could have pulled it off, but I'm not that smart I guess.

Shekou is a sleepy little town during the day as pedestrians crowd the streets walking to and from work. At night, though, the city booms to life as people end their day with a bang. There really isn't a weekend over here, so Friday night isn't like it is in the states; however, I'm sure this Friday night and weekend with the Olympics will be special for the Chinese. We'll walk around and see what is happening, but I think we'll end up at McCawley's (ironically an Irish bar) or Ghost Bar (more of a night club/restaurant/bar in Chinese style). I will post late tonight or in the morning with the events of the Olympics in China.