10-21-12 Dream!!!

[seirra79]

I love living in China. And yes I've heard India stands for (I'll Never Do It Again) LOL my husband has visited there and agreed...LOL

We've been in Shenzhen for 2 years and just signed another 3 year contract. We are actually a 50 min ferry ride from Hong Kong. We go all the time! I too LOVE it...and there's a disneyland there too! Perfect for a quick family getaway!

I understand what you mean about your friend not wanting to drive...traffic here can be horrible!

That's great about your daughter! I've never done an ABD....they are pretty $$$ and I feel like you can plan much of what they do on there own...but then I think it's DISNEY it's gotta be great.....so maybe we'll go one day when both our boys are older!

 

[disneyholic family]

I love living in China. And yes I've heard India stands for (I'll Never Do It Again) LOL my husband has visited there and agreed...LOL

We've been in Shenzhen for 2 years and just signed another 3 year contract. We are actually a 50 min ferry ride from Hong Kong. We go all the time! I too LOVE it...and there's a disneyland there too! Perfect for a quick family getaway!

I understand what you mean about your friend not wanting to drive...traffic here can be horrible!

That's great about your daughter! I've never done an ABD....they are pretty $$$ and I feel like you can plan much of what they do on there own...but then I think it's DISNEY it's gotta be great.....so maybe we'll go one day when both our boys are older!

i totally think a person can do everything ABD does and for a LOT less money!!
but i guess for people who haven't travelled the world much it's a great deal. Someone takes them by the hand. I've never been much for organized tours, so i don't think it would be for me.
We like to explore on our own.

"I'll never do it again"!! that's so funny!! I was only in india once and only in the airport and it was MORE than enough for me. Our plane had a stopover in Mumbai on the way to the Far East (maybe Hong Kong? i don't remember. Maybe taipei? somewhere).
Anyway, when the plane landed the pilot said we could either stay on the plane and wait or get off the plane and then board again after an hour.
He warned us that if we chose to get off, we wouldn't be permitted back on until boarding time.
Well DH and i got up to get off the plane and we immediately noticed that only about one third of the passengers were getting off. Clearly, 2/3 of the plane knew something that we didn't. But we were about to find out.

the moment we stepped into the airport we were in shock!! And this was an international airport. I've never seen anything so awful in my life.
Of course we should have been clued in by the cardboard hovels that were just off the runway. People actually living in these awful things, just off the runway - totally insane!!

i wanted to turn right around and get back on the plane, but we had to wait..
i was pregnant with DD at the time, so it was even worse.....i won't go into the details of what the bathroom was like, but i'm sure you can imagine...

awful awful awful.....i've travelled all over the world and absolutely nothing i've experienced can come close to that (thank god)..

so when people say to me how much they want to go to india, i tell them they're NUTS!!!
which is what i told my friend before she moved there - but a job is a job.
although when they asked her husband to extend the contract, and even offered a lot more money, they said no. They'd learned there isn't enough money in the world to convince them to stay.

So it's easy to understand why they like china so much in comparison!!

 

[seirra79]

Beth,

LOL to your story of India....yeah that's pretty much what my husband said as well...it's soo unbelievably poor and dirty. Heartbreaking really....he tried to go out and walk around the town he was staying in...but he would be mobbed by gangs of small children begging for money that it was too much for him...so he spent the rest of his time there in the hotel.

China certainly has it's not soo good areas. But Shenzhen is only 30 yrs old so it's rather new...and there is alot of wealth here...being the first city into China from HK.

Sarah

 

[disneyholic family]

Beth,

LOL to your story of India....yeah that's pretty much what my husband said as well...it's soo unbelievably poor and dirty. Heartbreaking really....he tried to go out and walk around the town he was staying in...but he would be mobbed by gangs of small children begging for money that it was too much for him...so he spent the rest of his time there in the hotel.

China certainly has it's not soo good areas. But Shenzhen is only 30 yrs old so it's rather new...and there is alot of wealth here...being the first city into China from HK.

Sarah

there's a lot of wealth where my friend is too - the gap between the haves and have nots in china is HUGE....she lives in this gorgeous gated community with gigantic houses (as big as anything you can find in the US),,...they have a driver and a cast of thousands taking care of them....and the chinese who live in her community live exactly the same way....meanwhile there are those with less than nothing....so the gap is enormous....
you'd think that there would be civil unrest because of it...

are there a lot of americans living where you live?
where my friend just moved to there aren't very many americans....there were in Shanghai, but not where they are now..

 

[seirra79]

Yes there is a large gap in china....but I still think it's not as bad as india...they live in scwaler there. But yes I too am surprised people stand for it....being there communist and ALL is SUPPOSED to be equal....wink wink....but as you probably know China really isn't very communist...only in the social sense.

I'd have to say there's not as many bad areas here in Shenzhen...but alot of migrant workers from villiages. They come and work all year and stay in housing on property of their work and then go home for the week of Chinese new year to bring the money home and see family.
Yes i'm lucky to have an ayi (chinese for auntie) pronounces I.E. They can be a housekeep and or nanny. I use mine just as a housekeeper...I can raise my own kids ;-) But she doesn babysit for us a few times a week. But it's soo nice to have someone come and clean my house top to bottom twice a week for $15 a day!

There are ALOT of Americans where I live...they all tend to live in little burb of Shenzhen called Shekou and we even have a little district with import shops and western restaurants. I really should correct and say they are not just all americans...but westerners....from all over the world. SO it's great I've made friends with people from all over...it's great

I also love how everything is free delivery, including groceries. They have an online website and I can just click on what I want and then they deliver it. That is one thing I will really miss when we leave.....that and the housekeeper

 

[disneyholic family]

Yes there is a large gap in china....but I still think it's not as bad as india...they live in scwaler there. But yes I too am surprised people stand for it....being there communist and ALL is SUPPOSED to be equal....wink wink....but as you probably know China really isn't very communist...only in the social sense.

I'd have to say there's not as many bad areas here in Shenzhen...but alot of migrant workers from villiages. They come and work all year and stay in housing on property of their work and then go home for the week of Chinese new year to bring the money home and see family.
Yes i'm lucky to have an ayi (chinese for auntie) pronounces I.E. They can be a housekeep and or nanny. I use mine just as a housekeeper...I can raise my own kids ;-) But she doesn babysit for us a few times a week. But it's soo nice to have someone come and clean my house top to bottom twice a week for $15 a day!

There are ALOT of Americans where I live...they all tend to live in little burb of Shenzhen called Shekou and we even have a little district with import shops and western restaurants. I really should correct and say they are not just all americans...but westerners....from all over the world. SO it's great I've made friends with people from all over...it's great

I also love how everything is free delivery, including groceries. They have an online website and I can just click on what I want and then they deliver it. That is one thing I will really miss when we leave.....that and the housekeeper

well you'll be there for at least another 3 years, right?....maybe more...
i would think the only really difficult part of being there is being so far from family...
but you said you get 2 months a year for a home visit, so that's not bad!!

we also have online grocery shopping if we want it....but i'm old fashioned....i like to do it myself....plus i'm very friendly with the cashiers at the supermarket i shop at, so i would miss seeing them if i ordered online..

and for fruits/vegetables, i shop at a farm store....i could order from there by phone and they deliver for free, but i like to pick stuff out myself.....freshest, best tasting eggs you've ever ever ever had in your life!! they're from the same day you buy them!! and i hate eggs - but these eggs are really good!!
and unbelievably good produce!! really yummy

how's the medical care situation? is there a clinic you go to? do you have a western doctor? is there a language barrier?

 

[disneyholic family]

bumping the roll call list:

Roll Call for October 21, 2012 Disney Dream


jcuzzort1026 ??, DH, DD (8), DS (5)
tricari Tricia, Jason, DD (9) Frances, DS (7) Jack, DS (4) Joe, DMom Fran
Anjelic Jennifer Jennifer, DH, DD (12), DD (10), DD (8)
huey578 ??, ??
Doodle Mom ??, DH, D? (14), D? (10)
Morganr6258 ??, D? (8), D? (6), D? (5)
D73 Christopher, DMom Jean, DDad Larry
thecruisemom ??, DH, DS (12), DS (9), DS (4), DMom, Extended Family (5 cabins)
diane648 Diane, DH, DD (8), DS (5), 2 Grandparents
Birdie23 ??
poohbear926 Lindsay, DH (Honeymoon)
disneyholic family Beth, DMom, DSis
seirra79 Sarah, DH, DS (5)


Please feel free to send me a PM with corrections or just post them here on the thread and I will update the roll call as well as add new arrivals along the way.

 

[seirra79]

well you'll be there for at least another 3 years, right?....maybe more...
i would think the only really difficult part of being there is being so far from family...
but you said you get 2 months a year for a home visit, so that's not bad!!

we also have online grocery shopping if we want it....but i'm old fashioned....i like to do it myself....plus i'm very friendly with the cashiers at the supermarket i shop at, so i would miss seeing them if i ordered online..

and for fruits/vegetables, i shop at a farm store....i could order from there by phone and they deliver for free, but i like to pick stuff out myself.....freshest, best tasting eggs you've ever ever ever had in your life!! they're from the same day you buy them!! and i hate eggs - but these eggs are really good!!
and unbelievably good produce!! really yummy

how's the medical care situation? is there a clinic you go to? do you have a western doctor? is there a language barrier?

You're living in Isreal....right?? Yes we'll be here at least til march 2015...maybe more as you said...it all depends on what jobs are available in the states then....we may just hop over to HK and take a job there...it will be a lil closer to home..in the sense that it feels more western.

Yes you are right the hardest part is being away from family and friends...and of course we miss American culture and FOOD from time to time....but I always tell people the biggest adjustment hasn't neccesarily been living in a FOREIGN country...but that we live in a BIG city...the same can be said for the US...if you move from the suburbs to a BIG city it's a BIG difference...using public transportation, the noise, the hustle and bustle, apartment living...etc.

As for language barrier...believe it or not we do pretty well with the limited chinese we speak and Miming! LOL My ayi is chinese but speaks great enlish so she helps us alot.

There is a good women and children's chinese ran hospital...that "tries" to be as western as possible. I've been a few times for check ups and even took. My lil DS for xrays when we thought he broke his ankle. But for the BIG serious stuff we'd run to HK. It's not too far away...so if it wasn't life threatening we'd just go there...the saying here goes stabilize in China then transport to HK....cause if it's life threatening you'll take any help you can get.

I took my youngest DS to HK for all his vaccinations in his first year....to be safe...cause they import all vaccines from the US....a doctors office in HK looks and acts just like any office in the states!

My DH has been to a few chinese hospitals...and while DIFFERENT and sometimes a little dirty...they've served there purpose when he was sick!

 

[disneyholic family]

You're living in Isreal....right?? Yes we'll be here at least til march 2015...maybe more as you said...it all depends on what jobs are available in the states then....we may just hop over to HK and take a job there...it will be a lil closer to home..in the sense that it feels more western.

Yes you are right the hardest part is being away from family and friends...and of course we miss American culture and FOOD from time to time....but I always tell people the biggest adjustment hasn't neccesarily been living in a FOREIGN country...but that we live in a BIG city...the same can be said for the US...if you move from the suburbs to a BIG city it's a BIG difference...using public transportation, the noise, the hustle and bustle, apartment living...etc.

As for language barrier...believe it or not we do pretty well with the limited chinese we speak and Miming! LOL My ayi is chinese but speaks great enlish so she helps us alot.

There is a good women and children's chinese ran hospital...that "tries" to be as western as possible. I've been a few times for check ups and even took. My lil DS for xrays when we thought he broke his ankle. But for the BIG serious stuff we'd run to HK. It's not too far away...so if it wasn't life threatening we'd just go there...the saying here goes stabilize in China then transport to HK....cause if it's life threatening you'll take any help you can get.

I took my youngest DS to HK for all his vaccinations in his first year....to be safe...cause they import all vaccines from the US....a doctors office in HK looks and acts just like any office in the states!

My DH has been to a few chinese hospitals...and while DIFFERENT and sometimes a little dirty...they've served there purpose when he was sick!

interesting!! so you speak some chinese? mandarin? i don't think i'd ever be able to learn it....it's all vowels.....i'm pretty good at languages, but when i hear chinese, i can't even hear the words....it's just all metal scraping on metal....no consonants for my ear to grasp hold of.....i need those consonants to make sense of the sound...

yes, no jobs in the states - that's why my friend is in china....he husband still can't find anything in the states - he's in the manufacturing industry, so really few jobs available in the states...funny that the jobs went to china and then they hire americans to run their factories for them....not funny ha ha, but ironic......

yes, we live in israel....pretty much everything that you can find in the US can be found here.....food, good medical care, etc. when we first moved here, there were some things not available, but now pretty much everything is here...
except for Walt Disney World!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if only WDW were a little closer, life would be perfect!!!!!!!!

 

[disneyholic family]

by the way, Christopher says "hi" to everyone.

He's been on vacation for the past few weeks - in Oslo and now in Edinburgh....what a tough life!!

he said he'll be back soon when he'll start posting again - roll call, fish extenders, etc..

so not to worry - he hasn't forgotten us!!!!!!

 

[seirra79]

interesting!! so you speak some chinese? mandarin? i don't think i'd ever be able to learn it....it's all vowels.....i'm pretty good at languages, but when i hear chinese, i can't even hear the words....it's just all metal scraping on metal....no consonants for my ear to grasp hold of.....i need those consonants to make sense of the sound...

yes, no jobs in the states - that's why my friend is in china....he husband still can't find anything in the states - he's in the manufacturing industry, so really few jobs available in the states...funny that the jobs went to china and then they hire americans to run their factories for them....not funny ha ha, but ironic......

yes, we live in israel....pretty much everything that you can find in the US can be found here.....food, good medical care, etc. when we first moved here, there were some things not available, but now pretty much everything is here...
except for Walt Disney World!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if only WDW were a little closer, life would be perfect!!!!!!!!

I know what you mean about mandarin...at first it sounds like rubbish and hard to hear individual words...but you know the best way to learn a language is immersion...and after being here for 2 years I've learned quite a bit...and I can actually hear individual words now....I listen ALOT...always listening to hear words I know and then try to decipher what the speaker is saying...it's kinda fun. I do need to make more of an effort to learn MORE...keep saying I will...but then don't...I guess I get lazy because I get around pretty good with what I know now...LOL...typically lazy american!

And yes it is funny...sad that China has all of the US jobs...i'm hoping that once were done here that at least the aviation field will open up with all the baby boomers being forced into retirement in the next decade. Also it's nice my husband will have corporate experience...and he already has airline experience...he used to work for US airways. We shall see

And yes it's nice have disney soo close...in HK...it's so small...but that makes it cute...but they are building 3 additions...just finished the toy story land this year...which is cool!

Definitely can't get everything we want from the states...we get alot of good import foods...but not alot of frozen or cold items...and those are usually $$$. We can go to HK for some chain restaurants but they don't have any here in China

Thanks for the update on Christopher...I was just wondering about him...haven't had a chance to speak with him yet...and haven't been able to PM until my 10th post...I think i'm getting close though! LOL

I'm anxious to hear more about FE

 

[triciari]

by the way, Christopher says "hi" to everyone.

He's been on vacation for the past few weeks - in Oslo and now in Edinburgh....what a tough life!!

he said he'll be back soon when he'll start posting again - roll call, fish extenders, etc..

so not to worry - he hasn't forgotten us!!!!!!

So good to hear! I was getting worried about him!

 

[kmeyerholtz]

Can't wait to sail with everyone on our upcoming cruise!

 

[huey578]

Booked excursion. Palo and completed online check in today

 

[disneyholic family]

bumping the roll call list:

Roll Call for October 21, 2012 Disney Dream


jcuzzort1026 ??, DH, DD (8), DS (5)
tricari Tricia, Jason, DD (9) Frances, DS (7) Jack, DS (4) Joe, DMom Fran
Anjelic Jennifer Jennifer, DH, DD (12), DD (10), DD (8)
huey578 ??, ??
Doodle Mom ??, DH, D? (14), D? (10)
Morganr6258 ??, D? (8), D? (6), D? (5)
D73 Christopher, DMom Jean, DDad Larry
thecruisemom ??, DH, DS (12), DS (9), DS (4), DMom, Extended Family (5 cabins)
diane648 Diane, DH, DD (8), DS (5), 2 Grandparents
Birdie23 ??
poohbear926 Lindsay, DH (Honeymoon)
disneyholic family Beth, DMom, DSis
seirra79 Sarah, DH, DS (5)
kmeyerholtz ??

Please feel free to send me a PM with corrections or just post them here on the thread and I will update the roll call as well as add new arrivals along the way.

 

[poohbear926]

bumping the roll call list:

It looks weird with my name having a DH next to it haha AHHHHH. Cant wait for the cruise. Its been 2 months since ive been on a disney cruise but by the time this cruise comes itll be a good 5 months haha

 

[seirra79]

It looks weird with my name having a DH next to it haha AHHHHH. Cant wait for the cruise. Its been 2 months since ive been on a disney cruise but by the time this cruise comes itll be a good 5 months haha

Congrats on your up coming wedding and honeymoon. My DH and I honeymooned at WDW and then took a 3 day disney cruise...That was back in May 2000!

I wanted to get married at disney but logistically it just didn't work out...BUT I plan to have a renewal and anniversary party there for one of our BIG anniversaries...so i'll get to do all the things I wanted to do at our wedding.

You're having your ceremony at the GF WP? Can you get married in the gardens behind the WP? I think there's a trelis overlooking the castle?? I'd love to do a small ceremony there when we do...then have a nice sitdown dinner in one of the smaller ballrooms at the GF.

Are you doing a theme? Since its disney? We still did a cinderella theme for our wedding even though we didn't have it at WDW.

 

[disneyholic family]

Congrats on your up coming wedding and honeymoon. My DH and I honeymooned at WDW and then took a 3 day disney cruise...That was back in May 2000!

I wanted to get married at disney but logistically it just didn't work out...BUT I plan to have a renewal and anniversary party there for one of our BIG anniversaries...so i'll get to do all the things I wanted to do at our wedding.

You're having your ceremony at the GF WP? Can you get married in the gardens behind the WP? I think there's a trelis overlooking the castle?? I'd love to do a small ceremony there when we do...then have a nice sitdown dinner in one of the smaller ballrooms at the GF.

Are you doing a theme? Since its disney? We still did a cinderella theme for our wedding even though we didn't have it at WDW.

How did you do a Cinderella theme?
I'd love to do a renewal ceremony there sometime
DH and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary this year!
We married in1978 - labor day weekend to be exact. A long long time ago!

 

[seirra79]

How did you do a Cinderella theme?
I'd love to do a renewal ceremony there sometime
DH and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary this year!
We married in1978 - labor day weekend to be exact. A long long time ago!

34 years??? Congrats!!! You should TOTALLY have your renewal at WDW for your 35th....you have plenty of time!

Our Cinderella theme was subtle...my dress was reminiscent of hers...plus invites, cake topper, favors were themed for cinderella...but I didn't do baby blue for the color...lavender....as purple is my favorite color.

Actually the cake topper has a cute story. My DH proposed at V&A's....romantic right? We now go back every year we can on our anniversary. And after dinner that night we walked through the gift store in the GF and there was the cake topper...white porcelain of cinderella and the prince under a flower trelis....perfect...I themed the cake to match the flower work on it.

I feel really young as I was born in 1979! LOL...DH and I just celebrated our 12 yrs this past May...we married young....20 and 21...we're HS sweethearts

 

[disneyholic family]

34 years??? Congrats!!! You should TOTALLY have your renewal at WDW for your 35th....you have plenty of time!

Our Cinderella theme was subtle...my dress was reminiscent of hers...plus invites, cake topper, favors were themed for cinderella...but I didn't do baby blue for the color...lavender....as purple is my favorite color.

Actually the cake topper has a cute story. My DH proposed at V&A's....romantic right? We now go back every year we can on our anniversary. And after dinner that night we walked through the gift store in the GF and there was the cake topper...white porcelain of cinderella and the prince under a flower trelis....perfect...I themed the cake to match the flower work on it.

I feel really young as I was born in 1979! LOL...DH and I just celebrated our 12 yrs this past May...we married young....20 and 21...we're HS sweethearts

oh wow!! that IS romantic!!! proposing at V&A and going back for your anniversaries!!! i love that!!!!