Finally an update!!

I finally have some computer time to update. SO much has happened since I last posted. Of course I forget my disk with pics, but oh well. Here's a little summary to catch ya up...

End of camp and the Olympic Games - The last 10 days of camp flew by! My kids were a bit more rowdy this time around. I had a few favorites, but my first session kids were the best! We did a lot of the same activities like the first session - we had a talent competition, around the world, and a drama night. We also had a foreign teachers vs. Chinese teachers basketball game!! It was 7 of us foreign teachers against like 10 Chinese teachers - so they had more subs. I got a damn good work out I'll tell ya that! haha... we lost 48-18... but we had fun that's all that matters right?! The Chinese love basketball and they are pretty darn good. One of the highlights during the last session of camp was watching the Opening ceremonies with the kids and the Chinese teachers. Lindsay and I bought Olympic shirts for ourselves and treats to give to the kids. We then went to a bar to finish watching the ceremonies. Even if people didn't have TV's, they were on the streets watching the ceremony. The streets were quiet and eyes glued to the TV that was sitting in the window of the restaurant or shop. You could really feel the Olympic spirit all over China, it felt like I was in Beijing right there watching it. Even though I did not make it to the games, I felt so blessed to be able to watch them in China. The Chinese were so proud to host the games and they did a wonderful job!

One of our last nights in Zhuhai a few of us teachers hung out by the Fisher Girl Statue - the symbol of Zhuhai. I had been wanting to see it and hadn't got a chance while we were teaching. We brought along with us two bottles of cheap liquor - "white wolf vodka" (the name just makes me shutter thinking back lol) and some gin (I don't do the gin!). We got some juices and mixed up some cocktails and had good conversation. It was a nice way to spend one of our last nights together. On the last night I got to hang out with some of my Chinese teachers and got to know them a little better. It was hard to hang out since they were the ones who watched over the kids at camp 24/7. I got there number and emails so we could hang out back in Guangzhou. We had some good times in Zhuhai :) I'll miss it.

Guangzhou - Lindsay and I headed back to Guangzhou on August 12th. We took the bus back with some of the campers. I was very excited because Aaron was already at the hotel waiting for me and Linds. We met up with Aaron at the Guangdong Victory Hotel on Shamian Island, right on the Pearl River. It was a very nice hotel, a little pricey, but I was happy to be sleeping in a nice soft bed with lots of pillows. Aaron was pretty exhausted form the flight so he rested up after lunch while Lindsay and I wandered around the city and picked up a few souvenirs. That night Aaron still wasn't feeling so well, so it was just Lindsay and I who went out. We headed to Baeiten Bar Street - right across form Shamian Island on the other sid eof the river. We wandered around with a 22oz. beer in hand while checking out possible bars that looked cool to hang out in. Then, one of our Chinese teachers called us - they were out at a club and wanted to meet up. So we had them tell the cab driver where to take us. We ended up meeting at some club pounding techno music. I don't mind techno, it just wasn't very good techno. Linds and I made the best of it though since we love to dance. We also played the "dice game" with the teachers. I have no idea what the Chinese name is, but its fun. Our last day in Guangzhou we wandered around some more and got some Papa John's Pizza. We had a craving, ok?! haha...in the evening we met up with a few other Chinese teachers for dinner at a nice Chinese restaurant. It was soo good! It was so nice to be able to hang out with our teachers before we left China since they didn't get to hangout with us at the camp.

Hong Kong - From Guangzhou Lindsay, Aaron and I headed to Hong Kong. We stayed in a hostel in the Causeway Bay area. An area full of shopping - actually I felt like there was shopping everywhere you go in Hong Kong. You can defintely feel the difference between Hong Kong and mainland China. Hong Kong has a good public transportation system and we took the MTR (subway) everywhere and walked a hell of alot! Our feet were pounding by the end of the day because we wanted to see as much as we possibly could in the 2 full days we had there. While were were there we went to a lot of the ho tspots: Victoria Peak, Lang Kwai Fong, Kowloon, and one of the many night markets. Lindsay left for the airport around 4:30am on our last day. I was a little sad to see my partner in crime for the last month leave, but I was so excited for the adventure Aaron and I were about to embark on!

Ok, time at the net cafe is running out! In my next blog I plan to hopefully have pics and updates: Back to Macau, Singapore and Malaysia!

ENJOY LIFE! <3 Cara