hi from our fun field trip to Conner Prairie!

Thanks to Michael for making a great music mix to share with one of the students I will be meeting in China! If you are a student at Tecumseh and would also like to give me something to give a Chinese student you only have 2 weeks left!

This is my name in Chinese. I have been trying to learn some pronunciations via my cousin's new webpage called http://chinesebug.com/ so far it's really helping me hear and say simple words. It's amazing how the syllable ma can sound 5 different ways!

This morning at church I shared that I would soon be traveling to China. At least a half a dozen people shared how excited they were and wanted to talk to me about the trips they have made and how much fun I'll have. One of the men said that he goes there on business, and just made his 5th trip just a few weeks ago. He said that I need to try everything they serve to eat (even if it is chicken feet!) because if I don't eat that they might bring out fried crickets! He says just don't ask what it is and eat it anyways! I am sure I'll have some interesting stories of the foods I will be eating. He also said that I should watch out for tourist trap vendors giving the wrong currency of change (kinda like getting Canadian money instead of US dollars). He also said that for him flying over was the hard part-trying to stay awake so you can sleep when you arrive, and that the way home for him wasn't that bad cause he was exhausted and slept (I had heard different from someone else). He also said I should try to sleep at night over there, even if I wake up wide awake at 2am I should do my best to go back to sleep. He said he usually is offered a drink of their good liquer or two at dinner that helps him!

http://benbenson.com/entry/777

Found the itinerary from when my cousin traveled to China in 2003.

I went to our second meeting yesterday and found out that some websites may not be accessible in China. I asked Greg about it and he said that there is something called the GREAT FIREWALL OF CHINA (thanks to China's controlling un-democracy... where they decide what websites their people should and should not see!) I looked around on blogger.com to see if I will even be able to view the page to make updates while I'm there and I found this:
We understand there are reports of users in China currently blocked from accessing Blogger and Blogspot URLs. We are looking into the matter and are working to ensure that the service is restored as soon as possible. — latest update on Thursday, May 21, 2009 Labels: outstanding

So that makes me a bit nervous. I'm going to email my cousin Ben in Beijing and find out if he can see my blog. If not, I might have to use something else while I'm there or have one of you post my emails for me. Either way, I'll figure something out.

Welcome to all my new visitors, I have a live feed that lets me know who has checked out my blog and I'm thrilled that so many friends have seen the link and checked this out! Please don't forget to come back and see the posts when I'm in China! Tonight was a nice football game with a great opportunity to take some "American" 7th grade football pictures! They played a great 36-16 game against Klondike! Go Bronchos!!! While I was there I ran into Shelley, an 8th grade math teacher from Klondike who is going on the trip to China with us as well. We had fun discussing possible lessons to teach while we are there, and she also shared that the vaccines she had made her arm sore too! We have our 2nd meeting tomorrow at Purdue with the group, so I need to get my list of questions ready.

It's now the middle of September and the first set of grading is finished. Many of my students scored well on their first math tests, NICE WORK! I recently shared with my Pre-Algebra classes that I will be going to China, and we starting coming up with some ideas of things they could share with other Chinese students. We plan on making a photo collage of "all things American" from what they wear to school to things they do afterschool, to some of their favorite foods (McDonalds!) Many of them knew that in China they have McDonalds as well, but I told them they might not have the same menu! I also suggested they bring in CD's with their favorite music so we can make a compiled CD of their favorites to share with the class I teach. One student even offered to bring in a tee shirt he no longer wears from Washington DC.
I went to the travel clinic here in Lafayette and the nurse did a great job sharing how I should safely eat only cooked food or fruits that have a skin I can peel and recommended to stick to bottled water so I don't get an upset stomach which wouldn't be fun! She also suggesting I and gave me a Hep A, and TDAP shots, and take the 4 dose pills for Typhoid. They didn't really hurt, but my right arm is still a little sore. Even though these aren't required and I will be in healthy regions, it's better safe than sorry!

Welcome to my blog about the upcoming trip to China! We leave Friday October 9, less than a month away! I just finished filling out my China visa, and submitting it to Amy. It was really neat, with Chinese characters as well as English directions. I got my new passport the beginning of August and had to give it to her as well to submit with it. I talked to our principal about getting my vaccinations on Tuesday and I also wrote a rough draft of the letter to my students and their parents. Melissa looked over the letter and suggested changing our return date to Mon Oct 26, even though our flight back is the 21st we won't be returning back to school until after fall break. My mind is crazy thinking of all the things that need done. My mom brought me a massive suitcase, we will see if I use it! I also have been trying to think of neat gifts to give the people I meet, if you think of something, let me know!