Hello once again from the Philippines. We did not expect to be writing our Christmas letter this year from the Philippines as our original plan was to be home last summer. However, plans do have the tendency to change (especially over here) and Ray will be staying on with Advantek in the Philippines for an extra year (until July 2006). This was due to the fact that early this year, Advantek decided to transfer all of its MN manufacturing to Asia.
The girls have all kept very busy this year with various events and activities. Mariah (14) is now a freshman in high school. Last spring she got braces on her teeth, and is very excited about the weekly changes she sees in her smile. She has stayed involved in soccer, volleyball and band, and is also playing basketball this year. She has even played in some of the varsity basketball games, and may be traveling with the varsity team to the year end tournament in Japan in February. In band, she switched from trumpet to tuba, partly because it would be easier to play with braces, and also to help round out the sound of the band. We were very proud of here last spring when she received the Lawrence P. Martin award for the most conscientious outgoing middle school student at the all school award ceremony.
Kara (11) started middle school (6th grade) this year, so she was adjusting to the changing of classes and teachers for every subject. She has enjoyed the variety that middle school offers. In band, she is playing the clarinet, and has just started practicing for the middle school drama production next spring. She has taken an art class after school. Along with this, she is looking forward to soccer starting next spring. She has started to go to the driving range with mom and dad to hit some golf balls on occasion. She moved right out of the junior clubs in LeAnn’s old clubs.
Hailey (9) is now in 4th grade. She has her Christmas production next week, so has been practicing for that every chance she gets. She enjoys singing and dancing, and is trying to decide what instrument she wants to play next year. After school, Hailey has been taking a taebo class once a week. She has also been taking a computer class, where she has learned how to make PowerPoint presentations for special occasions that people have. She also likes to Instant Message with her friends all around the world when the time clocks line up. Hailey has also been joining mom and dad at the driving range
Because all the grades of the school are on the same campus, they all have the same start time and bus schedule. This is much easier than it would be back in MN where all 3 would be at different building with different start times. With their after school schedules, they all tend to ride different buses home and get home at different times.
We have been able to take some fantastic trips this year. Our Christmas picture is at the Great Wall of China. We spent about 10 days touring areas of Shanghai and Beijing last March and April. Ray’s family (his mom, (Karren), and sister and her family (Beth, Doug and Jack Bitney) joined us while on the trip. The contrast between Shanghai (new, modern, and cosmopolitan) and Beijing (historical, cultural) was fascinating. Although with the Olympics coming to Beijing, it is on a fast track to modernization. We rode through the old town area of Beijing in bicycle driven rickshaws, saw Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. One of the things that really catches your eye in both cities is the number of construction cranes and the changes that are taking place almost daily.
Karren and the Bitney’s then came down to the Philippines to visit for a few days and do some sightseeing and golfing. We all went down to Pagsanjan Falls and rode in dugout style canoes which are paddled, pulled and tugged up river to a beautiful 60 foot waterfall. After getting to the falls area, we took a bamboo raft under and through the falls. Depending on how many are on your crossing, the raft may be more under water than above water. Along with this we did some shopping and golfing before they headed back home.
Just before going home this summer, we went to Hawaii. Ray and LeAnn relived some of the places they had been on their honeymoon. We had a great view of Diamondhead out our hotel window on Oahu. Although out hotel was on Waikiki Beach, we spent most of our time exploring other beaches and locations around the island. Every beach was beautiful and special in it own way. We also went to Kauai. While there, we took a catamaran ride along the Na Pali Coast, which is one the most beautiful coastlines anywhere. We also did a lot of exploring of the many beaches around the island. Some were pounded by the surf, while others were very calm. The contrasts were amazing.
We have also been doing a little more exploring around the Philippines. In early November we went to an island called Palawan, which is south and a little west of here. Half the adventure is just getting there. We landed on a gravel strip which literally starts at the beach. From there it is 20 minute Jeepney ride to the pier where you are boarded onto an outrigger style boat called a banca for a 45 minute ride to the island. The snorkeling was just phenomenal, whether you were just off the dock at the resort, or in the lagoon areas, or out in front of the many islands dotting the area. We all went scuba diving for the first time, and also tried windsurfing. In the morning and late afternoon, the monkeys would descend from the hills in search of food. These were some new adventures for a formerly land-locked Midwestern family.
Through the Advantek plant in Shanghai, we found out that Tiger Woods was going to be playing in the HSBC Champions Tournament in Shanghai. We took the opportunity to go up and seem him play. The crowd was relatively small, so it was very easy to get up close to all the players. As a matter of fact, some of the groups had no one following them. It is very interesting and fun to see golf played at that level.
LeAnn went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with some of her friends from the booster club at school. They went over to visit a friend who had been transferred there over the summer. She got to tour the Petronas towers and spent a lot of time shopping and sightseeing.
We will end the year with a trip to Australia. We will be doing this instead of coming home for Christmas this year. We don’t expect to be any closer to Australia than we are now, so decided it may be our only opportunity to get down there.
Ray’s mom and dad are doing well, although we had quite a scare this spring and summer. After Karren’s return home from China, she was having some swelling in her ankles. After going in to the urgent care, she was admitted into the hospital for in depth testing and was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL). This is one of the more treatable cancers, and after completing 6 months of chemo, she is doing very well. She also had very successful surgery to remove cataracts from her eyes. Grandma Nanny is doing well as she approaches her 102nd birthday next month.
LeAnn’s mom is also doing well. She is back down in Arizona for the winter, and still playing golf regularly on the sand course just outside her park.
As our travels have allowed us to see more of the world than we ever expected, it certainly helps us appreciate what we have, both as a family and as Americans. The world is large, but it is true that is getting smaller due to the ability to instantly communicate around the world. Even though we are physically separated, we are able to stay in touch and keep up with what is happening back home.
We hope that you take time this holiday season to spend time with your friends and family.
