Hi Devinne,

Your blog is wonderful! Your title "Outside the Occident" is thought-provoking.

You've mastered the art of communicating with your public (family and friends). Your images are beautiful and give a true sense of how you're experiencing China. You may want to ask someone to record a picture or two of you.

Please let me know if there is anything I can do from here and whether you would like to share your blog with a broader public (my other former International Development students, for instance).

You definitely have a career as a political scientist and international development expert who knows how to exchange knowledge in different ways (and across space and time in an instant!).

Take good care of yourself (and avoid high altitudes).

With kindest regards (from your former professor who's bursting with pride!),

Renee Dankerlin

Haha, to the Morans and Nana, "hi" in Chinese is "Nihao" - it sounds like nee-how. You can take a look at some of my photos on the blog, I just posted a bunch more! And yes, the food has been fanstastic!

Dad, yeah, Shangri-la was great and no more altitude sickness anymore! I would love to send the blog to Mrs. Hume-Howard except - I don't have her email address. Did you happen to get it when you ran in to her?

For the Graces and Nana - I'm having a ton of fun! Yes, please post messages, it's nice to hear from people. Caroline - thanks for writing! Tell your mom and Nana that they should learn because it opens up a lot of opportunities!

Hi Devinne-

We were wondering how to say hi in Chinese. Sounds like you are having a great time and seeing a lot of the orient. It all sounds so interesting and we look forward to seeing all your photos when you get home. The food sounds yummy!

Love,

Nana and Uncle Bobl

Hey Devinne,

Sounds like Shangri-la was a nice place to visit. It seems that where ever you go the people are very friendly and go out of their way to help out. I hope your feeling better.

We saw Mrs. Hume-Howard at the Pondview this weekend and she said to say hi. You should send her your blog, I'm sure she'd get a kick out of it.

Love, Dad

Hey Devinne!

Sounds like your having fun! It sounds real interesting! Hope your being careful! We'll try too post message's offten. So long for now...HAVE FUN!

[Caroline is doing this and Nana is sitting next to me because she and mom don't know how to work a computer (:]

Devinne,

Love the pictures!!!

Your captions are pretty funny too.... "good thing you left your plutonium at home" ha! ha! ha!

Dad

Hi Devinne!

We're been reading your blogs and have been enjoying them! Sounds like China ia hot and smoggy, but it seems like you're making the best of it! So glad that you've met people to travel and sightsee with. We look forward to sitting with you, in front of your laptop, after you return home.

Be careful and enjoy your journey!

Love,

Jane, Bob and kids

Devinne -

Sounds like you're having a good time even if you do have a cold! The garden in doing great! We have two of the small watermelons growing ( one's about 5 inches round ), plenty of green beans, and the tomatoes are finally ripening. Jessica and Kit loved the greens I gave them! They both say "Hi!"

Hey Chris! I'm working on getting those photos posted, but it's difficult to find a fast enough internet connection around here. Hopefully in Xian I'll have better luck! The pack is doing great - it's comfortable and I'm not having any problems with it so far. Good to hear from you!

Hey Devinne!

Glad to see that you are having a good time! hurry up and up load photos so that i can see this the square also! How is the pack feeling?

-Chris

Opps, (see my last posting) I guess you can't cut and paste a execl spreadsheet into the blog. Oh well, it still shows all the cities that Devinne will visit, it's just a little difficult to follow.

Dad

Hey Devinne,

Hope your having fun in Bejing. It's only been two days but we already miss you. Please be safe and call or text us when you get a chance.

Love, Dad