Say It With Flowers

• It was Teacher's Day in China today! Basically, nationwide teacher appreciation. I (and the other teachers in the room) got GIANT bouquets of flowers from the parents of the kids in one of my classes. I also got a few other sweet cards and gifts from individual kids. It was really lovely and I totally didn't feel like I deserve it this early in the school year! I did miss TCH teacher appreciation in June (by like a week) so I guess this makes up for it :) We also got free coffee and a 200¥ (about $30) gift card to a nearby supermarket. Yay! It was a little sad though because not all teachers got gifts (and some got a TON) and it seemed like a competition between some of the Chinese teachers, about who got the best gifts :/
• UPDATE: Today, I got the perfect vase for the flowers, from a beautiful little flower shop by the grocery store. And only $9! Yay!

Let Me Show You The Way

• I got to show my roomies the veggie market today! They are together at the cottage for Cara and PP’s birthdays so I videochatted with them this morning (their Saturday night). We were on our way to the market and since I know they love travel and markets and such, I asked if they wanted to stay on with me while we shopped. I narrated a bit and they got to see how we interact with the sellers and how cheap everything is. How lucky am I that my friends would do this?! It was such a cool way to share our life here with people at home. Who’s next???

The Return to The Beautiful

• Today we went back to Pearl Market to show James and Quinny around. I was nervous that we wouldn’t remember where to go but Cat and Tony (who led us there last weekend) gave great notes and Nate has a good memory. We started the day slowly and left around 12:45 pm (after watching Kahi play soccer!). We talked the whole subway ride into the city and learned a bit about each other’s families. James tells very detailed stories about everything so it’s always interesting to chat with him. When we arrived, we grabbed lunch at the food court and it was really delicious! Everything is buffet-style there and it’s really nice that you can see the dishes in front of you before purchasing. Nate and I had some Indian food. Chickpeas are quickly becoming one of my favorite foods! After lunch, we headed to the “new” market, which is where all of the secret shops are. We followed Cat’s directions and went to some that we hadn’t made it to last weekend. Plus, James is apparently the perfect person to have at a secret market, because he just went up to any door, knocked, and opened it (if it was unlocked) to see if it was a shop. We found several that way! (Quinny says she's often saying "No James, don't do it" but he does whatever it is anyways and always turns out wonderfully.) One shop owner was from out past where we live and spoke really good English so we chatted with her for a bit. We grabbed a few items that we’d passed on last weekend and I got convinced to buy some jeans (but they fit really well!). After we’d finished shopping, we got outside – it was a beautiful day, with low AQI and clear, sunny skies. We went across the street to the park that houses the Temple of Heaven. We were too late to get in to the landmarks but we were still able to wander around the park. By the time we got there, the temp had dropped to a lovely (and not humid) 75 degrees and the number of trees in the park totally dampened the sounds of the city around us.

This was as close to the Temple as we could get but we'll be going back!

We chatted more as we walked...I love not running out of things to talk about! I feel like it doesn’t happen often for me so I love when it does. After a while, we headed out and towards the nearest subway stop (which ended up not being so near) and rode the train back to Shunyi. James and Quinny wanted to treat us to dinner for taking them around (so sweet!) so we decided to try the Korean BBQ place at Shine City. Someone told us it was not as good as the one at Jindi (which is where we went for our anniversary) but I loved it! Soooo delicious and definitely up there with Tomukun :) We will be going back! It was a wonderful day with wonderful company.

• There was only one bad thing that happened today...I finished a chapstick and grabbed a new one but put both in my pocket. And I accidentally threw the new one away!!! :( :( :(

Blue Clear Sky

• We've had almost a whole week of low AQI (air quality index) which means that we were able to keep our windows open most days, we could see the sun set over the mountains and clouds in the distance, and it was the prefect time for a walk in the park. We heard that the AQI was low because there were important foreign visitors here (so the government shut down factories) but we can still hope for more days like this!

Good As Gold

• If there was one thing I wish was readily available here, it is Reese's (I know, you're shocked). I consider myself somewhat of an expert and it's a food item I probably should have stocked up on before we left. But today, I was gifted these magnificent delicacies by one of the teachers also living on the BIBA campus! I helped her download some videos and she graciously tracked some Reese's down to say thanks. Now I will [try to] hold onto these precious treats for a day when I need a pick me up.

Spin The Globe

• Today I took a solo trip to a mall about 30 minutes away. We tried to go together yesterday but for some reason the Didi driver didn't want to take us and then the bus took forever to arrive and it got too late. This time, I took the bus most of the way and then got a Didi for the last chunk. The bus took me through some neighborhoods that were a little more rundown than the ones around us but then, all of the sudden, we were back in a more developed area where the mall is located. After doing my shopping I wandered around the mall's six levels of shopping to see what else was there. I came across a hockey rink, a kiddy trampoline park, and almost any store you might need or want. Even though it was only my second day of subbing full time for the week, I decided to treat myself to pizza and sweet potato fries for surviving those long two days!

• While shopping, I also came across a globe and was reminded of a story of my Grandma Peg. I remember her getting a globe as a gift and saying it was something she had always wanted. When I asked why, she said it was so she could see how big the world was and how many places people could travel. She didn't do much travel herself and spent most her life in southwest Michigan. Seeing this globe reminded me how much of a privilege it is that we are able to see the world and that we should enjoy our adventure and share our stories with those who won't get the chance to do it in person.

The Recipe

Nate and I made this sweet potato pasta recipe last night for dinner and it turned out really well. We thought you all might enjoy it!

Ingredients

1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1 14 oz can chickpeas
5-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 or 2 cups vegetable stock (you need enough liquid to just barely cover your noodles)
2 medium sweet potatos, peeled and diced
Approx. half a bag/box of pasta (if you like more noodles, just add more vegetable stock)
2 cups spinach, washed

Directions
1. In a large pot, fry onion in olive oil on low or medium-low heat until fragrant (3-4 minutes).
2. Add the chickpeas, garlic, sweet potato, ginger, spices, and tomatoes to the pot and cook for on medium to medium-high heat (5 minutes).
3. Add the stock and pasta and cook until pasta is tender (15-20 minutes). Add spinach and stir in until wilted.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Rollin'

• Today we officially became vehicle owners in a foreign country! We bought this tuk tuk from Korey and it will allow us to more easily/quickly get both of us to the stores, restaurants, and markets. We like that is a "beater" because it will hopefully decrease the possibility of it getting stolen (although that is super unlikely anyways). It's also the perfect meld between having a sustainable electric vehicle and a truck with space to haul stuff. The back part where Emily is sitting tips up like a dump truck and there is a tailgate that opens up at the rear too. We've already used it a lot and really like it :) It may not be for winter use so we'll use it now while we can!

Pearls And Beauty

• Today we ventured to what are known as the Pearl Markets. There is an old and a new building that are right next to each other. Cat and Tony, who have been here for 2 years, showed us around, including providing a super-useful chart that broke everything down by which shops were on each level, what the shops offered, and where we could/couldn't bargain prices on. The old market (pictured above) is more touristy (as you might have guessed with the Pizza Hut logo in plain view...there is also a McDonald's, a Starbucks, and a DQ here!). In here, the sales people are very vocal and constantly asking if you want to buy their products. In this market, haggling for prices is expected. We've been told you start at 10% of the sales person's initial price. Emily tried this with some toys she was hoping to buy for school but it didn't quite work to get the price she was hoping for (though the lady did come down quite a bit).
• The new market is one with secret "knock knock" shops that you'd walk right past if you didn't know they existed (this is where Cat's detailed document came in handy). Inside the knock knock shops is where you'll find knock-off shoes, handbags, watches, electronics, etc. Some of the shops were closed and but we got to see a lot of them. The secret shops are buried within other shops, with more traditional Chinese products and gifts (jade, red woven items, Buddha statues, etc.) We also found a few funny things for sale...

She Works Hard For The Money

• Today was finally payday! In addition to the regular monthly paycheck, we also received our reimbursement for visa expenses and the tickets/luggage to move here. Makes you feel rich when you that many 100's!
• We celebrated by going out to dinner with James, Quinny, and Ellie to a Malaysian restaurant called Malacca Legend. It was delicious and surprisingly cheap. Many of the restaurants we've gone to have been equivalent in price to what we would we see in the States so we were happy to find a cheap, local place that is also nearby (it's on the way to the veggie market). We also enjoyed our lovely stroll to the restaurant and back learning more about our new friends and their past adventures (like accidentally stealing/borrowing a car).

Caterpillar Crawl

• Today, my co-teacher has informed me that the parents of the kids on my class don’t trust me very much because I don’t smile enough or show enough affection towards their kids (in the short time they see me at drop-off and pick-up). Because of this and because their kids report that they aren’t learning English, the parents are starting to question what I’m doing. Oh goody! Another thing to try to manage. I know that pleasing and working with families is a huge part of early childhood education but I wish these parents would realize how much work I’m doing and also that I just arrived in this country! I’m sorry if I can’t put on a genuine smile all the time. Needless to say, I did not achieve my goal of not crying about work this week…
• Also, I found something fun on my lunch plate today…

Yes, that is a cooked caterpillar. Ahhhhhhhh!!! Soooo gross. I gave it right back to the lunchroom workers (after confirming with others that it was not supposed to be in there) and they were disgusted and confused. I got more of the same dish but just could not stomach it! Later, the head of the cafeteria came to my classroom to personally apologize. It was very sweet and heartfelt. I could tell that this was a random mistake, not a regular thing, and he assured me that it had never happened in any of the settings he has managed. Plus, as Quinny pointed out, it’s more a testament to how fresh the produce is than the lack of cleanliness in the kitchen (like a maggot or something would have been worse). It’s still gross but I agree with her. And the cafeteria manager gave me 10 free lunches and said I could choose to pay for the rest of my lunches if I wanted to! I will probably end up paying, because it’s cheap (200 RMB for 20 lunches, which is about $30 USD) and the food is generally good and usually bug-free :D But it’s nice to get a little reward for my troubles!

• Tonight, the air was clear enough that we could see the stars! AND we could see the Big Dipper! I didn’t think that we’d be able to see the same constellations here but I guess it makes sense because we’re in the same hemisphere. It was so lovely and made the world seem a little smaller :)

All Over Town

Just a few random things I noticed around town today:

• Apparently we can can see the mountains from our school! I was walking up the street and thought I saw mountains in the distance. I headed up to the top level of the high school to make check and, sure enough, there they were. Yay for good AQI!

• Someone asked us before leaving if it was true that they washed the roads here in Beijing. I've seen it a couple times already and finally snapped a photo.

Two Years On

• Today marked two anniversaries in our life. First, we've officially been in Beijing for 1 month! This past month somehow feels like it was both quick and everlasting. Turning in our apartment keys, saying tearful goodbyes, and boarding the plane in Detroit seems like ages ago. We also can't believe its only been a month since we were rushing around, getting our bank accounts and phones set up. One month in and I think we're starting to get a handle on our life here but I'm sure we still have many more things to learn. Secondly (and more importantly) today marks our two year wedding anniversary 💓😊. We celebrated by getting mediocre Korean BBQ, where I think we ate chicken gizzard (we both agreed that Tomukun in Ann Arbor is far better); getting ice cream bars from the convenience store; and finally beating Overcooked. Here's to another year of adventures!

• We also found some Michigan beers! The shop was closed but it's the first we've seen here in Beijing.

Summer In The City

• Today we headed into the city for the first time! We managed to successfully navigate the subway (it's very well marked in both Chinese and English) and make it to the all the destinations we had planned and then some.

We started off at The Beijing Flea Market which was held in a start-up incubator space. It was more of an artisan/local-made market then a flea market but it was still neat to see all the small businesses that people have started here in China. People were selling jams, peanut butter, handmade scarfs, and even reusable produce bags (the last of which we, of course, bought ♻ 😊)

• Our next stop was The Bookworm which a bookstore/cafe in the Sanluntin district of Beijing known for being a popular expat hang out. A group was running a voter registration sign up for Americans living abroad so we started the process of getting that paperwork started but unfortunately their printer ran out of ink so we still need to get our paperwork sent out. We also ran into another couple from BIBA and walked around the Sanluntin area with them until they had out.
• Then we headed to Tiananmen Square. We got there later then we expected so some of the sights were closed but we still got photos of the square and surrounding buildings. I also took a 360 panorama which you can see here (so you can feel like you were there with us 😉)

Forbidden City entrance in the background. We didn't go in because we need our passports but we will go on our next trip.

Carmel and us with Monument to the People's Heroes and Mausoleum of Mao Zedong in the background.

National Museum of China

The Zhengyang Gate which originally built in 1419 as part of Beijing's city wall.

• Carmel had already been to the square and she told us there was some hutongs just south of the us that we could explore. Hutongs are winding alleys of neighborhoods throughout the city. Some are filled with shops and restaurants and this one definitely was. Emily was adventurous and tried some meat on stick before we found a place to sit down and have some dinner. It was so pretty to see them lit up at night. It reminded us a little of Disneyland! We will definitely be taking visitors here!

Come To My Window

• After rolling out of bed and heading over to the cafeteria for lunch with Emily, I returned to find that I was locked out of the apartment. I had my key! But if you lock the apartment from the inside and leave the key in when you leave then you won't be able to fit your key in from the outside...oops. I figured the only way in was through the window but after attempting to unlock the latch myself I decided to just call maintenance. Guess how they got in?

• Today also marked my first adventure of driving in China. Korey, one of the other house spouses, let me borrow one of his tuk tuks (yes, he owns 3) to go to the store. No previous experience necessary needed to take one of these electric 3-wheelers out on the road.  I got a quick introduction (throttle on the handle, brakes with the foot pedal, and a switch from slow to fast mode) and then I was off on my way to get even more weird looks from the locals.