After Christmas in Dixie…

As some of you may know, my grandmother passed away in December, hence my unexpected trip back to the States.  I decided to spend Christmas with John in Asia and then head home the next day for my grandmother’s memorial service.  Although the reason I had to go back to the States was sad, it was very nice to get home and see some family and friends.  She had been suffering with cancer for a while and it’s comforting to know she’s not hurting anymore and she gets to see my grandfather again.  Her memorial service was a celebration of her life–she would have been truly happy to see it.

Although I was home for my grandmother’s service and to be with my family, it turned out to be a joyful trip, after all.  I got have ribs with family friends, have dinner with Whitney and Chris (I was in their wedding this summer) and even go to a UofL basketball game with my Daddy (thanks, Kate!).  Patrick and I got to spend some great time together and Mom and I bonded over chick flicks and shopping.  It was great to see my grandparents and cousins as well.  We all went to see “A Christmas Carol” in Lousiville.  I think we’ve seen the show every year for the past two decades, at least.  It was a great trip home.  The only thing that could have made it better was having John home with me!

At home, I also got make some fun plans!  My parents are coming to Asia to see us in March.  We’ll be doing Singapore, KL, and Hong Kong/Macao.  I can’t wait!  John and I also found out that we’re going to be an aunt and uncle to Baby Newkirk–Matt and Caroline’s baby on-the-way!  Steve, John’s younger brother also made a big decision.  He’ll be attending Furman University (John and my alma mater) in the fall.    Long story short, 2010 will be an incredible year full of blessings and amazing changes.

I hated that John couldn’t come home with me–I know that he misses the US, particularly our family and friends from back home.  Our adventure over here is absolutely incredible.  We are loving every minute of it and have been blessed with incredible friends in Asia, as well.  But I do know it’s just as important to have roots as it is to have wings and I am grateful to have a wonderful home, family and friends to come home to.

Stay tuned…John will be posting an entry on the weddings we’ve been to and his trip to Hong Kong soon.  Yesterday, I went to Thaipusam (the Hindu festival where they pierce themselves) so I’ll be posting about that.  Thanks again for stopping by–we miss you all!

Manila and Hong Kong–A Candeto Christmas!

As most of your realize, the trip from Singapore back to Kentucky or Florida is a rather lengthy one, taking more than a day in travel time.  Since we were just back in August, we opted to stay in the eastern hemisphere for Christmas.  We decided we didn’t want to stay in Singapore or KL, we wanted to do something awesome!  So, we went to visit our dear friends Patrick and Yoshie in Manila, Philippines, and then spent Christmas in Hong Kong!

When booking our flight to Manila, we booked a budget airline that flies into Clark, Manila, not the main Manila airport.  Most airports in this part of the world have budget terminals that are separate from their main international terminals so we thought nothing of it.  As it turns out, Clark is an old U.S. airbase located about two hours outside of Manila proper.  So John and I land and hop on a “direct shuttle bus” not knowing what to expect.  The bus took off headed toward the city.  Within twenty minutes, we were stopped at a rest area/bus stop combination where vendors boarded the bus and tried to sell their goods.

John with his pie and pork on a stick...

We were like targets sitting together at the back of the bus.  We ended up buying a box of mini coconut pies and some pork on a stick.  Granted, the pork on a stick may not have been the most intelligent option in the rural Philippines, but we survived.

Three hours later, we were just arriving in Manila.  Our bus driver was supposed to drop us off at a mall, but instead we were dropped at a bus stop located on the median of a busy highway.  Dragging our suitcases along, we were finally able to find a cab that took us straight to our friends’ apartment.  We were so happy to see Yoshie.    She made our day when she told us she had booked a couples massage for us in the spa in their apartment complex.  So, as she went to finish her Chinese lesson, John and I went and had all of the stress of the day massaged away.  That night, we went to a wonderful authentic Filipino dinner with Patrick and Yoshie and talked until the early hours for the morning.

Yoshie and me at the diner

The next two days went by so fast–I feel like we saw a lot in Manila!  We saw the historic area called “Intermuros” (where Yoshie and I got to see a wedding) and got to eat some wonderful western food.  Manila has more western restaurants than any city over here I’ve seen!  We went to a diner, a couple of cafes for tapas, to a few markets.

Our last night in Manila had to be the most eventful.  We went to a fish market where you bargain for the fish, prawns, crab, etc. then take them to neighboring restaurants to be cooked in any style that you would like!  We (Yoshie bargained) picked up some tuna, salmon, prawns, and squid.  The locals were most helpful in the choosing of the seafood and they even let me hold a huge fish!!!

The fins were still twitching...

We took them to a restaurant next door where the hostesses are men who are dressed like women.  That definitely threw me off.  We ordered kalamari (squid) chili prawns, and a couple of types of cooked fish.  The food was absolutely incredible!  I’ve never had prawns so delicious and the tuna was scrumptious!  To top it all off, they had a live band who played my request:  “Country Roads” by John Denver.

Our Hungry Husbands

After dinner we headed to the main event of the evening:  The Hobbit Bar.  The Hobbit Bar claims to have “the smallest waiters in the world.”  Walking into this bar is like walking into a hobbit house, complete with a big round door, roots on the ceiling, and pictures of Gandalf and company everywhere.  Here’s the kicker–all of the waiters and waitresses were little people.  Only in the Philippines would a place like this be possible.  Yoshie and I enjoyed a mango margarita while the boys enjoyed a selection of beers from all over the world.  John even got a t-shirt.

At the Hobbit Bar in Manila

The best part of the weekend was spending time with our dear friends Patrick and Yoshie.  They moved away from Singapore at the end of the summer and we miss them terribly!  Manila was a fun city, but being with them made it even better.  We’re going to have to have another adventure soon!

The next morning, we all went to the airport.  Patrick and Yoshie were off to Korea to spent Christmas with Patrick’s parents and John and I were off to Hong Kong!  We arrived late in the evening and after finding our friend’s apartment (thanks, Mark for letting us stay there) we were off to find a bite to eat.  We ended up at a Dixieland Jazz bar in the middle of Kowloon (across Victoria Harbour from Hong Kong proper) called Ned’s.  We listened to a band sing a mix of Christmas and jazz songs and even joined in with the rest of the Americans in the place for a rendition of Sinatra’s New York, New York.  After eating, we walked home on the Avenue of the Stars (Hong Kong’s equivalent to the Walk of Fame in Hollywood) which has a gorgeous view of the Hong Kong skyline.  Honestly, it is the most brilliant skyline I’ve ever seen!

The Venetian in Macao

The next morning, we woke up and headed to Macao, China–the Las Vegas of the East!  Macao is only an hour ferry-ride from Hong Kong and since Las Vegas is near and dear to our hearts (we were engaged there), we had to go!  We stayed at Hotel Lisboa, one of the classic Macoa hotels.  It’s the equivalent of the Flamingo on the Las Vegas strip.  The night, we ventured over to the Venetian (the second largest building in the world–large enough for every NFL team to play consecutively inside) to see the new Cirque de Soleil show.  We ended up getting first row seats which made for a fantastic show!!!  Before the show, we had an Italian dinner date night where we enjoyed a similar restaurant to where we got engaged (John proposed at an Italian restaurant at the Venetian in Las Vegas). After dinner and the show, we wandered around a bit before heading to our hotel for the night.

The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and started to explore the city a bit more.  We visited the Wynn and MGM and were impressed by what we saw.  The MGM had some Chihuly blown glass and the Wynn had a delightful cafe.  In fact, we sat poolside for a few hours and just talked.  Finally, we caught a ferry back to Hong Kong to do a bit more exploring.  That night, we walked around Kowloon (part of Hong Kong, but across the harbour from the main skyline).  We went to the women’s market where we found tons of purses, belts, shoes, etc. ready for bargaining.  Too bad we don’t speak Cantonese, or our bargaining probably would have gone better.  We then took the subway over the Hong Kong side and went to a few bars before calling it a night.

John and the Wynn in Macao

In the morning, we set out to really explore Hong Kong!  It was Christmas Eve and we were determined to see as much of the city as we could!  First, we ate some excellent dim sum (Chinese appetizers) and then explored a local produce market.  Next, we went for a ride on the world’s longest escalator/travelator that went up the hillside with a plethora or restaurants flanking each side.  Once we reached the top, we headed to Victoria’s Peak for the most spectacular view of a skyline I’ve ever seen.  It was here we ate our Christmas Eve dinner (thanks, Robin!).

View from our Christmas Eve Dinner

We ate at a steakhouse next to a window overlooking a spectacular view of the city.  I couldn’t believe it–it felt like we were spending Christmas Eve on top of the world.  It was beautiful.  Following a Christmas Eve church service, we went back to the apartment and went to sleep.  We had a big day the next day, not only was it Christmas Day, but were were off to….

Hong Kong Disneyland!!!!  We decided to spend Christmas at a place where we knew Christmas would be done right.  And, let’s face it, Disney’s got it down.  We rode the train out there and got there around 11:00 in the morning.  We spent the entire day riding rides (including Space Mountain, the Jungle Cruise, the Philharmagic show, etc.) and enjoying being around something so familiar.  The highlight of the experience, however, was Canto-Mickey.

My husband, Buzz Lightyear!

It’s true.  Mickey and his whole gang didn’t speak English–they spoke Cantonese (a dialect of Chinese).  We also saw Merlin trying to pull the sword out of the stone and yelling at it in Cantonese.  Bottom line:  it was hilarious.  We’ll try to get the videos on You Tube before too long.  Don’t worry–we have proof of Canto-Mickey!

The Disney experience was as perfect as it is in the States.  The only different was the language and the food offerings.  We were hard pressed to find a pizza and a favorite snack seemed to be squid on a stick.  We ended the day watching the “Let it Snow” parade, playing in the fake snow on Main Street, USA (yep, they had one of those) and putting on our 3-D glasses to check out the lighting effects in the trees.

Definitely two Disney kids...

That night, we returned to the apartment and called our families to wish them a Merry Christmas.

The next morning we took off from Hong Kong–such an incredible city.  It would definitely be a fun place to live.  Who knows–we may end up there one day… 

Thanksgiving in Bali–Mr. Candeto, there’s an elephant in the lobby…

Thanksgiving was coming up and we hadn’t yet decided where to spent the holiday.  They don’t celebrate it over here–instead it was an Islamic holiday called Hari Raya Haji.  John had a long weekend and I didn’t have class so we decided to go to one of the most famous places in southeast Asia–Bali, Indonesia.

We took off early on Thanksgiving morning from Kuala, Lumpur, crossed the equator and arrived in Bali in the early afternoon.  As we walked out of the airport, we were bombarded by taxi drivers insisting they take our luggage and get us to our hotel.  (We didn’t realize this, but Bali is a large island–not just a little hideaway in the South Pacific.  It can take up to four hours to reach parts of the islands from the airport.)  Fortunately, our hotel was only about an hour away and as we were purchasing our taxi coupon–we saw him.  A sweet Indonesian man wearing a safari hat yelling:  “Mr. John!  Mr. John!  Over here!”  Running up to us was Uru, our hotel’s van driver, who we would become close with during the trip.  While booking the room, we had requested an airport pick-up, but it was never confirmed.  And here he was!  Uru was a sight for sore eyes.  He loaded us up in the van and took us to our hotel:  the Mara River Safari Lodge.  Yes, that’s right.  A safari in the middle of Bali.

Pretty excited about feeding the animals!

Our room overlooked a “savanna” and was filled with zebras, elephants, wildebeests, and even a rhino named Nelson.  We even had an “animal feeding” bucket in the room that was full of carrots so we could feed the animals from our balcony.  So cool!  The pool overlooked the same savanna.  It was and interesting experience to be floating in a pool in Bali and to see a zebra stroll by.  After cleaning up, we received a phone call from our friend Uru telling us he was off work for the evening and he would see us in the morning.  That night we had our Thanksgiving dinner at the Lion Restaurant (thanks, Grandmother and Papaw!!!), a dining spot situated next to a lion enclosure.  Before we entered the restaurant, we had a chance to play with a baby liger–a lion and tiger mix.

With the liger

Although it was a baby, it was a pretty feisty little guy who would growl and scratch at us whenever given the chance.  Never thought I would ever get to pet a liger…Napoleon would be so jealous!

The enclosure in the restaurant had 4 adult lions (1 male, 3 female) with a separate enclosure behind the bar with a large male lion to watch you while you sip on your gin and tonic.  Just as we were enjoying our salads, we noticed large chunks of raw meat flying into the exhibit and the lions leaping towards it.  We found out later that this was kangaroo meat (very lean and healthy, we understand).  The only watering hole in the enclosure was along the glass behind which we sat (this glass was less than an inch thick–if the lion wanted to come through it, he would have had no problem).  As a result, we got up close and personal with the lions.  I have to admit, I was eating my meat very carefully, so as not to tempt the lion.

Pre-Safari Breakfast with the Lions

The next morning, we woke up to the phone ringing.  It was Uru telling us he had come to work.  With that, we went to breakfast in the same lion restaurant and gorged ourselves on a full continental breakfast including PORK bacon.  Most bacon in Malaysia and Indonesia is beef since both of these countries are Islamic and anything from a pig is consider to be “unclean.”  Unlike the rest of Indonesia, Bali is predominately Hindu.  Ironically, the Hindu’s don’t eat beef, so beef bacon is out of the question.  John and I prefer pork bacon (it’s what we grew up with) so this was a welcome treat after spending so much time in Islamic Malaysia.  After a fabulous breakfast, we were off on a Safari.  That day, we saw lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), elephants, white tigers, and even a few crazy monkeys.  We were also fortunate to see a piranha feeding.  Don’t ever stick your hand in the Amazon!  As we were walking back to the hotel, who did we see, but Uru?!?  He had come into the park to find us and tell us he was leaving for the day.  He knew we were changing hotels the following morning (we decided to spend half of our vacation at the famous Bali beaches) and wanted us to book him to drive us there.  He also wanted us to come over to his house to meet his wife and young son.  We politely declined.  After spending months in two different countries, this was our romantic get-away and we wanted to have dinner–just the two of us!

That is one big baby!

After a day at the Safari in the hot sun, we went back to our savanna bungalow to take a little break.  As we were getting ready for dinner, we received a phone call.  “Mr. Candeto, there is a baby elephant in the lobby.”  That is a sentence I never thought I would hear.  We hurriedly got ready and headed to the hotel lobby where we encountered the “baby elephant”–all 18 years and several tons of him.  After feeding him a banana and a quick photo op, we headed into the restaurant for another dinner with the lions.

The next morning, we were off to a different hotel, this time on the beach!  Uru was waiting for us at the hotel lobby after breakfast and off we went!  He took us on a small tour to one of the best “surfing beaches” where we saw little old ladies and children collecting beautiful rounded stones to be sold for the hotels for landscaping and floral arrangements.  We also saw some Hindu temples and some real Bali households.  A few hours later, we were at our next hotel where we had a small villa next the pool, complete with a nice front porch.  We spent the afternoon at a little beach bar sipping tropical drinks and talking.  That night we found a restaurant with tables on the beach and ate under the stars.  We were starting to really love Bali. 

Merry Christmas from Beautiful Bali!!!

The next morning, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast that was brought to our front porch.  We had fruits, eggs, bacon, and pastries and some amazing fresh fruit juice.  After that we enjoyed a morning of reading (me for my dissertation and John for fun) by the pool.  By the afternoon, we were ready to do a bit more exploring.  We headed to Kuta, the touristy beach of Bali.  During the day, this beach was nothing compared the beach near our hotel.  It was crowded with lots of tourist traps.  Kind of like Myrtle Beach when compared to Hilton Head.  I was starting to wonder what the big deal was with this particular part of the island.  Then, the sun began to set and I saw what all the fuss was about.  In the foreground were the shadows of surfers trying to catch one last wave before turning in for the night and in the background, the most expansive sunset I’d ever seen.  It was gorgeous.

Bali sunset

After this, we headed back to the hotel and enjoyed a traditional Balinese meal, then went for a swim before heading to bed.  Our flight back to KL was at 6:00 the next morning, so we hit the sack.  Bali was beautiful and we didn’t even scratch the surface.  We still haven’t seen the legendary rice paddies and temples that are populate the inner part of the island.  I guess we’ll just have to go back. 

Long time, no blog–update on the Candetos in Asia!

Hello dear family and friends!

It is inexcusable how long it has been since we’ve updated the blog!  As a result, we have lots to tell you about!  After this entry (which will be a general update), I’ll post three entries:  Bali, Philippines/Hong Kong, and my unexpected trip back to the States.  Then, it will be up to John to post entries on a few miscellaneous happenings, such as the wedding he was in in Singapore!  Thanks so much for coming back, despite our long absence!

Where to start?  We are both doing just great!  John is STILL on a project in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and will probably be posted here through April, if not later.  He’s been on a couple of projects in Malaysia and is really enjoying them.  We’ve moved to an amazing new apartment with an infinity pool looking over part of the KL skyline and a rain-shower in all the apartments!  I really love it and am grateful we have somewhere so nice to stay in the middle of the city.  We’ve really been enjoying our time in Malaysia.  We have visited a couple of the famous beaches and historical cities as well as really learned our way around Malaysia’s capitol, KL.  It’s a truly beautiful country with delicious food and kind people.

I have since finished all of my Masters courses and submitted my dissertation.  It should be evaluated within a few months at which point, I’ll edit/revise it then submit to the University for a final time.  I turned it in about a week ago and could not have been happier.  I loved my topic (Energy Poverty Eradication in India–a comparative analysis of government and business efforts and potential), but I was ready to let it go.  Probably explains my absence from the blog–I was sick of staring at text on my computer!  In short, I’m finished with my Masters Degree at NUS, barring any major catastrophes with the dissertation evaluation.  Now, I’m spending most of my time in KL with John until I find something to do work-wise.  I have a few things in the pipeline and I’ll be sure to post when something works out.

Since we’ve last blogged, we’ve been to Bali for Thanksgiving, the Philippines to visit our friends Patrick and Yoshie and Hong Kong for Christmas, and I went home to be with my family after the passing of my grandmother.  All in all, it’s been a busy few months.  John is currently in Hong Kong with his project group on a much deserved site visit/holiday weekend away and I’m flying solo in the heart of Malaysia.  Since John’s not here to distract me I’m going to update the blog with at least three more entries, so hold on…it’s been a most excellent adventure!

“Whatever you do, don’t hit the monkey!!!”

What a whirlwind of a weekend we just had!

As I mentioned in my previous post, last Monday John called me and said, “would you like to go to the beach this weekend?”  The rest is history and we ended up spending a glorious 36 hours on Langkawi, Malaysia–a little island close to the Malaysia/Thailand border.

Our adventure began at 4:30am on Halloween morning.  We decided to take the first flight to Langkawi on Saturday morning and the last flight back to KL on Sunday night so as to maximize our weekend island time.  We needed to leave the hotel at around 5:30 in the morning, so when John wasn’t up at 4:50 and we still weren’t packed, I decided to play the Monster Mash to wake him up.  Me dancing around to the Monster Mash at 5:00am was not amusing to John.  He told me I truly was “Scary Beth” 

After an hour-long cab ride to the airport and an hour-long flight, we touched down in Langkawi and headed straight for the hotel.

View from our chairs

Fortunately, the cab prices were set (this is highly unusual for Malaysia), so we had a very easy time getting to our hotel:  Berjaya Beach Resort.  We got in, had a HUGE “American Breakfast,” went to our villa (with a “15% ocean view”), and took a little nap.  Then, off to the pool/beach!!!  We had a beautiful view from our lounge chairs and enjoyed some tropical cocktails.  John and I have a problem where we can’t sit still for more than ten minutes, so a few minutes later, we were off on a jetski!!!  I think the island was even more beautiful from the water–it was absolutely perfect!  Crystal blue water, mountains right by the coast, gorgeous palm trees and a beautiful beach.  It doesn’t get much better than that!

Date Night on the Water

A little later, we had date night!  We went to a Thai restaurant about 100m out over the water.  We had some amazing green curry and bananas in cocunut milk and enjoyed a beautiful night view of the ocean.  The restaurant even had this huge spotlight pointing down into the sea so we could see the big fish swimming around.  It was amazing!!!  We enjoyed a wonderful conversation then took in some music at the lobby bar before hitting the sack.

John enjoying the beach and some fruit juice!

The next morning, we decided to go on another crazy adventure–we rented a motorscooter!  Have either of us ever driven a motorscooter?  No!!!  Well, John told me later that he did try once and that it was a failed attempt.  Hmm…perfect.  So glad he chose not to tell me until AFTER he had about two more hours of practice under his belt.  After the first bit, he turned out to be a pretty decent driver and I could loosen my grip a bit (I’m pretty sure he still has fingernail marks in his chest).

Funky Monkey in the Middle of the Road

The ride was beautiful–we went to a gorgeous beach (sipped from coconuts) then to a mountain top with a spectacular view and made it back in time to go back to the Thai restaurant for sunset.  We had several encounters with wildlife on our trip including a dead alligator (no kidding–it was in the middle of the road) AND we almost hit some monkeys that decided to dart across the street.  Now, I’ve heard of people hitting possums, turtles, squirrels, rabbits, deer, but monkeys?  Never a dull moment….

My view. Hello back of John's head!

Our weekend ended with a beautiful sunset over the ocean, sprinting back to the hotel lobby in a torrential downpour (it really is the rain forest) and a flight back to Kuala Lumpur where we started 36 hours earlier.  Whew…what an incredible weekend!!!

On our adventure!

Currently, I’m back in Singapore (John is in KL) and I’m finishing my last week of classes!!!  One more funny story before I end this post.  John and I had pancakes yesterday and, obviously, enjoyed some maple syrup on them.  Our sink is full of glasses that need to be washed (I don’t have a dishwasher here) so I left the plates by the sink.  Then, last night, I fell asleep on the couch and failed to run water over them.  I know–terrible housing keeping.  But, it happened.  This morning, I awakend to a dead lizard stuck in the syrup.  It gets better.  The lizard’s tail was on one side of the plate and the body was on the other.  I freaked out and called John in KL (I really have no idea what I expect him to do when I call him with my critter stories) and decided that that plate would never get washed–it was going down the trash chute.  As I picked up the plate, the lizard squirmed–it wasn’t dead after all!!!  Of course, I screamed, managed to put the plate into a plastic bag and sprinted to the garbage shoot.  I then called my Mom to report the story.  She laughed and instead of commenting on the lizard, she scolded me for my dishes not being washed!  Haha—-love you Mom.  I have to admit, that’s pretty bad. 

Back to KL for me this weekend and a nice week in Singapore until then.  Until next time, we miss you all and hope to hear from you soon!!!

FYI:  Our US number will forward to our Singapore phone numbers AND our Malaysia phone numbers depending on what country we’re in.  So–feel free to call us wherever we are!!!! 

Just Another Day in Paradise…

Greetings, everyone!!!

What a month October has been.  I can’t believe Halloween is this Saturday!  The weather here is no colder (it’s actually hotter) and the leaves are all still on the trees, so it still feels like summer time.  I guess that’s how time has passed so quickly.  I’m sitting in Kuala Lumpur in our apartment next to some beautiful roses John had waiting for me when I got here.  They were such a wonderful surprise when I came in after my journey from Singapore.  And, the best part is, I get to stay in Malaysia for more than a week so I can enjoy them (and being with John) for a while!  My sweet husband is definitely a keeper! 

This is just an update from your friendly Asian Candetos.  John is still working in Malaysia (potentially extended through January now) and is working 12 plus hour days fairly consistently.  He seems to be learning a lot and is sleeping lots on the weekends.    He’s promised that he will write a blog entry soon, so I’ll let him give you all of the details.

I’m in the final stretch of school.  Only one assignment, two exams, and a dissertation stand between me and a masters degree.  I can hardly believe it!  My dissertation will be turned in by 15 December and I will be able to enjoy Christmas!  John and I aren’t coming back to the US for Christmas this year, but we hope to keep in touch with all of you all through out the holidays.  We’ll definitely miss being back.  John’s work schedule is very much up in the air and we are hesitant to book something and then not be able to come.  We’re not sure when we’ll be back next, but we’re hoping it’s soon!  We’ll definitely keep you posted!

We are LOVING Asia right now.  We’ve had a really wonderful time getting to know a new city (Kuala Lumpur) and being able to have a “home base” (Singapore).  Kuala Lumpur, as I’ve said in previous entries, is a rapidly developing city in a developing country and every day here is an adventure!  For example, today, I was walking home from the grocery store with my groceries (maybe a 10-15 minute walk from our apartment) and a bolt of lightning hit and a loud clap of thunder followed!  Of course, I was startled, but I was even more frightened to find out that the lightning strike has knocked out all of the stop lights and I was about to cross a major intersection!  As you can imagine, traffic is quite crazy here–or can be.  So, I tightened my grip on my shopping bags and sprinted across the road behind a local, hoping and praying I wouldn’t get hit by speeding car or a stray motorcycle.  I am happy to say that I made it home in one piece.  Long story short:  every day is an adventure.

Malaysian Open

Since being in Malaysia, we’ve tried to do a bit of sight seeing.  One Saturday, we went to the finals of the first annual Malaysian Open Tennis Tournament and realized how much we miss playing!  Oddly enough, there is a tennis court right outside of our door in Singapore, but we have yet to utilize it!  We had wonderful seats and had a nice gentleman take our picture!  The next weekend, we decided that we needed to get out of Kuala Lumpur!  We headed to the Genting Highlands which is Malaysia’s version of Las Vegas and Disney World combined.  We saw a dance/magic/comedy show, had some delicious local food, and generally explored.  It was actually pretty cold up there, especially considering the kind of weather that we’re used to.  It was probably 65 degrees Fahrenheit.  To us, that’s cold!

The real adventure of our trip to Genting, however, was not the Las Vegas–Disney World combo, nor was it the local food.  It was the drive up there.  You see, in most of Southeast Asia, you drive on the left side of the road with the driver on the right side of the car.  Neither of us have EVER EVER done this before (we don’t have a car in Singapore) so this was an adventure in itself.  It didn’t help that KL is fairly hard to navigate (the signs for exits are posted AFTER the exit actually happens) and that it was a Saturday.  John did a fabulous job–we made it back safely and didn’t hit a thing.  I guess next time, it’s my turn to try.  Or, I could just let him drive. 

Uh, John, are you sure about this?

For the past few weekends, we’ve been at our place in Singapore (I’ve had school commitments).  We were lucky enough to have visitors from Manila one of the weekends (our friends Yoshie and Patrick who we met in Singapore back in December of 2008).  Patrick works for Accenture and is working in a project based in Manila.  He and his wife Yoshie came and stayed with us and we had a lovely visit with them!  We really wish they would move back to Singapore or to KL or that we could all be in the same city again for a while!

So…that’s what’s been going on with our lives!  On Monday of this week, John sent me a text message:  “Hey, what are we doing this weekend?  Want to go to the beach?”  Heck yes, I would love to go to the beach!  So, on Monday, we booked a little Halloween trip!  Tomorrow morning, bright and early, we’re headed to Langkawi, an island in the northern part of Malaysia (near the Thai border).  We’ll be sure to take lots of pictures and post them soon!

We miss you all very much and can’t wait to see you again soon! Check in soon for another update!

One last note:  Tomorrow is the big App St. game–GO PALADINS!!!!!

Good Moooooorningggggg, Vietnam!

Greetings all!

I am writing to you from Malaysia where John is working this week and I am enjoying my mid-semester recess.  By enjoying I mean doing lots of work sans class.  It’s actually been very productive.  John works from 8:30am until at least 10:00pm (if not later) every day, so that give me lots of time to spend with my books and the computer.  Plus, I go exploring sometimes.  Today for lunch, I ventured down a local street and found a “Tandoori House” with delicious Indian food.  Only thing that would make these little adventures better would be the husband! 

John and I had an AMAZING adventure this past weekend.  In Singapore and Malaysia, it was the Hari Raya celebration–an Islamic holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan.  It’s a big deal–think Thanksgiving weekend in the US.  John had a four day weekend so we knew we had to take off.  Where to???  Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), Vietnam!!!!

We each got about an hour of sleep then night before we left.  John had just returned from KL and I had to submit some school work before the break.  So—5am rolled around and we were off to the airport.  At the airport, to our surprise, we met one of John’s colleagues, Tony, and his wife Courtney.  They were going to Saigon, also!!!  We would end up meeting later in the trip for some dinner!  We boarded the plane and an hour and a half later, we were in Vietnam!

Our first day in Saigon, we got to the beautiful Sophia Hotel and zonked out for a few hours.  When we were finally awake enough to be pleasant to each other and everyone around us, we began to do a bit of exploring!   First, our room.  We discovered that a) the safe was not bolted down (John could easily pick it up), b) the shower head was bolted into the wall so that no person over five feet tall could use it, c) instead of hot and cold water mixing to make warm it just oscillated between hot and cold water.  It may not sound like it, but our hotel really was nice–a great place to relax after a nice day roaming around the city.

John cooking our dinner at the BBQ Garden

We set out for dinner (yes, we slept a lot) and wandered down one of the main streets in Saigon until we found a place called BBQ Garden.  It was an outdoor restaurant with beautiful Christmas lights hanging down from the trees.  We ordered some delicious fruit drinks (the fruit in Vietnam was delicious) then ordered some meat dishes and steamed rice.  When they served the meat, we noticed it was raw.  Hmm….interesting.  Then, the waitress lit a gas grill in the middle of our table and we got to cook the food right there!  We had beef, chicken, and pork, and a yummy banana crepe (yes, Vietnam was colonized by the French so there are lots of delicious pastries!!).  It was fabulous!!!

Next, we headed the Rooftop Garden Bar at the Rex Hotel as recommended by my good friend Ben Ray.  It’s where the US officers would go for a drink during the Vietnam War (or American War, as they call it in Vietnam).  It was a beautiful rooftop bar with live entertainment including a Grecian born, German raised Canadian living and working in Saigon and an Australian Elvis impersonator.  I can’t make this stuff up.  I have videos of these fine gentlemen posted on Facebook.  I’ll get John to put them on his You Tube site once he gets a spare moment…

Historic Rooftop Garden Bar. Elvis may even be in this picture.

The next day, we were off to the War Remnants Museum.  When we arrived, it was closed for lunch (apparently, siestas are common in Vietnam also) so we headed off to find a restaurant to grab a bite to eat.  We happened upon a little restaurant that had no food.  I kid you not.  No food.  They did have frozen yogurt though and the manager was so excited about it, he got it for us himself.  When we tasted it, it did not taste like the frozen yogurt that we like to think of.  No, it was not soft serve.  It was Dannon yogurt that had been put in the freezer and frozen.  Therefore, it was literally frozen yogurt.  Actually, it was pretty yummy.  We finished it and some lotus tea and were on our way.

Finally, we got the museum (it was open this time) and went inside to see the relics the Vietnamese collected during the war.  They had American tanks and airplanes, photo galleries of Vietnamese war victims, and all the anti-war propoganda you would ever want to see.  One thing I was very surprised by, having been educated in the US was the way the war was presented.  The South Vietnamese government was referred to as the “puppet” government of the US.  And, in the museum, Vietnam referred to the North Vietnamese as us and we.  I always thought the war had three parties:  the North Vietnamese on one side and the South Vietnamese and US on the other side.  The story at the War Remnants Museum tells it as much more of an us and them story.  As we walked out, we were greeted by a landmine victim who pegged us almost immediately as Americans, although we told him we were from Singapore.  I’m sure you can guess how that conversation went…

Post Motorcycle Ride. We're on a boat.

That evening, we went on a dinner cruise on the Saigon River.  It was John’s birthday present from me!  Our first taxi couldn’t get us there (we couldn’t communicate well enough to figure out why).  So, desperate to not miss the boat, literally, we found an alternate mode of transportation.  A motorbike.  A Vietnamese guy came up to John and I and offered to take us to our boat.  Hmm… I am wearing a white dress and this man wants me to hop onto a motorcycle behind him AND for John to hop on behind me?  Sounds like an adventure–let’s go!  So, all three of us hop on and we weave through traffic to the dock.    Let me explain something about Saigon.  It has a population of 9 million people and 4 million motorcycles.  I’m sure you can imagine what the traffic is like.  I’ve often heard it described as the worst in people have ever seen.  I definitely believe it.

The dinner cruise was fabulous complete with European and Asian fare, music and even a magician!  John and I completed our evening with a trip to a bar called Insomnia.  The patrons of the bar were all white men with Vietnamese women.  These women were not their wives.  I definitely felt out-of-place.

John bought me a hat! I was so excited!!!!

The next morning, we were up bright and early for a trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels just outside the city.  These tunnels were famous hideouts for the Viet Cong (VCs) during the Vietnam War.  These things were so tiny–you can see pictures of John and I actually getting inside of them.  Some of the village people lived in them for years.  I can’t imagine doing that–I would go crazy!  Our introduction to the tunnels was a propaganda video that we weren’t too fond of, but then we got to do a bit of exploring which was really eye opening.

In the tunnel. That thing was tiny!

The VCs set up traps for the American GIs (as in giant camouflaged pits with sharp bamboo sticks in them) and popped out of these crazy tunnels (see picture to the right) to capture any Americans that stayed behind to try to help a wounded GI.  You have to respect the ingenuity of the VCs but it really made me feel for the South Vietnamese and the Americans.

John in the tunnel. Yes, he is standing on the ground.

I can’t imagine being in a jungle with camouflaged tunnels and traps everywhere, not knowing where the enemy will come from next.  The more I walked around and saw what the war really looked like (without the guns, bombs, and bullets even) the more it really made me stop and think.

We also got to crawl through some of the tunnels.  They had one for “big western tourists” as they put it.  It was 100m long–John and I both completed that.  Then, we went down to an original tunnel.

John and I inside one of the "real" passages. Notice the size!

You can’t believe how tiny it was.  Apparently, the VCs were able to bend over at the waist and walk through, but I had to crawl on my hands and knees the tunnel was so small.  We can out dirty, hot and sweaty and with a new respect for that war altogether.  It truly was an amazing and enlightening experience.

On our way back to the city, we stopped at a local farm and learned how to make incense!  We even got to step into a rice paddy.  It was the most gorgeous thing–so peaceful.  I even stuck my hand down into the water (probably not the smartest idea) and pulled out a huge snail!!!  What a gorgeous gorgeous place!!!!

In the beautiful rice paddy

When we got back to Saigon, we met up with our friends Tony and Courtney for dinner.  We went to a Claypot Rice restaurant where we tried some chargrilled claypot rice.  They cook the rice in a claypot and grill it.  Once it’s grilled, the rice on the outside of the riceball becomes hard and keeps it’s shape, so they have to use a hammer and break the claypot off (John loved this part because things were being broken).  They then proceed to through the rice ball across the restaurant and catch it on a plate at the other end before it is served.  After all of this, the results are quite yummy!!!!!  We had a delightful dinner of pepper beef, braised pork, sweet and sour cauliflower and the biggest omelette you have ever seen!  It was great to be able to share a wonderful meal with our friends!

My attempt at photographing the traffic. This picture makes it look tame.

After dinner it was off to the night market!!!  Prices in Vietnam are unbelievable!  I’ve been eyeing a large platter in Singapore for the past year–it’s price is a slightly over US$100.  In Vietnam, we got it for US$25.  I also bought a complete tea set (including tea pot and serving tray) for US$11.00.  We bargained that down from about US$25.00.  The night market was amazing!

We went back to our hotel for last last evening in Saigon.  Early in the morning we were off to Singapore to catch a coach back up to Kuala Lumpur.  Saigon was an AMAZING city–probably my favorite city I have visited since we’ve been over here.  There are barely any food chains (no McDonalds in Vietnam) and all of the food we had was fantastic.  Despite the propaganda, the locals were very friendly to us, despite the fact we’re American.  And, traffic aside, we found it to be a very safe city.

John and I are in KL until Friday when we head back to Singapore for the Formula 1 Race.  Next week, it’s back to KL for John and back to school for me.  I am going back to Indonesia next Friday to teach English at the children’s home, then heading back up to KL to spend the weekend with my sweet husband.  Loving life right now!!! 

Hope you are all well, wherever you are reading this.  Drop us a line!!!  We’d love to hear from you!!!!

What country are we in, again?

Dear Blog Readers,

Wow.  And I thought our trip back to the States was a whirlwind.  We’ve been back over a month now and I can’t believe it has already been that long!  I feel like we haven’t stopped and there’s no sign of slowing down anytime soon!  We wouldn’t have it any other way .  Here is what’s happening in the lives of the Candetos in Asia…

We have moved.  We’ve moved to a new apartment!

From our living room into our kitchen--look at all the space!!!!

I’ve sent our new address to a few of you, but if you haven’t received it an would like it, drop me a note!  Our new apartment is closer to the MRT (train) and in a more local area.  This means we have better access to the city AND to local food, bakeries, stores, etc.

Our beautiful swimming pool!!!

Our new place is about 600 square feet–about 2.5 to 3 times the size of our old place!  We have a kitchen, living area, etc.  I’ll post more pictures once I get it looking good!

I’m in my last semester of Grad School!  Two days after we returned, I started my last semester of my Master’s degree.  I’m currently taking three classes and working on my dissertation.  I’ll be finished (God willing) on 15 December!  A WONDERFUL Christmas present!!!  My dissertation is kind of a “developed world meets developing world” piece.  I’m studying sustainable energy potential of developing countries and the ways that developed countries could help the poorer nations realize this potential.  My particular interests include technology transfer, business model transfers, and the social implications of these transfers.  I’m just beginning and I’m sure it will evolve as bit as I write. I’m also still teaching English at church.  I have a new class of ladies and they’re wonderful .  I have a few from China, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.  Lastly, I am traveling to Indonesia once a month (to the same Children’s Home I’ve mentioned before) to teach English to the kids.  These kids have really captured my heart and i’m looking forward to spending more time with them!  I didn’t get any pictures last time…I’ll try to be better when I go in October!

And now for what is probably the biggest change we’ve had since we’ve been back:  John is working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

My husband, Konsultan!

Originally, he was slated to be on the project for four weeks (he’s been there for four weeks already), but now he has been assigned (barring any last minute changes) to that project until December.  He is learning a ton about the Malay culture and the Malay was of doing business.  Malaysia is an Islamic nation, so there’s definitely a lot for us to learn.  Fortunately KL is only a five hour bus ride from Singapore, we so alternate weekends traveling.

At the bar made of ice. Yes, it was cold.

For now, we’re both flying solo–him in KL and me in Singapore, but definitely looking forward to weekends we can spend together.  In fact, next week is my mid-semester break (already!!!), so I’ll be spending it in Malaysia with him.

Last weekend, I went up for his 24th birthday!!!  We had a delightful breakfast at Dunkin Donuts, then went to Top Hat Restaurant for some upscale local fare.  It was delicious.  Following that, we headed to “Quatro” a bar that has a room for each of the four seasons.  We took a picture in winter, where the bar is made completely of ice!  As our sweet friends were telling us, people from this part of the world have an obsession with winter because they don’t have it!!!  Before I knew it though, I was on a bus back home, all too soon.

Long story short, we are loving life right now.  It’s not so fun being away from each other, but we’ve had a great time getting to know a new city in a developing country and are traveling lots!  This weekend, we are headed to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam for the long weekend (it’s Hari Raya here–Malay/Islamic holiday), then we’re headed back up to KL until the big F1 race in Singapore next weekend.  Whew.  We love it. 

We miss you all and hope you’re doing well!!!  Drop us a line sometime!!!!!

Our Mini American Adventure!

Dear friends,

We have returned to Singapore after a brief visit to our homeland!  As you can see from the schedule posted in our last post, we certainly kept ourselves busy.  Between weddings, job training, and family time I’m not sure exactly when we rested:).  Our trip back to the US was wonderful–it was great to see so many family members and friends and do a little bit of traveling on the side!  Below are just a few highlights from our trip Stateside.  We did so much it would be impossible to mention it all here…

I flew back a few days before John and was able to spend a couple of very relaxing days with his family (now my family too:) in Orlando.  Steve and Lucy even picked me up from the airport in a pick-up truck while playing country music.  I really felt like I was coming home:).  After a lovely couple of days of watching “Wife Swap” with Steve, hanging out with Lucy, and reading magazines with Robin, I was off to Greenville, SC to see my brother for a night!  Patrick was such a gentleman–he took me to get cheap Mexican food, chocolate chip pancakes, and to Atlanta Bread Company.  He also accompanied me around Furman to see a few friends on the faculty and staff.  It was a jam packed 24 hours, but it was so great to see him!

The next day, from Greenville, SC, I embarked on an adventure with a group of five other girls to nowhere else but New York City for Tyner Ray Lollis’s bachlorette party!!!!  Still at bit jet lagged at this point, I boarded the fifth plane in four days I was just happy to be on a plane with someone that I know!!!

The view from our hotel room!

Tyner, Leanna, Mandy Lee, and I flew up to NYC to meet Megan and Lauren for a grand weekend adventure.  To start, Leanna found us an AMAZING hotel room in Times Square–in fact, our room overlooked the famous center of town!  After a nice night’s rest, we were up (by 11:00) and off to Central Park where we watched some Michael Jackson impersonators (this was shortly after his death) and had a brief photo shoot!  Then, we headed to a Thai Restaurant for lunch (the only Asian food I ate while in the States–I love you girls!!!:) and then to Anthropolgie for two hours for some “power shopping.”

I was still jet lagged, so power shopping for me included grabbing a seat and watching the other girls try on some dresses.  That night was the big “night out.”  So we gave Tyner a few gifts, then headed out on the town!  We started out at a nice little restaurant and bar and then went dancing!

Girls in Central Park!

We even found a few NYC fire fighters to take pictures with our group!!!  We didn’t arrive back at our hotel room until 4:30 am.  We proceeded to chat until 5:30 when we looked out our window and noticed the sun was coming up over Times Square.  So, what do we do?  We go back out!  We were in our pajamas and skipped down the street, did cart wheels across the middle of the road, and Lauren even got a talking to from a police officer because of her “FU” shirt.  We didn’t got to bed until 6:00 am which pretty much put me back onto Singapore time.  Hello jetlag…again.  Despite that, it was very much a weekend to remember.

After NYC, I flew home to see my parents (finally!!!  after seven months!).  We grabbed some dinner (at Applebees–yum!) then headed home to see grandmother who lives next door!  I spent the week shopping, seeing my grandparents (who came all the way from Tennessee to see us), having a little party for Whitney and just enjoying being at home with family!

That weekend, one of my dear roomates from school Whitney Hoagland Byrley married Chirs Byrley!  The wedding was beautiful, held in a church in Louisville and the reception was at Louisville country club!  The day before the wedding, we had a little bridesmaid fun at the nail salon, then a bridesmaids brunch and then had a delicious rehearsal dinner at an old house near downtown Louisville.

Whitney with her sassy bridesmaids!

Since John was at training in Chicago, Mom was my date.  She was one hot date;).  The next day, John flew in (we happened to run into Dan Ennis and his sweet girlfriend, Lauren, while at the airport) and I headed to Whitney’s house to prepare for the festivities!  We wore beautiful gold dresses and crystal earrings Whitney had made for us just for the occassion!  It was a beautiful wedding and reception!  After the reception, we tried to make it back to Shelbyville for some of my high school friends’ wedding, but a terrible storm blew up and we never made it (sorry Tory and Mallori!).  The next morning, I put John on a plane back to Chicago and met Courtney for breakfast.  Then, back home for me to take a nap:).

The next week brought lots of rest and relaxation (and preparation to go back to Singapore).

Daddy and I not watching horses at the Shelbyville Horse Show

We even got to go to the Horse Show on Wednesday night where we ran into lots of Shelbyville friends including the Deckers (Jessica and I went through high school together and were pretty much best friends on the cheer squad.  I think we were sanity partners:).  I had forgotten how much I missed going to the Horse Show!  I don’t think I saw very many horses:).

On Thursday, my parents and I left Shelbyville to start the drive to Charleston, South Carolina for the wedding of Tyner Ray Lollis and Zeke Lollis.  We stopped halfway at my grandparents house in Knoxville, Tennessee for the night–it was so great to get to spend a little extra time with them!  After a nice long drive to Charleston, we made it in plenty of time for the rehearsal dinner.  John was still in Chicago, so I went solo until I realized that Mr. Simon Lehtinen was also there solo.  We decided to be dates for the evening:).  After the dinner, we went to South End Brewery where my parents met us after their date night!  I was so impressed–they stayed there with us until the place closed down!!!

The next day was wedding day–we went to a beautiful historic home in Charleston for the Bridesmaids Luncheon and to get ready for the big event!  I had my hair done at 12:45–and had to keep it nice all day!!!  I managed, but if you know me you know that was a tall order:).  Once everyone was ready, we were ready to get Tyner down the aisle!  We wore navy blue dresses (each style was different) and pearls–very pretty!

Bridgette and I are ready to Bridesmaid!

The wedding was held in a beautiful chapel at MUSC (Medical University of South Carolina), very close to the historic home where the reception was also held!  We had a great time, enjoyed some southern food and danced the night away (including a little David Allen Coe action).  After the reception, we all went out and spent some more time together at a swanky little bar until it was time for bed.  I stayed with my parents that night and upon arriving back at the hotel, I learned that they had also just returned–they had gone out after too!!!  They were a couple of party animals that weekend:).  I am so proud!

The next morning, after a tearful goodbye to Mom and Daddy, John and I were off to spend some time with Furman friends at lunch and then Matt Kuhn and Elizabeth Goss for the afternoon!  It was so great to see you all again!!!!

Simon and John at the swanky bar!

That night, we drove to Savannah to have dinner with Landon Mossburg and finally, the next day we headed back to Orlando!  Our time in Orlando was spent relaxing, golfing (John), shopping, and stock piling tortillas for our trip back to Asia (they are now frozen in my freezer in Singapore).  It was so great to see Lucy, Steve, and Robin again.  And….Lucy took us for a ride in the car:). Our last night there, we spent with Miss Mandy Petitt (soon to be Drinkard) at City Walk at Universal Studios.  She got to share in our final US Moe’s experience for a while.  It was epic.

Early the next morning, we were off to the airport and twenty-eight delightful hours later, we were back in Singapore.  Our trip back to the States was AMAZING and made us realize how much we really do love the good ole US of A and especially our friends and family back there.  We are loving out Most Excellent Adventure over here–but can’t wait to see everyone again!

Next entry, I’ll update you on everything that’s been going on in Singapore for the past few weeks–it’s a lot.  We’ve moved and John is working in Malaysia for at least a month.  More to come on that soon.  Keep reading!!!!!:)

Indonesia and Life Update!!!!

Greetings, friends!!  This is the last post of the day–finally!  We have been so horrible about keeping up the blog–we really want to do better.  We’ll see how that goes!!!:)  In this entry, I will tell about my last trip to Batam, Indonesia, give a general life update, and a schedule of our upcoming trip to the US!!!

I went to Batam, Indonesia two weeks ago with church to volunteer at an orphanage/children’s home there.  The children at the home range from ages 5-17 and have either been abandoned by their parents or have no parents.  I went with about twelve other women and children from our church in Singapore.  We did a handicraft with them, ate lunch, did sudoku, and then had to leave far too soon.

Sweet kids...

These children really stole my heart.  Until our church became involved, they were on carbohydrate rations–only certain children got carbohydrates on certain days.  This was happening in the land of rice–I was shocked.  The children were also keeping their tooth brushes in the same bucket with the brush to clean the toilet–which is an eastern toilet (hole in the ground).  They need lessons in hygiene.  They had no idea that this is harmful.   Their home has enough electricity to power four light bulbs and has poor drainage–so poor that if it rains too much, their sewers can back up.  This is an area that was rainforest until it was developed, so you can imagine how frequently that happens.

So cute!!

When we arrived (Batam is only a 45 minutes ferry ride from Singapore), we went through customs, then got on a bus and headed straight to the home.  The children do everything in just a few rooms.  There are thirty children and one large room that serves as a church room, classroom, dining room, playroom, etc.  I don’t know where they sleep.  A minister and his wife have taken in the children in hopes of giving them a better future, but the minister himself is poor.  Once we got there, we did a sewing project with them (they made drawstring bags), then we had lunch, then we did sudoku.  We spent only about 4 hours there and it went by so so quickly.  The children were so eager to learn and to have someone teach them.  I can’t wait to go back this fall–hopefully we’ll be doing some ESL lessons there.  It was a very sad sad thing to see, but the children were so hopeful, it was also encouraging.

Now, on that somber note, it’s on to life updates!  I have been on summer vacation from my graduate program since we went to India.  I’m currently starting to do some research for my dissertation.  That will start full swing in the fall.  My topic is energy poverty and energy efficient ways to address it.  Of course, as the term goes on, it will tweak a bit–but that’s the general idea.  John has been working on a project lately that has been taking up a lot of his time.  He’s working late and going in early–but his last day is next Friday–the day before he leaves for the US!  He’s going back for training and is very excited about potential projects when he gets back!

We have some more big news……we’re moving!!!!!  We’ll still be in Singapore, but we’re moving across the country!  Our move is a grand total of 20.3 kilometers!!!  We’re moving to a bigger place, closer to the MRT.  We can’t wait!!!  We’re moving the day after we get back from the US and the day before I start the fall semester and John starts a new project.  Can you say jet lag???  Yes, we’re still insane!

As most of you probably know, we’re coming back to the US for a visit!!!  Here are our schedules–if you’ll be in any of these cities at any of these times, let us know and we’ll see if we can work something out!!!  We would love to see you!!!!

John:

18 July-25 July:  Chicago (Job Training)

25 July-26 July:  Louisville/Shelbyville (Whitney’s Wedding/Tory’s Wedding)

26 July-31 July:  Chicago (Job Training)

31 July-1 August:  Orlando (Stephanie’s Wedding)

1 August-2ish August:  Charleston, SC (Tyner’s Wedding)

2ish August-8 August:  Orlando (Family Visit)

CB:

14 July-16 July:  Orlando (Family Visit/Jetlag Recovery)

16 July-17 July:  Greenville (Visit Patrick/Furman/Tyner’s Bachlorette)

17 July-19 July:  NYC (Tyner’s Bachlorette)

19 July-30 July:  Shelbyville/Louisville (Family Visit/Whitney’s Wedding/Tory’s Wedding)

31 July-2ish August:  Charleston, SC (Tyner’s Wedding)

2ish August-8 August:  Orlando (Family Visit)

Then….we come back and move and resume our lives in Singapore:).  Email us if you want to hang out–phone communication may be questionable!!!  Thanks for reading as always!!!!!!!  We’ll update soon (we hope;)!!!!!

Love,

John and CB