So many things have been happening & I haven't been writing them here for everyone to read. I'm sorry! lol

Mike's been busy with his new workload & I've been having some health issues for the last while, but anyway...Mike & I had a nice Christmas together, nothing special because it was just a quick three days off then back to work. We didn't exchange gifts with anyone or each other, didn't really decorate our room, and there was no snow in Tuanli...it just didn't feel like Christmas :( We'll have to have it in July when we return to Canada, lol!

So, now it's New Year's Eve & we'll be spending it on a train to Harbin...we're going to the Snow & Ice Lantern Festival for the weekend. Yep, in case you're wondering, it's the city I went to when I visited China before. I'm so excited to show one of my favorite places to Mike...

Here's our itinerary:

Dec. 31 8:30 overnight train to Harbin

Jan. 1 Train arrives in Harbin at 7 am
Winter Swimming Show on the river
Snow Sculptures
Siberian Tiger Park
Ice Lanterns & Snow Sculptures

Jan. 2 Japanese Germ Warfare Experimental Base
Farmers Market & Underground Market
Train back to Beijing

I'll have many pictures when we get back, lol! Oh, and I have to tell you...I'm in love with a cartoon they show here! It's called Tokyo Pig...(the pig's name is Sunny), his snout rotates when he's going to do something magic...it's all in Chinese, so I understand very little of what they're saying, but so funny! :)

Yesterday after classes the English Department at BCCSC put on a little concert for the holidays :)

Classes sang songs, students played the piano & gu zheng (a beautiful traditional instrument), the cheerleaders put on a performance & 75 students did a reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Now the Canadian English teachers have Dec. 23, 24, & 25 for a holiday. A bunch of us are going out to dinner tonight at a restaurant in Beijing. Christmas Eve is tomorrow...very strange this year, doesn't really feel like Christmas.

to the "Little White House" at BCCSC. Our room is on the main floor (not far from the shared kitchen), and it feels like a big hotel room.

Mike is supposed to be on a two-week vacation, but one of the teachers had to return to Canada for a family emergency and won't be returning. So, Mike is now a teacher at BCCSC. Not the under the best of circumstances, but oh well.

Last night we had a little party to celebrate the upcoming holiday...

Monique & Jean provided some music, we decorated the Christmas tree & had a special meal. Turkey, dressing, carrots & broccoli, baichu (yam still in the skin, but the yams are different than back in Canada, Martha says they taste really good), cranberry sauce & apple crisp for dessert (with cinnamon flown in from New Brunswick, lol!)

It was a good time, but it made me miss Christmas back home up at my grammy's :(

Mike & I are finally together! Yah! I flew down to Shenzhen on Thursday & Friday we were off to Hong Kong for some business & some fun. Had to renew our visas, but we got to do some looking around too.

We did a lot of shopping for Christmas & school items on Friday, went to Hong Kong Disneyland on Saturday & met up with Mike's friend's sister Lori on Sunday. She took us to Victoria Peak.
It was so amazing! Here are our pictures from HK
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Martha & I are in the spirit! We put up the office Christmas tree on Nov. 30th :) I put up decorations all over & built a snowman...out of white towels, lol! Our snowman is named Xue Xue (xue is snow in Mandarin) and I think he's cute. Happy Christmas! :>

I woke up Dec. 2nd to snow out my window! Wheee! Dad & I went for our usual walk at 3am in the crunchy snow...not much, but still snow!

Made me miss home a bit, lol! No cross-country skiing for Mike & I this year :(

Martha & I went to a preschool in Tongzhou Tuesday morning and it was such a great place! Everyone was so kind to us, showing us around their building & classes.

We got to sit in on some English & music lessons. Bright, colourful artwork down all the halls & in every classroom, it seemed like such a happy & nurturing place for the children to learn. And I have to admit, it made me miss the children from my class back home (more than usual).

See more pictures by clicking the picture :) -->