Chicken Feet

         So yesterday for dinner they served up chicken feet. It is the first time my tummy had lurched since coming to China. I have seen some pretty crazy food items but the chicken feet I could not handle. I ended up going to Aloha for dinner and buying a pint of Taylor's strawberry ice cream. I put it under the dairy section of my grocery list since dairy here is very scary. It is really good. He officially opened on the 18th and I went to the 'soft' opening. I had two scoops one of strawberry and once of volcano (its chocolate with dark chocolate chunks its amazing!). I love the fact that I will not be lactose intolerant when I come home next summer. Taylor your ice cream might be cold but its like a warm hug!

        In apartment news they are putting in the floorboards as I type. I am still hoping that I can move in during National Week when I have to whole week off that way I can clean and make as many walmart trips as I need to in a week instead of a weekend. Not to mention I can generally relax and get ready for the next stent of classes. After National week I don't get a long vacation until Chinese New Year in February. I am pretty sure we still work on Christmas because its a Western holiday and not a Chinese one. I am slowly getting used to my new schedule it still changes at times but you kinda get used to China's random non-planned ways. This isn't much of an update hopefully I will get a chance to give you all a long update but for now I hope this is enough.

Adventures in Hong Kong

         Well once again China was very random and abrupt. They let us know Monday night that Tuesday night we were going to Hong Kong… of course we didn’t know if it was by plane or train. Well it was by plane; we left yesterday at 5pm and didn’t actually take off until 8pm. We got into Hong Kong around 11:30pm. I was very tired and ready for bed but we had to buy new sim cards so our phones would work here, an octopus card to use the MTR or buses. Finally at 1am we got to the hotel (it’s a really nice hotel I feel a little out of place). We had to be up this morning and meet at 8am so we could get to the visa office when it first opened. I think I got maybe 5hrs. of sleep but on the plus side I had an American breakfast of ham, eggs, and toast…it tasted so good. Then we went to the visa office and we were done pretty quickly, then it was time to visit Hong Kong. Let me tell you we have walked all over this island and my feet will testify to that. One other thing you must keep in mind it that this is an island so there are very few straight level streets; instead you either walk practically vertical up a slope or try to not fall coming down a slope. We went to the peak in the train, half of the way up you are sitting in this train and its practically vertical, it felt weird. We were something like 400km above sea level, but it was worth it. We went up to the roof of the building at the peak and took pictures of the view and wrote these love notes and left them there. So here in Hong Kong I have a love note on the highest peak.

         We then came back down and went to the botanical and animal place. It was free and really cool. We ate a simple lunch there and then walked all over Hong Kong just randomly visiting different shops and places. After my feet could take no more I came back to the hotel and rested a little, that 5hrs. of sleep had caught up to me. After Amber and Charlene came back from the market we went to McDonalds for dinner—I have never been so happy to see a golden arch in my life. It was pretty amazing to eat so much American food in one day. Don’t get me wrong I love Chinese food, Wuhan and their spiciness is growing on me…maybe not my stomach but I like what I’m tasting in my mouth. After we ate we passed by a bakery by the hotel so I stopped and bought two tarts one is chocolate (I ate it already and it was soooo good it had almonds on top) and the second is hazelnut I am saving it for tomorrow. Tomorrow we were going to go to Disneyland Hong Kong but its more expensive then we thought so instead I think we are going to go to the many markets here and buy some stuff. I am looking for some beautiful jade jewelry so I am excited about that…we will see how it goes.

 The birds at the park

 This is the dress I bought at Temple Street Market, I love it!

 View from the 10th floor of the Metro Park Hotel

 Another view it was so high up.

 Me at the airport getting ready to fly back home to Wuhan!

        

            Hong Kong really is the place were East meets West you feel like you are in any big city in America at times more then you feel like you are in China. Hong Kong was owned by Great Britain for many years and the British influence is still here. When you are in a cab the driver is on the right side and they drive on the opposite side of the road here. It was really tripping out Amber, but it hasn’t really bothered me.  When I teach the kids English I have to remember that they have learned British English more then American English. It’s fine with me but some of the teachers get annoyed. It has been quite the adventure within an adventure. Plus I now have the stamps in my passport to prove it!! My Grandpa had the right idea traveling around the world you learn about different people and cultures—I think about him a lot on this journey. I know that I got at least some of his adventurous spirit or I wouldn’t be in China.

A New Week with Unexpected Blessings

          Well my weekend was restful and fun I went over to Wuchang (a district of Wuhan) to visit my friend Hollie. We had a great time sleeping in and just hanging out, but we did work on lesson plans and got quite a bit accomplished. I found out that at some places the fire cauliflower really taste like fire. Please be ‘thinking’ on my stomach and digestive system I think because of just stress of moving to China that there is inflammation, which is causing everything to rapidly go through me. I would love my tummy to no be sick every night to every other night. I finally got to wash most of my laundry and will finish it up tonight…pretty excited about that. As I sit and type it is Monday morning here and all the students are just arriving to their classes for a new week—it’s going to be a great week!! I only have 3 classes today which is good I figured out that I have over 660 students a week…there is no way I will remember all of their names but I love them and I am honored that I can invest in their lives.

           Yesterday was my Sunday so I went to fellowship and it was really good we took communion and then after we went to Aloha and I ate grilled cheese (you have no idea how good that cheese tasted to this dairy deprived girl!) I also shared what they call the monster cookie with Hollie it’s a big chocolate chip cookie with ice cream on top with whip cream and a cherry. Yes more dairy and chocolate…it was pretty amazing. I think I may have to go back this weekend and try something else new. Speaking of new, my roomie and I went to Wal-Mart last night and you could smell the stinky tofu so strong by the entrance it smells like pig manure its gross and very unpleasant. We had to pick up some more stuff for the apartment I finally bought enough hangers I think and we bought some cups to use. There are still a million things I need to buy but one can only carry so many things on a bus and still be able to hang on to the rail. Normally you end up bus surfing and don’t get a seat. Some of those bus rides are very unpleasant and by the end you feel a little carsick so you are very happy to get out and walk for a little bit just to regain composure.

           National week is coming up and we get a whole week off (of course that is not true you work 9 straight days to get 9 straight days off, this is China). But I think I am going to the panda reserve a province over during that week, should be fun!! I can check it off my bucket list. In the meantime I am still trying to find time to go get a massage, I really need it at this point but I never seem to have anytime anymore…my life got really packed and crazy since I moved to China. Please me ‘thinking’ on that that I find a rhythm with my life over here so my body stops internally stressing and I can work in a massage every week it would really help. Well this is it for Monday morning I will talk to you all again soon.

            Today is Teacher’s Day and I wasn’t expecting anything when a group of my 3^rd graders parent’s walked in with this beautiful bouquet of flowers!! They took several pictures with me and I was just honored that they even gave me anything because I have only been here for a week. It was an unexpected blessing that lifted my spirits and made my heart smile. I wish I could let you smell them you can really smell the lilies in the middle and the roses just make it soft and beautiful. If you know what the fellowship at home smells like at Easter then you know what I’m smelling in my office right now. I love when the Father just surprises you with a blessing when you really need it the most.

Ps I finally bought a converter so I charged my camera pictures very soon.

I am not Dead

This is going to be a crazy post I have been keeping a word document handy to write down my thoughts as we have not had internet for 4 days. Sorry if its hard to follow I promise better updates when I have regular internet!

Bruises and Sweat

9/2/12Well I am moved in to an apartment. Amber and I are sharing until they finish mine. I have no idea when that is exactly but maybe before I come home next summer? Amy (our other Waban) took us for a tour around the school and in the process I slid across the wet floor and bruised my knees up nicely (my legs are so many pretty colors right now). Today is fellowship day (I don’t have internet while I write this sorry about delay of post) I have to say I really miss fellowship at CCC. Moments like this I feel very homesick, but I signed a contract yesterday so I have promised my word that I will complete my contract through June 30, 2013.

I hate homesickness it shows up at the most inconvenient times. I think some of it is because I have very little sense of normal balance. Back home I have a rhythm and here I am very off balance, I need the Friend to help me find balance and a pace to life. I wish autumn lasted longer here then it does, it is so hot here right now there are moments I long for winter. I know once winter comes I will want the heat back, I have to say weather back home is tame now compared to weather here.

Yesterday I found that the human body can sweat more then I thought, Loons games in the summer will seem like child’s play compared to hiking all over Wuhan and then up 4 flights of stairs. My new jeans I bought before I left are already becoming to big I am starting to think that size 8 is not a dream but may soon be a reality. Please be ‘thinking’ on homesickness, a sense of rhythm, and just having my spirit calm. I know for at least the next 10 months I am supposed to be here, I will take next year when it comes. Trying to not be overwhelmed right now but when I feel it coming I remember Ps. 61 if you have the Message that is (I think) the best translation of this passage. Well it’s almost time to catch bus 585 to go to fellowship this morning. I do have a internet port in the room I just have to get an Ethernet cable. Next time pictures of the room, really I will post them!

            9/3/12 I went to Wal-mart for the first time today, it’s a pretty nice store. There are difference between American and Chinese Wal-mart but there are a lot of things that are the same.  I bought a pad for my bed that’s not really very padded and I managed to buy the wrong size so I put it in the middle of the bed and put my sheets over it. Still getting used to the hardness. It’s not really a problem until you make your arm fall asleep and then it’s a problem because there is no give of the mattress so its awkward to roll over with a numb arm. I am still pretty beat up I think my knees may be bruised for a while my right one is the worst because I took most of the force on that knee it hurts when I walk or bend it when I sit. Please be really ‘thinking’ about my knee(s) that they heal quickly and properly. There are mornings I wake up and feel like a rag doll that has been beat up and my fluff is scattered all over the place.  

 Despite my exhaustion I start teaching tomorrow I have no idea what I am doing or even where I am teaching (what room) but apparently I start tomorrow.

9/4/12 Well I am sitting in my office without internet…I think I might go over to Aloha and use their wireless so I can let all f you know what is going on and be able the talk to the outside world. I am so tired, I did sleep good last night the only draw back is that I was ready for bed at 8:30pm and my roomie was not.  I look forward to having my own place where I can go to bed early if I need to and not have to wait until someone else wants the go to bed. It is 9:30am my time and I could easily go back to sleep right now, not to mention that I keep losing my food. I am getting tired of being sick every other day. This has been an exhausting few weeks and I am just getting started. In 10 months time I will be ready to come home just to have a break and get some sleep. I am not really sure how the Friend is getting me through day by day, but He is and I am leaning on Him heavily these days. I have just been taking it a day at a time and before you know it a month will have passed by.

I am hoping tonight I can go to bed early and catch up on sleep. I really am so tired, I am praying this does not turn into a long day.

9/5/12

Well today was a better day teaching and we finally got some material so we can better plan our lessons. I am going over to a friends apartment this Friday night so it will be fun to see her and have some girl time. Anyway thanks for the 'thoughts' they have been great and when we finally get internet in our office I will post more regularly.