Update-

Hello everyone, friends and family. just wanted to briefly fill you in on how we're settling in here. Amanda and I finally have our teaching schedules finalized. We are now teaching in a place called Lushun, which is a 50 minute drive away from our apartment. It's not as bad as it sounds as we now only teach twice a week for the same pay and have a driver pick us up and take us to work. The school we are at is a satellite school to the main campus where we were originally teaching. The campus is located in an old resort hotel right on the beach. It's really a beautiful place, but kind of isolated, and the student's definately don't have much to do there. So we are doing our best to be a light to them there. We've only had class there 2 days so far, but the students are good and it should be quite an experience.
The town of Lushun has some military sites so it has limited access to foreigners, so it's kind of cool that we have "special" permission to go to this place. There is a BIGGER plan for everything! already have had some good conversations in my classes. looking forward to more. We are starting our first holiday here this week, National Day, and hope to do a bit of sightseeing. one week off! Amanda's birthday was today and we had a good time. Went to a nearby Ocean Park where we watched a dolphin show, saw some amazing fish (kind of like Monterey bay aquarium), saw some pretty big sharks, and then went to a great German Brew House. Sausages and beer! not bad. really nice place. found a DQ and bought an ice cream birthday cake for Amanda, candles and all, and celbrated her 22nd birthday! Finished the day off watching the season premiere of THE OFFICE> pretty good.. PAM AND JIM>>> finally.
anyway, just wanted to do a quick update and let everyone know we are doing well and miss you all. Will post some pics soon. Can also check our facebook or myspace pages for some pics. thanks for thinking of us and keeping us in your prayers.
oh. and I will do another post about the crazy singing thing we did last nite.