Just a quick thought:
We’re taking a short break before heading out to climb the mountain. As I was walking up the stairs to my room, I realized it was our last night with the kids. We’ve been having so much fun today, from the cake war (that I purposely avoided until Jill came out like a ninja and nailed me in the face) to the music videos (Just beat it!) and Dico’s just now.
I will miss them so much.
The biggest food fight on this side of the world. Compliments to one Jeremy Cheung for the idea.
Special thanks to the leaders for allowing us to… well, caking each other.
Best part – L Dawg runs out and nails Michael with a plate of cake. That started the whole plate portion. L Dawg did.
We’re experiencing so much of G’s love here in China! This pic represents! haha We love Andy & Steph!
To celebrate our time and technology (even if it’s make belief) with the orphans, we’ll be watching Transformers 3 tomorrow with the Orphans! Maybe in Mandarin maybe in English. Not quite sure yet.
We completed our first day of lessons and it was a blaring success! Thank you LD for blessing Justin and me with the ability to convey our lesson plans to the oprhans clearly and in a fun way. Thank you TA’s for being amazing with the students and guiding them through the lesson plans. Thank you L**** and G****** for an amazing translation effort. The students were very receptive and attentive to the teaching materials. We did face a challenge of the students having a wide spectrum of computer skills from student to student. They all stuck through it like a wolf pack though! 
Here are some pics:
We also went roller skating:
After we arrived in our current city, we’ve been spending the last couple days sightseeing since we have some time before the actual teaching. Some observations:
1. Everything is extremely cheap – 75 ren for a 130 minute full-body massage. That’s about 12 US.
2. Food is spicy – Spicy breakfast, lunch and dinner.
3. Nightlife is amazing
4. Food is very spicy – They have this special pepper that looks similar to capers, but they’re actually Numbing Peppers. They do exactly what the name implies — numbs your tongue and mouth
Some pictures of all the happenings:
Spicy spicy
Andy and Karen
The locals at night
Workstation in our hotel room
Justin and random baby
That’s it for now!
Apologies everyone, I had started this back on day 1, but because of travel/internet troubles, it gets posted now. Hope you enjoy anyway =)
It’s that hazy feeling. The world seems disconnected and distant. If you’ve ever pulled an all nighter, stayed up a bit too long or simply needed sleep but couldn’t get it. That’s where I’m at.
We’ve now traveled 17 hours on different planes, had 16 hours in lay overs and personally slept 6 hours in the past 2 days. Excitement wears to realism that the kids around me will be my best friends for the next 14 hours in a tightly confined space listening to whines and wails allowing for only the highest qualities of sleep. Sense the sarcasm.
While it’s been absolutely draining, I can’t falter otherwise I’ll miss the best experiences.
The team loitering in front of the ticketing desk just before the overseas leg.
Double-double & Animal Fries. What else do you do with 4 hours of free time?
Angel and Amy making the best use of time.
To the other side of the world.
Bam, 14 hours, the other side of the world.
Context: Aichiban candy story has packaged chicken wings. I bought one for Darren such that he could eat it. It wasn’t cheap at $14 HK ($2 US), but completely worth the view.
The mall in ‘Times Square’ (apparently, multiple cities on this side of the world have their own Times Squares), had its own Harry Potter exhibit built. Darren was estatic.
McDonald’s chicken wings. Don’t judge, they were some of the best most interesting tasting chicken wings available?
Final arrival, the hotel has a tree in the middle of it.
Careful guys, Be Falldowm.
This is what it took for us to get to day 1. It’s been adventure now the real work begins.
Justin
Just wanted to give a quick update on our 2011 ChinaTech team. Steph and I arrived in Shanghai China via Inchon Korea via Honolulu Hawaii. It was really a great flight since it’s only about 9 hrs from Honolulu to Inchon and the plane seemed super new, pretty spacious, and we even had bibimbop for our first meal on the plane…Nom Nom Nom!! I know the rest of the team is enroute as we speak and we’ll all meet up tomorrow in south-central China and be ready to work with some awesome kids =)
Sadly, Bma is not with us this year so not really sure if we’ll have too many food challenges this go around…although I wouldn’t mind trying to eat as many shrimp burgers as possible!! Soooo good!!
That’s it for now. Thanks for all of your support and we hope to keep you updated throughout the trip.
-Andy
The China Tech Team is at it again! This is the third iterative trip (July 2nd-17th) where the tech team is continuing to make a difference in the people of south central China. Slated for the trip is continual deliverance of English and especially technology to fulfill a great need!!! Ongoing investment of this relationship with the village people in south central China can only/will bring great new opportunities in the years to come!
The technology guru’s whom encompass the team have evolved and leveled-up! The returning guru’s, Stephanie and Andy, will be joined by five new and excited individuals. With help from Amy, Jeremy, Angel, Justin & Darren — this years’ trip is in for a treat. And we’re talkin’ a treat that’s bigger and better than DICO’s!
Please cheer on & support these seven technologists!! Show them your support!
Year one was centered around the pioneering of this engagement. Year two was the full speed implemented engagement with the bonus of BMA vs FOOD. Year three… well… we’ll just have to wait and see…
So you’ve seen Bma conquer an 8×8 from In n Out…you’ve seen him devour 8 bao’s on a bumpy bus ride…now for his final challenge…eating 10 pieces of chicken from Dico’s!! (He originally said he could eat 20…but we let him start with 10…and he also knew that eating 20 pieces might be detrimental to his relationship with Jessica =P) Enjoy this final frontier of food challenges from the China Tech team 2010 =D
