We had a great Thanksgiving. We invited some Chinese friends over and they experienced a somewhat traditional Thanksgiving meal. We had 13 dishes but said no to the turkey. The only way to get a turkey was to have one imported from the states and they ran around $45 per bird. Also we have a slightly-larger-than-a-toaster-oven and figured trying to cook a bird for so long might cause problems. So we had chicken breasts and stovetop, which did the trick flavor wise. No gravy though. Inexplicable we did not take any pictures.
We also celebrated one year in China during the first week of December. We went and had ice cream. Ice cream in winter?!?!?? Well, it has been in the mid-70's recently here and we've been wearing shorts and t-shirts in the house. We've rarely had to turn on the heaters. Anyway, this year has been exceptional. We all seem to be adjusting to the culture pretty well and enjoying life here. We've made many good friendships with local people and foreigners as well.
In the past month or so we have joined some Chinese people who are helping the homeless in the city. While it can be warm during the day, the temperature drops quickly once the sun sets behind the mountains and nights on the street can be cold. All five of us have gone out and helped bring food to street kids and homeless grandmas. The people have appreciated the food and just having someone talk to them. We are hoping to be of more help to the homeless in finding them shelter and employment in the future.
We are getting ready for Christmas and have been invited to sing a Christmas carol or two at a performance at a hotel nearby on Christmas Eve. The kids are definitely excited about Christmas and have enjoyed the influx of cookies in our house. Unfortunately, Jason has enjoyed the influx too much and will have to soon begin sugar detox.
Our business has only made a few small steps forward, but we are hoping that this next year will be one that brings clearer focus and more opportunities. We tried to help a restaurant get started here, but the owner wasn't ready to open this or next year. Currently we are looking at turning tobacco farmland into something that generates more income for the farmers.
We are excited about the possibilities this next year will bring. This first year was a learning experience and a time for adjusting to our new lives. We hope this next year we will thrive even more and continue to become more and more comfortable in our new culture.
We promise to use our camera again so you can see more pictures soon. But here's a fun one of our kids...
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