Homesick??? Again???

I've spent the past few hours updating myself on everyones blogs and really wishing that I could have access to posting pictures. It sure would make this blogging more fun. I loved seeing all the pictures and reading about all my friends and family back home. The only problem is that it makes me a little homesick.

I got homesick like this last year about this same time. Really missing home and our family and friends back there. I really love the fall time in Utah with all the colors in the mountains. The leaves changing from their greens to the reds, brown, oranges, and yellows. Change always represents something new and exciting. I have always loved changes in my life but as I get older I'm not sure I like the unknown changes as much. I'd much prefer the seasonal expected changes that occur. The things that I know will happen but enjoy watching.

This time of year has so many fun and exciting things to look forward to. Not just the change of seasons from summer to fall then to my real favorite winter, but all the fun holidays. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. Yes we do celebrate them here but it just isn't the same as back home. Halloween in Utah was always so much fun to celebrate with our friends and neighbors. The kids would get so excited to dress up and go out trick or treating. It was usually a chilly night so we would always want to run back home for hot chocolate and then bundle up in our blankets as we sorted through the candy. We will go trick or treating here and dress up in our costumes but it still won't be the same.

The weather is changing a little bit. It's not so humid now and instead of being in the 90's during the day we are down to the 80's. Not enough change for me though. Call me crazy but I love COLD weather. Like I mentioned before...I love to see the changes from season to season. In Utah you just start to get sick of one season and then another one steps right in. Each one with it's own fun and surprises. Seasons here are Summer, summer, then summer again with a few months of cold (50's to 60's).

I know I'll get over my "homesickness". There are so many wonderful things about being here but I think I'm allowed a few days of feeling blue that I'm missing my favorite things back home.

Back to Chinese Living

Well, we made it back to China late Saturday night. It was a very fun week in Thailand but we are exhausted. Getting up this morning to go to school was a bit hard. We miss being able to be on facebook and post pictures but fortunately we were able to post them on our blog before we left Thailand. I can still type posts on our blog through a proxy site but not pictures. Rumor has it though that China will be lifting the blocks on facebook and maybe blogs. Some of my students told me about that this morning and sometimes they aren't the most reliable source but I had heard that the US was giving China pressure to stop controlling the media. They say it should happen sometime this month....we shall see.

Anyway, we are back to our normal routine. Volleyball and soccer take up most of our time right now. Rachel and I (Coree...I have to put that because Gavin sometimes posts on our blog too)will be going to Shanghai in three weeks for the big Volleyball tournament with schools from all over China. Jonny will have his big Soccer tournament here in Shekou that same week.

Our blog is linked to my facebook and appears as notes from me. The pictures can be seen if your click on the note. If my facebook friends want to read our blog and see pictures the address is therundells.blogspot.com.

Keep your fingers crossed about the blocks being lifted...you know I will be checking everyday.

Our Day on the Boat

We chartered a boat with the Galicias to go from Chalong Bay Pier to some of the islands near Phuket.

Rachel waiting for the boat.

Vika trying to stike a pose with the sun in her eyes.

Coree and I waiting by the pier.

Jonny at the dock at Chalong Pier waiting for our boat.

Right after we got on the boat Vika was very excited to go.

These are the islands we are heading for.

This is on the way to the islands. From left to right are: Coree, Chelsea, Nikki, Noah, Gabi, Jonny, Rachel, Gavin.

Rachel told me that this is the gangster sign for McDonalds.

James Bond Island

This was the highlight of the trip for me. This is called James Bond Island because it was where they filmed The Man with the Golden Gun. It was so fun to actually get off the boat and walk around. It has two rocky sections with a beach in the middle that is about 100 meters long. Right now they just sell jewelry and clothes from the little huts. It was still cool. How many Bond fans can say they've been to James Bond Island? Not many, I'd wager.

This is the view from our boat looking at the beach.

We stopped at one of the islands and rented sea canoes. A guide took us through caves around the island. It was amazing. We would literally be under the island at times and then come out in these rooms that opened up to the sky.

Nicole, Chelsea Galicia, and Frank Galicia

In one of the coves we saw these fish that would walk on land. They would slither and jump around on the mud then jump back into the water. Very strange. Evolution in the making?

Banyan trees in the mangrove.

We finally found a place to snorkel with lots of little Nemo's swimming around.

Snorkeling off of Kai Island.

Kai Island.