Monday, August 31, 2009

FINALLY!!!

We can get in through a proxy again... even this site was being blocked at the office. So anyway, we are in. But still can't post pictures. At least we can tell you that we're alive, though! We're in the process of finding an online photo album site that will let us post from China. Most say that we can't from our location.

So... what have we been up to in the past couple months? We finished the summer school, and then sat around for two weeks doing nothing. It was wonderful. After that, we jetted off to Malaysia for two and a half weeks! At the risk of being long winded, I'm going to make a list of highlights.

1. Visited a couple malls in Kuala Lumpur that were 6 stories tall. And HUGE.
2. Felt almost at "home" because of the western comforts. Ate at Burger King. A & W. Outback Steakhouse.
3. Took bus through the mountains. One mountain was so big we had to back down in reverse and try again.
4. Took a boat 3 hours down the river to the entrance of the national park, Taman Negara
5. Spent a couple days in the rainforest. Saw many hugemongous insects, spiders, lizards.
6. Visited the Orang Asli, the native people of the area. Matthew blew a blow dart better than anyone else in our group. That's my hubby!
7. Went "rapid shooting" Which pretty much meant splashing the boat next to us. One grumpy man in front plugged his ears and pouted the whole way.
8. Ate chicken and rice for every meal there.
9. Took a bus to the ferry station for the Perhentian Islands.
10. Took a boat ride to the islands.
11. Sat on the beach for a week and a half doing nothing but sleeping, reading, swimming, and eating. Well, pretty much nothing else.
12. Snorkeled with sea turtles, huge fish, and SHARKS! Well, we snorkeled. They just swam around.
13. Matthew ate stingray, barracuda, and shark. I just ate chicken.
14. Met up with our good friend Larissa from China, and did more sitting, sunning, reading, sleeping. swimming!
15. Took an 8 hour bus ride back to KL. Did more shopping, more eating, more flying.

Now we are home, and school has once again started! It feels wierd to be back... and to know that our time here is over half done. We're settling back in, teaching classes today, and enjoying cooler weather.

More will be written later this week. For now, just know that we are safe, happy, tan, and looking forward to a Chinese autumn!