it's official!

We got our tickets to come back to America!

Monday, June 7, 2010
China Eastern Airlines # 5402
Chengdu (CTU) to Shanghai PuDong (PVG)
Departure (CTU): June 7, 8:00 AM CST (morning)
Arrival (PVG): June 7, 10:20 AM CST (morning)

LONG LAYOVER IN SHANGHAI!

Monday, June 7, 2010
China Eastern Airlines # 8821 Operated by: AMERICAN -- AA 288
Shanghai PuDong (PVG) to Chicago O'Hare International (ORD)
Departure (PVG): June 7, 4:10 PM CST (afternoon)
Arrival (ORD): June 7, 4:40 PM CDT (afternoon)

SHORT LAYOVER IN CHICAGO!

Monday, June 7, 2010
United Airlines # 248
Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) to Detroit Wayne County (DTW)
Departure (ORD): June 7, 6:55 PM CDT (evening)
Arrival (DTW): June 7, 9:15 PM EDT (evening)

Jobs!

On the China side, nothing much to report. This week we have standardized testing and tech week for the play, so several of my classes will be canceled. We leave in 8 weeks, so not including exams, there are 7 weeks of classes left. Oh, and the spring trips. So 6 weeks of classes. Hmmm. I need to reassess what I can and cannot finish in that time.

But most of the weekend was spent job-hunting. I have already applied to a dozen different schools. (For those of you who are interested, they are: Chicago Bulls College Prep, Christ the King, UIC College Prep, Lindblom Math and Science, Kenwood Academy, Perspectives Charter, CICS Ellison, North Lawndale College Prep, UofC Charter – Woodlawn, Ogden International High School, Senn HS, and Brooks College Prep.)

Those schools all either posted openings, or are expanding to add new jobs. I have more schools on my short list, but it is early in the season and I need not worry yet. I do notice, however, that there are far more chemistry jobs available than Biology or Environmental Science. I have not decided yet if I should just go for one of those...

-alan

Tomb Sweeping Day

This past Monday was a Chinese holiday - Tomb Sweeping Day. This day, formerly downplayed by the government, has been re-recognized in recent years.

On Tuesday, we traveled out of the city and happened to stop at a bathroom beside a mountain cemetery. The place was a mess, because it was surely crazy busy on Monday...as people drove out to their ancestors' burial ground to tend to the graves and offer sacrifices of burning money and paper houses.

Needless to say, the vendors were curious in seeing white faces but quickly flocked to other cars when they realized we were not interested in their wares.

-alan

Pictures from the Videtich visit

Here are some select pictures from my sister's visit. They collectively took far more pictures than I, but there are a few good ones!

This picture shows the lanterns and bridge reflecting in a pool of water on Jinli "Ancient" Street.

Looking at the Oreo Blizzards above, you can see that is not quite ancient!

Our visit to the bulk market was a much longer adventure than I expected. We did come home with a $100 worth of silk, though!

Hot pot was yummy. Matt and Sharon did not think any of the food was too spicy. I guess we let them off easy!

Just to prove hot pot was fun, take a look at the mess Rachel left behind!

Rachel doing her best Mao impression.

We saw lots of cool architecture while on a hike up the Daoist Qingcheng Mountain.

-alan

End of vacation...

Rachel and I took a day off yesterday to visit Qingcheng Mountain with my sister. It had an adventurous start, but ended up being a nice walk on the mountain in the end.

But it is now Wednesday morning, and the first teaching day back from vacation.

No fun!

-alan

Spring Break!! (part 2)

The second half of spring break is officially over - I am in school, wearing a suit. Unfortunately, we have parent-teacher conferences scheduled from 8am-7pm during my sister's visit. Let's see how many parents I get! (not many, I am guessing. It is a Chinese holiday, and many families will probably use this as an extension of spring break)

So what have the Allmens and Videtiches done so far?

- walk the neighborhood

- see the Sichuan opera

- take scooter rides

- shop at the bulk market

- shop on Jinli street

- eat Tibetan food

- go to Chinese mass on Easter

- take pictures of Mao at Tianfu Square

- watch street performers and drink tea at the People's Park

- eat Western food at Peter's

Today while we are at school, they will go to see the pandas and do some shopping at the antique market. Ironically, since it is a holiday, Rachel's Chinese co-teacher, Solomon, has the day off and will accompany them for part of the day.

-alan

Spring Break!! (part 1)

Spring break.

What a wonderful time of the year!

I have been looking at some Chicago education blogs (which are getting ugly, thanks to all the budget problems and proposed cuts) and one topic that continually comes up is whether teachers are underpaid and overworked, or overpaid and spoiled. After all, they get an endless stream of vacations, with spring break being just one prime example.

While I could go more into this debate - I am on vacation! So right now, I am going to shut my brain off, sleep in, and enjoy the ride.

This spring break will definitely have 2 parts - the first part will end in a manner of minutes, when I leave to go to the airport to pick up my sister and her family. We will be helping to tour them around during the next few days of the trip. The rain kicked in a couple days ago, and the weather forecast looks soggy. No fun. I will post pictures in the next few days!

So far, we have been doing many things...3 games of Catan, a trip to the bulk market for Rachel, going downtown for Thai food, a trip to Happy Valley, and other fun errands.

The break was actually kicked off with a middle school party. The student government (for which we are sponsors) planned a lock-in for last Friday after school. The principal switched it to a party ending at 9pm at the last moment. We breathed a sigh of relief, because I do not believe I would have had the stamina for it.

Here's a picture of one of the silly games they played - it actually looked more fun than it turned out, because the kids were not very good at it. You were supposed to swing the sock-filled stocking around until you twisted it with your opponent, at which point you try to pull their stocking off their head. Very few were successful.

The night ended with a rousing game of Capture the Flag, which the 7th graders dominated. There were only a few tears and bruises, so considering the circumstances, I call the evening successful.

In Catan news, Rachel won today, and I took 2 second place finishes out of the last 3 games. It feels funny not to win...

But the main highlight of this post, in terms of pictures, is from Happy Valley. We have made little use of our season pass in recent months, mostly due to weather and time constraints. So our trip this week, though somewhat short (because we also saw Alice in Wonderland in 3D at the theater attached to the park - our group was 7 of 12 people in the whole theater), was fun. And since we have our new small camera, we took some pictures.

The center of the park has a man-made lake, and the rides are organized into thematic sections (carnival, bird park, Szechuan, Mediterranean, water park, etc.) around the exterior.

The biggest rides are the two roller coasters. We like the red one. The yellow one is a little too bumpy - it rattles your brains.

The red one is called "Dream of the Mediterranean" and it has a giant replica 1940s-era plane hanging out front. You can also pose a cool looking pilot!

Another one of our favorite rides is the tower - I really do not remember the name! You can be launched up (like the one below) or dropped from the top depending on which line you wait in. This line was shorter - we do not like having to wait longer than 5 minutes!

The park definitely is infringing on various Disney trademarks - notice the dwarf-like creatures in the background below. It is also funny to see Chinese ladies dressed up like Southern belles. There is no unified theme, like you would see at an American park - it is more like take anything that is remotely "Western" and throw it together.

The landscaping is great - there are ALWAYS flowers blooming, because they place the flowers that are blooming in individual pots.

And finally, here are the adorable....ants? This is their mascot. You see them walking around the park....though they are mischevious! We saw one trying to steal a woman's bag!! [in jest]

Ok, time to go to the airport!

-alan