13 Nov 2011: Leeks, construction and music, what a combo!

Greetings all,
It's been a little while since I wrote..no business trips, no big events...just work (most of the time it's just that...work...not all the fun things I post here!) For whatever reason,  I really didn't feel the motivation to write!  So, here I am on a Sunday afternoon, cool outside (somewhere in the 40's today in the Sunshine), bright sunny days (at least until about 4:30 in the afternoon, when it starts getting dark).  China is on 1 time zone all across the country...and they never change their clock.  So all winter, we'll be 13 hours ahead of Eastern Standard time in the US rather than 12 hours ahead we were all summer.
As one of my Michelin collegues said, when you see the cabbages and leeks laying out to try and cool, here in Shenyang, it's time to get the winter jackets out...she's right!  There are onions, leeks, cabbages everywhere!

Leeks hanging to dry in Shenyang, China

As many of you know, we've been here for about 1.5 years now, and my job is with Michelin, building a plant to serve the China growing automobile market (selling all those cars, they need tires!)
We're making progress on the construction site for my plant...here are a couple of photos.

Sarah Miller in front of the Michelin tire construction site in Nov 2011

The Michelin construction site in Shenyang, Nov 2011

While I'm out at work, Rod has had the opportunity to enjoy a Chinese traditional music concert.  Here is a music clip...lasts about a minute and show cases some really fine musicians. Get your ear ready!

On additional thing about this concert was the pictures on the wall...Rod just had to have his picture taken with these guys in the background...how many can you name? (Thanks Julie Tovey for taking the photo..we've got yours too!)  Notice the camera above Mao's head...I'm sure Rod's on some surveillance footage somewhere...of course I'm sure we both have been films several times with the number of cameras here!

Rod with the Communist icons...Marx, Lenin, Mao, Engles, Stalin

So that's about it for now here in Shenyang!

Rod & Sarah

1 Oct 2011: Chinese birthday party and Chinese National Anthem tuba solo

Greetings all,
It's already October 2011...before we know it it will be 2012...it's amazing how time goes by so quickly.  The weather is turning cooler here in Shenyang...just a taste of things to come in the winter.  Fall (all 4 days of it) is really nice here...clear sunny skies and nice temperatures...just wish it lasted a little longer!

As some of you know, yesterday was my birthday and I celebrated in high style at the insistence of my driver. He and several of his friends threw us a traditional Chinese birthday party.  I didn't know exactly what I was getting into...which of course made it that much more fun!  He took Rod and I to the restaurant and surprised us with the crowd of friends.  When we walked in, there was a big table with a cake surrounded by 51 candles...that I had to blow out of course!  They gave me 2 nice chinese painted vases and a wonderful dinner and to make sure Rod didn't get left out, they gave him a tie!  It's hard to describe the generosity.  Here are a few pictures...they don't do it justice, but you get the idea.  The beer and cigarettes were flowing freely...eat a little, smoke a little, drink alot.   Mr Sun, our driver,  Rod and I were the only ones drinking sprite and not smoking..but needless to say, we all got smoked up.  Despite all of that, the atmosphere was very festive and we all really enjoyed it and were overwhelmed by their generosity for us.

51 candles await...what a way to start my 51st year!

"wish Sarah the birthday is happy"

Sarah & Rod Miller at Sarah's 51st  Chinese birthday bash

Our driver is the man in the orange shirt...surrounding him are his friends and some classmates he's known since he was 4 years old.  All these people helped me celebrate my 51st birthday here in Shenyang

Sarah and Mr. Sun...my Mandarin has gotten to the point where I can actually have a basic conversation now!

A tradition is for the birthday person to eat long noodles and eggs...symbols for long life and health.

All the gang after the Chinese birthday party

We have had a nice easy day today...got packed up getting ready to go to South Korea tomorrow as we have the next week off for the Chinese National Day (3 day holiday + 2 days of vacation).  Rod played the Chinese National Anthem today in front of the Chinese flag (actually between the US and China flags) in front of the hotel.   Here's a video of his performance.

For as nationalistic as the Chinese are, it's a little strange that they don't pay alot of respect for their National Anthem...but I guess there are those in the US that don't pay alot of respect for ours either.

Rod Miller playing the Chinese National Anthem on 1 October 2011 in Shenyang, China

That's about it for now...more to come after our trip to Korea...another first for us together!
Hope everyone has a great week!

Sarah

17 April 2011: Rod's Tenor Tuba playing in the Park...and other adventures!

17 April 2011

Greetings all from Rainy Shenyang,

Thank God for the rain today here in Shenyang.  After a long, cold, dry winter, Spring is trying to arrive in Shenyang!  The wild plum trees are blooming along with the beginnings of Forsythia now and hopefully with this rain, it will green up!  Many of you know, I've been traveling a lot lately, mostly to France in preparation for a major milestone in my work.  I'll have to go back to France in a week, so for the moment, I'm taking advantage of my time here at home...jetlag and all!

While I was away, Rod was busy here in Shenyang!  Many of you have asked what he does...well, in this update, I'll give you a bit of a glimpse into my wonderful husbands life here!  Many of you know that we met in the 202nd KY Army National Guard Band.  He was, and continues to be, a tuba player and I was a trumpet player (we will celebrate 28 years of marriage in a few days!).  Music continues to be an important part of our life together...and Rod continues to play, and draw a crowd here in China!

Rod goes to the local park and plays his horn (which we bought in Austria, when we lived in France...it's a smaller horn than the tuba, so it's easier to move it around!) When he starts to play, other musicians just show up and join in!  In this case, there is an accordion player, singer and a drummer...then the crowd just showed up. The grapevine must be pretty efficient here!

 

Rod and the accordian player in the park at Shenyang

Rod again with the accordian player

Rod drawing a crowd at the park in Shenyang

The musicians with Rod at the park...and their audience!

When he's not in the park, he's out exploring and taking snapshots of our surroundings.  This time, he went to some of the local markets.  1st stop was the fabric market (when he saw my fabrics, he had to go for himself!  He didn't buy anything this time, but took a nice picture of some of the fabrics!

Silks at the fabric market in Shenyang

I'm pretty sure one or two of these silk fabrics will become a Chinese silk jacket some day!

Once through with the fabric market, he then went right next door to the spice market.   In the spice market, there were all kinds of spices, in bulk. The pictures are interesting...but the smells just can't be described!

Peppers at the spice market in Shenyang

Peppers...peppers and more peppers at the spice market in Shenyang

Dried fruits and nuts at the spice market in Shenyang

Dried fruits and nuts at the spice market in Shenyang

Just outside the spice market, was another street market...by vendors for vendors!  Always interesting to see what the local, locals eat!

The meat market behind the fabric market...get your lunch meat here!

Buy your pork here on the street...I don't think this would pass the FDA cleanliness test...take a look around behind the meat on the table!

Once you buy your meat, then get your shoe or purse fixed in the market!

The Shoe repair man...at your local market here in Shenyang

So as you can see, Rod keeps himself busy while I'm working or traveling!  

Thanks so much for your continued prayers and thoughts as we've now passed our 1 year milestone here in Shenyang!  Keep those emails coming!

Sarah & Rod