WEEK ONE: SAY "NĬ HĂO" IN HARBIN!

hawkins410

WELCOME TO THE AMAZING RACE - WINTER BLITZ!


BY NOW YOU SHOULD ALL BE AT
THE STARTING LINE IN LONDON!

I HOPE YOU REMEMBERED YOUR
PASSPORTS & PARKAS
BECAUSE OUR FIRST DESTINATION IS:

THE INTERNATIONAL ICE FESTIVAL OF
HARBIN, CHINA (5000 MILES)

IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT ALL THE STRUCTURES
ARE MADE OF ICE!

IN ORDER TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND THE HARBIN ICE FESTIVAL
AS A DESTINATION, PLEASE WATCH THIS
TWO MINUTE YOUTUBE VIDEO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQn-4NJtuYc&feature=youtu.be

IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT THE ICE THOUGH!
DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ALL YOUR SNOW?
VISIT THE INTERNATIONAL HARBIN SNOW SCULPTURE FESTIVAL FOR TIPS!

BUT IT GETS EVEN BETTER!

SATURDAY IS CHINESE NEW YEAR!
THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER WILL BEGIN!

SO IF YOU MADE ANY RESOLUTIONS WHICH YOU HAVEN’T KEPT
YOU GET TO START ALL OVER AGAIN!

PLEASE WATCH THE 50 SECOND
YOUTUBE VIDEO BELOW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8gIepeZzm0

ROOSTERS WERE BORN IN:
1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, AND 2005

IF INTERESTED, HERE IS A FUN CHINESE ZODIAC LINK:
CHINESE ZODIAC SIGNS AND HOROSCOPES

BELOW ARE THE TOP TEN 10 INTERESTING
FACTS ABOUT THE
CHINESE NEW YEAR:
TOP TEN CHINESE NEW YEAR FACTS

JOIN THE PARADE:

AND SET OFF SOME FIREWORKS!
IT’S TIME FOR THE CHALLENGES!

CHALLENGE #1: "MEET AND GREET!"
(10 POINTS)

NOW THAT YOU HAVE ALL FOUND YOUR NEW TEAMS
IT IS TIME TO SAY “NI HAO” TO YOUR NEW MATES!

FIRST, LET’S LEARN HOW TO SAY IT! WATCH THE SHORT YOUTUBE VIDEO BELOW:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=megwVwk7J7Y

TO EARN YOUR 10 POINTS FOR THIS CHALLENGE
FOLLOW THE FORMAT BELOW:

1. NAME:

2. FAVORITE WAY TO EXERCISE:

3. WHERE YOU ARE FROM (TOWN/STATE/PROVINCE) AND

4. A BRIEF (OR LONG) DESCRIPTION OF WHERE YOU LIVE (PICTURES ARE FUN, BUT NOT A REQUIREMENT)

*****AFTER COMPLETING ALL FOUR STEPS, PLACE YOUR 10 POINTS IN THE APPROPRIATE BOX ON THE SPREADSHEET.*****
**ONCE MISSIONENFORCER HAS VERIFIED COMPLETION,**
**YOUR POINTS WILL BE ADDED TO YOUR TEAM TOTAL!**
(“TAGGING” OF MISSIONENFORCER WILL NOT BE USED IN THIS RACE)

OPTIONAL:
IF YOU HAVE ANY FURBABIES, WE’D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THEM TOO!

CHALLENGE #2: "XINGSHI IN CHINA!"
(10 POINTS)

XINGSHI, OR EXERCISE, IS HIGHLY VALUED IN CHINA!
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED ELDERLY CHINESE PEOPLE IN THE PARKS
DOING SLOW MOVEMENTS IN THE MORNING?
WELL, THAT IS USUALLY QI-GONG OR TAI CHI, OR SOME FORM OF THESE.
THERE ARE MANY MANY YOUTUBE VIDEOS ON THESE VERY BENEFICIAL FORMS
OF EXERCISE. FEEL FREE TO EXPLORE THEM!

EXERCISES IN CHINA ARE NOW NOT SO TRADITIONAL
AND HAVE MOVED ON TO A FASTER PACE.
THEY ARE STILL DONE IN PUBLIC:

AND ARE PART OF EVERY MORNING SCHOOL ROUTINE:

THE FOUR VIDEOS BELOW START WITH
A MORNING WARM UP AND STRETCH
THEN THEY GET A LITTLE QUICKER PACED

THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED DANCES!

MORNING WARM-UP & STRETCHING (5:11 MINUTES)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9NjnR2QXGM

CHINA HOME FITNESS PROJECT (5:32 MINUTES)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFJ8wUeYITc&feature=em-share_video_user

15 MINUTE HEART ROUTINE (ODE TO JOY - THEME SONG TO 2017 CHINESE NEW YEAR)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpN9_9v2mm0&feature=youtu.be

10 MINUTE SLIMMING ROUTINE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7RDGpGkf6o&feature=youtu.be

***TO EARN YOUR 10 POINTS FOR THIS CHALLENGE, COMPLETE EACH VIDEO
AT LEAST ONE TIME (OR YOU MAY SUBSTITUTE THE OPTIONAL VIDEO BELOW FOR ONE)
(TOTAL TIME OF ~35 MINUTES)***

***THEN REPEAT YOUR FAVORITE!****

YOU MAY SPREAD THEM OUT OVER AS MANY DAYS AS YOU LIKE!

EVERY MINUTE SPENT ALSO COUNTS TOWARD YOUR TEAM “MILEAGE EXERCISE”

****DO NOT ENTER THE 10 POINTS FOR THIS CHALLENGE UNLESS YOU HAVE ENTERED
AT LEAST 35 MINUTES OF EXERCISE TIME!****

OPTIONAL JUST FOR FUN:
LITTLE APPLE FITNESS (12 MINUTES AND MY FAVORITE!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EbBHoRgn-Y&feature=em-share_video_user
THIS IS BASED ON A HIGHLY POPULAR SONG.
THE OFFICIAL YOUTUBE MUSIC VIDEO BELOW SHOWS A LITTLE BIT OF THE CHINESE HUMOR:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znWuROdYnNQ

KUALILE XINGSHI (HAPPY EXERCISE)!

CHALLENGE #3: "THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER"
(5 POINTS)

Good Fortune Fruit — Fullness and Wealth

Certain fruits are eaten during the three days of the Chinese New Year period, such as tangerines and oranges, kumquats, and pomeloes (similar to grapefruit). They are selected as they are particularly round and "golden" in color, symbolizing fullness and wealth.

Eating and displaying tangerines and oranges is believed to bring good luck and fortune. Eating pomeloes/shaddocks are thought to bring continuous prosperity. The more you eat, the more wealth it will bring, as the traditional saying goes.

***IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THIS FIVE (5) POINT NUTRITIONAL CHALLENGE***
YOU NEED TO EAT AN ORANGE OR GOLD COLORED FRUIT
AT LEAST THREE (3) OUT OF THE SEVEN (7) DAYS.

THESE MAY INCLUDE:
ORANGES, MANDARIN ORANGES, TANGERINES, TANGELOS, KUMQUATS, GRAPEFRUITS & POMELOES.
THE FRUIT MUST BE EATEN IN ITS UNPROCESSED FORM
(NOT ORANGE YOGURTS, SMOOTHIES, OR BEVERAGES)
REMEMBER, IT SHOULD BE ROUND TO SYMBOLIZE FULLNESS AND WEALTH!

***IF YOU HAVE MEDICAL REASONS WHY YOU NEED AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS CHALLENGE, PLEASE MESSAGE US***
THE SPREADSHEET WON’T ACCEPT YOUR FIVE POINTS UNTIL THURSDAY.
HAPPY EATING!


PLEASE ENJOY THIS LITTLE
YOUTUBE VIDEO OF CHILDREN CELEBRATING NEW YEAR WHILE DOING SO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIThvekI_u0&feature=youtu.be


WE HOPE YOU HAVE FUN RACING TO HARBIN!
REMEMBER, WE WANT TO GET THERE BY FRIDAY NIGHT FOR
THE NEW YEAR’S EVE FIREWORKS SHOW!
EVERYONE PULL YOUR “WEIGHT”
BUT ONLY RECORD MINUTES OF
DELIBERATE EXERCISE!

SOMETIME DURING THIS WEEK, PLEASE COME BACK AND ENJOY THIS
BEAUTIFUL YOUTUBE VIDEO. I THINK YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr1TX5g-IJA&feature=em-share_video_user