February 2016

Hello World...long time no update.

We had not realized we had an unpublished post in our account since October (Moganshan). However, even if we HAD posted it, October is too long ago to have not written a new post. SORRY!

Let's recap by holiday.

October: Halloween.
Each year, our school parent group (PTSA) hosts a big carnival. We are not sure if it is always during Halloween or if that was coincidence this year. Student clubs, local vendors, and a variety of performers come to campus for the whole day and do fun things. 

In addition, our school had just opened their new (and phenomenal) Performing Arts Center (PAC). To kick it off, the first High School play was Night of the Living Dead. Brittney volunteered to be one of the extra 'zombies' for the big closing scene. What a good time. Students 'zombified' a costume for her (tear it up, cover with blood), and then turned her into a zombie with their newly acquired special effects makeup skills. To promote the play, the extra zombies thought it would be fun to go into the carnival, scaring people, and then say..."come to the play"!

So they did.

November: Thanksgiving.

We were excited to see that 'American Thanksgiving' was a recognized holiday within our new community. We even had a three day weekend to celebrate. We had potential plans: Korean Blitz with some second year DINKS (dual income no kids). Attend the (poorly scheduled) teacher formal hosted by the school. Host or attend a traditional feast. However, unexpected and very exciting opportunities presented themselves. For Brittney, she attended the Green Educators Conference at The Green School in Bali, Indonesia. For Phillip, he became the Varsity Girls Basketball Assistant Coach. This meant that Phillip was attending a tournament in Thailand that weekend. We were both in different countries for Thanksgiving but having a great time.

The tournament went well and the conference was, life changing. More on that later.

Sneek Peek:  it was AMAZING...and Phillip eventually attended it when it was offered for a second time!

Aside from all of that, Brittney managed to locate a mule* to bring some Pumpkin spice Cookie Butter from Trader Joes. It became a huge hit with our colleagues.

(*you are considered a mule if you are coming to China from the US and willing to bring back goodies). 

One colleague in particular was obsessed with this stuff. He also happened to be one of our science teachers mastering his skills at homebrew (making beer at home). We will call him the Guru. Brittney was intrigued at the idea of homebrew and remembered a delicious beer her good friend, Ashely, introduced her too. It was seasonal, Pumpkin, served with Turkish honey and cinnamon rimmed glass. She said to the Guru, ‘Let’s make a pumpkin spice brew’. So…we did. He had the equipment, located the ingredients, and walked us through it at his house. It was all pretty simple. 

December/January: Christmas/New Years/ Brittney's Birthday.
Remember when we went to South Africa last spring? So many of our colleagues at the time strongly encouraged we take that trip by saying things like 

'It's lovely' 

'The best season'

'You will enjoy it'

'You must go at this time'

'So much beauty'. 

And then we bought tickets, made arrangements, and announced we were going. About a week before our trip these lovely colleagues started to add things like

 'Oh it is very dangerous'

'Don't stop on the street at night...don't go anywhere at night'

'Don't carry any money' 

'Don't hold your phone in public places'

'I knew a guy that got robbed at gunpoint when he was at a stop light'

'It is VERY dangerous...Don't trust anyone'.

Thanks guys!

When we arrived in Shanghai, we found ourselves among Kiwi's (people from New Zealand), or people that have or frequently travel to New Zealand. We knew we wanted to go backpacking somewhere during this holiday so we were pleased when these colleagues told us about all the opportunities to do so in NZ. 

'Its the best season' they say. 

'Beautiful summer weather', they say. 

'The trails will be lovely, book now because everyone wants to go at this time'. 

So we did, with enthusiasm. We were headed to the South Island, Fiordland National Park to go 'tramping' as they call it. Hiking and backpacking through different 'great walks' of New Zealand. Then, the week before our trip the conversation changed a bit, 

'Oh, South Island...expect rain'. 

'Oh, Fiordland, late December..it could snow'. 

'Oh, Kepler track, the weather is unpredictable, wear layers and be sure it is waterproof'.

Thanks guys!

Last minutes, we swapped our cotton shorts and tees for thermals and waterproof layers. Then...we had an amazing time. It was physically and mentally exhausting, a true practice in mindfulness and gratitude. We were blessed with weather and the opportunity overall. We met interesting people, saw beautiful things, and tried something, a few things, we had never done before. 

We were quite out of our element living out of a backpack...but we did it, and loved it. The experience really got us giddy  about our plans to Yosemite (the ones we have been dreaming up since 2012).

When we returned from the break, it was time to have the beer tasting party. If we have not mentioned it before, our dwelling is huge, more than enough space for the two of us. Brittney had no interest in hosting an exclusive tasting party, and clearly there was room for a crowd, so she pretty much told anyone and everyone they could come. Then, forty people said yes...and 40 people had a great time. It was a fun party and hopefully the start of a tradition.

February, Chinese New Year (CNY), Trivia night:

Here in Shanghai, we have a week off for Chinese New Year (CNY). Chinese people consider this a very family oriented holiday, so most people from the city leave to visit older family in more remote places of China. We were told it is a great time to visit Shanghai because it is less 'busy'. We considered going somewhere, but felt like it would be a good time to actually ‘take a break’ so we opted for a staycation. Brittney also thought it would be a perfect time to try her hand at a solo homebrew for the next tasting party. 

We met some friends in the city on Sunday to bring in the year of the monkey. Another friend hooked us up at a hotel with incredible free upgrades: rooms, food, drinks. We had open happy hour at 5:30pm, then a huge breakfast spread the next morning. We drank and hailed a five person taxi for six people. Found ourselves in a shady pizza place. We practiced our Chinese and deeply wondered what the actual business of this place was because ‘New York Pizza’ was clearly just a front. For starters, imagine walking into a ‘pizza place’ and they hand you a dominos menu.  Ignoring your bewilderment, you scan the menu looking for something you might want. Then you tell them what you want and they call dominos and inform you it will take extra forty minutes because they are busy making deliveries tonight. That was just the start. 

At any rate, it was actually a very fun part of the evening. The next day is known as Super Bowl Monday and there were super bowl parties all over the place. Here, the super bowl aired live on Monday morning, around 730. Phillip left the hotel around 6am and headed to one hosted by a brewery. Brittney asked if the venue would also be airing the Puppy Bowl from the Animal Planet network. For some nonsensical reason they were not so she slept in and enjoyed the hotel breakfast with their friends.

By Monday evening, Brittney was sick. We cannot remember the last time she was sick. Coughing, sneezing, stomach pains, aches, lethargy...awful. She could not shake it-but had minimal interest in going to the doctor to be handed antibiotics. She pulled out all of her tricks and essential oils. She was not getting worse...just not getting better. It was not how we planned to spend the 'break'. But we were thankful that we were here and not on a vacation-or at work. We had a week to get through it. 

In hindsight, we are pretty sure her body needed to go through this. Life in Shanghai is fast and furious. Work is demanding, social opportunities are a plenty, lots of late nights, casual but regular drinking opportunities...it is not Saudi. We have over indulged and are now seeking balance. Brittney eventually found a TCM doctor (Traditional Chinese Medicine). He looked at her tongue, checked her pulse, asked personal questions about bowel movements, sleep patterns, diet, exercise...you know, 'woo woo' stuff that indicated health status. Then, he sent her home with a bunch of Chinese herbs to mix with water and drink every morning and night. They are not delicious, but she prefers it to antibiotics. And...she is much better now. 

The school PTSA hosts a Trivia Night to raise money for various initiatives for school. A team of us new people became a team called 'Love Train'. We were a disco fever group of 11 dreaming of a world where people get over their divides, join hands and start a love train. We heard that best dressed team wins something...so we took that very seriously. We went to the fake market and had some groovy outfits made. The day of the trivia night, Brittney started her brew since she definitely did not get to it during CNY. She realized the Guru was very helpful and that brewing isn't so simple. It is technically still brewing but there is a good change its a bust. Let's just say...there were some road bumps and a big mess of a kitchen.

We did not win the contest but the night won our hearts. It was a lot of fun and we surprised Phillip with (a delicious almond cashew plant based) cake and a 'happy birthday' song. The next morning, we met for an Indian Buffet birthday brunch. Then...Phillip hopped onto an airplane and flew to the Green Educators Conference....what a way to start a birthday.

Phillip being magical on his birthday brunch. Notice anything unusual?

Exciting adventures from the conference in Bali is coming up next. We will share Brittney's experience of it from November, Phillip's experience of it from February, and then what we plan to do with the beautiful lessons learned from experience overall.

Stay tuned.

Until next time...

B and P  

MISC Photos:

Pretty sure she was also secretly taking a picture of me.

#LetTheWayYouLiveBeTheWayYouGive

exciting new things on the horizon :)