Crazy Harbin ice swimmers

Look closely at how the spectators are dressed. We were thinking......hurry up with this, we are freezing!

Tiger Park in Harbin

While we were in Harbin last weekend we went to a park that was similar to the wild animal park....but in China, things are a bit different. Safety is not of the utmost importance. I was a little apprehensive, but told it is a MUST SEE.

We were in a bus with about 15 or so Chinese and people were paying to have live animals thrown to the tigers. While we were watching a turkey (or some similar type of bird) was chucked out of a car. This car had steel bars all over the windows and the tires so it was protected. The person who was working opened his door real quick and through the bird out. We then saw the tigers going to get it, and the bird flew into a tree. The tigers were just patiently waiting for the bird to give up. Then, the car with the cage around it came back and they guy started throwing fire crackers up to scare the bird. We never did see the bird die, but we saw other tigers eating chickens......very interesting/disgusting.

While we were in the van there was a time where the tiger was staring right at us with his face inches from the window. It startled me because I had been looking out of the other side of the van and when I turned around-boom. Right there. Scary!

At one point, we nearly escaped disaster. The windows have metal on them, but you can still open them a bit to take clear photos. At one point a tiger came over the the window and licked it. This was the part of the window that couldn't open. Then, the tiger turned away and promptly sprayed us. (He was marking his territory.) If this had happened one foot over, it would have completely gotten Emma (our 7 year old friend traveling with us) in the face! Gross!


We got off the bus and walked to an area where we did buy some raw meat, and Damon fed the tigers through the fence. Our friend Mike did the honors of feeding the live chicken. Nicole and Trejan had very different responses. Guess who was who. "Hey, get ready to die chicken! ha ha ha" and "oh no, poor chicken. Mommy I don't like this!"

Harbin Snow and Ice Festival

Amazing snow sculptures, huge, detailed and beautiful! The big one behind Trejan is a temple that is replicated from the Beijing Temple of Heaven.
We were bundled up so much that we weren't too cold in the sub zero weather. Damon looks like he is going to climb Mt. Everest.

This is all ice! These blocks of ice are HUGE. It seemed impossible, even while I was there, looking at it. We all went down the ice slides, Nicole and Trejan had a great time.

Backpack Project

Our American International school here in China raised money in the fall to give to our community in celebration of Chinese New Year. We called it "the Backpact Project". The kids got to go on a field trip to buy a backpack, and fill it with coats, hats, mittens, scarves, school supplies and a small toy. The market where we bought clothes is nothing like a clean, warm organized Target. Shopping in China is very complicated. It was an adventure, what an interesting shopping trip to go on before Christmas break!

The shopping days were memorable, but today was the much anticipated delivery day. I feel so blessed that I got to be a part of this experience.
About a two hour drive to a village north of Dalian was our destination. As we loaded up three buses and our van I had an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that we live in China. We live at the doorstep of experiences that are life changing. I got into the van praying that the DAIS kids would learn something that a book would never be able to teach them. The school our kids attend is nothing like schools everywhere around the world. Today I prayed that eyes would be opened. And my prayer was undoubtedly answered.
The Chinese kids who go to this school are from a farming village. They walk an hour or more to and from school. When I walked in the classroom my eyes started to tear up because of the fumes and coal dust in the air. After a few minutes my body adjusted and I didn't notice it anymore. There was a coal stove and it warmed the class room to a temperature that was comfortable for me wearing a sweatshirt, a heavy coat, I wished that I hadn't left my gloves in the car. Even with this stove, it wasn't very warm. Nicole was freezing.Our kids played a card game with the Chinese kids. A math game was an excellent choice since we know numbers in Mandarin pretty well. It was fun to watch the kids, although they were pretty quiet and a little apprehensive. The kids shared lunch made by the parents of DAIS. Teriyaki chicken, Korean kimbobs (what I think of as vegetarian sushi), carrots, cucumbers, apples, oranges and bananas were eaten with chopsticks, fingers and toothpicks. It was interesting to see how the different cultures view eating what we consider "finger food".

They played a game together outside for a bit before delivering the backpacks, and I am happy that it wasn't TOO cold today. (I think it was around 30 degrees F)
Our kids gave the Chinese kid's the backpacks and there were so many big smiles. Even though only a few words were exchanged, it was obvious that these kids were very grateful. The whole experience was priceless.

Why?
Part of why we moved to China is because we wanted our family to see different cultures, how people all over the world live life SO different than we do. I feel like I am having a bad day when I don't get a hot shower. High expectations of what I SHOULD have on a daily basis come from growing up in a upper middle class home in America. Exposing our kids to a variety of sights, sounds and smells is a huge part of moving our family to China.

We live on the outskirts of the city in a little "bubble" where we are secluded from what I call "real China". Sometimes I feel like living in this compound is sort of cheating. We have the option of taking the kids places to get the "China experience" only when we want to. The kid's day to day life is really not that different than back home in Portland. They get up, get ready for school. Learn, play, eat.....sleep. All of this is in the comfort of a nice condo and a school that is a two minute walk away.

Today was one of those days where we took the kids to see "real China."

I am very appreciative to be given this opportunity.

Last week Trejan's first grade class delivered their backpacks to a school just about a mile or so down the road. It was an amazing experience as well.
The kids played "rock, paper, scissors" together. They worked together and made a craft with "friendship" written in English and in Chinese characters. Trejan's buddy was so happy!