orphanage

performance
this girl is learning this big harp-like instument (I don't know what it's called). She doesn't read music, her teacher hums it to her and she catches it and plays it that way.
These two are two peas in a pod :).
Kiddos.
Another performance. You will notice the heart in the background, one little girl's purpose in the performance is to hold the heart with the streamers. She must be very strong to hold it for the whole performance!

traveling around

on the way to turpan
pig truck
in front of the mosque in turpan
inside the mosque
tower at the international bazaar (a shopping experience to be enjoyed)

scenery

**Ones above taken near the An Ning station; a country outpost of the orphanage. Foster families live in this village and take care of the children. The An Ning station is where they go for education and the kids go for the school day.
Urumqi

a few pictures

the group at the windmill place.

as is glaringly obvious, I am the only caucasian and the tallest.

don't you all want to go to china now? can you believe there's worse?!
hungry kiddos
dancing 2-3 yr. olds
looking at the photobooks i brought

more will follow when i find the time.

home

after 27+ hours, 4 international airports, too many security checks to list, and some awful airplane food i made it home.
i managed to stay awake last night till after 930, and i slept till about 730 so assuming i resist all napping temptations, we should be good to go, jetlag free!! yay!
i will post more pix and info later, but i'm still kinda tired and in no way feel coherent enough to post much more... i'm really not sure if what i've posted so far makes any sense, anyways :).