Elephants!!

McCall, Michelle and Rick got to ride elephants for about 1 hour on a trek through the jungle in Koh Chang. It was a very slow bumpy ride. Our rear ends got a little tired from the hard seat. At times the elephants would just stop and not want to move. Usually when the trail got narrow or steep the guide would have to poke them in the back legs with a sharp stick to get them moving!

Jacob, Brad, and Johnny feeding the elephants bananas after a long trek through the jungle.

Derek and Brad helped wash the elephant in the stream. They said it was hairy.

Rachel, McCall, and Nicole used a little scrub brush to help wash the elephant at the elephant reserve in Koh Chang, Thailand. They said the water was freezing!!!

Guangzhou, China

McCall, Derek, and Brad outside our hotel in Guangzhou (formerly - Canton) with the Pearl River in the background.

Along the Pearl River walking path people were exercising with swords. Also large groups were dancing to music.(aerobics) It was an "older" crowd!

We went shopping at the pedestrian street market in Guangzhou.

ASPIRING ACTRESS!

Such a determined face!

DECEMBER ACTIVITIES!
McCall was the mouse deer in the play - Why Are There No Tigers in Borneo?

This was an after school activity class that she was involved in since Sept. 2008!

BASEBALL!!!

Baseball in China!!!! The boys were invited to practice with the Shenzhen University baseball team. The University has no scholarships and most players started with limited baseball experience. Finding places to practice and teams to play is another challenge. They practice on the soccer field at the University and at Tongle Middle School where a serious middle school baseball team is being developed.


Coach Yu (red shirt)coaches Shenzhen University and Tongle Middle school. In the 80's he was drafted by the Yankee's farm club team in the USA. He came back to China and played for the Chinese National Team. He has coached several current chinese national players. He doesn't speak much english so sign langauge was needed.
Luckily several of the Shenzhen University players spoke english and were able to translate for the boys. The boys enjoyed practicing but were quite shocked on arrival to see the coach smoking on the field. It is interesting to see so many people puffing away in China. Especially people in sports and health careers. (Doctors)

Rugby Team

Brad, Derek, Lucas, and Jacob starting the game!
Here is the diverse team representing QSI rugby! The players/Coaches are from New Zealand, USA, Australia, Korea, Brazil, Japan, Taiwan, Israel, and Malaysia. They placed 3rd in the tourney.

QSI Rugby Tournament in Guangzhou!

Brad, Derek, Jacob and teammates are waiting for the game to start!

Derek was the Team Captain and won a medal for sportsmanship!

Winter Concert

The boys performed in the Winter concert. (required for a grade) They had to quickly beat these plastic tubes in their hands to a fast beat. It was very cool.

McCall is pictured here with 3 of the para professionals from QSI. They are dressed in traditional chinese dresses for the school's Winter Concert performance. McCall dressed in her own style of costume for the concert. She sang with her class.

This is a pomelo. A cross between an orange and a grapefruit.

View from half way up Nai Shan hill hike.

Family day in Shekou - November

Our family took a hike up Nai shan hill in Shekou. This hill has steep stairs leading to the top. There are over 800 stairs. When you arrive at the top the view is of Shenzhen Bay and all the way across the sea to Hong Kong. After the long hike we treated ourselves to the all you can eat Brazilian BBQ. Derek ate camel meat while Jake and Brad enjoyed OX's tongue. After consuming too much food we went for a foot massage. Foot massages don't just mean a foot rub. They massage almost your whole body for 70 minutes while your feet soak in a tub of hot tea. All this for the mere price of 38rmb which is about $5.50 us dollars. They also throw in a free beverage.

Misty Mays? NO McCall playing beach volleyball.

Logan National H.S. on Malapascua Island, Daan Banyayan, Cebu, Philippines.

Brad, Jacob, McCall & Derek in the water on the eastern shore of Calangaman Island, Philippines - Oct. 2, 2008

Scuba Girl McCall!! Yep, that's McCall getting ready to get into the water to go snorkeling
with her brothers and friends somewhere between the islands of Malapascua and Calangaman, Philippines - Oct. 2, 2008

McCall and her two buddies, Kate and Nicole. Kate is from Colorado and Nicole is from Utah. Both of the girls parents teach at QSI.

August in China

Rick 44th birthday celebration in our new home. It was also the first day of school.

McCall holding our first Dragon Fruit. It is soft, white and has what looks like poppyseeds inside. It is very mild in flavor.

Local wet market in Shekou. Strong fish smells. Michelle says yuck (Need to appreciate seafood)!

We just got off the ferry and into Hong Kong! What an amazing city.

These are the sidewalks throughout Malapascua. Sometimes we even saw people sweeping the dirt.

A fairly decent local home. There were many that didn't have as good of craftmanship.

Local bakery that we visited daily. They made fresh cookies, breads, and cinnamon rolls. Of course there were days when their generator went out so the treats weren't as plentiful.

Early morning catch!! Fishermen and women were hitting the nets with sticks to knock the little fish onto the tarps. Many of the little fish were stuck in the net holes.

GAMING IN MALAPASCUA

Redden Boys and Curry Boys played locals in a game of basketball. They had to bet 100 pesos to play or no game. WE LOST! Check out the locals feet. They play in thongs. That must have given them some kind of advantage.













The bidding is open for the first round of the local cockfight. This is their regular Sunday afternoon sport. Right after church. Afterwards, the winner and the loser share a pot of chicken soup using the losers roosters!










Lots of men getting people to bet.



















The boys are getting bored waiting for the fight to begin. Then it was over so fast. They weren't impressed. Thats probably a good thing.

Papa Johns Pizza Eating Contest!

Papa Johns Pizza Eating contest was held in the middle of SeaWorld. Representing QSI in the Pizza Eating Contest are Rick Redden(14), Marty Curry(6) Carl Braun(8) and Ian Hanson(not pictured)! They had to eat as many pieces as possible in 3 minutes. Rick got third place while Ian Hanson won. GO, FIGHT, EAT, QSI!
Jacob Redden(13), Brad Redden(12) and Michael Curry held up the kids ends of eating pizza for QSI. Derek Redden couldn't participate because he broke his 2 front top teeth earlier while playing basketball. He claims he accidently slipped on wet cement but maybe he just wanted to get out of school for the rest of the afternoon. He forgot about missing out on eating pizza.
Even McCall (27)got in on the eating contest. Of course I(michelle) signed up my whole family so I wouldn't have to cook dinner.














Just one more bite!!!! I don't think Rick is enjoying his dinner.

Soccer in Guangzhou

Rick and McCall at the Olympic Stadium.(just a name not part of real Olympics)

Derek playing defense for the QSI Dragons soccer team at tournament in Guangzhou.

Olympic Stadium looks as impressive as its name. This stadium is used by local pro soccer team.

Derek getting ready to play the next game.