Today was crazy. I spent the morning cleaning my house, met some friends for lunch, went to school, then met some more friends for supper. Then we walked around a bit before I went home and cleaned some more. Tomorrow I'm going on vacation (woo-hoo!!), so I was trying to get to the point where I could come home to a nice, clean house. :)
I didn't have any classes today, fortunately. Why, then, you may ask, did I go to my school? Well, today was the last day of the Asian weightlifting competition, and since it was held at my school (BIG honor for my school and town!!) I couldn't miss it entirely. Fortunately I had some friends who were volunteering who could get me in for free. It was really interesting, as it turned out. A Chinese guy won (big surprise, no?). Those men are HUGE!! And they can lift a LOT of weight. There were about 20 countries participating (besides China) from all over Asia, so it was a pretty big, international event. I even looked it up on Google, and it's in the news and everything. I was excited that I actually got to watch some of it live.
So next week is our "spring break" so to speak. May 1st is international Labor Day (we just have to be different, so we hold it in Sept.) and the whole country gets a holiday for a few days. So, in order to give students a whole week off of school (since there are only 3 official vacation days...) the students have to make up the classes that they miss during the vacation. (And why, again, do we have a vacation if we still have to do the work??) Fortunately I already made up the classes I would miss, and that was somewhat by accident. :) All that is to say, next week I have a whole week of vacation!! Yay!!
So what will I do? I am going to one of the famous cities in China - Xi'an. It's famous for being an ancient city (along the Silk Road, I believe), and the seat of some ancient dynasty. But the big tourist attraction here is the "Terra Cotta Warriors/Soldiers". The little warriors/soldiers that some farmers found by accident and dug up thousands and thousands - row upon row of these guys. Anyway, I'm going to go see them sometime during the week. I also have some friends in the city who I'll be able to hang out with. Other than that I just want to chill and rest, see the city, eat western food, get some groceries, etc. I'm looking forward to it!!
27 April 2007
23 April 2007
Aotearoa 18 - "Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!"
Feb. 5, 2007: Rotorua - Hell's Gate - Tamaki Village Maori Cultural Show
This morning was kind of lazy again while we were trying to decide what to do. We had two main choices for the morning activities: go to the "Agrodome" (showing off sheep and farm animals, with sheep shearing and cow milking and other activities) or go to a place called "Hell's Gate" that has some of the geothermal activity. Eventually we opted for Hell's Gate, but it was really a toss-up. One thing that would've been cool to do at the Agrodome: they have this thing called a "Zorb" - it's a huge plastic ball that they put you in, and then roll you down a hill. They call also fill it with some water, so it's supposed to be kind of like being inside a washing machine! Fun huh?? :)
So around noonish we went drove over to Hell's Gate to see what it was all about. It was a much, much smaller version of Yellowstone. There are lots of geothermal pools - the earth's crust is really thin here, so all of the pools in the area were hot. Lots of hot springs, that kind of thing. In fact, some of them are constantly boiling.
There's a neat little spa there that would've been fun to try, but alas for lack of money and time. The ground was also really warm. At one point we took off our shoes to feel how warm it was on our feet. Along the way we went past a hot waterfall. 
It's supposed to be the perfect temperature for a nice, hot shower!! :) Too bad we couldn't try it! Apparently this is where the Maori warriors would go to prepare for battle and to wash the battle off of them before returning to their village. Some other fun things: around the edge of one of the pools is a formation of land coral. 
The minerals in the water and the temperature and everything are such that this coral has actually formed out of the water, on the land. People come from all over to study it. Another interesting thing: a mud volcano. 
Yes, it is a volcano made of mud. In fact, it even erupts every so often. The mud will spew up, then gets hard when it cools down and covers over the opening, until the pressure builds and it erupts again. Cool, huh? People come from all over to study that, too. But don't walk on it - it is made of mud, after all, and it's too soft to support your weight. You'll fall in. Some French guy did - he survived, but his legs were severaly burned. Ick. Also on our little tour we took a drink from a natural spring - since it's spring water it's supposed to be pure. It was okay. :) It was a neat little area, but part of me wishes I'd seen the Agrodome instead.
(More hot springs)
(Boiling mud)
The water in this park has a lot of minerals in it from all the geothermal activity, but none of it had the spectacular colors that you can see in Yellowstone. Well, maybe one or two pools here were greenish, but not as many as in Yellowstone. Apparently the mud here is also really good for your skin (because of all the minerals). In fact, you can even take a mud bath at the spa. That would've been fun, but again $. While we were walking around the park our guide gave us some mud to put on our hand to test it. Afterwards I couldn't really tell much of a difference, but it was still neat. Oh, and when I went to wash it off in the spring water I was able to see chemistry at work - whatever minerals were in the water completely tarnished my silver ring!!
Fortunately that sort of thing happens enough that the center has a silver polish solution on hand for the unwitting customers wearing silver jewelery who don't know any better. :) I saw a little jacket that I really liked and wanted to buy in their souvenir shop. I probably could've asked the Poon's to spot me, but I wasn't too keen to borrow money. Oh well, maybe next time I'll be able to get it. :) As we were leaving, in the parking lot was a stray peacock. Beautiful animal, and it let us get really close to it! I kind of wonder how it got there though...
At night we had a special treat: we went to a Maori cultural performance. I loved it! The evening opens with the bus driver coming to pick us up. I think the bus drivers try to steal the show - ours was HILARIOUS!!! He just kept making jokes the whole ride and making us all laugh. It was really fun. :)
When you get to the village, you are first met by some of the Maori warriors who perform a traditional greeting ceremony. In some ways it looks comical, but I can imagine if you saw it for the first time you'd be scared out of your wits. This guy runs out at you carrying his spear, yelling at you and bugging out his eyes - I'd run away!! Anyway, the ceremony involves these Maori warriors, and one of them puts a "peace offering" on the ground. The chief of the other tribe has to pick it up to show that he's coming as a friend. One of the guys from our bus got to be our chief. :)
After the welcoming/greeting ceremony we got to go into a village that's been modeled after the traditional Maori villages. It reminded me a little of Conner Prairie - you had several people who were performing the same tasks that these people used to do every day in the past. I really liked that, and I wished we could've stayed a little longer to wander around the village. But, we were all hearded over to the meeting house for the cultural performance (song & dance). My favorite little thing in the village was these two warriors - they were doing some kind of game that's supposed to improve their observation/agility. They stand facing each other, doing small movements with their hands/fingers/feet/faces and making noises. If they do the same thing at the same time they lose or something like that. It was interesting!
So we were all hearded into the meeting house, where we were again greeted and invited in by the performers. In the hall they performed several songs and dances for us. It was really neat!! Of course they also did a "haka" - the traditional "war dance". The men will sing this song (chant, really) and hit their chests, pumping up their testosterone and adrenaline, getting them ready for a battle. The other purpose of the haka is to intimidate the enemy so they will run away and you don't even have to fight atll. Pretty clever huh? I just wished they'd let us know beforehand that they were about to do the haka, so I could've expected it. :)
The show was really quite enjoyable. It definitely looked like a "show" - as in, a performance, not just people living their daily lives. At first that was a little disappointing, but then I realized that of course they were performing! They're showing us a glimpse of the way their ancestors used to live - this isn't how they live today! It was still special to just see some of the things that make this culture so unique. My one real beef with the evening was that we didn't have a lot of time to wander around the village. Granted, it wasn't very big, but I wanted to spend more time looking at the different things there.
After the performance, we had dinner. It was DELICIOUS!!! They cooked the food in a traditional Maori way - they put the food into baskets, and put it under the ground, close to the coals, where it bakes. They had all kinds of good food, and it was all so tender! The desserts were fabulous too - a very "New Zealand" kind of dessert is called "Pavlova", which is basically a very light, sweet meringue topped with fruit. It was very rich! Ahh, how I've missed a wonderful, hot, non-Chinese meal! :)
(go to http://www.maoriculture.co.nz for more pictures like this of what our evening was like)
My favorite little event of the evening, though.....was when I found out the results of this year's Superbowl. :) I was ECSTATIC!! It was actually kind of funny - I didn't even know when the Superbowl was going to be or who was going to be in it. We were sitting to another couple from the States at our table, and we were just making conversation. They said that they had gone to a local bar around noon to watch the Superbowl. I like watching the NFL, so naturally I inquired about who won - and imagine my surprise and delight when I learned that MY team, the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS WON THE SUPERBOWL!!!! :) I was in a state of euphoria the rest of the night!! :) And I just thought how funny it was that here I was on the other side of the world, without any idea that the Superbowl hadn't already taken place earlier, and I was learning from my table neighbors that MY TEAM won the biggest NFL game of the year! What a great end to the day! My Colts finally won!! I know someone had to tape that game, and you know I'll be watching that when I get home!!
GO COLTS!!!!
(this picture borrowed from http://www.therecordherald.com)
"Ka mate! Ka mate! Ka ora! Ka ora!"
"I die! I die! I live! I live!"
-First line of the Maori haka
"I die! I die! I live! I live!"
-First line of the Maori haka
This morning was kind of lazy again while we were trying to decide what to do. We had two main choices for the morning activities: go to the "Agrodome" (showing off sheep and farm animals, with sheep shearing and cow milking and other activities) or go to a place called "Hell's Gate" that has some of the geothermal activity. Eventually we opted for Hell's Gate, but it was really a toss-up. One thing that would've been cool to do at the Agrodome: they have this thing called a "Zorb" - it's a huge plastic ball that they put you in, and then roll you down a hill. They call also fill it with some water, so it's supposed to be kind of like being inside a washing machine! Fun huh?? :)
So around noonish we went drove over to Hell's Gate to see what it was all about. It was a much, much smaller version of Yellowstone. There are lots of geothermal pools - the earth's crust is really thin here, so all of the pools in the area were hot. Lots of hot springs, that kind of thing. In fact, some of them are constantly boiling.
There's a neat little spa there that would've been fun to try, but alas for lack of money and time. The ground was also really warm. At one point we took off our shoes to feel how warm it was on our feet. Along the way we went past a hot waterfall. 
It's supposed to be the perfect temperature for a nice, hot shower!! :) Too bad we couldn't try it! Apparently this is where the Maori warriors would go to prepare for battle and to wash the battle off of them before returning to their village. Some other fun things: around the edge of one of the pools is a formation of land coral. 
The minerals in the water and the temperature and everything are such that this coral has actually formed out of the water, on the land. People come from all over to study it. Another interesting thing: a mud volcano. 
Yes, it is a volcano made of mud. In fact, it even erupts every so often. The mud will spew up, then gets hard when it cools down and covers over the opening, until the pressure builds and it erupts again. Cool, huh? People come from all over to study that, too. But don't walk on it - it is made of mud, after all, and it's too soft to support your weight. You'll fall in. Some French guy did - he survived, but his legs were severaly burned. Ick. Also on our little tour we took a drink from a natural spring - since it's spring water it's supposed to be pure. It was okay. :) It was a neat little area, but part of me wishes I'd seen the Agrodome instead.
(More hot springs)
(Boiling mud)
The water in this park has a lot of minerals in it from all the geothermal activity, but none of it had the spectacular colors that you can see in Yellowstone. Well, maybe one or two pools here were greenish, but not as many as in Yellowstone. Apparently the mud here is also really good for your skin (because of all the minerals). In fact, you can even take a mud bath at the spa. That would've been fun, but again $. While we were walking around the park our guide gave us some mud to put on our hand to test it. Afterwards I couldn't really tell much of a difference, but it was still neat. Oh, and when I went to wash it off in the spring water I was able to see chemistry at work - whatever minerals were in the water completely tarnished my silver ring!!
Fortunately that sort of thing happens enough that the center has a silver polish solution on hand for the unwitting customers wearing silver jewelery who don't know any better. :) I saw a little jacket that I really liked and wanted to buy in their souvenir shop. I probably could've asked the Poon's to spot me, but I wasn't too keen to borrow money. Oh well, maybe next time I'll be able to get it. :) As we were leaving, in the parking lot was a stray peacock. Beautiful animal, and it let us get really close to it! I kind of wonder how it got there though...
At night we had a special treat: we went to a Maori cultural performance. I loved it! The evening opens with the bus driver coming to pick us up. I think the bus drivers try to steal the show - ours was HILARIOUS!!! He just kept making jokes the whole ride and making us all laugh. It was really fun. :)
When you get to the village, you are first met by some of the Maori warriors who perform a traditional greeting ceremony. In some ways it looks comical, but I can imagine if you saw it for the first time you'd be scared out of your wits. This guy runs out at you carrying his spear, yelling at you and bugging out his eyes - I'd run away!! Anyway, the ceremony involves these Maori warriors, and one of them puts a "peace offering" on the ground. The chief of the other tribe has to pick it up to show that he's coming as a friend. One of the guys from our bus got to be our chief. :)
After the welcoming/greeting ceremony we got to go into a village that's been modeled after the traditional Maori villages. It reminded me a little of Conner Prairie - you had several people who were performing the same tasks that these people used to do every day in the past. I really liked that, and I wished we could've stayed a little longer to wander around the village. But, we were all hearded over to the meeting house for the cultural performance (song & dance). My favorite little thing in the village was these two warriors - they were doing some kind of game that's supposed to improve their observation/agility. They stand facing each other, doing small movements with their hands/fingers/feet/faces and making noises. If they do the same thing at the same time they lose or something like that. It was interesting!
So we were all hearded into the meeting house, where we were again greeted and invited in by the performers. In the hall they performed several songs and dances for us. It was really neat!! Of course they also did a "haka" - the traditional "war dance". The men will sing this song (chant, really) and hit their chests, pumping up their testosterone and adrenaline, getting them ready for a battle. The other purpose of the haka is to intimidate the enemy so they will run away and you don't even have to fight atll. Pretty clever huh? I just wished they'd let us know beforehand that they were about to do the haka, so I could've expected it. :)
The show was really quite enjoyable. It definitely looked like a "show" - as in, a performance, not just people living their daily lives. At first that was a little disappointing, but then I realized that of course they were performing! They're showing us a glimpse of the way their ancestors used to live - this isn't how they live today! It was still special to just see some of the things that make this culture so unique. My one real beef with the evening was that we didn't have a lot of time to wander around the village. Granted, it wasn't very big, but I wanted to spend more time looking at the different things there.
After the performance, we had dinner. It was DELICIOUS!!! They cooked the food in a traditional Maori way - they put the food into baskets, and put it under the ground, close to the coals, where it bakes. They had all kinds of good food, and it was all so tender! The desserts were fabulous too - a very "New Zealand" kind of dessert is called "Pavlova", which is basically a very light, sweet meringue topped with fruit. It was very rich! Ahh, how I've missed a wonderful, hot, non-Chinese meal! :)
(go to http://www.maoriculture.co.nz for more pictures like this of what our evening was like)
My favorite little event of the evening, though.....was when I found out the results of this year's Superbowl. :) I was ECSTATIC!! It was actually kind of funny - I didn't even know when the Superbowl was going to be or who was going to be in it. We were sitting to another couple from the States at our table, and we were just making conversation. They said that they had gone to a local bar around noon to watch the Superbowl. I like watching the NFL, so naturally I inquired about who won - and imagine my surprise and delight when I learned that MY team, the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS WON THE SUPERBOWL!!!! :) I was in a state of euphoria the rest of the night!! :) And I just thought how funny it was that here I was on the other side of the world, without any idea that the Superbowl hadn't already taken place earlier, and I was learning from my table neighbors that MY TEAM won the biggest NFL game of the year! What a great end to the day! My Colts finally won!! I know someone had to tape that game, and you know I'll be watching that when I get home!!
GO COLTS!!!!
(this picture borrowed from http://www.therecordherald.com)
Binge Shopping
I bought a lot of DVDs today. The trick will be getting any of them back home. ;)
I don't know what's getting into me, with all this shopping! Must be something in the water...
I don't know what's getting into me, with all this shopping! Must be something in the water...
21 April 2007
Aotearoa 17 - The Bog of Eternal Stench
Feb. 4, 2007: Drive to Rotorua
This morning we woke up early again and drove to Rotorua. It's one of the bigger tourist attractions here. Of course, the whole country is a pretty big tourist attraction :) but this city is well-known for its geothermal activity. The city itself is also a bit bigger than the little towns we've been used to in the South Island and we've driven through on the North Island. You know you're in Rotorua when you can smell the sulfur from all the geothermal activity in the area. Just like being back in Yellowstone! :)
Not much really happened today. On our way into town we stopped at the information site to see what we could do in the area. After we checked in, the Poon's went on a whitewater rafting trip. That would've been awesome but again I'm on a very tight budget. I've been rafting in the States, so I decided to forego this experience in favor of something with a more NZ flavor.
While they were rafting, I just hung out at the Top 10 chillin'. The problem was that, again, I couldn't drive since I didn't have a valid license (it had expired). The city has buses, but they don't run on Sundays. I was pretty much stuck there. There aren't many things to do in the area; everything is too long of a walk away. I wouldn't be able to get there before they closed. :) The weather also didn't look too promising, and I was glad for the time to just chill. I wanted to go to a church service, again, but wouldn't you know the churches were all too far away. So how did I pass the time? Well, first I checked my e-mail, then I had a good, long chat with the receptionist. She's from South Africa, and I think she was in need of a friend. Now I wish I'd gotten her e-mail address or something, so I could keep in touch with her.
I really wished my license hadn't expired, or that I'd thought to renew it online or something. I would really love to stay here for a longer period of time (not just 2 weeks) and have my own mode of transportation, rely on myself to get around, that sort of thing. This place is calling my name!! :) I guess I'll have to find a job so I can be paid to live here. Maybe I can work at a Top 10....
When the Poons got back from rafting - they said it was absolutely AWESOME, and now I wish I'd been able to go with them! :) - we went into town, just to see what was around. On our way in, we had passed what looked like a small park with lots of "steam vents" - the geothermal activity variety. So, we decided to take a closer look at that. It was really neat! There were lots of little pools of boiling water, bubbling mud, and such. There was a small place where you could take off your shoes and soak your feet in naturally hot mineral water. The only problem was the smell, and the fact that it was getting dark by the time we got there. But it was a nice little park, and it was FREE!! :)
The city of Rotorua is on the shores of Lake Rotorua. This lake has a famous love story - the daughter of a chief was in love with a man who most people thought was beneath her. Her father and tribe forbade them to see each other - the man was placed on an island in the middle of the lake, and all canoes were removed so the girl couldn't go to see him. The man would play his flute, and the music would drift over the water to the girl, who only loved him more and more. Eventually, she was so overcome by the music and her love for him, that she tied empty gourds to herself to help her stay afloat, and she swam over 4 km to the island to be with him. Today, their descendants are still living in the area and telling their story. The story is also the basis for a famous Maori song, but I don't know it. :) I just think it's a neat story, and I like the fact that it is a true story, that stories like this still happen in the world.
Yesterday when we drove to Waitomo we noticed how different the terrain is on the North Island vs. the South Island. It is much more flat here in general, and the roads aren't quite as windy up through mountains. We did, however, see some spectacular views of a few volcanoes - in fact, we passed by the volcano that was used as Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings! I had a moment then, thinking of poor Sam carrying Frodo up the last bit of the journey. ;) It really was a spectacular view of the mountain, though!
I told you there are tons of Mimosa trees here....this one was at our Top 10 in Rotorua:
And I thought the tree with the red leaves in front of this Mimosa tree was just stunning!
(Also my pictures have gotten scarcer because I didn't take as many towards the end of the trip - I was worried about the batteries running out. Yes, I know it's a silly excuse)
This morning we woke up early again and drove to Rotorua. It's one of the bigger tourist attractions here. Of course, the whole country is a pretty big tourist attraction :) but this city is well-known for its geothermal activity. The city itself is also a bit bigger than the little towns we've been used to in the South Island and we've driven through on the North Island. You know you're in Rotorua when you can smell the sulfur from all the geothermal activity in the area. Just like being back in Yellowstone! :)
Not much really happened today. On our way into town we stopped at the information site to see what we could do in the area. After we checked in, the Poon's went on a whitewater rafting trip. That would've been awesome but again I'm on a very tight budget. I've been rafting in the States, so I decided to forego this experience in favor of something with a more NZ flavor.
While they were rafting, I just hung out at the Top 10 chillin'. The problem was that, again, I couldn't drive since I didn't have a valid license (it had expired). The city has buses, but they don't run on Sundays. I was pretty much stuck there. There aren't many things to do in the area; everything is too long of a walk away. I wouldn't be able to get there before they closed. :) The weather also didn't look too promising, and I was glad for the time to just chill. I wanted to go to a church service, again, but wouldn't you know the churches were all too far away. So how did I pass the time? Well, first I checked my e-mail, then I had a good, long chat with the receptionist. She's from South Africa, and I think she was in need of a friend. Now I wish I'd gotten her e-mail address or something, so I could keep in touch with her.
I really wished my license hadn't expired, or that I'd thought to renew it online or something. I would really love to stay here for a longer period of time (not just 2 weeks) and have my own mode of transportation, rely on myself to get around, that sort of thing. This place is calling my name!! :) I guess I'll have to find a job so I can be paid to live here. Maybe I can work at a Top 10....
When the Poons got back from rafting - they said it was absolutely AWESOME, and now I wish I'd been able to go with them! :) - we went into town, just to see what was around. On our way in, we had passed what looked like a small park with lots of "steam vents" - the geothermal activity variety. So, we decided to take a closer look at that. It was really neat! There were lots of little pools of boiling water, bubbling mud, and such. There was a small place where you could take off your shoes and soak your feet in naturally hot mineral water. The only problem was the smell, and the fact that it was getting dark by the time we got there. But it was a nice little park, and it was FREE!! :)
The city of Rotorua is on the shores of Lake Rotorua. This lake has a famous love story - the daughter of a chief was in love with a man who most people thought was beneath her. Her father and tribe forbade them to see each other - the man was placed on an island in the middle of the lake, and all canoes were removed so the girl couldn't go to see him. The man would play his flute, and the music would drift over the water to the girl, who only loved him more and more. Eventually, she was so overcome by the music and her love for him, that she tied empty gourds to herself to help her stay afloat, and she swam over 4 km to the island to be with him. Today, their descendants are still living in the area and telling their story. The story is also the basis for a famous Maori song, but I don't know it. :) I just think it's a neat story, and I like the fact that it is a true story, that stories like this still happen in the world.
Yesterday when we drove to Waitomo we noticed how different the terrain is on the North Island vs. the South Island. It is much more flat here in general, and the roads aren't quite as windy up through mountains. We did, however, see some spectacular views of a few volcanoes - in fact, we passed by the volcano that was used as Mount Doom in Lord of the Rings! I had a moment then, thinking of poor Sam carrying Frodo up the last bit of the journey. ;) It really was a spectacular view of the mountain, though!
I told you there are tons of Mimosa trees here....this one was at our Top 10 in Rotorua:
And I thought the tree with the red leaves in front of this Mimosa tree was just stunning!
(Also my pictures have gotten scarcer because I didn't take as many towards the end of the trip - I was worried about the batteries running out. Yes, I know it's a silly excuse)
Red Letter Days
I am usually not a shopper. For some reason, I managed to spend a lot of money today, though. I was hanging out with my new friends, Hillary and Jaimee, and we just poked our heads in a few little shops. I actually bought some things! Wow!! That is really surprising for me, because in general I don't like to go shopping. I guess they just brought out the shopper in me. :)
I got a little tank top that's kind of fun - and good since summer is just around the corner: today was the warmest day we've had so far, and it's just the beginning! My other fun purchase was a skirt. I don't wear skirts very often, but I like to have them. I really like this one - we went into an Indian store, just to look around, of course, and we found this skirt that I just loved. It'll also be great in the summer since it's really light and cool.
We met for a picnic lunch, which was wonderful!! Of course, 3 white girls in the middle of China are pretty noticeable, and we definitely got some attention. After lunch we just hung out for a while, walked around, and eventually made it back to their place. Jaimee took me to a big fabric shop. It was *really* big - with lots of "Chinese" material. I may have to get another "Qipao" made (the traditional Chinese dress).
The most interesting story from the day: we almost witnessed (maybe almost caused?) a traffic accident. We were crossing the street on the way to my house. This white jeep-type vehicle was coming towards us pretty fast, so we stopped in the middle of the street to wait for it to go by. At the same time, a car was crossing the street the same direction that we were. I think the driver must have been looking at the three girls crossing the road instead of the traffic, because he came within inches of hitting the speeding jeep-like thing. The jeep-thing even slowed down considerably, and laid on his horn, but the little car didn't stop until he almost came into contact with the jeep. Crazy!! I'm glad nothing happened....it would've been quite an awkward situation. The drivers probably would've tried to put some blame on us and we'd have to try to explain to the police what went on. And people would've gotten hurt! Anyway, I'm glad everything turned out alright, no one was hurt, and we made it safely across the street. Crossing the street here really is like taking your life into your own hands.
I got a little tank top that's kind of fun - and good since summer is just around the corner: today was the warmest day we've had so far, and it's just the beginning! My other fun purchase was a skirt. I don't wear skirts very often, but I like to have them. I really like this one - we went into an Indian store, just to look around, of course, and we found this skirt that I just loved. It'll also be great in the summer since it's really light and cool.
We met for a picnic lunch, which was wonderful!! Of course, 3 white girls in the middle of China are pretty noticeable, and we definitely got some attention. After lunch we just hung out for a while, walked around, and eventually made it back to their place. Jaimee took me to a big fabric shop. It was *really* big - with lots of "Chinese" material. I may have to get another "Qipao" made (the traditional Chinese dress).
The most interesting story from the day: we almost witnessed (maybe almost caused?) a traffic accident. We were crossing the street on the way to my house. This white jeep-type vehicle was coming towards us pretty fast, so we stopped in the middle of the street to wait for it to go by. At the same time, a car was crossing the street the same direction that we were. I think the driver must have been looking at the three girls crossing the road instead of the traffic, because he came within inches of hitting the speeding jeep-like thing. The jeep-thing even slowed down considerably, and laid on his horn, but the little car didn't stop until he almost came into contact with the jeep. Crazy!! I'm glad nothing happened....it would've been quite an awkward situation. The drivers probably would've tried to put some blame on us and we'd have to try to explain to the police what went on. And people would've gotten hurt! Anyway, I'm glad everything turned out alright, no one was hurt, and we made it safely across the street. Crossing the street here really is like taking your life into your own hands.
18 April 2007
International Sports come to Tai Shan College
For the next 10 days or so my little school is playing host to an international sports event. How cool is that? Little bitty Tai'an has its moment in the spotlight - and how cool that my school got picked over all the others! :) It really is a big deal to be honored with hosting this competition. Okay, so it's not like it's the Olympics, but it's still a big deal!
And the sport of choice? Weightlifting. So now you're probably laughing thinking "oh, that's all", but I will have you know that there are over 200 competitors from many countries in Asia taking part in this venue. It's something like the Asian games or something. Anyway, it's really neat. A lot of students are volunteering to help out in various capacities, especially the English speakers, so several of my students get out of class. What a great experience for them, and for the school! I haven't yet met any of the participants, but I look forward to being able to! :) Fun times!
And the sport of choice? Weightlifting. So now you're probably laughing thinking "oh, that's all", but I will have you know that there are over 200 competitors from many countries in Asia taking part in this venue. It's something like the Asian games or something. Anyway, it's really neat. A lot of students are volunteering to help out in various capacities, especially the English speakers, so several of my students get out of class. What a great experience for them, and for the school! I haven't yet met any of the participants, but I look forward to being able to! :) Fun times!
17 April 2007
Aotearoa 16 - We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glowworm!
Feb. 3, 2007: Waitomo Caves
We got up EARLY this morning so we could drive up to a place called Waitomo. There are lots of caves there that are famous for their glowworms. TOO COOL!!
I remember when I was a little girl watching the cartoon about the glowworms. I even had a few toys from the show! Ever since then I've always wanted to see the real thing, and now I finally had the chance!
We made it up to the Waitomo caves in time to go "Black Water Tubing" - tubing through a cave. Now, when I first heard about this I was expecting something like going on rapids through a cave, which would be wicked cool! As it turned out, there were no rapids, but it was still a fun little adventure.
We got to the "Legendary Black Water Tubing Co." and got to put on wetsuits. I think that's the first time in my life that I've worn a wetsuit, actually. We got helmets and rubber boots too. :) We looked pretty funny, really. We all hopped in the van and drove off to the cave entrance. Before we went down into the cave we were all given these little innertubes so we could float through the cave. Then we had to practic jumping off a small ledge into our tubes, which was fun. We had to practice because we had to do that very thing in the cave. Basically, you stand with your back to the water and the tube around your backside, and then fall backwards into the water. It was kind of fun, actually! :) In the cave itself we even had to jump backwards over a small waterfall.
There are no lights in the cave. I think that's so cool!! We had lights on our helmets, though. I went to a cave in China last summer, but there were lights all along the way so you never got the feeling that you were really in a cave. When we were in this cave we got to turn off our lights a few times.
When we turned off our lights, though, we got to see.....the GLOWWORMS!!! :) We stopped to enjoy them for a few minutes and talk about them. They gave off enough light that you still didn't feel the oppressive darkness completely. They looked kind of like little stars on the ceiling. It was really cool to see them, even though I would've liked to have no light at all for even just a few seconds.
The glowworms were neat little dudes. They're not really worms - they're actually larvae. Apparently their life cycle goes something like this:
1.) They're born (hatch)
2.) Lay around for 10 months in these little "hammocks", catching food ("fishing" if you will) and eating it
3.) Sleep for 10 days straight
4.) Wake up (as flies)
5.) Have sex for 2 days straight
6.) They Die
Not bad for little bugs, eh? And then all these people pay big bucks to go and study them or just see them. They're famous without even trying or even being useful. It's the simple things in life, you know.....They don't really glow, either. It's our word of the day: bioluminescence. They were neat little dudes at any rate, and I was so excited to be seeing the real thing!
We weren't always floating. To get to the cave you have to climb down this little entrance, and you're still walking on dry ground for a good part of the way. The rubber boots worked wonders - lots of traction, surprisingly! I wasn't worried about slipping.
Towards the end of the trip, we got to play a little game called "find your way out of the cave in the dark." :) We all had to turn off our helmet lights, and try to float down our little stream to the exit of the cave. It was fun!! Of course, when you got closer to the exit it was no big deal because you could see again. Not so much fun when you know where you're going! :) But we had our helmets on so there wasn't any real danger of getting hurt.
Whole trip was about 1 hour - by that time my hands were stiff from paddling through cold water! It took a while for them to thaw out.
After taking off our wet suits and washing/drying off a bit we got to warm up with complimentary soup & bagels back at the company headquarters. The bagel was really good! It's been so long since I've had a good bagel!! :) Also in the HQ was this fun little LOTR statue - I just thought it was so funny!
(Me and Gandalf)
Anyway, I decided that I really like caves. I don't know what it is about them, but I just find them fascinating! I think I actually enjoy that kind of thick darkness that you can actually feel - at least for just a little while. So, Dad, when are we going to go find our caves in the Blue Ridge Mts.? I'm all set! ;)
After we got finished with that and got back to our Top 10, we went to this little museum that was all about the caves. It was small, but fun! We went pretty much at closing time, so we were almost the only people there. I liked that though! We were the only ones in this little theater showing a short documentary about the glowworms. We had our choice of seats and could even lie down if we wanted. :)
Tonight we were just chillin' again. We watched more of the Rugby 7's, along with a lot of the other travellers staying there. One cool clip from the competition - after the Samoan team won, they celebrated by praying and singing a hymn together: "Take it to the Lord in Prayer" (at least that was the tune).
We got up EARLY this morning so we could drive up to a place called Waitomo. There are lots of caves there that are famous for their glowworms. TOO COOL!!
I remember when I was a little girl watching the cartoon about the glowworms. I even had a few toys from the show! Ever since then I've always wanted to see the real thing, and now I finally had the chance!
We made it up to the Waitomo caves in time to go "Black Water Tubing" - tubing through a cave. Now, when I first heard about this I was expecting something like going on rapids through a cave, which would be wicked cool! As it turned out, there were no rapids, but it was still a fun little adventure.
We got to the "Legendary Black Water Tubing Co." and got to put on wetsuits. I think that's the first time in my life that I've worn a wetsuit, actually. We got helmets and rubber boots too. :) We looked pretty funny, really. We all hopped in the van and drove off to the cave entrance. Before we went down into the cave we were all given these little innertubes so we could float through the cave. Then we had to practic jumping off a small ledge into our tubes, which was fun. We had to practice because we had to do that very thing in the cave. Basically, you stand with your back to the water and the tube around your backside, and then fall backwards into the water. It was kind of fun, actually! :) In the cave itself we even had to jump backwards over a small waterfall.
There are no lights in the cave. I think that's so cool!! We had lights on our helmets, though. I went to a cave in China last summer, but there were lights all along the way so you never got the feeling that you were really in a cave. When we were in this cave we got to turn off our lights a few times.
When we turned off our lights, though, we got to see.....the GLOWWORMS!!! :) We stopped to enjoy them for a few minutes and talk about them. They gave off enough light that you still didn't feel the oppressive darkness completely. They looked kind of like little stars on the ceiling. It was really cool to see them, even though I would've liked to have no light at all for even just a few seconds.
The glowworms were neat little dudes. They're not really worms - they're actually larvae. Apparently their life cycle goes something like this:
1.) They're born (hatch)
2.) Lay around for 10 months in these little "hammocks", catching food ("fishing" if you will) and eating it
3.) Sleep for 10 days straight
4.) Wake up (as flies)
5.) Have sex for 2 days straight
6.) They Die
Not bad for little bugs, eh? And then all these people pay big bucks to go and study them or just see them. They're famous without even trying or even being useful. It's the simple things in life, you know.....They don't really glow, either. It's our word of the day: bioluminescence. They were neat little dudes at any rate, and I was so excited to be seeing the real thing!
We weren't always floating. To get to the cave you have to climb down this little entrance, and you're still walking on dry ground for a good part of the way. The rubber boots worked wonders - lots of traction, surprisingly! I wasn't worried about slipping.
Towards the end of the trip, we got to play a little game called "find your way out of the cave in the dark." :) We all had to turn off our helmet lights, and try to float down our little stream to the exit of the cave. It was fun!! Of course, when you got closer to the exit it was no big deal because you could see again. Not so much fun when you know where you're going! :) But we had our helmets on so there wasn't any real danger of getting hurt.
Whole trip was about 1 hour - by that time my hands were stiff from paddling through cold water! It took a while for them to thaw out.
After taking off our wet suits and washing/drying off a bit we got to warm up with complimentary soup & bagels back at the company headquarters. The bagel was really good! It's been so long since I've had a good bagel!! :) Also in the HQ was this fun little LOTR statue - I just thought it was so funny!
(Me and Gandalf)
Anyway, I decided that I really like caves. I don't know what it is about them, but I just find them fascinating! I think I actually enjoy that kind of thick darkness that you can actually feel - at least for just a little while. So, Dad, when are we going to go find our caves in the Blue Ridge Mts.? I'm all set! ;)
After we got finished with that and got back to our Top 10, we went to this little museum that was all about the caves. It was small, but fun! We went pretty much at closing time, so we were almost the only people there. I liked that though! We were the only ones in this little theater showing a short documentary about the glowworms. We had our choice of seats and could even lie down if we wanted. :)
Tonight we were just chillin' again. We watched more of the Rugby 7's, along with a lot of the other travellers staying there. One cool clip from the competition - after the Samoan team won, they celebrated by praying and singing a hymn together: "Take it to the Lord in Prayer" (at least that was the tune).
15 April 2007
Aotearoa 15 - "My Shangri-La beneath the summer moon, I will return again..."
Feb. 2, 2007: Picton to Wellington ferry
Today we said goodbye to the South Island. I loved my time there, and I want to go back already!!
This morning we checked out of Blenheim and drove to Picton, where we basically just got on the ferry. It looked like another nice town to check out, but we didn't stop. The ferry was really fun and huge! We drove the car onto it and then roamed around. It was pretty windy and a bit chilly outside, but I found a nice bench in the back out of the wind where I spent most of my time reading and relaxing. It was really cool! For some of the trip across the Strait you could see both islands, and to the east the Pacific Ocean! It was a really relaxing ride - about 3 hours, and like I've said earlier about motion in general, it made me sleepy. It was a beautiful day, and a fun trip.
...The deck where all the cars/vehicles are parked
...The Pacific Ocean!!
...Farewell to the South Island
...Nice place to relax and enjoy the ride!
...Hello to Wellington!
When we arrived in Wellington it already felt *really* different from the places we'd been in the South Island. That was probably mostly because we'd only been in small towns the whole time. It was weird getting back to a big city. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, of course, and it's one of the top 3 big cities. It was such a difference! The roads here felt a lot more like the roads I'm used to from back home - just bigger and busier. The "highway" felt a lot more like the highways in the States too. The highway in the South Island was always going through mountains, so it felt more like the mountain roads in NC/TN/SC/VA/KY.
The traffic was especially crazy this weekend because it's the weekend of the international rugby competition - the "7's". Not only did we not know exactly where we were going, but we also had to fight this traffic that we weren't used to, and be extra mindful of pedestrians. On a side note, the people going to this competition REALLY get into it - they go all out and dress up all crazy. I forget all the different costumes we saw, but there were some crazy ones! :) We also saw some people on the ferry who must've been on their way to watch. While we were driving around town we even passed the huge rugby stadium. (looked kinda like a football stadium!) ;)
I decided after this little excursion through the city that I liked the small towns and mountains better. :) Also I found that I liked one grocery store chain - called "Fresh Choice" - better than the one we found here. Funny how that happens, right?
The big thing we did in Wellington was go to the national museum - Te Papa. It was really big!! You could spend a whole day in there, but we only had a few hours. It was really neat, though. It reminded me of the kids' museums in Indianapolis and Louisville.....and that makes me want to go visit them when I get home again. :) Anyway, it had lots of stuff. I thought the Maori exhibits were especially fascinating. There was one display I really loved that had a lot of Maori instruments, and you could listen to excerpts of their sounds. Some of them had a really beautiful, mellow sound!
...Te Papa museum exhibit
There were also some neat exhibits about the first settlers who came to NZ from Europe and their stories. Apparently when they were trying to settle the area the only requirement was a willingness to go! It didn't matter if you were a single young woman, they'd take you! Other exhibits I enjoyed were about wool in NZ. Of course, wool is one of the biggest industries in NZ, so they've become pretty resourceful at using it. :) The exhibits showed some of the process of shearing sheep and making wool fabric, as well as some of the finished products, clothing, etc. The clothing that gets the prize, though: a wedding dress. Yes, there was a wedding dress made out of wool! It didn't look like wool at all, though! There were other fun dresses too, but I wasn't sure if we were allowed to take pictures inside the museum. :)
Eventually we found our place to stay. I say eventually because it was a little out of town and therefore a little hard to find. It was the nicest place we stayed so far, though. It even had a kitchenette inside, and our own bathroom! The Poon's all went out to eat, but I just wanted to stay in and conserve money, which was fine. I didn't starve! ;) Actually, I had fun, because while they were out I looked on T.V. and was able to watch some of the rugby matches going on! I couldn't quite figure everything out, but it was fun to watch! Brutal, aggressive sport it is, but I got hooked! :) I'll have to look more into that too. Add it to my ever-increasing list!
Today we said goodbye to the South Island. I loved my time there, and I want to go back already!!
This morning we checked out of Blenheim and drove to Picton, where we basically just got on the ferry. It looked like another nice town to check out, but we didn't stop. The ferry was really fun and huge! We drove the car onto it and then roamed around. It was pretty windy and a bit chilly outside, but I found a nice bench in the back out of the wind where I spent most of my time reading and relaxing. It was really cool! For some of the trip across the Strait you could see both islands, and to the east the Pacific Ocean! It was a really relaxing ride - about 3 hours, and like I've said earlier about motion in general, it made me sleepy. It was a beautiful day, and a fun trip.
...The deck where all the cars/vehicles are parked
...The Pacific Ocean!!
...Farewell to the South Island
...Nice place to relax and enjoy the ride!
...Hello to Wellington!
When we arrived in Wellington it already felt *really* different from the places we'd been in the South Island. That was probably mostly because we'd only been in small towns the whole time. It was weird getting back to a big city. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, of course, and it's one of the top 3 big cities. It was such a difference! The roads here felt a lot more like the roads I'm used to from back home - just bigger and busier. The "highway" felt a lot more like the highways in the States too. The highway in the South Island was always going through mountains, so it felt more like the mountain roads in NC/TN/SC/VA/KY.
The traffic was especially crazy this weekend because it's the weekend of the international rugby competition - the "7's". Not only did we not know exactly where we were going, but we also had to fight this traffic that we weren't used to, and be extra mindful of pedestrians. On a side note, the people going to this competition REALLY get into it - they go all out and dress up all crazy. I forget all the different costumes we saw, but there were some crazy ones! :) We also saw some people on the ferry who must've been on their way to watch. While we were driving around town we even passed the huge rugby stadium. (looked kinda like a football stadium!) ;)
I decided after this little excursion through the city that I liked the small towns and mountains better. :) Also I found that I liked one grocery store chain - called "Fresh Choice" - better than the one we found here. Funny how that happens, right?
The big thing we did in Wellington was go to the national museum - Te Papa. It was really big!! You could spend a whole day in there, but we only had a few hours. It was really neat, though. It reminded me of the kids' museums in Indianapolis and Louisville.....and that makes me want to go visit them when I get home again. :) Anyway, it had lots of stuff. I thought the Maori exhibits were especially fascinating. There was one display I really loved that had a lot of Maori instruments, and you could listen to excerpts of their sounds. Some of them had a really beautiful, mellow sound!
...Te Papa museum exhibit
There were also some neat exhibits about the first settlers who came to NZ from Europe and their stories. Apparently when they were trying to settle the area the only requirement was a willingness to go! It didn't matter if you were a single young woman, they'd take you! Other exhibits I enjoyed were about wool in NZ. Of course, wool is one of the biggest industries in NZ, so they've become pretty resourceful at using it. :) The exhibits showed some of the process of shearing sheep and making wool fabric, as well as some of the finished products, clothing, etc. The clothing that gets the prize, though: a wedding dress. Yes, there was a wedding dress made out of wool! It didn't look like wool at all, though! There were other fun dresses too, but I wasn't sure if we were allowed to take pictures inside the museum. :)
Eventually we found our place to stay. I say eventually because it was a little out of town and therefore a little hard to find. It was the nicest place we stayed so far, though. It even had a kitchenette inside, and our own bathroom! The Poon's all went out to eat, but I just wanted to stay in and conserve money, which was fine. I didn't starve! ;) Actually, I had fun, because while they were out I looked on T.V. and was able to watch some of the rugby matches going on! I couldn't quite figure everything out, but it was fun to watch! Brutal, aggressive sport it is, but I got hooked! :) I'll have to look more into that too. Add it to my ever-increasing list!
14 April 2007
Mad cooking skills
For some reason, I have been in a cooking mood recently. Last week for Easter I had some friends over and I cooked lunch for them (using some of my "Thanksgiving" food). I've been trying to practice stir-frying more with some veggies - broccoli once, eggplant once. They turned out okay, but I still need more practice! :)
Yesterday I met with the former Dean of the foreign language Dept. at my school, and she taught me how to make dumplings. If you go to China and don't ever eat dumplings or learn to make them, then you haven't really been to China. This is the stereotypical Chinese food that every Chinese child must learn how to make, that's for sure. I'm going to try to make them myself a few times now that I (kind of) know how, so that when I go home I'll be able to share some of the delights of China with my friends and family. :)
Yesterday I met with the former Dean of the foreign language Dept. at my school, and she taught me how to make dumplings. If you go to China and don't ever eat dumplings or learn to make them, then you haven't really been to China. This is the stereotypical Chinese food that every Chinese child must learn how to make, that's for sure. I'm going to try to make them myself a few times now that I (kind of) know how, so that when I go home I'll be able to share some of the delights of China with my friends and family. :)
It's Official!!
Tickets have been reserved - I will be coming home July 20th!! My plane gets in awfully late though (11:37 p.m.)
I expect to see some people there to pick me up! ;)
I miss you all, and I am getting really excited about coming home!! Love you all!!
I expect to see some people there to pick me up! ;)
I miss you all, and I am getting really excited about coming home!! Love you all!!
Aotearoa 14 - "Oh, the Lord's been good to me...
...and so I thank the Lord for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed. The Lord's been good to me."
Feb. 1, 2007: to Blenheim
It was rainy this morning. Actually, this whole trip we've been blessed with good weather. While we were going around Abel Tasman we had beautiful, sunny days, which was what we needed for being on the water. I certainly am not complaining about the rain we've had while driving. :)
Today we're in Blenheim. It's pretty much just a stopover point for us. Tomorrow we're traveling a short distance to a city called Picton, where we'll travel to the North Island via the Interislander Ferry. There doesn't seem to be much to do here in Blenheim, but this region is well known for its vineyards and wine production.
After checking in, we just took it easy for a bit and watched some TV. It's so funny to me to be able to watch all these programs in English! We watched some American Idol - which I never watched in the States, but it was kind of fun here. We also chatted with another guy staying at the Top 10 for a while. One of the fun things about this trip has been meeting all these people along the way. He gave us some suggestions for things to do/see in the area.
One thing he suggested was to go to this little chocolate factory in the area, so we decided to check it out. It wasn't very big, but we got to see the workers making the chocolates, and we got some free samples. My favorite was this kind of berry toffee - toffee made using some berry juice, and berries crushed into the coating. I thought it was excellent, but it was a bit rich. I wasn't too crazy about the chocolate-coated ginger, though. Would've liked to buy some chocolates to take home, but they'd probably be gone before I got home home, and I wanted to save my money for other venues. :)
One thing we wanted to try was a short walk to some lagoons. Unfortunately, this walk wasn't very well-known, so we went through a lot of run-around to get there. It was a nice little walk.
This walk was completely unlike any of the others we've done. There were no trees at all - just stubble and short grasses, and wheat eventually.
At the end of the walk (it's a loop track, so I guess it would actually be the middle) you come to the lagoons themselves. In one of the lagoons is the remains of a WWII ship - the S.S. Waverly, which was stranded there in a flood. I think it was just a supply ship, and it wasn't that big. It was kind of interesting, but it was also obvious that not many people hiked this way. The area apparently has a lot of diverse wildlife, though. We saw some beautiful birds, although I forget what kind they were. They were not common, that's for sure. Possibly some herons? There were lots, whatever they were! :)
Feb. 1, 2007: to Blenheim
It was rainy this morning. Actually, this whole trip we've been blessed with good weather. While we were going around Abel Tasman we had beautiful, sunny days, which was what we needed for being on the water. I certainly am not complaining about the rain we've had while driving. :)
Today we're in Blenheim. It's pretty much just a stopover point for us. Tomorrow we're traveling a short distance to a city called Picton, where we'll travel to the North Island via the Interislander Ferry. There doesn't seem to be much to do here in Blenheim, but this region is well known for its vineyards and wine production.
After checking in, we just took it easy for a bit and watched some TV. It's so funny to me to be able to watch all these programs in English! We watched some American Idol - which I never watched in the States, but it was kind of fun here. We also chatted with another guy staying at the Top 10 for a while. One of the fun things about this trip has been meeting all these people along the way. He gave us some suggestions for things to do/see in the area.
One thing he suggested was to go to this little chocolate factory in the area, so we decided to check it out. It wasn't very big, but we got to see the workers making the chocolates, and we got some free samples. My favorite was this kind of berry toffee - toffee made using some berry juice, and berries crushed into the coating. I thought it was excellent, but it was a bit rich. I wasn't too crazy about the chocolate-coated ginger, though. Would've liked to buy some chocolates to take home, but they'd probably be gone before I got home home, and I wanted to save my money for other venues. :)
One thing we wanted to try was a short walk to some lagoons. Unfortunately, this walk wasn't very well-known, so we went through a lot of run-around to get there. It was a nice little walk.
This walk was completely unlike any of the others we've done. There were no trees at all - just stubble and short grasses, and wheat eventually.
At the end of the walk (it's a loop track, so I guess it would actually be the middle) you come to the lagoons themselves. In one of the lagoons is the remains of a WWII ship - the S.S. Waverly, which was stranded there in a flood. I think it was just a supply ship, and it wasn't that big. It was kind of interesting, but it was also obvious that not many people hiked this way. The area apparently has a lot of diverse wildlife, though. We saw some beautiful birds, although I forget what kind they were. They were not common, that's for sure. Possibly some herons? There were lots, whatever they were! :)
13 April 2007
I had to go to China to become a punk...
Those of you who read my Xanga site know that I've gone rebellious and not only jumped out of a plane, but also gotten a tattoo. In fact, I got my tattoo the day before I was picking up my brother Allen (who later got his done at the same place).
Some of you may gasp and mutter "heathen" under your breath (hopefully not), but before I ruin your perception of my innocence and sanity let me show you some pictures and explain a little about the what and why.....
Work in progress:
Finished product:
(May be a little off-center after all....hmmm.....)
Still smiling :)
Okay, so I've spent the past two years (minus a few months) of my life living in China. There have been ups and downs, but overall an unforgettable time of my life. I've always thought about getting a tattoo, but never knew what I really wanted to get (or if I ever would really get one).
What I got was the traditional Chinese character: Yì.
It means "righteousness", "justice" and is used in "adoption"/"adopted". The cool thing about this character is this: there are two parts:
The top part has 3 lines across, with one line down the middle, and two short strokes at the top. It is the same as the character that means "lamb". The bottom part, the more complicated part, is the same as the character that means "I/me". SO, the traditional Chinese character that means "righteousness" and "justice" is "a lamb over me". Pretty cool, huh? And I tend to think it's not purely coincidental.
I wanted to get it here to remind me of my time in China, but more importantly, to always remind myself that my righteousness comes from the Lamb of God and what He did for me - covering me with Himself so that I may approach the throne of God with grace.
Some of you may gasp and mutter "heathen" under your breath (hopefully not), but before I ruin your perception of my innocence and sanity let me show you some pictures and explain a little about the what and why.....
Work in progress:
Finished product:
(May be a little off-center after all....hmmm.....)
Still smiling :)
Okay, so I've spent the past two years (minus a few months) of my life living in China. There have been ups and downs, but overall an unforgettable time of my life. I've always thought about getting a tattoo, but never knew what I really wanted to get (or if I ever would really get one).
What I got was the traditional Chinese character: Yì.
It means "righteousness", "justice" and is used in "adoption"/"adopted". The cool thing about this character is this: there are two parts:
The top part has 3 lines across, with one line down the middle, and two short strokes at the top. It is the same as the character that means "lamb". The bottom part, the more complicated part, is the same as the character that means "I/me". SO, the traditional Chinese character that means "righteousness" and "justice" is "a lamb over me". Pretty cool, huh? And I tend to think it's not purely coincidental.
I wanted to get it here to remind me of my time in China, but more importantly, to always remind myself that my righteousness comes from the Lamb of God and what He did for me - covering me with Himself so that I may approach the throne of God with grace.
12 April 2007
Aotearoa 13 - Walk on the Ocean
Jan. 31, 2007: Abel Tasman/Kayaking
This morning we went to an area called Golden Bay. There's a long strip of land called the "Farewell Spit" that I was interested in seeing. Unfortunately, it turned out to be less than stellar, at least where we went. We didn't have enough time to make it all the way out to the Farewell Spit, and we found out that even if we got to the start of the spit, it was so long that you couldn't see the end of it. Ah well, you live and you learn I guess. I did have fun when we ran into an Austrian tourist biking around the area. He didn't speak much English, so I wanted to try to speak with him in German. The only problem was, when I was trying to think of how to say something in German, I could only remember the Chinese!!! :) (You know you've been in China too long when....)
In the afternoon we went kayaking out in the same area where we were yesterday. That was really neat, but since we'd already seen the area it was kind of repetitive. Not that that was a problem, since we were in one of the most beautiful places in the world! ;) We went with a guide in a small group, which was more expensive, but they recommend that for less experienced kayakers. As it turned out, I bet we could've just rented the kayaks and gone out ourselves. Oh well.
By this time of day the tide was already out, so they had to use a tractor to take our boat out to the water! That was interesting, and kind of fun.
The water was gorgeous, again. I got sunburned, again. I think we saw another seal in the water. The guide told us about some of the wildlife he'd seen while working there, including some sharks I believe. We didn't see any of those though. ;)
This was a nice, relaxing way to enjoy the park. We were going at our own pace, but we also got to stop on one of the beaches to just hang out. While everyone else was sitting around, drying out, I got into the water and swam around a bit. It was great! I haven't been swimming in salt water in a looooooong time, so it was wonderful. Not quite as buoyant as the Dead Sea, but you could still float really easily. It was so calm too, perfect for a nice, leisurely swim.
The kayaks were kind of fun - we had to wear these "skirts" that were waterproof. You put them on and then they fit over the opening in the kayak to prevent water from getting in. If your kayak flips, they come off easily, or so our guide told us. We didn't have a chance to test that out though. ;)
On our way back, we had to walk on the beach in low tide again, but this time we had a fun surprise: STARFISH!! There were TONS of starfish in the small pools of water left behind after the tide. We had some fun playing around with them, picking them up and letting them suction on to our hands, feet, whatever. :) We also found some little crabs that were fun to play with. I picked one up - they're so small that their claws don't hurt, only tickle a little.
Tonight we ate at a nicer restaurant that was still cheap, but the food was better. It was nice to be eating out after making sandwiches all the time. We even got a discount because we had a "Top 10" membership card. That has come in *real* handy on this trip!
This morning we went to an area called Golden Bay. There's a long strip of land called the "Farewell Spit" that I was interested in seeing. Unfortunately, it turned out to be less than stellar, at least where we went. We didn't have enough time to make it all the way out to the Farewell Spit, and we found out that even if we got to the start of the spit, it was so long that you couldn't see the end of it. Ah well, you live and you learn I guess. I did have fun when we ran into an Austrian tourist biking around the area. He didn't speak much English, so I wanted to try to speak with him in German. The only problem was, when I was trying to think of how to say something in German, I could only remember the Chinese!!! :) (You know you've been in China too long when....)
In the afternoon we went kayaking out in the same area where we were yesterday. That was really neat, but since we'd already seen the area it was kind of repetitive. Not that that was a problem, since we were in one of the most beautiful places in the world! ;) We went with a guide in a small group, which was more expensive, but they recommend that for less experienced kayakers. As it turned out, I bet we could've just rented the kayaks and gone out ourselves. Oh well.
By this time of day the tide was already out, so they had to use a tractor to take our boat out to the water! That was interesting, and kind of fun.
The water was gorgeous, again. I got sunburned, again. I think we saw another seal in the water. The guide told us about some of the wildlife he'd seen while working there, including some sharks I believe. We didn't see any of those though. ;)
This was a nice, relaxing way to enjoy the park. We were going at our own pace, but we also got to stop on one of the beaches to just hang out. While everyone else was sitting around, drying out, I got into the water and swam around a bit. It was great! I haven't been swimming in salt water in a looooooong time, so it was wonderful. Not quite as buoyant as the Dead Sea, but you could still float really easily. It was so calm too, perfect for a nice, leisurely swim.
The kayaks were kind of fun - we had to wear these "skirts" that were waterproof. You put them on and then they fit over the opening in the kayak to prevent water from getting in. If your kayak flips, they come off easily, or so our guide told us. We didn't have a chance to test that out though. ;)
On our way back, we had to walk on the beach in low tide again, but this time we had a fun surprise: STARFISH!! There were TONS of starfish in the small pools of water left behind after the tide. We had some fun playing around with them, picking them up and letting them suction on to our hands, feet, whatever. :) We also found some little crabs that were fun to play with. I picked one up - they're so small that their claws don't hurt, only tickle a little.
Tonight we ate at a nicer restaurant that was still cheap, but the food was better. It was nice to be eating out after making sandwiches all the time. We even got a discount because we had a "Top 10" membership card. That has come in *real* handy on this trip!
Aotearoa 12 - "The gentleness of heaven is on the sea"
Jan. 30, 2007: Abel Tasman
The gentleness of heaven is on the sea:
Listen! the mighty Being is awake,
And doth with his eternal motion make
A sound like thunder –everlastingly.
- William Wordsworth
This area of New Zealand is well-known for its beauty. In fact, just about everyone we talked to said that this was one of their favorite places to go, and definitely worth the visit. It really was stunning!
Today we took a water taxi through Abel Tasman National Park (which includes an animal sanctuary - absolutely NO FISHING!). We were then dropped off at the north point of a walking track, which took us back to a pick-up point.
Abel Tasman National Park is at the north part of the South Island, on the strait between the two islands. The water between the islands is salt water, so it's just like being on the sea, without a lot of the danger inherent in that. The water was peaceful and calm, and almost indescribable!
The boat ride was fun but a little chilly. The weather was gorgeous - the sun was shining, there was a nice breeze, and of course we were on the sea, which can't be beat. :) I think I've mentioned before that I just love movement - cars, trains, planes, boats....of course I've only had smooth rides so far.
We got picked up from our Top 10 in Motueka and taken to the nearby town of Kaiteriteri where we got our water taxi. On the way, our driver (who was younger than me) pointed out some interesting things along the way. This area has a lot of fruit production - lots of kiwi, and a kind of fruit called "hops" which is used in beer. On our way back we stopped to check out some of their kiwi & hops farms. Another cool thing we discovered while looking at the fruit - some places have this little stand where they leave bags *full* of fruit for whoever wants them. You just have to leave something like $5, and you can take this huge bag of apples. There's a little box where you can leave the money. I think they had a video camera to inspire people to be more honest, but what a good idea! We all enjoyed the fact that you could just go and get the fruit, and there was no hassle about it. Of course, when you live in a country where the crime rate is so low, it works much better. :)
The ride through the park was excellent. I really can't describe the color of the water, and the pictures don't do it justice. I don't think I've ever been this close to this color water. I was amazed! Along the way, we passed one of the most recognizable features of this area: "Split-Apple Rock". The guide said there were two theories about how it got to be this way. One theory was that millions of years ago, a small bit of water or something got into a crack in the rock, and over time split it open to where it is now. Another theory holds that two Maori chiefs were standing on the rock, and the were arguing so fiercely that the rock split beneath them. "You can believe whichever theory you like," said our guide. :)
Before the area became a national park, the land was actually up for grabs, and several people/families bought property. They build houses and have been living there for quite some time. Today it is not possible to buy any land within the park, but the families who have houses there were not forced to move out. So, there are still some nice houses in the park, which would now cost millions of dollars just based on location. Can you imagine waking up each morning in a place like this? It would be heaven!!
The sand on the beaches in the area is golden because of iron deposits, I think. The sea is turquoise (for whatever reason) and it just goes on forever! Along the way, the taxi dropped off some people at some of the various beaches. At one point we couldn't get too close because there was a sandbar between us and the beach. It reminded me of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" (Book the Last). We also got to see a stingray beneath our boat, which was really cool! I've never seen one in the wild like that!
Other wildlife in the park: there are many places for seal colonies. We passed by a few and got to see more seals. It was fun - a lot of them were playing in the water, some of them were sticking their flippers up in the air to say "hi" to us, and we got to see some Mamas and their babies.
After a nice boat ride we got to our beach to be let off. We had our packed lunch and then walked the track back to our pick-up point. New Zealand has a few "Great Tracks" - long distance, especially beautiful, lots of people want to walk on them, etc. that kind of thing - in addition to all its smaller tracks. Where we were walking was just a small part of one of their Great Tracks. We got to see a lot of hikers who were doing the whole thing, but we just walked on at our own pace. It was really beautiful - going through tropical rain forest/jungle - can't complain about that! Actually, I would love to go back one day and do a whole track. It was incredible to see the rain forest on one side and the gorgeous beaches/water on the other.
When we got back to our pick-up point (one of the many beaches in the park) the tide was out, so we had to actually walk through the water (at low tide) to get to a place that was deep enough for the taxi. That was fun! Before the taxi got there we walked through the area, looking at some of the nice houses, and I also walked around the beach.
When we got back we walked a little around town again. I ate another Kebab (I had one in Wanaka). It was good!! We looked at some of the restaurants and went grocery shopping. I actually found the Baptist Church in town, so I know I could live here. :) It's really small - in an old house - but that's okay! I wished that we could've been here on a Sunday so I could go to a service. That's something I *really* miss in China - being able to go to services Sun. morning.
There are TONS of mimosa trees in this area, and they were all in bloom!! I LOVE it!!
We're trying to get a hotel for this weekend, but the only thing available is more expensive than what we're used to. Apparently there's a huge international rugby competition going on this weekend, so everything's full. Yikes!
The gentleness of heaven is on the sea:
Listen! the mighty Being is awake,
And doth with his eternal motion make
A sound like thunder –everlastingly.
- William Wordsworth
This area of New Zealand is well-known for its beauty. In fact, just about everyone we talked to said that this was one of their favorite places to go, and definitely worth the visit. It really was stunning!
Today we took a water taxi through Abel Tasman National Park (which includes an animal sanctuary - absolutely NO FISHING!). We were then dropped off at the north point of a walking track, which took us back to a pick-up point.
Abel Tasman National Park is at the north part of the South Island, on the strait between the two islands. The water between the islands is salt water, so it's just like being on the sea, without a lot of the danger inherent in that. The water was peaceful and calm, and almost indescribable!
The boat ride was fun but a little chilly. The weather was gorgeous - the sun was shining, there was a nice breeze, and of course we were on the sea, which can't be beat. :) I think I've mentioned before that I just love movement - cars, trains, planes, boats....of course I've only had smooth rides so far.
We got picked up from our Top 10 in Motueka and taken to the nearby town of Kaiteriteri where we got our water taxi. On the way, our driver (who was younger than me) pointed out some interesting things along the way. This area has a lot of fruit production - lots of kiwi, and a kind of fruit called "hops" which is used in beer. On our way back we stopped to check out some of their kiwi & hops farms. Another cool thing we discovered while looking at the fruit - some places have this little stand where they leave bags *full* of fruit for whoever wants them. You just have to leave something like $5, and you can take this huge bag of apples. There's a little box where you can leave the money. I think they had a video camera to inspire people to be more honest, but what a good idea! We all enjoyed the fact that you could just go and get the fruit, and there was no hassle about it. Of course, when you live in a country where the crime rate is so low, it works much better. :)
The ride through the park was excellent. I really can't describe the color of the water, and the pictures don't do it justice. I don't think I've ever been this close to this color water. I was amazed! Along the way, we passed one of the most recognizable features of this area: "Split-Apple Rock". The guide said there were two theories about how it got to be this way. One theory was that millions of years ago, a small bit of water or something got into a crack in the rock, and over time split it open to where it is now. Another theory holds that two Maori chiefs were standing on the rock, and the were arguing so fiercely that the rock split beneath them. "You can believe whichever theory you like," said our guide. :)
Before the area became a national park, the land was actually up for grabs, and several people/families bought property. They build houses and have been living there for quite some time. Today it is not possible to buy any land within the park, but the families who have houses there were not forced to move out. So, there are still some nice houses in the park, which would now cost millions of dollars just based on location. Can you imagine waking up each morning in a place like this? It would be heaven!!
The sand on the beaches in the area is golden because of iron deposits, I think. The sea is turquoise (for whatever reason) and it just goes on forever! Along the way, the taxi dropped off some people at some of the various beaches. At one point we couldn't get too close because there was a sandbar between us and the beach. It reminded me of "A Series of Unfortunate Events" (Book the Last). We also got to see a stingray beneath our boat, which was really cool! I've never seen one in the wild like that!
Other wildlife in the park: there are many places for seal colonies. We passed by a few and got to see more seals. It was fun - a lot of them were playing in the water, some of them were sticking their flippers up in the air to say "hi" to us, and we got to see some Mamas and their babies.
After a nice boat ride we got to our beach to be let off. We had our packed lunch and then walked the track back to our pick-up point. New Zealand has a few "Great Tracks" - long distance, especially beautiful, lots of people want to walk on them, etc. that kind of thing - in addition to all its smaller tracks. Where we were walking was just a small part of one of their Great Tracks. We got to see a lot of hikers who were doing the whole thing, but we just walked on at our own pace. It was really beautiful - going through tropical rain forest/jungle - can't complain about that! Actually, I would love to go back one day and do a whole track. It was incredible to see the rain forest on one side and the gorgeous beaches/water on the other.
When we got back to our pick-up point (one of the many beaches in the park) the tide was out, so we had to actually walk through the water (at low tide) to get to a place that was deep enough for the taxi. That was fun! Before the taxi got there we walked through the area, looking at some of the nice houses, and I also walked around the beach.
When we got back we walked a little around town again. I ate another Kebab (I had one in Wanaka). It was good!! We looked at some of the restaurants and went grocery shopping. I actually found the Baptist Church in town, so I know I could live here. :) It's really small - in an old house - but that's okay! I wished that we could've been here on a Sunday so I could go to a service. That's something I *really* miss in China - being able to go to services Sun. morning.
There are TONS of mimosa trees in this area, and they were all in bloom!! I LOVE it!!
We're trying to get a hotel for this weekend, but the only thing available is more expensive than what we're used to. Apparently there's a huge international rugby competition going on this weekend, so everything's full. Yikes!
09 April 2007
Aotearoa 11 - Passenger
Jan. 29, 2007: Drive to Motueka/Abel Tasman - Pancake Rocks
"I am the Passenger and I ride, and I ride" - Iggy Pop
Today was mostly driving from Franz Josef to Motueka/Abel Tasman, on the north part of the South Island. I never got to drive because I forgot that my license had expired while I was in China. ;) But it was nice to just be in the car and be able to let my mind wander. I thought about all the places I wanted to take my family and friends if I had enough money to bring them here. We passed tons of gorgeous rivers again. It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful and pristine the land is here.
We got to see the sea a lot again, which was awesome. It was raining almost all day, and I thought it was incredible how different the sea looks during a storm. Instead of a gorgeous turquoise blue, it was a gorgeous grey.
On the way we stopped at a place called "Pancake Rocks" where over time the rocks have made an interesting formation, like they've been stacked on top of each other. It was pretty cool, although the rain kept us from staying too long.
We passed through the city of Greymouth, which was a huge change from all the small towns we'd been in up till then. It was just a bigger city, that was all, but it was enough to stir some feeling of culture shock within me.
At one point we were driving parallel with some railroad tracks, which wasn't that interesting until we went over a bridge. The railroad tracks went over the same one-lane narrow bridge. Hmmm.... there just aren't that many roads here (which I like), so you have to share sometimes. It was interesting.
Eventually we got to a town called Motueka. I really liked it! The people there were so friendly, and it was easy to get around! I guess there isn't much to do there, because Steph & I got some cat calls at one point while we were looking around. Nothing new though, having come from China. :) Just some immature guys. It made us laugh though!
"I am the Passenger and I ride, and I ride" - Iggy Pop
Today was mostly driving from Franz Josef to Motueka/Abel Tasman, on the north part of the South Island. I never got to drive because I forgot that my license had expired while I was in China. ;) But it was nice to just be in the car and be able to let my mind wander. I thought about all the places I wanted to take my family and friends if I had enough money to bring them here. We passed tons of gorgeous rivers again. It never ceases to amaze me how beautiful and pristine the land is here.
We got to see the sea a lot again, which was awesome. It was raining almost all day, and I thought it was incredible how different the sea looks during a storm. Instead of a gorgeous turquoise blue, it was a gorgeous grey.
"Break, break, break
On thy cold grey stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me."
- Tennyson
On thy cold grey stones, O Sea!
And I would that my tongue could utter
The thoughts that arise in me."
- Tennyson
On the way we stopped at a place called "Pancake Rocks" where over time the rocks have made an interesting formation, like they've been stacked on top of each other. It was pretty cool, although the rain kept us from staying too long.
We passed through the city of Greymouth, which was a huge change from all the small towns we'd been in up till then. It was just a bigger city, that was all, but it was enough to stir some feeling of culture shock within me.
At one point we were driving parallel with some railroad tracks, which wasn't that interesting until we went over a bridge. The railroad tracks went over the same one-lane narrow bridge. Hmmm.... there just aren't that many roads here (which I like), so you have to share sometimes. It was interesting.
Eventually we got to a town called Motueka. I really liked it! The people there were so friendly, and it was easy to get around! I guess there isn't much to do there, because Steph & I got some cat calls at one point while we were looking around. Nothing new though, having come from China. :) Just some immature guys. It made us laugh though!
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