Travels in China

In the past month or so, this has been a familiar sight for us as we have been doing some good old fashioned Chinese train travel. We left Nanning and arrived in Beijing just in time to join in with my sister's family (the Shoots) celebration of Holy Week. Living with the Shoots was a total blast, and we will be back with them on Thursday. I enjoyed seeing family that I hadn't seen in quite a long time. We went to the area's University district and helped some students with their English, and played frisbee in the area park. We are currently in a smaller city named QingHuanDao, where we have been show and tell for one of my college roomates: Taylor Hankins. We set up a disc golf course on the campus which has been something we have really missed. It has been a total blast with Taylor and many of the English teachers that live here, even making it out to a German themed (yes that does mean Chinese waitresses dressed in German clothes) all you can eat meatfest restaurant. Thursday we will travel back to the Shoots and party it up with them until we get some new arrivals; one Brandon from Canada, and one "Keakers" Larrabee from the Larrabee clan out of Austin, Texas(aka Oliver's lil bubba) . C"mon holla atcha boy! Enjoy what we look like, cuz we do, everydays!



Here are some of the enduring images of the last three weeks:

This is Judah Shoot. He has very expressive eyebrows.

The patriarch of the Shoot family, holding a made from scratch red velvet cake made in the shape of the Passover Lamb.

Easter Dinner with family and friends.

We decorated eggs with the youngsters. We look really normal don't we!

Some of our creations: Anime Oliver, Depressed Josh, Envious Taylor, and Enraged Nadia in Easter egg form.

Helping in Taylors classes in QingHuanDao. Teaching Texas History and the Bibeau family tree. The students loved both of the topics! (But were amazingly enthralled by the passion with which the Texas presenter spoke with, not! We took a vote, the family tree rocked their entire universe!)
One of Taylor's students is a total rocker and had a concert. We went and rocked out to Lenny Kravitz, and Green Day covers. It is wild to think we saw a rock show in China. While dancing Oliver almost punched a girl in the face. But in his words... "Its a metal concert, she should know what she is getting into."

We participated in the "QingHuanDao Internation Fitness Walk". We made the walk "internation", and were rewarded with many pictures taken of us. We walked to the sea and frizzed it up with some students.

We love and miss you all. Thanks for reading!

- Josh

We are in utter need to update our blog! Hanging out with the crew in Nanning China has been such a blast that the internet is boring. And that is quite a statement for a couple of avid facebookers like Oliver and I. Our almost three weeks in this city have totally flew by as we have encountered a community of like-minded and incredibly fun people. The dudes we stay with are all studying Chinese to the max and loving their lives in China. Meeting young westerners that are totally loving every minute of their lives overseas is a new sight for us, but one that really is shaking things up in my mind. Two of the three guys we live are younger then me, but are settled into their lives here in China and have plans to stay long term. We have learned so much from them and are incredibly grateful for their hospitality.

I recently have been nursed back to help thanks to all who were thinking of me! It was a rough couple of weeks but I am totally healthy. Bham! We came to Nanning knowing one guy named JP and knowing only that he skated a lot, and had some crazy stories of living in the jungles of Lao and streets of Toyko. Neither of us have picked up skating or become Rambo, but we have learned to make clothes, navagate Nanning, play Guitar Hero World Tour, enjoy Chinese Barbeque, and live in a balls-to-the-wall community overseas. All very important skills to have, especially the latter.

There are many things that I wish I could write about, but I am afraid that I can't. Many of the lessons I am learning on this trip have been culminating and are going to take a while to process. I am very grateful for my journal these days. Tomorrow morning we will be boarding a train to Beijing. We have made some awesome friends in Nanning and I would love to come back soon!

Olive got his TOM's fixed by a street cobbler! (not as good as blueberry cobbler)

Typical Chinese toddler. Those Chinese are hard workers!

Our best Chinese photo poses.
This is our friend Jade, she is a terrible card player.
A common sight from our time in Nanning: bottomless coffee, cards, and lots of friends.
Oliver got attacked by a electrical metal Chinese fan. Not to worry, his disc skills are nearly unaffected.

-Josh