Category: Living Simply

Alexandria, Christmas day

We hired a driver to go to Alexandria. We almost cancelled the trip because of the rain that was forecast. Here there is no drainage on the roads and dangerous flooding has been known to happen. There was rain and some areas that had standing water. It definitely took longer to get there.

At a rest stop I’m always on the lookout to try something different. I found paprika Pringles and basil seed drink. The Pringles are fantastic and the drink much tastes like a chia seed drink but the taste of basil seed.

We started at the Catecombs of Kom El Shuqafa. You can see Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture as some statues are Egyptian in style with Roman clothes and hair. The circular staircase was used to transport deceased bodies down the middle and leads down into the tombs. They were constructed in 200 AD. It was discovered in 1900 when a donkey accidentally fell into the access shaft.

Outside the burial chamber.
Inside the vault are carvings that served as protectors of the dead.
Tombs. Originally this was designed for a single family but it was said that horse remains were also found here.
This is a wardian tomb.
Inside a Tigran tomb. There is a front room, back room, and open court that is found inside the tomb. This was unearthed elsewhere in Alexandria and reconstructed here.
Stone with carvings of the burial process.

Next was the library at Alexandria. On the way I noticed there are still Radio Shack’s around!

The library in Alexandria is one of the largest collection of all media in the world. They had many artifacts on display and interactive exhibits throughout.

A piece of the Kiswah of the Kaaba

Downstairs is an antiquities museum.

Egyptian alphabet.
Egyptian god of the moon which is a blending of a baboon and an Ibis.
The top of sarcophagus of a child.
The torso of Hercules. There is incredible detail in the muscles.
Alexander.
Ancient sundial for tracking time by placing it facing the South to catch the sun’s rays. This is from 2000 BC.
The heads of the Canopic jars that held the internal organs. Imsety had a human head and carried and protected the liver. Qebehsenuf had a falcon’s head and carried and protected the intestines. Hapy had the head of a baboon and carried and protected the lungs. Duamatef had the head of a jackal and carried and protected the stomach.
This Mosaic is from the original library. It shows exceptional detail including the expression on the dog.

They also had art displays throughout the basement leading to an exhibit is Anwar Sadat.

Next we went to the citadel. There is a Greek restaurant called White and Blue that is a block away. You choose your own fish to be butterflied and grilled. It was delicious. We chose bluefish from the Mediterranean and a red fish from the Red Sea. It is not cheap but worth it.

Tahini, tzaziki, baba ganoush, seafood chowder.
We ate on the balcony overlooking the Mediterranean.
The outside of the citadel which has a lighthouse. Unfortunately it closed for the day right before I got there. Go early if you want to see it on your travels.

The start of year 2

I intended to write a blog post before now but the days have been running together. Things are still new: I moved to a new apartment so learning new places and being more adventurous and year two of biology is just as new as the first year as it is a two year program. I also am in an apartment where things are not done for you, so a little learning curve there. This includes getting my own police registration before I can get my work visa renewed.

But many things are easier this year. I worked hard at the end of last year to get materials ready for the start of this year and that has really helped. Much of the learning of Chinese culture makes each successive year easier as well.

I’ve spent days walking in different directions to explore my new neighborhood. Nearby there are three universities and their campuses are beautiful. This is at the Agricultural University.

This is in the park at the China Normal University.

I’ve been paying more attention to places to eat and buildings now that I know hidden gems are in these massive buildings and not really noticeable from the outside.

On a walk I always look at names of businesses too as they can be quite funny. This pizza place had my brothers name on it. I have yet to encounter a Chinese man taking that English name. And, there are also not many pizzas places here.

After living in Western PA, I’ve seen all manner of holding parts on cars, but I’m thinking the use of duct tape here may be for decoration?

I have also been walking along hidden paths in my building that connect adjacent buildings together. This little kitty is guarding antiques. Not sure what this space is for but other spaces have a nail salon, Indian grocery store, etc.

I still run with the Nike run club on Tuesday nights and I am much closer to it and get home a little earlier as a result. I also ran with a few members of the cross country team before school started (and the other coach) one morning before it became too hot. This picture is facing the river.

This picture is facing away from the river and the direction towards my apartment.

I have been going out to dinner to try new places. Some of the events are with Internations to promote meeting people from other cultures.

On the first day of school. My new assistant principal on the left, IB coordinator and curriculum director on the right.

I created a breakout box for my classes for the first day. This class had to get through 5 boxes with locks to get the vaccine to save us from the zombie apocalypse (and to get the carb treats for energy.) Fun!

I’ve gone running to various parks and get lost in other areas of the city. That is easy to do here.

Many intersections start to look alike but every once in awhile I recognize a place I’ve been and know where to go.

After seeing the pedestrian bridge I saw the Russian restaurant and knew I was on my road. Still a distance away but glad to know where I was at since I was running and getting tired…

After being gone for several weeks it was good to see construction projects that had been around for some time near completion. Here is under a bridge on the way home from the river. It is a great place to hang out now. They have sculptures of musicians and play music underneath. It looks as if a small stage is being constructed too.

I also upgraded my bike to a trek a friend was selling. On the way there to get the bike I saw my old friend the statue policeman. It is so funny.

At a local Japanese restaursnt.. I love the different groups that have great ideas for dinner. We had fun after school one day. There is always a different School bus to take for a different area and we all travel it together.

I joined a 30 day challenge as I have between deficient working and, weights, and squats. We meet for a killer workout at a gym then rewarded ourselves with good tasting food.

Last weekend’s Internations event was on the 65th floor of the Park Hyatt. Great food including sesame ice cream and a gorgeous view.

I met some people I had seen before and some new friends!! Sara is from Finland and teaches Chinese classes here. The other two are from the British school. Kim, the lady in the blue, gave me a fabulous company to take dive classes in Bali. I’m considering that for the holidays.

Where I used to live is in the smallest building in front.

And it is always great when you find all the resources you need in your new neighborhood. Finding a vet that is owned by the same company as the last one was great. They have the computer records for my cats and they are in walking distance!

Looking forward to more exploration!!!! Miss everyone back home and hope the last part of your year treats you well.

Views while Running

Coming back from a hamstring injury I worked at increasing total mileage and looked forward to running every place I went. A real motivation was the 300 km in 8 weeks challenge I out to my cross country team.

I started in Philly. I really do love that city. I posted pics earlier in another post.

I learned to get around Pittsburgh running between Ryan and Rebecca’s house.

By the bus station near liberty ave

Near PNC park

Along the heritage along the river downtown. Really nice place to run on both sides.

Running races with my friend Michele Belak.

Race to the Moon before the race which started at dusk. I came in 1st in my age group.

Bushy run battlefield run. I came in 1st in my age group and Michele came in 2nd!

I ran on some pretty hot days.

And also on Clearwater FL. This was on the bay to Gulf road.

I also visited my son at his work at the strip in Pittsburgh.

One day I traveled further to look at pictures of Becca and a few friends that were being displayed at Maggie’s farm.

Besides the pictures of birds I also snapped pictures of deer.

This is the little Fawn still with his spots.

July 4th

Pre-breakfast run at PNC Park and the point.

Good thing I ran 10k before having this massive breakfast.

Yes, we had this for brunch this morning at Ryan’s. Pancakes with home fries, shiitake bacon, egg, and hollandaise. Quite yummy and very filling.

With talk on what we should do for the day we made a last minute decision to go to Ohio pyle.

We packed sandwiches and snacks and headed out. There was a chance of rain and of course it did but the bonus is that it was not crowded. We were wearing swimsuits so it did not matter to us. The rain did not last long though.

It still was a beautiful day. I love these guys and had a wonderful time.

We went to cucumber falls to climb rocks around the water fall.

We climbed behind the waterfall.

A view from the top of the waterfall.

When in Yixing, go to a pottery museum

Why Yixing? I always wanted to go there after buying Marty Chambers a teapot made from the clay in that region. When looking for a half marathon to run, I saw this, it was during spring break and I thought it would be a great stop on the way back from Japan.

After a full day traveling to the Tokyo Haneda Airport, flying to Shanghai Pudong, bus to the Hongqiao train station and a train to Yixing, China I arrived late at night to a beautiful hotel.This morning I walked 1 km to pick up my race packet then walked back through a waterfront park.I found a great bakery for lunch. I did try to find better food, but I was very hungry. This is different than Guangzhou. Very few English menus and not many speak English. I know enough Chinese phrases but then do not know what they say back to me. However, I can get my point across and with the help of a translator app, it is okay.

The bracelet they give you for the race gets you into various places for free. Since I want to relax a little today, I only chose one and that is the pottery museum. I did some mall shopping too (I was actually looking for something to support my hamstring but found clothes and sushi instead).The museum was really interesting. I love pottery and fascinated by how the teapots are made.The museum honors the master teacher who had apprenticed several dozen craftsmen over the years as well as pottery through Chinese history.Beautiful pieces are found throughout the area.

This is a Cong, an sacrificial vessel. Each symbol means something. Spirits to guard the 4 directions (dragon, suzaka, tiger, tortoise), clouds are for happiness, and waves for tranquility. The dragon is not painted, it is embossed clay.Much of the old pottery was found where dragon kilns were excavated. Shards and complete pieces of pottery would be found near them. This is a mock up of what one looks like.Pottery was also buried with people in grave pits. This was found from the Zhou tomb of the Jing Dynasty. It was used to celebrate bumper harvests of fruit and grain. It is called a soul bottle when used as a funeral object.Each Dynasty had access to different clays, tools, and established new techniques.Ming Dynasty.Qing Dynasty oil pot and mould for making impression designs.Suri and Tang DynastyHan DynastyLate Neolithic age.Warring States period.

Elephant park again (this place is just awesome)

I am actually sad I left here. So peaceful.

After feeding the herd this morning we learned of how the mahout will report to the vet about the physical and psychological well-being of their elephant. One in particular needs extra nutrition and so we made rice balls with very ripe banana and other grains mixed in them til then to feed her. This is an older elephant that does not have many teeth left.

We also fed another younger elephant that is not drinking enough and it’s feces is dry and tough to pass. She needed another snack of peeled watermelon to help. Sorry no pictures as of hand were quite messy.

While we were feeding we saw again the one elephant that is not happy in any group yet is happy to be by herself. You can tell by her behavior that she is happy (ears flapping and tall wagging).

While having a siesta on the patio, we saw another elephant across the river that is so traumatized by the past abuse she is visibly upset and can be unpredictable in behavior. The park keeps them separate for safety while they work on gaining trust. An elephant that moves her head and trunk from side to side is not happy.

I also said goodbye to as many cats, dogs, goats, and water buffalo (they tolerate being close but not contact).

Water buffalo bathing. Poor joy!

We had a great lunch away from the compound overlooking the herd we had fed.

On the way back I liked the sticker on the van.

No goats, weapons, attacking others, dogs, alcohol, durian!!!, smoking. Love the signs here in Asia!

Elephant park day two

We awoke to elephants and dogs making noises because they know they will be fed soon.

After breakfast, we loaded packs with watermelon and banana to walk to the outer area where the family we are to feed is.

Once we arrived it was time to feed.

Here is a video of feeding the elephants :

We then learned about how they are working to stop local parks from bad practices. They bring in their own people for free and set up a program to show how they can make money and be humane to elephants. After the owners see a different way they look at the animals differently. Slowly they are making progress. It is easy to tell when an elephant is happy. Their tail moves from side to side and their ears flap.

Our tour guide was Apple. She said there are also 600 dogs and 400 cats here.

She explained how animal herds get along and their mannerisms. They are amazing animals. They are like every other mammal species. You have the trouble makers and those who just don’t get along. You also have those that want to help each other and be a friend.

We also watched a vet administer medicine to an injured one. He stepped on a landmine and the wound needs cleaned twice a day.

The mahout teaches her how to put the foot up. The reward is food. You can tell it still hurts and it has been 20 years.

The mahout is chosen by the elephant and gains its trust and can sense love. No one is assigned an elephant. There are 7 mahouts for the family we fed. Since an elephant eats 10% of its body weight, it eats 18 hours a day. Food has to be delivered overnight and they light fires to keep the older ones warm at night. Sometimes they must see the elephant every 2 to 3 hours. They do care for the elephants who chose them as a mahout. They are carrying, patient, and steady.

This was an amazing visit. A great relaxing way to start vacation!

Chinese new year

At school we had Chinese new year celebrations before dismissal.

The Chinese lion:

There were activities with painting, making Chinese crafts and more.

Around our area crews were planting different flowers and shrubs as sprinf is coming. Decorations are also going up for new years celebrations for the year of the pig.

The end of the semester

Wow. That is over. One semester under my belt! When they say it takes a year to get used to international living and teaching IB they were not kidding. It did not help that I agreed to coach cross country. Actually the athletic director kept visiting (badgering) me until I relented. Never mind I had already agreed to student government co-advisor prior as well.

For the new teacher awards I received the “dive right in” award for taking things on right away. There is usually a rule that new teachers don’t coach but they were short on coaches. It was tough but I survived. Our awards were printed on paper plates! We had a great celebration dinner that night.

Above, my friends Nicole, Killian, and Steven. Below, Nicole and Siqin (Steven’s wife).

A Chinese alcohol with gold flecks in it.

Anyway, the start of the year is a blur as I barely figured out the day to day back then. 5 months in I feel I have hit my stride. There is still a lot to learn but things are a tad easier. I say that now right before my students start their IA (internal assessment which is a full research lab and paper.)

What has changed?

  • Things don’t seem so over whelming. I learned to settle in and stop fighting what was holding me back.
  • I know where to get my basic supplies. That is huge. When you are foreign and here for awhile you need to figure it out. I have not bought too much online either. If I can’t find it locally I decide what I can substitute instead.
  • I have learned a few useful phrases. Microsoft translator definitely helps. I am now taking a Chinese course. This is a tough language to learn.
  • I know how to get around on the metro. In fact I know how to get around above ground walking many places I need instead of the metro. For those who know me, I have no sense of direction!
  • I DON’T know yet how to get around by bus. How hard can that be? None of the stops are in English. You may know what bus number you need, but you may not know where you need to get off the bus. Still very difficult.
  • Many of the places we were at during orientation I have now found on my own. They seemed far away from each other but not so on the map. This city is HUGE and not sure I will actually see it all.
  • The frame of reference you use to understand biology is very different for other nationalities. In my last school, some kids had different experiences than others. That is still true here, but my American lens is different from theirs. Not better, just different. I have a lot to learn and for those who wondered why I left the states, IT IS FOR THAT REASON ALONE. I can be better by learning from others. (This next statement is political as I do not believe in American exceptionalism: We are part of a bigger world. Time to learn from it.)
  • I made a connection at an exercise class that led to joining the local Nike run club with another teacher. I seemed like an outsider a few times but everyone now is so welcoming. They come up to talk to us (those who know English that is.) I used that same exercise group to make connections for biking. Knowing Chinese Nationals outside of school is going to be helpful.
  • Grading mid terms takes a long time. 2/3 of my test is free response (that is about 53 points). It needs to be so to get them ready for their IB test. My stack of papers I graded. Grading is a pain. The kids have a lot of pressure with these tests.
  • Take time to try something new. I printed a 3D ornament using the 3D printers in the innovation lab. While I was there I also played with the VR headset. We have a human anatomy program. My classes will use it next year. Here are pics of a colleague using it. It is seriously cool as you can choose disease states of organs, slice through sections, and step into the center of the organs. As I play I’m going to look at screencasting and see if student teams can create tours.
  • 3D heart:
  • Cats helped me by having something to come home to. I could just be carefree but like taking care of a critter.
  • Reflecting on where your are at now and possible plans for the future allows for many choices!!

Hakka village

In the rural areas, families lived in Hakka houses. Each house bears a family name like the Huang family hakka that we visited today in Nanjing County, Fujian province in China. Each new generation and addition lives in the hakka. They have withstood centuries with very thick walls and a round structure for security and durability. They originally started with a square hakka and realized there was too much fighting over who had the corners. They then built the round hakkas around it. There is only one way in and out of the hakka, small windows, and thick walls. Until the last 20 years there was not much development in the area and no police presence so this type of building was necessary.

This picture was taken above the valley where the hakka houses are. They are built in a valley at 700 meters above sea level. It is protected by the mountains around. The bus could not get down into it so we took steps all the way down and of course all the way back up the other side to meet the bus again. All I can say is everyone moved slowly as almost everyone on the bus ran the half marathon or marathon the day before (this tour was part of the package for the race including hotel and meals) . My quads were screaming.

Inside the hakka a family unit has a section that runs all 3 floors. The bottom floor houses the kitchen and many have stove “units” on the patio. The second floor is for food storage and the top floor has the bedrooms.

The centre is a communal space. Since it is open to the air, many have trees, animals like chickens, wells, etc. The well looks as if it is spring fed.

It was fabulous to see where the fruit comes from and see the care they have for the land and the produce.

Families were working and children playing. They had nesting dolls.

To help make a living some of the villagers sell local produce. Teas, dried persimmon, bamboo shoots, etc.

When we walked in we were invited to tea. The chrysanthemum tea was so much better there than any other I have had. To date it is now my favourite tea. I did buy some from them as well as dried persimmon and ginger chews.

Around the hakkas can be seen other kind of houses. But what is worth seeing is the terraced fields. We saw rice terraces as well as tea terraces. These are used to make green tea or flower tea (chrysanthemum).

This is a picture taken from the bus and is a tea terrace.

We also saw pommelo trees in the picture above. The fruit is so heavy it is hard to believe the trees can hold the fruit up. On a personal note, I love how the local wet Market has change in produce. Now citrus is in season and pomelo is something I buy every week.

The views around the hakka house are amazing. We saw large wind turbines on the ridge.

After the bus picked us up we traveled a little bit down the road and stopped to take a picture. This is the view of the hakka houses we visited from below.

And… Another picture from the top of the mountain.

A close up of the inside from the top of the mountain.