I dislike long flights. Therefore, I enjoy domestic travel more than foreign travel. My husband, who whines less than I do, just factors it in. He has some amazing possibilities for foreign travel in the coming years. I am content to stay home or at least in the US.
Today I printed Andy's itinery for his China travel. The first leg of the trip is from Mpls. to Newark = 3hrs.20mn. Leg two: Newark to Beijing = 13hr 30 mn. Leg three: Beijing to Chongquing = ? 3 - 4 hours. I am glad I am not going to China. He will do this 10 days after erasing time and coming from Turkey to Frankfurt to London to Newark to Mpls. Good luck Andy. It is great to be young.
When we got China info. we were also notified about the immunizations he would have to squeeze in a 10 day home stay. Hepatitis A, Japanese Encephalitis, typhoid and rabies plus the many he already has up to date like tetanus and measles are recommended. He will get anti=malariail medication. Cummulatively this made me nervous. We are throwing a lot of vaccines at a travel stressed body here. My daughter teased me that maybe the Chinese students were being vaccinated against Lyme disease and West Nile Fever. "Don't worry mom. Where do you think he will be going? ...to the jungle?" Yes, Mary. That is where he will be going. Today I googled Chongqing and found a headline describing it as "The Filthiest City in China"! Oh, my. His group of researchers will be in the thick of it. Last summer's SJU students tested a special bacteria in the water.
I guess I should put this in context. I was, as a hospital nurse , "in the thick of it" in the early 1980's when AIDS surfaced. We didn't even understand clearly what we were dealing with. We did know to use gloves and careful technique. I am trusting these students will be well coached and use good technique. I am trusting my 21 yr. old son to be an adult. To be responsible. It is not even my choice. I am trusting him and the Lord. .http://www.csbsju.edu/news/2006/07/ChineseExchange.htm
2 comments:
Oh, he's going to ChungKing, I know it well. Wasn't that a brand of chow mein? No, I don't know it well. All I can say: Good for the resume, and he'll be fine. Really.
Read this article:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/chinas-nail-house-finally-falls/2007/04/03/1175366241375.html
I saw this on the news last Friday, but didn't put it together with where Andy was going. And I was bawling from watching the footage of the 6 year old run to the arms of his Iraq returning dad who showed up at school as a surprise.
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