TUESDAY, 9/23/14

Judy’s Tuesday activity with Pre-K “BISS on the Road” involved activities on campus, so she was busy, but didn’t have to travel.  Her biggest job was teaching a song about family, and then recording each student doing a little solo.  I went with her to school, and then taught the beginning band woodwinds.  Back at the apartment, I prepared a huge pot of vegetable soup for dinner.  I think the “health ratio” goes down when I eat so much of it.

 WEDNESDAY, 9/24/14

 Wednesday, Pre-K went back out on the road to visit the home of one of the students.  They got stories, snacks, and playtime.  How could life be any better.  I came to BISS later in the morning to teach the instrument class.  After class, Judy was back from her student trip, and we ate lunch in the local neighborhood Chinese restaurant.  Back at the apartment later, I had huge intentions of riding the bike and playing table tennis, but I didn’t.  I just couldn’t get going.  Maybe some other day?

Storytime!

If you’ve ever heard us talk about the young kids wearing “split pants”, this is what we’re referencing.

Judy starts “BISS On The Road” this week, helping with the Pre-K class. Today’s activity is a visit to the apartment of one of the faculty members at BISS. The students had a blast playing in the home and climbing around on the bunk beds.

Ruta, the Pre-K teacher looks fresh as the week begins

They couldn’t get the door unlocked for awhile.

All the elementary grade levels are participating in different activities all week long. The 3^rd and 4^th grade classes are going out camping for a night, staying in tents and everything. Those teachers have way more energy (and courage) than I can imagine.

I did my weekly grocery shopping at Metro and the wet market. After cleaning up, I took the train over the BHSF Main Campus. We had received an email about performance of the English musical version of “Les Miserable”. Really? As the music teacher at BHSFIC, I thought maybe I should attend, and check out what they were doing. The program started at 3:30. I arrived at 3:00 pm, met some of the other faculty from school, and settled in for the performance.

We’ve completed 3 weeks of school. I guess their production has been working on this all summer. The performance was two and one-half hours. They sang the entire show in English. It was performed with pre-recorded music, and they did a great job of catching all the musical cues. Some of the cues were really tough. They had great sets, and lots of interesting lighting and visual effects. I keep thinking how hard it would have been to flip the scenario, and have a group of English speaking students perform a work of this magnitude and difficulty in Chinese. It was quite an accomplishment! Very entertaining!

Lots of fun on tap for today!!!! My day starts off with a tee-time at Chaoyang Park Golf Course. I played well enough to enjoy the round, finishing 3 over par for nine holes. I played with Mark Saunders (England), and James Langile (Canada). It’s fun trash-talking between the three cultures. Mark played really well. I think he finished +1 over par.

Back home, Judy has been using her free time to adjust things around the apartment. She’s always looking for better ways to arrange and organize our stuff. When she gets a little free time, look out!

We get a call around 3:00 from Randy and Cindy Vaughn. They’re long-time friends from Texas (living in Houston). They’re in Beijing, as part of a 2-week tour of China. They flew in today with their group, and had some free time tonight. We taxied over and met them at their hotel for dinner. What a blast for us to visit with someone from back home!

The hotel is in an area of Beijing we’ve never visited before. I called Steve from BHSFIC who knew a little bit about the area, trying to get some “food” ideas. I needed several options. Cindy and Randy have been touring China for almost two weeks, and may be tiring of Chinese food. We ended up eating at “Lush”, a college/expat hangout that serves burgers, pizza, fries, etc. We traded China stories back and forth before getting a taxi back to the hotel. What a fun night!!

They have two more full days in Beijing (Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, etc.). They’re going to get a workout! I think Hong Kong is still on their itinerary before heading back to the US.

Our day is relaxing and great for recovering from the week just passed. Early afternoon, Judy headed over to Sanlitun for “who knows what”. I’m killin’ time, waiting for the Beijing Guo’An soccer game tonight at the Worker’s Stadium. I meet the group from BHSFIC at Great Leap Brewing (kinda like a BJ’s Brewhouse in the states). I had fries, a burger, and then some more fries. Even before the game, it’s been a successful night.

Steve locking up his new E-bike at Great Leap before we walk to the stadium.

After dinner, we walked to the stadium (2 long blocks). We worked our way through all the vendors and into the stadium. After the ticket gate, we went through a bag check, an electronic wanding, and a pat-down. Then as we started into stadium seating, we had another bag check, and another electronic wanding. They are really tight on security.

VIDEO LINK: PRE-GAME WARMUP FOR THE CROWD

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1s5sfr87ullh8c7/14.9.20.Guoan%20Soccer.MOV?dl=0

I can’t seem to take a good “selfie”.

L-R, Steve (Florida), Josie (El Paso/England), LaShawna (Florida), and Dr. Prettyman (Utah)

The game was fun. It was apparently a big rivalry game with Tianjin (nearby city). There was a big police presence in the stadium and near the field. I didn’t see more than 50 Tianjin fans. We all had a blast trying to join in on the cheers (not sure what we were trying to yell).

And Guoan scores!!!!

I almost forgot to mention some fun Judy had in class Friday (yesterday). She was teaching the Pre-K class and they were using scarves and “reacting” to the music. All was going well, until one of the students stuffed the scarf into the back of her pants, and began acting like it was a tail. In a moment, the whole class was trying to stuff their scarves into their pants, with varied levels of success. Those scarves will need some heavy-duty laundering!!  Oh well, sometimes ideas work, and sometimes they don’t.

The scarf class activity, as it was planned

The “scarves” become “tails”, and the class goes off the rails.

Nothing much out of the ordinary occurred today at either BISS or BHSFIC. I got home from school around 2:30, and spent the rest of the afternoon searching for classroom materials on the internet. Judy called around 6pm with instructions for Dom & I to meet her and Shannon at Homeplate. We headed over under skies that looked foreboding. The rain didn’t start till we after we got home. We had a great evening seated outside at Homeplate, eating BBQ & cheese fries.

It’s back to the grind for me today with early classes. After class, I worked in the room till lunch. After lunch, it was time to travel to the medical clinic for another visit to the “bone doctor”, as the nurses call him. Dr. Jin Jin reviews the notes from my last visit in early July, and takes another look at my x-rays. Last time I came in, he drained 25cc out of my right knee, and I immediately was better. I wasn’t pain-free, but almost.

This trip, he’s not so excited about working on the same knee. The original plan was to drain the left knee on this 2^nd visit, but the right knee still has more pain. With the admonishment that we won’t be able to work on this knee again for a year, he puts me on the table and goes to work. This time, there is more pain while he works. Last trip, there was enough fluid that he didn’t have to search hard to find it. This time, he probed around with much more conviction. He only got 22cc this time, but it feels so much better. Maybe this “fix” will last longer.

After the doctor’s visit, I returned to BHSFIC for the “Orchestra Club.” We have a few new students after the club fair yesterday. Rehearsal is fun and the kids are fun to work with. The only bad thing about these after-school rehearsals is the commute home on the train during “rush hour.” I’m always “beat” when I get home on Thursdays.

“BISS ON THE ROAD” is in full steam at BISS this week for the secondary students. Judy hasn’t been meeting the 6^th grade classes, so she has a lot of prep time to get organized for the busy holiday season of performances that always arrive earlier than expected.

Today is the “Club Fair” day at BHSFIC. I spend the morning working around the apartment. I taxi over to my haircut appointment at 1:00 (it’s been about 5 weeks, and I was getting shaggy). After the haircut, I taxied to school, arriving about 3:15. The Club Fair started at 4:00, so I have plenty of time to get my bearings. I really don’t have much to do except attend and let the students see me. I’ve got my clarinet, and I sit at our table, but the students run the fair. The president of the Orchestra Club has created a power point running on a projector.

It’s an activity to recruit students for the various clubs at BHSFIC. The students set-up tables around the auditorium/multi-purpose room with signs, posters, projectors, and anything else they think will entice other students to be a part of their club. I’m in charge of the “Orchestra Club”, and the “Band Club” (they think it’s rock band club, I think it’s a guitar club). There is also a club for composers (“Cloud Nine”), and a club for musicians wanting a music theory approach (“Philharmonic Club”). I don’t know who the sponsor is for the “Philharmonic Club”. I was asked to be in charge of “Cloud Nine”, but told them I didn’t know when we could meet (I’m only on campus 2 days a week).

There is tons of activity in the room and the students are really excited about their groups. It’s also important to them to have several clubs they can add to their college “resume”.  Most of the staff believe there are too many clubs, and the students would be better served with more dedication and focus on fewer activities.

Sushi on a conveyer belt. Fast food area at the Capita Mall. You just sit down and wait for your favorite dish to cruise by.

MONDAY, 9/15/14

The weather today is gorgeous. It’s clear, and not too hot. I stop by the wet market for some fruits and vegetables. After lunch I went over to Metro for our weekly grocery run. Later in the afternoon I decided to scout out some bike shops. I’m beginning to get the urge to buy an E-bike. Several of the teachers at my school have bought them, and are enjoying them. I’m trying to balance my desire to own one against the realization that it’s about to turn cold and I won’t have much time to use it before winter arrives here.

I got on my bicycle and rode around the neighborhood, checking out the different shops and pricing. There are some interesting options. On most of them, the battery can be pulled out, carried to the room, and charged. Prices vary based on the size of the battery, etc. No driver’s license is required if the e-bike has pedals (just in case the battery dies). Right now I’m leaning away from making a purchase, but we’ll see where I am in week.

TUESDAY, 9/16/14

It’s another beautiful day for a bike ride. I get moving around 11:00 and head over to the table tennis club. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve played. As usual, I’m anxious about whether or not I’ll find someone to play with. Many of the players come with pre-arranged partners.

I walked in, found my usual hangout area, pulled out my stuff, and began to watch some of the groups playing. After 5 minutes, a lady came over, and we exchanged pleasantries, as best we could with the language issue. She asked if I wanted to play, and I pulled out my net, set it up, and we started. We played for about 20 minutes before she had to leave. I sat back down, and 10 minutes later, another lady came over to play. We volleyed for about 15 minutes, and then her husband walked over and replaced her. He was a much tougher challenge, but my game has improved. Last spring, he would have destroyed me, but I was able to hold my own today. Every player has different spins and speeds, but I’m better at reading the changes, and reacting quicker.

They eventually had to leave, but as they departed, a younger guy walked up. I offered to play and he accepted. This guy played at an entirely new level for me. He started slowly enough, but I caught flashes of speed and spin I had never faced before. After about 10 minutes, he started trying to coach me. He struggled with most of his explanations, but kept working at it, and I eventually began to make some adjustments. It’ll take me some time before I’m comfortable with the adjustments, but I’m going to work on his suggestions. I ended up playing for about 3 hours.

On my way home, I stopped off at the bike shop and replaced the rear inner tube. I purchased a new one 2 weeks ago, but it has been losing air. I asked about fixing it, and was told 100rmb. I asked about a new one, and the price was 30 rmb?

Freshly repaired. I continued toward the apartment. I stopped at a nearby “gym” looking for a pool. It’s a decent place, but not great. I think my best bet is the pool/gym here in the complex. It costs 3000rmb a year. It’s not as nice as the other spots, and certainly not as nice as the Marriott.  Since BISS has moved their gym contract to a different hotel, it’s much less convenient.  I can’t beat the UHN location. It’s less than 50 yards, door to door, from our apartment building.

We decided to visit a new area today. Last Tuesday (9/9/14) I ate dinner with several faculty from BHSFIC at the Veggie Table. It was on a street/alley in the Wudaoying Hutong. I noticed a lot of interesting shops and cafes, so we decided to fully check it out today. We taxied over around 10:00 am. It’s not far from the Lama Temple and Confucious Temple, where we’ve visited before.

We walked the street, visiting the shops and doing some leisurely sightseeing. There were several new items we hadn’t seen before. It’s so hard to buy something when we know that sooner or later it will become clutter and have to be disposed. Selling our in home in Arlington before we moved reminded us how much junk we own. We’re doing our best not to come home from China with a lot of excessive paraphernalia. Selectivity is our “word of the year”. Only buy it if it’s really special.

One café was “cat” based. There were cat symbols everywhere, and cats wandering in and out the doors and windows, including the 2^nd floor. Down the street was a companion “bed & breakfast” with the same type sign and decorations. There was a “vampire” shop also. It was closed, so we didn’t get a chance to visit. I’m not sure what that was about.

Cats everywhere!

I’m not sure what goes on in the “V”.

There were photographers and “models” at dozens of places up and down the street. I don’t know if it was something official, or just random, but it tough to move down the street in a few spots.

We had a relaxing lunch at the Veggie Table. Afterwards we headed home to catch up on schoolwork and prepare for the week.

After the “excitement” of last night, we are moving a little slow this morning.  Judy leaves around 9:30 to run some errands.  I’ve been seeing ads around town for the FORMULA E GRAND PRIX, here in Beijing.  Formula E cars are electric, thus the “E”, and this is a completely new racing circuit with 10 teams, each with 2 drivers.  There are 10 races scheduled throughout the world (Rome, London, Miami, etc.)  They race around the streets like the Formula 1 circuit, and Beijing is the “Debut” of the circuit.

 The race is today, and the cars are running around the National Stadium (Birdcage) and the Water Cube from the Beijing Olympics.  How can I miss this?  I take the train over to check if tickets are still available.  I’m not sure about the schedule, but something I’ve seen mentioned qualifying laps scheduled for noon.

When I get off the train and come up out of the station, there are a few ticket scalpers around.  I check out some prices and the quality of the ticket they’re trying to sell.  Several of the tickets look genuine.  I eventually buy a 488rmb ticket for 400rmb, and it actually gets me in.  Although the signs for the grandstands are not easy to find, I finally find my seat in the grandstand.  Qualifying races are running, so the stands aren’t too full.

The qualifying races finish at 1:00 pm, and there are autograph sessions and several VIP activities on the schedule.  Without a VIP pass, I’m not going anywhere, so I find some shade and a bench and get ready to kill 3 hours.  The actual race doesn’t begin until 4:00.

I get bored around 2:30 and start nosing around, finding the pit area.  I don’t have access to the pits, but the back of the pits is only blocked by low fences, so I have a fun watching the drivers and their teams relaxing before the race under the shade of the trees.  It’s a beautiful day, and the shaded areas are really comfortable.

One of the drivers for the Amlin team

One of the China Racing Team drivers

VIDEO LINK FOR THE RACE START

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3qgkk4gvtwjd5d2/14.9.13.Race%20beginning.MOV?dl=0

VIDEO LINK AS THE RACE CONTINUES

https://www.dropbox.com/s/m5e4c9k8sh6475h/14.9.13.Race%20continues.MOV?dl=0

VIDEO LINK OF THE CAR SWAP

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vb8tw9y7q1jajvc/14.9.13.Race.Car%20swap.MOV?dl=0

As the race activities ramp up to the start, I head back to the grandstand, find my seat, and get ready for racing.  The format for the race is a one-hour race with each driver changing cars somewhere around the midpoint of the race.  The batteries in the cars won’t last a whole hour, so the car swap in the pits is an important aspect of the race strategy.  The race is fun to watch.  The E cars have a much different sound than Formula 1, Indy, or NASCAR.  I’ve got a decent view of Turn #1.  Most of the non-racing team members are seated around me.  The race ends with the 1^st and 2^nd place cars crashing on the final turn as they jockeyed for position.  One of the cars flipped.

The “Birdcage” as I was leaving.

Check out the length of the security line for people trying to enter the Olympic Park Area. This had nothing to do with the race. It was just bag-scanning for anyone sight-seeing in the area.