Call me a Bielieber

Some may call this generation the Justin Bieber Generation. Love him or hate him he has definitely impacted America. Oh ya and China. People over here are OBSESSED with him. I dare say maybe even more than in the states. This week I downloaded his music video "Baby" and played it for the 7th grade and they were screaming the whole time. Even the boys like him! I wondered if my 3rd graders knew him so I asked and they immediately started singing Baby. It was hysterical they love him! We were watching the music video when they all started yelling and all their little fingers were pointing at the screen and saying "Paige! Paige!" They thought Justin's co star was me... See the resemblance? 

Well let me tell you I am pretty cool over here being the white American teacher but you want to know what made me the coolest teacher ever?! Being in music video with Justin Bieber. 

My 3rd Graders 

Call me a Bielieber!! 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is perhaps my favorite holiday. I think it is absolutely wonderful to have a day just to spend with family and count your blessings. (and of course watching and playing football too!) This was the first year I have spent Thanksgiving without my family (unless you count skyping with them at 5 in the morning while you watch them eat delicious food) China doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving so after school Kendall and I went to the closest place to Thanksgiving we could think of... KFC! After eating there we meet up with some friends and spent the rest of the night at a bar playing games. I guess I can check spending Thanksgiving at a bar off my bucket list! 

This weekend we traveled to Nanjing for our branch Thanksgiving dinner. I didn't realize how big it was going to be, there was about 200 people there and REAL Thanksgiving food! Yes real food! I don't know if you understand the blessing it was to eat real American food. It was the BEST! We had a lovely time with our friends and our branch and we all were able to have seconds :) 

This Thanksgiving I am especially grateful for the gospel and my country. I am grateful that I am even ALLOWED to have to knowledge that I have a Heavenly Father who loves me, and that I can choose to worship how I want. I am grateful that the farthest I have ever lived from a church is a 2 minute walk. I am grateful I can choose my own dreams and pursue my education how and where I would like. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to learn without limits. Being here has really opened my eyes to so much and has truly changed me. I could go on forever but basically it boils down to this

I am grateful for my freedom.

KFC Thanksgiving

REAL FOOD!!! Perhaps the best sight my eyes have seen while in China

Exercise

One of the most peculiar things Kendall and I have found since we have been here was their form of exercise. Every night a mass amount of people gather into their public squares to do what we call Chinese Zumba. It is mostly old people that participate but the parks are filled. There are people in the square, sidewalks, and even the streets! They have huge screens that are attached to buildings surrounding the squares and they project the exercise video and all the people follow. It is quite the sight! It honestly is a party Kendall and I love to participate. Most of them just laugh at us but they love it when we dance with them. 

Here is a video I hope you enjoy, it cracks me up every time!

Split Pants

*Warning: Chinese Children's bottoms shown on this page

One of the things I have found the VERY strangest while being here is the idea of the "split pant." Diapers are expensive, right? Heck let's forget them and do as the Chinese do! Instead of using diapers they use... Nothing! All of the kids here just have their little bottoms hanging out and go whenever and wherever they please. We see parents holding their kids over trash cans and curbs and anywhere really on a daily basis. Even in public buildings you never go in corners of the room because that's where all the little kids pee. At least baby bottoms are cute, right? 

Conference

This weekend I had the blessing of watching conference with my branch. We watched the Saturday sessions on Saturday and the Sunday sessions on Sunday, a week after it was broadcast. As always conference was wonderful! It always seems to tell you just what your looking for. 

Being here in china I have learned that I have taken many things for granted in my life, one being that I have been able to attend conference and meet apostles of God. We truly are so lucky to be so close to them, and even have to opportunity to be in the same room as them! 

We stayed with the most wonderful family from Highland. They are over here for a couple years as their dad works for best buy. They call their house a "Chinese Hotel." You can see why.

Just your average living room

Their beautiful kitchen 

On Saturday night we went underground shopping with the crew 

The highlight of the night had to be when Bridget stole a taxi drivers keys and made him dance to get them back. It clearly caused as scene and many people came to watch! It was honestly hysterical to see the Chinese man try to get down like Bridget! 

It was a wonderful weekend! I am especially grateful for the American food and "Mormon" pastas that we got to eat... and for conference of course :)
The Church is true!!

Da Shur Ko

Da Shur Ko

Kendall and I live in a city called Dantu and it's basically the suburb on Zhenjiang. Zhenjiang has one million people living in it, which is actually small for China. Da Shur Ko is downtown Zhenjiang. It is a 30 minute bus ride away and it's our favorite activity! 

Basically Da Shur Ko is where it's at. 

One night we were meeting some friends and we happened to stumble across our greatest find, the night market! 

You can buy anything here. Food, clothes, knick knacks, they have it all! If you are hungry,  here is some appetizing food you can eat 

I don't know what this is...

(EEL on a stick)

Even with all this DELICIOUS food sometimes we have a hard time finding dinner 

You can buy anything for super cheap

This is our favorite. In this lovely pile of clothes everything is 5 yuan. That is about 80 cents. You have to DIG to find anything good, but trust me we have found some treasures.

I love boys that move fast! 

Ken found puppies! She was loving life

We buy matching Everything :)

Our loot for the night! 9 shirts, a pair of Nike tennis shoes, perfume, nail polish, Hello Kitty stickers, and a kitty poster. All for about $25!

On a normal night we usually don't come out with this much stuff... 

Now I am sure you understand why this is our favorite place!!

Chinaaa

Helllo blogging world! So guess what? I'm in China! I have been here for over a month now and haven't blogged yet, but after this LOOK OUT world! I am totally getting on this blogging train.
 I guess I'll start with telling this very funny story of what happened today. Kendall and I were in our bedrooms and there were little kids below us picking up garbage & such on the grounds. I have this idea to take some candy and throw it at them, not really to be nice just because I thought it would be funny. We went out on our balcony and threw a handful of candy at them and ran back in side. A couple minutes later we hear yelling & screaming coming from outside. We open the door and go out to our balcony and we here "Louchure Louchure!" (teacher in Chinese) and there was a plethora of little children yelling & jumping around below. We ended up throwing lots of candy down to them and it made my whole day! Thanks mom for sending me candy it went to good use :) Here is a video to prove it!