The Fun Bunch!: Okay, here it is...

A few weeks ago we met another expatriate family who was in our city on business. They've run a representative company (Parent company in the States)for five years that creates educational materials, but first they research different people groups. They study them and interview them and learn about their customs and then employ an artist to help them recreate scenes of their lives. Then those things are turned into things such as stickers, or picture books, etc. in order to be sold to educational companies as supplemental resources. It's quite interesting. They usually don't bring the whole family on business trips to town but had heard of us through a mutual friend and wanted to meet us (and our children). We hit it off...so to speak. We have many things in common including children about the same age. We spent an afternoon with them and they showed us things about our city we might never have learned on our own. They live a few hours away and invited us to come visit anytime and they'd show us around. The thing is they are going to the states for a wedding and won't be back for a while, "So... come next weekend if you want," they said. We went. We took them a turkey for Thanksgiving (at their request) and set out for an adventure. We had to get our own transportation across our city, then out of the city, and get to the correct place in a timely manner. Not such a big deal after all (when your husband speaks the language like mine does....remember he can speak better than he can understand!) Well after about a one hour bus ride across town and then another 2+ to their city we arrived. Traveling by bus in this country is interesting. One sidenote is that there was a movie playing in the local language and we picked up a few new words...not sure we should have...KIDDING! Any
way. Every expat we talk to gives us conflicting information. It seems everything is true SOMEWHERE in this country. We made our first BIG blooper, but it turned out okay. We've been told NOT to carry with your original documents (i.e. passports, student id, etc.) with us, but to carry copies. I'm usually the one to carry them, however, we had just finished some paperwork a day or two before and they kept my copies. I forgot to replace them and we left our city without ANY documentation of who we were. When we tried to register at the hotel, our new friend asked for our passports. YIKES! I felt so DUMB!!! Because our new friend (let's call him Joe) has a business in their city and is well known AND because the King has all his numbers memorized...they let us get by. But we learned that you have to put down nearly three times the amount of a "deposit" at a hotel. WHAT!? It's a fine line knowing how much money to carry. We had enough, but we were also educated. Anyway. Because this family has been here so long it's amazing how good their language is and people tell them all the time. Back to the passport situation...we knew they were all laughing at us, but we also knew we deserved it!!
Moving on...they offered and we let the keep our kids overnight. That was a blessing in disguise. One of the challenges we have faced as a family since moving is husband/wife time w/o interruption. We live in an apt less than half the size of our house. At our house we could send them to their rooms or outside or whatever while we completed a conversation. Here...we begin MANY conversations we never finish. Ugh. So, it was nice to be able to TALK about some things that needed decisions.

We had such a great time with them. They showed us all around their town and took us hiking up into the mountains and into some villages where there are people they are currently studying. We saw all kinds of neat, cultural things. After all...we're not just here learning language, but culture. And the village we went to is a group we are particularly interested in because of their musical heritage. We went across a stream in a boat and hiked up the mountain past a unbelievable gardens and tons of farm life. Graves built in the side of mountains, Buddhist temples, gaggle(?) of ducks running past us. Sun setting over the mountains....beautiful.

We ate hotpot for dinner(a first for me) and it was great (pics later). You pick what you want to eat and cook it at your own table. But first we rode our first motorcycle taxis....ummm...was actually fun! I videoed, but it was dark. Haven't checked it out yet...The Prince's camera doesn't do the HiDef thing. Might make you motion sick to watch!!

Then that night we were able to participate in another cultural event and were invited to participate (sing) in a Spring Festival in March. I would have politely declined, but I wasn't asked...the King was. So...we're doing it. It will be interesting to say the least...I'll keep you posted.

There is more to tell about the weekend, but maybe later. We're Thankful or our new friends and can't wait for them to come back. We had a GREAT visit.