Marco Polo too: quandaries and dilemmas...

Thursday, August 28, 2008

quandaries and dilemmas...

well, I ended up resolving my dilemma, leaving it until the last minute before making my decision. I've decided to stay another year at Santai. Just picked up my new visa, which is good until August 19. The main reason for deciding to stay is that with the current visa situation in China, at least for the Tibetan areas, I'm not sure I could get back in to the places I want to be if I go to Thailand instead of working here. However, I'm taking a couple weeks off in October (Have already told the agency) and will go to Thailand to visit friends then. I sus[ect I'll be needing a break from Chinese schoolkids by then, bless 'em! Anyway. Figure I might as well save up a bit this year, and see what I can work out about getting u to teach in Qinghai next year. Alot will depend on how the situation evolves. I'm in Chengdu now, just bought myself some paints to keep myself amused for the next few months. Returning to Santai today, and am supposed to start classes as of Monday. So that's the latest newsflash...when I get back, I'll add Marco's message for the girls...

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Marco in Thailand and Cambodia

Hi girls! Aunt Kristel and I had a busy month, we travelled to some Tibetan places the first week of October, then flew to Thailand on the 12th. We loved Thailand, but I was a bit angry with her because she forgot to take me out of her bag on the beach. She told me it was because I couldn't swim, but I wanted to play on the beach with all the crabs, and look for seashells! It's OK though, because we are going back for another trip in Thailand, and then to Laos in the summer, and she promised me I can have a swim! I bet you didn't know mice could swim? We also went to some villages up in the mountains, and saw some people there who wore really different jewelry than we do. The women there wear really, really heavy brass rings on their necks, and some people call them the giraffe women! Look at the pictures, and you'll see why! We drove around for a whole day in the mountains, visiting waterfalls and beautiful villages, and guess what! The whole day we had a monkey in the back seat! It had no tail, and moves reeallly slowly, but it had a cute face, and big sad eyes. It liked to eat tomatoes and fruit. We went to one temple once, that had a monkey statue. Can you see me in the picture?

THAILAND TRIP October 12-26

...and I wish it'd been at least a month longer. Thailand is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries I've visited, and is one of those places, like India, that seems to get into your blood, and make you want to go back. It was great to visit old friends, make new ones, and travel the country the from southeastern corner at Cambodia, right up to the northwestern border of Burma. Depsite the fact that riots and uprisings seemed to break out everywhere I went or was planning togo, I didn't see any of it. My only regret was that I'd forgotten my own camera, so had to borrow one. That resulted in fewer pictures than I'd normally have taken, but meant that I took more notes, and wrote more. Yet another epic, I'm afraid, but hope you like it! There are more pictures on my facebook page than I've put up here...

Marco's message for the girls

Hi lunatics!
Aunt Kristel and I got the package you sent, and we put your drawings up on the wall first thing. Our flat is starting to look like an art gallery! Send us more!
And the cheese and dropjes were wonderful. I made a deal with Aunt Kristel that if she shares her dropjes with me, I'll let her have some of my cheese.
We are leacving tomorrow to travel north again! We are hoping to go camping on the Tibetan grassland, and ride a horse if we can find one! We'll take lots of pictures, don't worry!
The earth is still shaking sometimes, and now there is danger of a flood, so we think it is a good time to be going! Aunt Kristel has put some pictures of her friends and students under my message, so have a look!
from Marco - earthquake mouse!

Message from Marco to the girls

Hi lunatics!
Guess what happened to us this month?! Your Aunt Kristel and I were in an earthquake. It was pretty scary, because all the buildings were shaking, and it was hard to walk because the ground was moving under our feet. But we're OK. We had to camp outside for a few nights with all the students and teachers. For two nights it rained and we got really wet. But now the ground isn't shaking much anymore, so we will sleep inside tonight! Pretty exciting right! We didn't take any pictures though, because Aunt Kristel was too busy running out the door to think about taking her camera!
But now we are fine, and I think it will be a good story to tell when we are old and decrepit!
love Marco

Message from Marco for the girls!

Hi again lunatics!
It's been a long time since we wrote to you! But Aunt Kristel took me on a trip with her friends to some cool places last weekend, and I got to see some baby ducks! A family living near Aunt Kristel's friend was keeping the poor little ducks in a dirty cage and not feeding them properly, so she rescued them, and is keeping them in her bathroom until she will bring them to live at the school where she teaches. You can see me watching the ducks swim. They wanted me to swim too, but you know mice can't swim! So I just watched. Look and see how many pictures of me you can find!

bye!
from Marco

Hi Girls!

Happy New Year to our favourite lunatics from Aunt Kristel and I! We hada great holiday, and just look at all the presents Aunt Kristel's students gave us! I even have my very own little bag to go travelling with when we leave in a few weeks. We'll take lots of pictures and write lots of stories for you, don't worry!
We are going first by train to a place called Xining. You can ask someone to show you on the map! Then we will travel to some other places too....I am very excited!
We wish you all a really happy new year, and send our love, kisses, hugs and pokes!

Christmas message for girls from Marco!

Hi there small lunatics! Aunt Kristel and I re getting ready for Christmas here too, as you can see! I have my own small tree, but Aunt Kristel will have to sahre it with e, because we don't have a big one! Many of her students are giving her presents, so I will put them under my tree, and we will open them together on Christmas! I will take some pictures and send them to you later! I hope you are all fine, and have a good Christmas! Please give Grandma and Grandpa a hug from me on Christmas, OK?!
I'll write again soon...

Marco
xoxoxoxoxox

message for girls from Marco

Hi lunatics!
I went rollerskating with Aunt Kristel this afternoon, but couldn't take any pctures because I was too afraid to poke my nose out of her pocket, she was going so fast! But I had fun, and cheered for her this morning too when she had to run in a race! I know how to cheer for someone in Chinese now!
Listen:
Jai-o, jai-o, jai-o! That means, come on, come on!
AlsoI was looking at the painting competition with Aunt Kristel, and we each put photos of our favourite paintings
here for you to see. Tell me which one you like best!
Bye for now, (in chinese: Zai jian!)
from Marco