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December 2003

High-Points

• Bruce & Yanti make plans to teach English in China!

• Christmas in Bali 2003

• New years Day Dinner

In December 2002, I completed an intensive 4 week course here in Bali (at I.A.L.F.) that earned me a TESOL Certificate to teach English as a second language.  For those of you that have been out of school for a while and are a native English speaker, let me say "wow, English's some tough language to learn!".  For every rule about the English language, and there are thousands, there are hundreds of exceptions.  Hell, English has irregular 'plurals'!  1 tooth, 2 teeth!  1 person, 2 people!  I have taught English now in Bali, but only for 3 companies, a retail store, a restaurant, and a medical clinic.  Well, it's now time to take my skills up a notch!

Yanti & I have decided to spend up to a year in China!  I have accepted a position to teach English at a senior high school in Nantong, which is a small(ish) town about 2 hours by ferry from Shanghai!  (On the China map on the right it is between Shanghai & Nanjing) They will pay me a (small) salary; give us a free apartment on campus; give me free lunches; and even 2 1-week vacations; all over a 4 1/2 month period from February thru mid-June.  Nantong is ideally located along the Yangtze River, near Shanghai, near Nanjing (Nanking), and within a long train trip Beijing.  We hope to really see this area of China in our 4 1/2 months in Nantong.  While we are there, we will both take Mandarin Chinese lessons.  However, Yanti is the real linguist in our family and so, with me teaching, we hope that she will become fluent quickly.  When we return to Bali, this will open up some good job possibilities for her!

For the summer we hope to obtain a teaching position in some other part of China - the cooler northern area perhaps, near Beijing.  And then for the Fall, maybe the warmer southern area near Macau.

I've started an entire China section of the web site http://www.brucebriscoe.com/china/ with all the details of "Our Year In China".

We should finish up our year in January 2005 but are planning to be back in the states for several weeks in December of 2004.  Not only to visit with friends, but to be on hand for my parents 60th Wedding Anniversary!

Our next step here in Bali is to obtain our Chinese Visas; pack our belongings for the trip - mostly my teaching books and some clothes; get my laptop computer upgraded; and prepare to move all the rest of our things to our friend Bill Dalton's house near-by.  Bill has been kind enough to offer some space at his new house for our things.  We also need to sell our car; many of our DVDs; and many of our books!  This should be pretty easy.  Then it's off to China at the end of January!

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Christmas in Bali 2003

This is the rainy season in Bali, and this years been a wet one (which is good for everything!).  However, Yanti & I woke up on Christmas Eve morning to bright sun shine and cool temperatures (in the mid-80s).  We have two special plans for Christmas this year

1. Turkey Dinner on Christmas eve at a local eatery (Bali-Pesto http://www.wguides.com/city/191/87_293512.cfm ), and

2. Dinner with two neighbors, Neil Adams & his lovely girl friend, Komang, at our house for Christmas day

Our dinner at Bali Pesto was great.  Yanti had never had turkey before ("is it chicken?" she asked)  Here's a link to all the photos (taken by Yanti with her new digital camera) including the menu!

For Christmas day we invited two neighbors over.  Neil Adams (son of the famous artist Brian Adams (NOT the singer)) and his beautiful girl friend, Komang.  Our menu was:

Appetizer:
Chinese Dumplings with a Hosen dipping sauce and
Drinks

Soup:
Cream of Roasted Corn Soup

Entrees:
Roasted Free Range Game Hens
Twice Baked Potatoes and Chicken Gravy
Peas and Asparagus with a Lemon Sauce
Roasted Root Vegetables
Dinner Rolls with Herb Butter

Dessert:
Rice Pudding

All the while we had Christmas music playing.  Even though I miss my (larger) US Family & Friends, it really felt like Christmas.  Hope your Christmas was a fine one that found everyone healthy and happy!

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New Years Day 2004 & Beyond

We received my teaching contract from China and so we are now getting ready by applying for our Chinese Visa, packing, etc.  However, we still need to celebrate the new year.  So as a going away gift to ourselves, we got all dressed up and had dinner at the world famous Lamak restaurant in Ubud.  It consisted of:

Drinks:

LAMAK Mango (I had several!)

Appetizer:

• Asparagus Timbale with Lobster Mousseline and Poached Sea Shrinps

• Crab Meat with Young Coconut, Lime & Fresh Mint, between Crispy Won Ton Sheets

Main Course:

• Variation of Scallops served with Risotto Fritter:
     Mousse of Scallops on Saffron & Orange Sauce
     Seared Cajun Spiced Scallop on Mango Salsa
     Scallop Dim-Sum on Lime & Star Anis Dip

• Roasted Veal Cutlet on Polenta with a Fig Salsa

Dessert:

• Fromage Blanc Infused with Vanilla Liqueur on Fruit Coulis

• "American" Chocolate Cake

This was THE best dinner I've had at Lamak (and I've had plenty)!  A great way to ring in the new year and give us the energy to prepare for our adventure in China!

The pictures are on this page

Also starting with the next BaliUpdate it will be the ChinaUpdate and will be on our new web site: http://www.brucebriscoe.com/china/  Look at it there.

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Don't forget to check out 

• http://www.BruceBriscoe.com/china/ my new China web site is up.  I'll start updating it with all the great China adventures and pictures next month, but check it out new.

ü       http://www.BaliBeadedPurses.com Now Yanti carries about 20 beautiful purses and several beaded necklaces and hair clips!

ü       http://www.BaliTravel-Insider.com for all your Bali travel needs and questions!

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Merry Christmas 2003!!

Crab appetizer at Lamak

China

China & US compared

China
...Well, it's the rather large country above Vietnam and to the west of Japan!...