FromJackie'sBlog because I am too lazy to write:
Recent activities: Hosting my first multi-cultural Christmas partyLocation: Cammie's apartment (I insisited I would help her clean up afterwards...little did she know)Highlights: Realizing that inviting 50+ people under the assumption that only half of them will come is wishful thinkingHearing people from ten different countries, (none of them Hispanic,) attempt to sing "Feliz Navidad."
8th Annual International Ice FestivalLocation: Harbin-city of 5 million on the Russian borderHighlights: Surviving the 30 hour train ride en route to Harbin. Aside from sleeping and wandering the higher priced areas of the train where we were not supposed to be, much of our time was spent teaching our fellow passengers how to play "Go Fish."Climbing ice sculptures-the tallest was more than ten stories high- This year's festival featured replicas of Notre Dame, St. Paul's Cathedral, the Great Wall, a Korean City Gate, and....Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
Journey to the Matriarchal Society of Lugu LakeLocation: Yunnan province, Southwest ChinaHighlights: Leaving the tour group in attempts to discover any remaining fragment of "the real China"...land away from hostals and internet cafes. After hours of disappointment and wandering at high altitude, we tracked down a local Mosuo man in a cowboy hat (think "Marlboro Man") and convinced him to drive us over dark mountain roads so we could drink fermented apple-beer with a local family. The tour guide seemed extremely surprised when we staggered into the hostal, hours late for dinner. "Hmmmm" he smiled. I can imagine the hundreds of foreign tourists who must still be wandering near Lugu Lake, freezing and woozy with apple beer.
Gorging on all of the wonderful food we can't get in China!(Present) Location: Chiang Mai, ThailandHighlights: Auntie Annie's pretzels, mango ice cream, papayas, spinach lasagna, Mexican food, avacados, microwave popcorn, assorted juices, Ben & Jerry's, french bread, real hot chocolate, lime shakes....the list goes on.
Why can't any of these things make their way across the border? After days of high altitude and unheated hostals (I've never slept in a hat and gloves before!) We were overjoyed to descend into Thailand-current temperature 78 degrees at 8:43pm, home of palm trees, tuk-tuks (3 wheeled bicycles), elephants, mountain villages, and Asia's largest night markets. Aaaaaahhhhh, vacation. The next few days will include jungle trekking, trying not to get my hand bit off while feeding elephants, and as many mangoes and papayas as I can eat before heading to Bangkok on the 23rd.

Hey everyone, this is Katie, Cammie's sister. She wants you to know that she is unable to access Xanga right now due to the earthquake in Taiwan which supposedly interrupted internet lines b/w China and America. She will be traveling for the next 5 weeks, but will stay in touch as much as possible. Happy Chinese New Year!