It's a small world after all...

We had a great trip to Hong Kong Disney! The park is small if measured against any US Disney park, but perfect size for two days of unrushed fun. We enjoyed rides, pin trading, parades, and princess makeovers, with our very good friends, The Olsson Family :)

When it comes to details, nobody does it like Disney! We had complementary Mickey Mouse slippers, Sneezy Kleenex dispensers, chandeliers with glass slippers, and character shaped pancakes, waffles and butter pats. So much to take in, that you would notice a new detail with each pass through a corridor.

The park is located on Lantau Island, so even though we were surrounded by the all the fun that is Disney, we sat nestled amongst beautiful mountians, that could be seen from all angles of the park, edged by the sea.

Each morning we had a big breakfast with the characters,

Minnie, Mickey, Goofy and Pluto made their way to out to greet us.

Our Hotel also had a gorgeous pool complete with water slide!

We wrapped up our last day at the park with princess makeovers!

Then it was time to hit the park!

.... rub elbows with Royalty!

...and try to pull the sword from the stone....

It was amazing, and just what we needed :) As always we send our love to all beloved people far and wide!

Today's Forecast :Partly Sunny, With a 90% Chance of Cultural Integration....

October has been beautiful here! Clear, cooling off a bit but not too much...the same variety of fall weather I used to savor while living in the Adirondacks. We have been keeping plenty busy, between school and extra-curricular activities there is not much time to bored! 

The girls have each chosen two actives a-la-carte from a fantastic list of things being offered at YCIS. For Our Artful Olivia, Chorus and Yearbook, Miss Mia was lightening quick to choose Basics of Baseball and Nijukai Taijutsu, and our own little tiny dancer Rosie is taking Chinese Dance and Ballet....

 Crouching Mia, Hidden Rosie :)

And to add to the chaos soccer has finally started here!! I signed up to be an Assist Coach, however have landed a Lead Coach position....yikes! Dawn Bronson, and The Dream Team that was Devins, Croghan and Bloom I miss you more than you'll ever know! I will have to " fake it 'til I make it" , but thanks to all of you I look a bit less foolish here trying to get my team to pass, play their lane and quit picking their noses!

 

Whenever the opportunity provides we continue to discover more of our city, local culture and language. There are still many old traditions followed here in Qingdao and I am a perpetual student. Fireworks are daily occurrence, as offerings to deities, or celebrating a marriage and leaving red bits tissue paper scattering about. Locals still place "pink paper" over man holes and gate poles to keep evil spirits at bay and Tai Chi can been seen morning and evening, everywhere from park to plaza....

This is at Wanda Plaza, a local mall.

 I find I am living among a culture of divided people. One group still living by the proverb "waste not want not" and  the other a more frivolous group who has neither heard or uttered the word, "No."  Taking a step back I have begun to see the sustenance of an "American Life" a bit nonsensical...Do we really need signs to tell us our hot coffee is hot? , Or  instructing us NOT to throw our children into the bear's den at the zoo? It seems as though common sense will join the flowers and the cowboys as a thing of bygone times. ...what use is freedom if we are not able to think for ourselves? 

I am learning what I'll term "survival Chinese" There is definitely a local dialect here in Qingdao, even between the generations there is a noticeable difference in  pronunciation. Thankfully though the people here are patient and kind when it comes to language. They are pleased just to hear your efforts. In the US you often find Americans who are less than patient with foreigners, however this lesson in grace has helped open my eyes to how it ought to be. :)

On October 15th our sister campus YCIS Huangdao held a Family Fun Day, and we enjoyed the day sharing in an international food festival and local crafts and classes. We  had our faces painted, made videos in the ICT ( Information and Computer Technology) Lab, effervescent " bath bombs" in the chemistry lab and painted traditional Chinese fans.

This Friday we leave Qingdao for our first R&R trip to Hong Kong Disney and I don't know who is more excited the adults or the children!?!  As always thank you for taking the time to read this and share our adventures! Much Love our to Family and Friends back home <3 .

The View From Here :)

To make up for my lack of posting, I can't believe it has been a whole month!!! I will post twice today :) This one is  a handful of photos I'd like to share, hope you enjoy....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take a look at the construction, going on behind it, classic "Old China/ "New" China at work here.

This is my favorite stand. The owner, (sitting in stripes) is slowly teaching me the names of all the fruits and veggies!

My building, middle apartment, middle 3 balconies are ours :)

A nice view from Mia's Room!

Olivia's view

Entry way courtyard, a nice place to study :)

A few garden snap shots

Sugar art made by an artist at the Intercontinental Hotel, above a horse, below a rabbit. Cost was 20RMB/ 3 US dollars...

One of several culture streets, here you can find all sorts of carved woods, pottery and paintings in little shops lining the road on both sides....

Crossing the road however is an art form all it's own!

Our fish pond with waterfalls :)

Our own little celebrity :)

Wherever you go, Walmart will follow you, lol. This is Taidong, a clothing and textile pedestrian street.

Also Taidong....

The world just does not fit conveniently into the format of a 35mm camera.  ~W. Eugene Smith

Well that's all for today, be blessed :)