Exploring Day at the Antique Mall

 Our friends from the branch told us about a fun antique mall where many antiques were sold.  Also, at the mall were some handmade items that were interesting.  We learned how to barter with the vendors.  Pete reminded me that I didn't have to buy too many things because this was our first stop shopping.  I'm sure we'll have many opportunities to bargain for items during our 10 month stay in Chengdu, China.

We saw many beautiful pots.

We were surprised to have two colorful parrots greet us!

Rhonda was determined to get a better price on a table runner than I did, but she was not successful in her attempt





                               

This artist had received many honors for his work.








On our walk home from the antique mall we found a beautiful park. Take a look at these gorgeous pictures.

There were lots of Lagoon type rides for the little children.

The water was surrounded by greenery.  The ponds were all pretty dirty though.  What a shame!

This sweet lady was sweeping all the fallen leaves.  Checkout her broom.

This was the most ornately decorated building we saw.

The adults were playing "ma jiang."  It's a popular game here.

Dancers everywhere in the park.













In our search for a fast taxi ride home, we stumbled across this "gem" of a place.  It had historical buildings.  Some German tourists told us it was the rich area of Chengdu where the Chinese come to eat.  I was in awe at the gorgeous buildings.

The School and More

 Here we are outside the administration building.  Nancy, the English teacher on the left picked us up from the airport with her assistant, Alex, on the right.  

 This was the opening ceremony for all new students and faculty.  Only one speaker had his speech posted in English.  That was the president of the college.  It was fun.

Here is a view of the campus where Pete and I teach on Thursday.

 Another view of the opening ceremony

 This is a picture of the street down from our campus.  It's where all the local restaurants are located.

 Pete likes taking pictures of the food

 The next pictures are views out our front room window

 This is a picture of our campus classrooms.  I teach on the third floor.

Here is my first group of students.  The class is very full!

Pete and I have also started tutoring some young students in our home.  The pay is good and it's interesting.  I have a group of 4 girls, ages 7-8 and another group of 4 girls ages 4-5.  They don't speak any English.  It's a challenge but we have fun playing together.  Pete teaches two boys ages 9-10.  They speak great English.  He has fun playing paper airplanes with them.  I also taught one of the fathers, Wong, of the girl I'm tutoring.  He offered to take us touring.  I really liked working with him.  

Our New Home

This is our bathroom sink.  I had fun at Ikea finding green accessories to spice up the area.  There is also a green bathroom rug in front of the sink.  The door on the right is our office.  The door on the left of the sink is our bathroom toilet and shower.  Pete installed a shower curtain so that we don't have to wipe the water off of the toilet every time we shower.  

 This is our dining area.  The door to the right of the table enters into our kitchen.  I love the doors in our apartment.  

 This picture is taken from the front living room looking towards the kitchen area.  

 This view is looking from the dining area into our front room.  I think the curtains are really pretty.  

 This is our tiny refrigerator.  We don't keep much inside because sometimes the power goes off when we're not home.  So, little is good.

 Notice the water container in our kitchen.  Pete talks in Chinese each week to a water supplier.  The water is delivered to us each week.  Do you like my little sink?  I have to wash all the food we eat with soap and then bleach to kill all the bacteria.  

 Here's a better picture of our office.  We bought a second desk so that we had a place for both of our computers.

 This is our cute dresser.  The little machine on the floor is our air purifier.  We keep it in our room so that we can breathe clean air while we sleep. 

 I think our bedroom is cute. 

 This was our first dinner with the Wood's.  We had been working hard cleaning all morning.  I was the only one who had food.  I cooked our lunch which was rice and toast.  The Woods are really nice.  Rhonda has been very sick and depressed.  She's doing better now. 

 Our office again.  Pete took a picture of me working one morning.

 This is a better picture of our kitchen.

 Our cute little laundry room with the washer.

Do you like the shower curtain Pete installed?  He also scrubbed the bathroom with clorox so that I could stand to be in the bathroom.  Nice guy!

Provo Training

Graduation Certificates from BYU training.  It was an intense and overwhelming experience.  We learned a ton and we were always tired.  Classes began at 8:00 a.m. and didn't end until 9:00 p.m.

The Kennedy Center Logo is behind us.  These are the pictures that will be on our website for the students in China.  I look tired for a good reason!  The pictures were taken at the last day of our two week training. My favorite part of the training was when two Chinese sisters came and spoke of their life in China.  They both endured things that were way beyond my comprehension and both eventually joined the Church.  Elder Toronto from the First Quorum of the Seventy spoke to us as well.  He has lived in China for 18 years. In my opinion, that residency makes him the expert on China.  His words were motivating and inspiring!

 This picture shows the group of teachers that will be teaching in China.  They are all going to many different universities in China.  Some of the teachers for 2013 - 2014 year are not in this photo because they are returning teachers.  So, they are in China now.

Kent and Rhonda Wood are the couple going with us to teach in Chengdu, China.  This picture was taken outside the Kennedy Center on BYU campus.  We're excited to be working with them both. They're great!

Last Virginia Trip Before China

Anna Lyn's baby blessing.  She was a perfect baby and slept through the whole thing.  Everyone was in awe at her beautiful dark hair.  After church we traveled to Traci's in-laws for dinner.  It was a lovely day to be together with family.

China Teachers Program

Pete and I went to a Family Home Evening in Provo, Utah on Monday, June 10.  It was for all the new China Teachers who were in the area and available to attend the activity.  We had lots of fun and were able to meet the couple that will be serving with us in Chengdu.  Our first impression of them was good.  I think we'll like each other.  A dinner was provided and we learned some things about the program.  Here are some of the things we learned: 

First, according to The China Teacher's Web-site, since the program’s inception in 1989, almost one thousand teachers have taught more than 175,000 students at over forty five universities in China.

Second, The Program Goals as stated on the web-site are:

• To provide instruction in English and selected content areas to affiliated Chinese universities for the enrichment of Chinese university students,
• To build academic and cultural ties between BYU, the Kennedy Center, and Chinese universities, in order to promote mutual understanding and trust, 
• To provide an opportunity for CTP teachers to absorb the ancient and modern culture of China, to enable them to develop friendship and respect for their Chinese students and the People's Republic of China
• To provide Chinese students with an intimate and extended exposure to American teachers to increase their awareness of America.

Here are all the school that BYU works with in China now.  I learned at the Home Evening that many of the teachers had requested the school they wanted to teach.  One of the couples even took a trip last year checking out all the schools to make sure they got the right location for themselves.  That made me a little worried.  

• Beijing: Peking University, China Foreign Affairs University
• Chengdu: University of Electronic Science and Technology of China
• Tianjin: Tianjin University, Nankai University
• Jinan: Shandong University, Shandong Normal University
• Qingdao: Ocean University of China, Qingdao University
• Shanghai: Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Tongji University
• Nanjing: Nanjing University, Nanjing University of Technology
• Xi’an: Xi’an International Studies University, Northwest Polytechnic University, Xi’an Jiaotong University
• Guangzhou: South China University of Technology, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies

I learned that Elder Oaks was the visionary for the senior couple China Teachers' Program which began several years ago. Twenty percent of couples sign up to teach for a second year, but a third year enlistment is not allowed.  However, one couple managed to get an interview with Elder Oaks for special permission to go a third year.  They then requested a fourth year and he said "No."  So, they worked directly with the university in China and went a fourth year without the help of BYU.  

My hope is to make it through one year!  It was fun to hear all the positives from those that had been before! It was also fun to ask and get answers.  

The evening was really fun for us and we enjoyed meeting other teachers that will be traveling to China as teachers.