Hello all

Just for the record I want to say that I do not post a new blog unless something exciting happens that is worth writing about. If not then you will lose interest and well that is not my goal in writing this thing. So there will be periods of time that you will not hear from us because nothing is going on worth writing about. With that said I will tell you some exciting things that Dylan and I have been doing lately.

So since we have been back from the states we are coming to the conclusion that it might be awhile before we decide to come back due to flight fares and the awful jet lag. But we welcome our friends to come and stay with us now that we have this awesome apartment!!

At the end of February we moved out of our previous apartment and into one that is three times its size (maybe not exactly but its pretty darn big). We love coming home now to our little haven.

I have been super busy lately at school and around the community here in Shekou. (Sh-e-k-O). I am amongst a group (or few) that has a purpose of bridging the gap between expats (non-Chinese people living here) and local Chinese people. One group I am apart of is called Social Responsibility 101. We are working right now with a local Chinese school and my current school through a pen pal program with 9 and 10 year old children. The students have yet to meet each other and continue to write letters back and forth. On April 24th they will present art work for a local "hang out" here in Shekou which will represent how Shekou is Earth Friendly and doing things to help keep Shekou Earth Friendly. I am so excited about this event. Another event going on that I am apart of is having our students at my current school work with the local Chinese school in helping ot clean up a park together. This is such an amazing event just building the bridge between expats and locals on a small level.

Dylan is also doing many innovative ideas with his company as well. As stated earlier, he has branched off from the company where he first started when he came to China and is forming his own company with a great friend and colleague from his past working experience in the states. I think the phrase "never burn your bridges" falls into this category because you never know when you will meet up with someone again and fulfill your dreams and ideas. I am so proud of him in that he is going to school online, starting his own company which is an idea that came from scratch and no templates to follow so to speak, and being a wonderful husband in the end. Very multifaceted and I am proud to be married to him. He is supportive of me and I of him as well. His new project is beginning to take shape and come to fruition, which is something I feel by both Dylan and his partner that was once a concept but never really imagined it would be true. They are creating a site in which will allow many people from around the world to see how to import and export out of China and provide the "how" in doing it effectively through stories and experiences of others. Just "GOOGLE" sourcejuice and you can see for yourself.

On a lighter note, Dylan's first boss that brought him to China has his baby this past Thursday here in China. We got to visit the mother and the baby boy. The baby is HUGE but completely beautiful all in the end. I am still not a fan of Chinese hospitals. Here is some interesting facts about having babies here in China . . . . back in the states and even in Hong Kong you can find out what you are having (boy or girl). However, if you are local Chinese you cannot find out the gender of the baby due to abortions. Since the Chinese people are allowed to have one child (free) they want usually a son so that he will continue to carry out the family name. But if the Chinese person wants to have another child they have to pay a large sum of money to do this. This is how they do the "one child per family" law. If you see how many people live here it does make sense in the end. So that is why they do not allow to find out what the gender is or else they might abort it if it is a girl. Another interesting fact is that women cut their hair relatively short towards the end of their pregnancy (Chinese women). The reason behind this statement is that the extra nourishment that it takes to keep their hair long takes away from the babies nourishment. Not sure about that one but I do not think I will be cutting my hair in the end. The pregnant Chinese women also wear smocks that are lined with lead to protect their unborn babies when using the computers and what have you. They remind me of when you go to get x-rays and they put the smocks on you to protect you only these are lighter and not as heavy. I guess its a smart idea but definitely tacky to wear. Another friend of mine that I work with also had a baby too. She is from the states and so is her husband. They had the baby in Hong Kong which is about an hours worth away. Sort of like the distance between Suwanee and Northside Hospital for the Georgia folks. This is where Dylan and I are planning on having our baby when we decide that life changing event at a later time. Too many people want us to have a baby now and I am saying no until things settle with me changing schools and insurance plans next year we have to wait and no rush or worries at that. No pressure please from the peanut gallery. Trust me we will have them but on our own time which is not being told to anyone.

For my travels I am actually getting ready to plan some fun trips with a few teacher friends of mine. We are getting ready to travel to Beijing (FINALLY) and see the Great Wall and the other things you do when you come to China. We found flights for $200 round trip which is amazing being that they are now creeping up to $500-$800. We are leaving April 26th-30th. Then when I come back home I am leaving for Singapore the next day for a three day weekend with Dylan and a great friend of ours. Busy busy busy.

Things get really busy here in China between Dylan and me. We wait until enough interesting stuff has accumulated before we decide to post a blog. So know that something exciting is going on but we are waiting on a good time to post it. School for me has been super busy. I am also helping out with the high school play in choreographing 2 dances. I am helping out with the school's talent show and I am in two acts myself . . . The evolution of dance (Youtube) and playing the part of little red riding hood in a performance. Dylan, myself, and the founder of Social Responsibility 101 was featured in a magazine here in China called That's PRD. It was fun for awhile when the local Chinese people would use their best English and tell you "I sawr you before in magazine." hahahahaha. I feel pretty excited being featured. I am also taking up running now. I run in the mornings a few days during the week for about 30 minutes. I am trying to boost my time now and distance. Not for any particular reason other than staying fit. The air is better in the mornings and not many people are out that early either so that is why I bite the bullet and run then.

We miss and love you all. I am not sure when we will come back to the states. My wonderful and loving mother in law is coming with her finance this summer to stay with us. I am so super psyched about that. She is so uplifting and makes you feel warm and good inside which is the contrary of what I hear about mother in laws in general. I guess it helped by having her first as a friend before I met my dream come true . . . Dylan.

Well I think that is all for now. Post a response if you wish. I'd love to hear how you are doing.

Warmly from our family to yours,
Amanda and Dylan Blankenship