Christmas celebrations

One Christmas Eve tradition from the US held true in Taiwan: steak! I was sad to hear that our usual Christmas Eve dinner restaurant has closed it doors - forcing my family to move it to a new location this year. But I was with them in spirit, as we had a nice dinner at the famous American/Australian steakhouse:
It is located on the "Love River" so we had to dress up a little bit!

We came home and watched "It's a Wonderful Life," which kept us up until after midnight. [Actually that was better than the night before, when the family was up until 2am wrapping presents. These people are crazy! Most everyone we know in Chengdu is in bed by 10 or 11.] Then Christmas morning, we opened gifts - not at the usual Miller time (5am or something ridiculous like that) but at the reasonable 7:30 or 8. I was the last one up, no surprise there. But even with the sleep, Rachel looks like she could use a couple more hours...

The highlight of the morning was Sarah's gift to Becca - a real, genuine Coach bag and wallet. Pretty swanky! Becca obviously enjoyed.
And of course, there was good southern cookin'. We had turkey and all the fixins, and 3 kinds of pie to wash it all down.
Merry Christmas!

-alan

Earthquake!

I figured that when we left Chengdu, we would be out of the earthquake zone. But apparently I forgot that Taiwan, as a volcanic island, is even MORE earthquake prone than our home in China. So it was a bit of a surprise when we awoke a couple days ago to a shaking bed around 8am. Here's the map from USGS:
It was a 5.3 earthquake, about 50 km northeast of where we are in Kaohsiung. Fun fun!

-alan

Taiwan: the first 2 days in pictures

It is wonderful to be here! We have been shopping and playing games for two days now, and it is a real blessing to be back with the whole Miller gang. On another, more superficial level, it feels great to wear short sleeves and shop in places like Costco. So here's some highlights:

Kaohsiung is changing! The new subway has opened in town, which is great news for us, since the Millers are a block away from the central hub of the system. The surprising feature of the system is the inclusion of tons of elaborate public art. The crown jewel is this circular room of stained glass, designed by an Italian-Mexican named Narcissus. Beautiful!

Here's the shopping crew - on the way from Costco and over to Ikea. We've been shopping a lot - no one in the family had any shopping done before we arrived (including her parents) so the time is now. Here's how it works:
Mom: Rachel, what do you want for Christmas?
Rachel: I need shhhhhhhhhhhhhoes!!!!
Mom: Alright then, show me what kind you like.
[Rachel picks out a pair she likes, and tries them on. And then another pair. And another. And another. Alan wanders off in boredom.]
Rachel: Okay, I like these.
Mom: Okay, leave the store!
[Mom buys the exact pair of shoes and all head to the next store to repeat the process again for a new child.]
Lost children return...Rachel is not the only Miller to return to Taiwan. Sister Sarah, fresh from Chicago, is the only child this time to suffer from jetlag. (tonight she passed out in the recliner at 9pm) It is fun to spend time with our former flatmate again! Here you can see the sisters on the roof of a local department store.
Rachel digs into some pizza at Costco - I never thought I would look forward to going to Costco to eat a meal, but today I loved it! The bulgogi sticks are amazing!

And finally, just to remind us that we are definitely still in the Chinese world, we snapped this shot of a pig tied out front of a nearby restaurant. Notice the leash - I'm not quite sure of this guy is a pet, or next months dinner....or both?

-alan

Mornings in China vs Taiwan...

The biggest difference in life here in Taiwan comes first thing in the morning: the shower. In Chengdu, it is 40-50 degrees in our bathroom (no central heat). When the alarm goes off, I turn on the remote-controlled heating unit while we snooze a few more minutes. That heats our bedroom up to bearable levels. Rachel and I then non-verbally debate about who has to get up first...the loser goes to the bathroom, turns the shower on to let it heat, and runs back into bed before the cold sets in. Once the water is steamy, the first victim jumps in and enjoys a few moments of warmth - the water is hot, but the air streaming in from the cold window tempers the experience. Once the shower is done, cold air and a damp towel are all that awaits you until I can make it back to the bedroom where my long underwear has been warming on the electric radiator.

In Taiwan, I leisurely get out of bed - extra clothes are unnecessary because the room has not fallen to such frigid temps. I can go get some breakfast, or sit on the couch for a bit - without giving a thought to being too cold or warm. When I'm ready, the bathroom is inviting and just right! Ahhhhh I will enjoy it while it lasts!

-alan

Merry Christmas!

There's been more holiday festivities to report on:

We went to the Christmas service of the International Fellowship this morning. It was really encouraging to see the American, English, Canadian, Indian, Chinese, and Korean influences all shaping the music and the service! It is definitely the benefit of having that kind of mix of people.

Also this morning, we opened our Christmas package from Michigan. I'm amazed at how well my parents packed so many things into that little bitty box! Even though it was a rush (we were late to leave for the bus downtown!) it was really fun to have a little early Christmas reward. [note: the reward was ACTUALLY undeserved. When we got the package a week or so ago, I clearly laid out the rules: no opening the box until all grades were done. Now while Rachel worked hard to finish her work, she still had a small stack of papers to grade. I guess I'm too much of a softie...]

Friday night we celebrated Christmas with the English corner gang. Rachel led some games, which most everybody loved, of course. I enjoyed talking American politics and economics with the college students. I still think that Chinese students know a lot more about what's going on in America than most Americans! The internet is quite a tool.

Finally, I'll close with a report on the great Christmas candy sale - and all you need to know is that Rachel cleaned up! The middle school ran a candy sale (over 1100 RMB was sold!) and Rachel got at least 6 bags...and I only got 1 :( I'll be visiting Rachel's room to get some Snickers an awful lot come January!

Now that's we're here in Taiwan, we'll get to continue the Christmas celebrations! Yay!

-alan

We're here!

After a hop, skip, and a jump across the Strait, we're here in Kaohsiung, Taiwan with Rachel's parents. We took the new subway to their new apartment right in the heart of the city - very exciting!

Rachel is now feeling "right at home" as she looks at her childhood Christmas decorations and jokes around with her little brother.

Give it a couple minutes, and I'm sure a Canasta game will begin...

-alan

So much of Illinois in the news!

First Obama is elected president...

Now the corruption (which has long been known of in Chicago) in the political system is reaching national headlines with the soon-to-be-former Gov. Blago in trouble. (Side note: I'm glad I voted Green Party in 2006!)

And finally, I see today that my former boss, Arne Duncan, will be the new Education Secretary in Obama's cabinet. I'm not sure now I feel about that... For a large urban school district, Chicago Public Schools were fairly reform-minded; however, things in that system were far from being run efficiently or equitable for students. Hmmm. I'll have to chew on this.

-alan

Christmas comes early!

So here's our tree!

Considering that the tree, ornaments, and lights were less than $15 USD, I think it ended up being a good idea.

And we've got cause to celebrate - there's presents under the tree! Thanks to Aunt Betty and Mom for sending something out this way!!

And we just couldn't wait...
So Aunt Betty's package full o' chocolate goodies was opened and oogled.

And now, I have to withstand Rachel's nearly hourly cries of "can we open the other box yet?!?"

I've held strong so far.

-alan

and it was a beautiful morning!

I forgot to mention -

I spend a lot more time complaining about the weather here than being thankful - but this morning it was sunny and warm - I actually came back inside to take off my long underwear because it was so nice! I didn't check the temperature, but I'd say it was like a late-September day in the midwest. And I love fall weather!

-alan

Holiday madness

This week saw the holding of two Christmas concerts and a staff Christmas party. At the upper school concert, it was funny watching a group of Korean boys singing "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch." I wonder how well they understand it...

Our friend Zack also debuted a movie he created with his 3rd grade class. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure it was good. It nice having talented people around at the school.

But I must say the talent highlight of the week was a group of Korean parents who played for the staff at the party last night. 4 flutes, a cello, piano, and a powerful baritone whose music sunk to the depths of your soul. It was beautiful, and I am thankful that they came to perform for us.

Tonight, Rachel is going to the high school dance. It is unofficially a Sadie Hawkins dance, and she didn't ask me to go...so I'm taking the hint and will go to hang out with some other friends and play video games!

-alan

Go NU!

(image thanks to Hailtopurple.com)

It is official! Northwestern will be headed to San Antonio for their bowl game against Missouri. Is it too late to put Chengdu-San Antonio tickets on my Christmas list?

I am hopeful for a good game - the Big 12 is vastly superior to the Big 10, but the fact that Mizzou got stomped by the Big 12 elite leaves me hopeful for a competitive (and seemingly high scoring) game. I can't wait!

-alan

Christmas in China

Upon leaving for Hong Kong on the day before Thanksgiving, the holidays were the furthest thing from my mind. Chengdu is far enough from the Western sphere of influence that the Thanksgiving/Christmas festivities have not fully penetrated the city. So without the ads promoting sales, decorations in stores, and non-stop Christmas music radio stations feeding us reminders, it was hard to get in the spirit. Add to that the balmy weather in HK, and you get a Thanksgiving holiday that just didn't feel quite right.

But we did see some signs of Christmas when we were there! First, they were putting up trees in the malls and public parks - here is a huge one!
The amazing thing is how elaborately the hotels and office buildings around town were lit up at night.

And Rachel loves those snowmen!

Since we've gotten back, Rachel has pushed the thinking on Christmas by investing in a modest tree - a little 1.2m artificial tree that is sitting next to our TV. It doesn't have much in terms of decorations (and our string of lights has already gone out!) but it is a reminder of what is coming. (pictures to come)

We watched "White Christmas" after our big dinner this past weekend, which gave it a family-get-together kind of feel. Then on Sunday at the International Fellowship we heard a talk on the meaning of Handel's Messiah - which is certainly related to Christmas. I got so interested in it, I want to listen to the whole thing now.

And now....I voluntarily put Christmas music on!

I guess there is hope I won't be a complete scrooge this year!

-alan

a satisfying multi-lingual weekend!

On Friday, we attended a production of Our Town at our school. It was not sponsored by CDIS - it was a Korean, student-run production drawing from several schools in the city. So even though the whole thing was in Korean, we wanted to see it because several of our students were acting and the proceeds went towards earthquake relief.

That being said, it was a bit strange to see a famous American play, set in early 20th century small town New England, being presented in Korean. I thoroughly enjoyed watching my students act, but I can't really comment too much on the production itself - I haven't even seen it in English!

Then this morning, we went to the Catholic church in downtown Chengdu to watch the wedding of one of our Chinese colleagues.
There was only a short service - not a full mass - but it was still almost entirely in Chinese. So even though more words were familiar (unlike the Korean play) I still couldn't tell you too much about the substance of the event. Best moment - following the wedding, the bride did a bouquet toss in front of the church. The excited crowd assembled, and shrieked as she tossed the flowers into the air - several feet past all of them and into the waiting hands of the (male) bus driver. He raised his hands in victory, and we all laughed.

We came home and huddled in bed for awhile (the church was unheated) before heading off for a Christ-giving meal (fusion of Thanksgiving and Christmas) with many members of our staff. Turkey, duck, pork, beef, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, veggies, fruit, stuffing, and more...Rachel got thirds on dinner, and I took seconds on dessert. We were stuffed and happy.

Add on to that a late-Saturday game of Catan (which I won!!) and you have a full, fun day. Phew!

Tomorrow, people will be over to watch the Florida-Alabama game. I am hoping it is a competitive match!

-alan

More about Hong Kong

The first day back from the short break is over and done, and considering the circumstances, the day went well. Now, Rachel is out shopping (I think she's getting a Christmas tree....oh my!) and Colby is happy to have someone to play with at night (though as I blog he is sad to be tied up).

But let's get to it. Hong Kong.

We were there for a teacher conference, which was located at the new campus of a Christian international school in town. The school was breathtaking. As a teacher, create a wishlist of every single thing you would possibly want in a school - and they've probably got it. It was hard not to get a little jealous, I must admit...

The conference had its ups and downs, but there were some notable speakers at the large group sessions - including Dr. Gary Chapman, the author of the "Love Languages" books. Hearing from him and some of the other authors was certainly uplifting.

Outside of that, here's some highlights:

Our hotel was right along one of the many waterways that circles the islands of Hong Kong. Every time we left the hotel, we were able to walk along the river to go to eat, to shop, and to get to the train.
The hotel itself was quality, but we didn't really spend too much time there (other than the afternoon nap I practically had to FORCE Rachel to take). The only remarkable thing was that we got a room with 2 beds - which Rachel immediately pushed together. We slept. We left. We returned, to find the beds split up. Rachel pushes them together again. We slept. We left. We returned again to find them yet again split. If I was nice, I would have helped - but I guess I derive too much pleasure from watching my wife work so hard :)

The thing we did the most of on this trip was walk. A lot. All over the city. My feet are still tired! We saw a lot of sites downtown, including the building from Batman: Dark Knight where Batman got the Asian guy.

Usually the walking was either to go eat (we had yummy Japanese, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Italian, and American food - thanks to Bubba Gump Shrimp for the last one!) or to go shopping. Shopping was a bit of a chore at times, because finding the right spot was tough. Hong Kong is known for its alleys and alleys of cheap knockoff purses and watches and other trinkets.

Unfortunately, we have lost our taste for the uber-low quality of these cheap wares. On the other end of the spectrum, there are plenty of high-end European boutiques that we couldn't dream of affording. What we needed was right in between - and there were certainly a few malls that provided some fruitful finds. And good news - Rachel did get one pair of brown shoes! Hooray!!

But the highlight has to be our trips to view downtown. Victoria peak is a mountain that overlooks the harbor and downtown, and the view was so good, we went there twice. The first time, we took a cable car tram to the top - and it was steep!

The second time we went at night and took a city bus. And I'm glad that it was dark, because watching us navigate skinny mountain switchbacks from the top of a double-decker bus was nauseating enough without being able to see exactly how far we could tumble to our deaths...

And at the top, of course, were more shopping malls. Of note was the EA Experience store, which had a dozen video game stations to play. Somehow, Rachel snagged a free Madden station and we played a full game. I was the Lions, so of course I lost as she beat me with the Bears.

And from the top, we got some great shots. Here's what the harbor looked like at night.


Finally, asking Rachel what her reflections were - she said "food food food!!" We ate well, and I really liked the snacking. Mrs. Field's has descended on HK in full force. We stopped for cookies 3 times, and came home on the plane with a full bag. (its all gone already though!!) Mmmmm...

So I have a few weeks to rest and relax before our next trip - Rachel is just like her Dad, in that they are both hyperactive tour guides that never ever stop. Ever.

-alan