it seems almost too impossible that we are about to spend our last full day in china.
while it seems like forever since we got our first soaking outside of the airport on our way to our apartment almost three weeks ago, it also feels like just yesterday.
it's been interesting to see how being in china is becoming almost "normal" to us in that as we walk along, we no longer notice old men in traditional rice hats sitting in the doorways of their shops, or the typical chinese fashions that intrigued us two weeks ago, or the homeless people asleep on their baskets on the stairs leading up to a building. . . all of this is second hat to our team now. as this is also true for me, i've made a special effort to continue to notice the people around me. . .and even though it was one of the first activities we did upon our arrival, i've said p*rayers for the people as i've passed them by.
yesterday we had a sweet time of fellowship at a friend's apartment and enjoyed singing and a good message about calling on our daddy when we are attacked by the evil one, and how those attacks are more vicious when we are not close to our daddy. i don't know about the rest of our team, but it was a message that resonated in my heart, and i was very thankful for the reminder of his faithfulness.
after enjoying lunch with our meeting hosts, we left to visit a seminary about an hour outside of guiyang. technically it's a suburb of guiyang, and we passed by a new modern development, sort of a planned city, consisting of mostly governement buildings and associated housing developments for those workers. it was beautiful, and perhaps a vision of future development in china. . . who knows.
the seminary is beautiful, apparently built by some folks from the UK. . .i'm not sure about all of the details. . .many of them came through an interpreter, and sometimes it's hard to follow what is said. . . but the students come primarily from the minority areas and study for three or four years, and then return to their villages. they have to pass an entrance exam to get in, but the tuition is completely paid for, and all the student is responsible for is living expenses. this seminary is government approved, but not regulated, so the truth is being taught, and it's a very exciting place to have seen. we have contact information, so it will be possible to learn more about what is going on there. the facilities are modern and clean, and it looks like great things are being accomplished and taught there!
today, we visited a rehab center for foster parents of children awaiting adoption or those that have physical or developmental issues. three out of five days the center services the less developmentally disabled or "normal" kids, and the other two focus on down's syndrome kids. the primary focus of the center is to provide a place where these kids can come and learn through play, music/movement, art, and group activities, to teach chinese foster parents how to interact with their children, and to provide a fellowship and support network for the foster moms. our team jumped right into action and spread out and loved the children right where they were. from tiny babies to kids who were 11 years old (delayed), we sang songs with movement, we danced/exercised to some praise music (fun!), pretended and played house, peek a boo, or just held the babies while engaging them with smiles and funny noises. then it was back to group time where we all played dress up and sang more songs and had group time. before we knew it, it was time to go home, and after just two and a half hours, their hearts were forever imprinted on ours, and we all came away with bits and pieces of their heartbreaking stories of abandonment, health issues, and how much they are being loved since coming out of the orphanage. it was a place of great hope and wonderful love, and we all wanted to take them home with us. every last one of them. . . and we will, in our hearts.
what a sweet place of unconditional love, of valuing every single on of our daddy's creations, of making each one feel like they are the most important person in the world. extravagant love. our daddy loves each and every one of us just like that. . . may we remember that in our daily lives as we strive to show that kind of extravagant love to others in his name.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
kaili: gateway to minorities
we awoke to chinese music piped in to the hallways of our hotel at 8 am on friday, which our american team found an interesting practice. we gathered in the hotel's dining room for a delicious buffet-style breakfast complete with toast (impossible to find in china), butter and jam (also rarities), and COFFEE (our first real coffee since leaving)!! besides eggs and ham, there was also typical chinese food like fried rice, fried noodles, steamed breads filled with bean paste, meat or sugar, and some cookie-like pasteries that look better than they taste. we greeted rebecca with happy birthdays and also celebrated her during our team devo-time.
we hopped on a bus that would take us to a minority village about an hour outside of kaili.
apparently the ladies there are used to outsiders coming because they greeted us at the bus with their handcrafts which they all wanted us to buy. they brought us into their homes where they proceded to push their wares on us. they were sweet and we all made some purchases and becca jones dressed up in their native attire and looked so cute. imagine her surprise as she went to get back on the bus that they wouldn't let her until she paid 10 yuan (about $1.50) for wearing the clothes! we had some good intentional time there which we can elaborate on later. our daddy is helping us make use of every opportunity he is giving us!
back to kaili for the minority marketplace where all the people gather and put out their handicrafts for sale. it's sensory overload, but by the time we left, all the girls had mastered great haggling skills and how to say "too expensive!" in chinese.
afterwards we walked across the street for lunch at a lovely dong restaurant. delicious! it was neat to see their dress and distinctive hairstyle.
next stop, batik factory, where everyone was able to see the batik process and how our daddy is being glorified through this traditional process. we purchased some "heavenly" pieces and are anxious to share them with those of you at home.
we collected all of our purchases and belongings and headed off to the train station for the 3 hour trip back to guiyang. interestingly, train travel is a step below bus travel, so those who can't afford bus tickets take the train. we weren't necessarily on that tight of a budget (a bus ticket costs about $7) but thought the experience would be intersting.
that was an understatement!
the bus station was crowded and smelled of urine. people stood or sat on their bags because seats were being taken up by homeless people, sprawled across seats in slumber. when the intercom announced the pending arrival of the train, there was a pushing and shoving to get to the ticket gate. the ticket taker let us "foreigners" on to the platform ahead of everyone else, which was nice! but it really didn't help much as our tickets were "festival seating." juggling our bags and maneuvering the crowded aisles only added to our "stare quality" and miraculously, some of us found seats. many of the girls made good use of the three hours making friends with curious seatmates, while i sat in a group of five chinese who didn't speak a word of english beyond "hello." one of the couples had a 3 mo old baby, and because chinese put their children in split pants/bare bottoms, experienced a wet three hours as the baby peed on three of the five adults present (i was spared!!).interesting custom.
by the time we left the train station, many of the girls had made some friends, and one is coming to the birthday party we are having for our host at our apartment (yet another excuse to intentionally interact with students and teachers) today (saturday). it was an interesting three hours for us. . . and them! two of our girls were busy teaching a young boy some english and proceded to teach him the "head, shoulders, knees & toes" song complete with motions. . . much to the delight of the passengers around them, based on the applause i heard several rows away.
i love how our team is using every opportunity our daddy gives them to engage and build bridges with their hearts. it's been the best few days, even if we did have rain. . . even though it wasn't what we wanted/needed, it was exactly what the dry river beds needed, and isn't that how our daddy loves us?? oftentimes not giving us what we want, but what we need.
again, sorry about the lack of photos. something we hope to add soon. computers in china don't seem to like us very much!
we hopped on a bus that would take us to a minority village about an hour outside of kaili.
apparently the ladies there are used to outsiders coming because they greeted us at the bus with their handcrafts which they all wanted us to buy. they brought us into their homes where they proceded to push their wares on us. they were sweet and we all made some purchases and becca jones dressed up in their native attire and looked so cute. imagine her surprise as she went to get back on the bus that they wouldn't let her until she paid 10 yuan (about $1.50) for wearing the clothes! we had some good intentional time there which we can elaborate on later. our daddy is helping us make use of every opportunity he is giving us!
back to kaili for the minority marketplace where all the people gather and put out their handicrafts for sale. it's sensory overload, but by the time we left, all the girls had mastered great haggling skills and how to say "too expensive!" in chinese.
afterwards we walked across the street for lunch at a lovely dong restaurant. delicious! it was neat to see their dress and distinctive hairstyle.
next stop, batik factory, where everyone was able to see the batik process and how our daddy is being glorified through this traditional process. we purchased some "heavenly" pieces and are anxious to share them with those of you at home.
we collected all of our purchases and belongings and headed off to the train station for the 3 hour trip back to guiyang. interestingly, train travel is a step below bus travel, so those who can't afford bus tickets take the train. we weren't necessarily on that tight of a budget (a bus ticket costs about $7) but thought the experience would be intersting.
that was an understatement!
the bus station was crowded and smelled of urine. people stood or sat on their bags because seats were being taken up by homeless people, sprawled across seats in slumber. when the intercom announced the pending arrival of the train, there was a pushing and shoving to get to the ticket gate. the ticket taker let us "foreigners" on to the platform ahead of everyone else, which was nice! but it really didn't help much as our tickets were "festival seating." juggling our bags and maneuvering the crowded aisles only added to our "stare quality" and miraculously, some of us found seats. many of the girls made good use of the three hours making friends with curious seatmates, while i sat in a group of five chinese who didn't speak a word of english beyond "hello." one of the couples had a 3 mo old baby, and because chinese put their children in split pants/bare bottoms, experienced a wet three hours as the baby peed on three of the five adults present (i was spared!!).interesting custom.
by the time we left the train station, many of the girls had made some friends, and one is coming to the birthday party we are having for our host at our apartment (yet another excuse to intentionally interact with students and teachers) today (saturday). it was an interesting three hours for us. . . and them! two of our girls were busy teaching a young boy some english and proceded to teach him the "head, shoulders, knees & toes" song complete with motions. . . much to the delight of the passengers around them, based on the applause i heard several rows away.
i love how our team is using every opportunity our daddy gives them to engage and build bridges with their hearts. it's been the best few days, even if we did have rain. . . even though it wasn't what we wanted/needed, it was exactly what the dry river beds needed, and isn't that how our daddy loves us?? oftentimes not giving us what we want, but what we need.
again, sorry about the lack of photos. something we hope to add soon. computers in china don't seem to like us very much!
overboard
thursday morning dawned overcast with some patches of blue skies, so it looked like perhaps this would be the day to try our hand at white water rafting. i say our, but rafting is not really my cup of tea (i like my water chlorinated and i like to see the pretty bottom of the pool, thank you), nor is drowning (not a great swimmer) so i elected to stay back with rebecca, who is in the same boat (ha ha pun not intended!) as me, and we made plans to meet with some students.
everyone piled luggage in our room, we had some team devo-time, and off they went.
rebecca was finishing some reading, and i had finished mine, so i headed off to the internet cafe to catch up with some blogging and grab some emails. morning seems a better time to be in there because it's less crowded, there's less smoking, and you can actually see since at night there are very few lights. AND i actually got a computer with a working keyboard!
linda, one of the students from last year, called and invited us to her home for lunch, something we were hoping would happen. . . not only because linda's mom makes some amazing dumplings, but because we hadn't had much time to hang out with the students one-on-one. hannah, one of linda's best friends, joined us too, and while lunch was being prepared, we talked about their future plans of college, area of study, leaving home, etc. . . chinese teens aren't that much different than american ones!
lunch was served in their living room, and we feasted on a flavorful seaweed soup (one of the best soups i've had since being in china) and dumplings that were served alongside a bowl of very hot spices. i'm still a baby when it comes to spices, but i've actually enjoyed some of the spicier food since we've been here.
after lunch, linda and hannah wanted to help me look for a CD of traditional chinese music, so we prepared to leave and were surprised to find out the rafting group was back. they changed clothes and met us and we all walked to town together, all the while hearing stories of the wild rafting trip.
stories were flying all about, but to sum it up: because of heavy rains of the past several days, the river levels were above normal, making the rafting pretty adventurous at times. added to this were the sticks (not paddles) that each rafter were given. . . not very useful for paddling and navigaing the waves, but helpful for pushing off at low places. at one point in the trip, several of the boats flipped, and three of the group found themselves trapped for a brief time under the boats. scary, but they managed to get to the surface quickly, and even though there were some harrowing times, they all came back chattering excitedly about the trip, laughing and glad they had gone.
we said our goodbyes in huang ping and then left for kaili, about two hours away, where we would spend the night and next day before heading back to guiyang.
rain greeted us as we walked to the bus, and it rained all the way to kaili, but in typical traveling fashion, the hardest rain waited until we got off the bus in kaili, about ten blocks from where we were staying. so there we were, a parade of foreigners (worthy of staring at on a good day), with all of our luggage in tow, slogging to our hotel, stepping through ankle deep puddles and getting uber-soaked. even with lots of luggage, some of the team entertained themselves and everyone else as they raced to be the first to jump in a puddle to splash their american neighbor. the people of kaili have probably never seen people enjoy a soaking rain so much.
we arrived, looking somewhat like drowned rats into the nice lobby, fumbling for our passports as we registered at the desk. the hotel takes care of us registering with the government, as any time you change locales, you must alert the local police.
we dried off, unpacked some of our wet belongings and met downstairs in the hotel dining room for a delicious meal. charlie, one of our HP students from last year, was playing in a basketball tournament in kaili, met us for dinner. his english is really not very good, so it was hard for him to understand the conversation (but then again, with 10 women and one guy besides him at the table, is it that hard to imagine him having a hard time with the flurry of words??). after dinner we headed off to do some shopping and looking around at an underground market. charlie enjoyed defending the girls' honors as he kept the merchants from trying to overcharge them. it was a neat way for him to engage with the girls without being embarrassed at his lack of english skills. it's interesting to see how something like shopping can be used to build relationship!
back to the hotel for some rest, or for many on the team a game of "beans," an addicting new cardgame our team has been introduced to.
everyone piled luggage in our room, we had some team devo-time, and off they went.
rebecca was finishing some reading, and i had finished mine, so i headed off to the internet cafe to catch up with some blogging and grab some emails. morning seems a better time to be in there because it's less crowded, there's less smoking, and you can actually see since at night there are very few lights. AND i actually got a computer with a working keyboard!
linda, one of the students from last year, called and invited us to her home for lunch, something we were hoping would happen. . . not only because linda's mom makes some amazing dumplings, but because we hadn't had much time to hang out with the students one-on-one. hannah, one of linda's best friends, joined us too, and while lunch was being prepared, we talked about their future plans of college, area of study, leaving home, etc. . . chinese teens aren't that much different than american ones!
lunch was served in their living room, and we feasted on a flavorful seaweed soup (one of the best soups i've had since being in china) and dumplings that were served alongside a bowl of very hot spices. i'm still a baby when it comes to spices, but i've actually enjoyed some of the spicier food since we've been here.
after lunch, linda and hannah wanted to help me look for a CD of traditional chinese music, so we prepared to leave and were surprised to find out the rafting group was back. they changed clothes and met us and we all walked to town together, all the while hearing stories of the wild rafting trip.
stories were flying all about, but to sum it up: because of heavy rains of the past several days, the river levels were above normal, making the rafting pretty adventurous at times. added to this were the sticks (not paddles) that each rafter were given. . . not very useful for paddling and navigaing the waves, but helpful for pushing off at low places. at one point in the trip, several of the boats flipped, and three of the group found themselves trapped for a brief time under the boats. scary, but they managed to get to the surface quickly, and even though there were some harrowing times, they all came back chattering excitedly about the trip, laughing and glad they had gone.
we said our goodbyes in huang ping and then left for kaili, about two hours away, where we would spend the night and next day before heading back to guiyang.
rain greeted us as we walked to the bus, and it rained all the way to kaili, but in typical traveling fashion, the hardest rain waited until we got off the bus in kaili, about ten blocks from where we were staying. so there we were, a parade of foreigners (worthy of staring at on a good day), with all of our luggage in tow, slogging to our hotel, stepping through ankle deep puddles and getting uber-soaked. even with lots of luggage, some of the team entertained themselves and everyone else as they raced to be the first to jump in a puddle to splash their american neighbor. the people of kaili have probably never seen people enjoy a soaking rain so much.
we arrived, looking somewhat like drowned rats into the nice lobby, fumbling for our passports as we registered at the desk. the hotel takes care of us registering with the government, as any time you change locales, you must alert the local police.
we dried off, unpacked some of our wet belongings and met downstairs in the hotel dining room for a delicious meal. charlie, one of our HP students from last year, was playing in a basketball tournament in kaili, met us for dinner. his english is really not very good, so it was hard for him to understand the conversation (but then again, with 10 women and one guy besides him at the table, is it that hard to imagine him having a hard time with the flurry of words??). after dinner we headed off to do some shopping and looking around at an underground market. charlie enjoyed defending the girls' honors as he kept the merchants from trying to overcharge them. it was a neat way for him to engage with the girls without being embarrassed at his lack of english skills. it's interesting to see how something like shopping can be used to build relationship!
back to the hotel for some rest, or for many on the team a game of "beans," an addicting new cardgame our team has been introduced to.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
lunch with phoebe
overcast skies greeted out wednesday morning, and after team devo-time and breakfast of baoze (little steamed buns with meat or sugar inside), we met some students and went shopping for food and snacks to bring to May's village. May is a miao (prounounced "meow") minority, and one of our students from last year. She was so excited to extend an invitation for all of us to visit her family's home in her village and even more thrilled when we agreed to come.
our first stop was the meat "store," an open air, umbrella covered table with chunks of meat sitting, ready to be purchased. We bought about 5 pounds of pork, which they placed in a plastic bag and handed to us. . . not exactly krogers, but then again, we are in china after all!
from the meat section, we headed to the poulty department, where we selected our chicken from a pen of lively, clucking chickens.
rebecca suggested we name our chicken since with a name perhaps our host family would be less inclined to serve her to us for lunch, so we quickly agreed on phoebe, and watched as the man weighed her, tied her legs together, and then fashioned a quick harness for her out of straw.
the man handed her to one of us, and she looked around at the faces, hoping to see if we could be friends, you know, establish a little guanxi. . . but based on the grimaces from the girls, and her being held at arms length, it didn't look too promising. perhaps i was imagining it, but i think i heard her let out a resigned sigh.
we quickly headed to the bus station where we piled on to two mini busses, and because she was causing a bit of a ruckus, phoebe enjoyed the trip to the village in the trunk. poor phoebe. we it wasn't too long out of HP that our bus was stopped by a military outfit who questioned our driver, took a video of the bus and its passengers and checked the driver's credentials. a few of the people who were standing without seats were ordered off the bus (relax, they weren't any of our people, but a few that the driver had picked up after leaving the station) and we continued on. we were told that because there were "foreigners" on the bus, they had to show us that they are in control of the transportation and won't allow unsafe or overcrowded conditions. it's a wonder anyone likes us foreigners! i felt bad about the people who were forced out. . . about 45 minutes later, we were on the outskirts of may's village, and we walked down a windy, rocky trail through rice and corn fields to may's home. having weedled her way out of her harness, phoebe almost escaped from dan's grasp, but william, one of our chinese friends came to the rescue.
may's parents were busy preparing lunch for us, so we all gathered in her living room and chatted and even played a few games. soon dishes began appearing on the tables, and then we heard that phoebe was outside. . . in a tub of water, being stripped of all things feathery. so much for naming the chicken. she was then washed (with soap!), rinsed, and then the next time we saw her, she was . . . well . . . let's just say she joined us for lunch.
potatoes (amazing and they disappeared quickly), spicy cucumbers, corn, pork & veggies, chicken and corn on the cob in a broth, and some assorted dishes that were good, but so spicy i couldn't eat them and had ingredients not clearly identifiable. but everything was tasty!
after lunch, there was some ceremonial miao singing and celebrating with rice wine. it is customary for them to sing a song of welcome and friendship and share a hollowed out bull's horn of rice wine with their guests. it is then followed by a magenta stamp they put on your cheek (and depending on how much you drink, your chin, your eyelids, your forehead). they were not too insistent, thankfully, on our minors partaking, but the adults honored their hosts (but i am happy to report we were not overstamped!! because you come back to civilization and everyone can tell you've been drinking!!) with a few sips. may, her sister and mother sang to us beautifully.
with the last note still hanging in the air, the heavens opened and a huge, soaking downpour postponed our departure, so some of us played cards while the rest continued to chat. at some point we realized we were either going to have to brave the rain or ask may's parents to host some 20 strangers for the night. we elected to slog through the rain, up the small mountain to our awaiting vans who drove us back to the doorstep of our hotel! such service!
we had dinner around the corner from our hotel without becca, who had been battling strep for over a week and was miserable with a relapse. we brought her back soup, which we had to pay an extra 7 yuan for, since that was the deposit for the bowl and spoon, which we later returned. there are no to-go boxes in china. who knew!?
all in all, our day was better (much better) than phoebe's. other than kathryn's ongoing stomach issues and becca's throat, we have been blessed with good health. other than becca missing dinner, we have all been able to participate in everything. and it's been a true joy rekindling old frienships and building new relationships over the past few days.
our first stop was the meat "store," an open air, umbrella covered table with chunks of meat sitting, ready to be purchased. We bought about 5 pounds of pork, which they placed in a plastic bag and handed to us. . . not exactly krogers, but then again, we are in china after all!
from the meat section, we headed to the poulty department, where we selected our chicken from a pen of lively, clucking chickens.
rebecca suggested we name our chicken since with a name perhaps our host family would be less inclined to serve her to us for lunch, so we quickly agreed on phoebe, and watched as the man weighed her, tied her legs together, and then fashioned a quick harness for her out of straw.
the man handed her to one of us, and she looked around at the faces, hoping to see if we could be friends, you know, establish a little guanxi. . . but based on the grimaces from the girls, and her being held at arms length, it didn't look too promising. perhaps i was imagining it, but i think i heard her let out a resigned sigh.
we quickly headed to the bus station where we piled on to two mini busses, and because she was causing a bit of a ruckus, phoebe enjoyed the trip to the village in the trunk. poor phoebe. we it wasn't too long out of HP that our bus was stopped by a military outfit who questioned our driver, took a video of the bus and its passengers and checked the driver's credentials. a few of the people who were standing without seats were ordered off the bus (relax, they weren't any of our people, but a few that the driver had picked up after leaving the station) and we continued on. we were told that because there were "foreigners" on the bus, they had to show us that they are in control of the transportation and won't allow unsafe or overcrowded conditions. it's a wonder anyone likes us foreigners! i felt bad about the people who were forced out. . . about 45 minutes later, we were on the outskirts of may's village, and we walked down a windy, rocky trail through rice and corn fields to may's home. having weedled her way out of her harness, phoebe almost escaped from dan's grasp, but william, one of our chinese friends came to the rescue.
may's parents were busy preparing lunch for us, so we all gathered in her living room and chatted and even played a few games. soon dishes began appearing on the tables, and then we heard that phoebe was outside. . . in a tub of water, being stripped of all things feathery. so much for naming the chicken. she was then washed (with soap!), rinsed, and then the next time we saw her, she was . . . well . . . let's just say she joined us for lunch.
potatoes (amazing and they disappeared quickly), spicy cucumbers, corn, pork & veggies, chicken and corn on the cob in a broth, and some assorted dishes that were good, but so spicy i couldn't eat them and had ingredients not clearly identifiable. but everything was tasty!
after lunch, there was some ceremonial miao singing and celebrating with rice wine. it is customary for them to sing a song of welcome and friendship and share a hollowed out bull's horn of rice wine with their guests. it is then followed by a magenta stamp they put on your cheek (and depending on how much you drink, your chin, your eyelids, your forehead). they were not too insistent, thankfully, on our minors partaking, but the adults honored their hosts (but i am happy to report we were not overstamped!! because you come back to civilization and everyone can tell you've been drinking!!) with a few sips. may, her sister and mother sang to us beautifully.
with the last note still hanging in the air, the heavens opened and a huge, soaking downpour postponed our departure, so some of us played cards while the rest continued to chat. at some point we realized we were either going to have to brave the rain or ask may's parents to host some 20 strangers for the night. we elected to slog through the rain, up the small mountain to our awaiting vans who drove us back to the doorstep of our hotel! such service!
we had dinner around the corner from our hotel without becca, who had been battling strep for over a week and was miserable with a relapse. we brought her back soup, which we had to pay an extra 7 yuan for, since that was the deposit for the bowl and spoon, which we later returned. there are no to-go boxes in china. who knew!?
all in all, our day was better (much better) than phoebe's. other than kathryn's ongoing stomach issues and becca's throat, we have been blessed with good health. other than becca missing dinner, we have all been able to participate in everything. and it's been a true joy rekindling old frienships and building new relationships over the past few days.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
rain, rain, go away!
our plans to play basketball with students on the court just outside of our hotel were thwarted by our daddy, who in sympathy for the dry-ish river beds, let the skys loose. i think he figured we'd figure out some way to meet students AND stay dry!
we "set up shop" in the hotel lobby, a poorly lit expanse of space used for little other than collecting dust and a place to park a motor cycle. in the front area near the door are a few couches and a coffee table, so we asked permission to hang out. so we pulled up a few stools and played cards during the heaviest rain. a few students dropped by to stay for a bit, and it was neat to be able to introduce our students to our team.
we broke for some lunch, then were able to get out and about and met our students for some time around town. shopping is always a welcome activity for our girls, but with students along, it's a good opportunity for them to get to know each other without awkward pauses. plus the chinese students love to haggle for our team, so it's a win-win!
we parted ways for dinner and and afterwards headed to the internet cafe with some of the students. there we caught up on some email (and some second hand smoke, but that's another story). upon returning to the hotel, some collapsed after a nice shower, others played cards. unhurried time is the best!
we "set up shop" in the hotel lobby, a poorly lit expanse of space used for little other than collecting dust and a place to park a motor cycle. in the front area near the door are a few couches and a coffee table, so we asked permission to hang out. so we pulled up a few stools and played cards during the heaviest rain. a few students dropped by to stay for a bit, and it was neat to be able to introduce our students to our team.
we broke for some lunch, then were able to get out and about and met our students for some time around town. shopping is always a welcome activity for our girls, but with students along, it's a good opportunity for them to get to know each other without awkward pauses. plus the chinese students love to haggle for our team, so it's a win-win!
we parted ways for dinner and and afterwards headed to the internet cafe with some of the students. there we caught up on some email (and some second hand smoke, but that's another story). upon returning to the hotel, some collapsed after a nice shower, others played cards. unhurried time is the best!
feels like home
monday, even though we didn't leave until 12, was a flurry of semi-panicked activity--packing, laundry, ATMing, getting lunch... sometimes getting 10 people coordinated and out of the house is like herding cats! :) Everyone converged in time, we made our bus and headed off to huang ping.
sadly, the camera does little to capture the beauty of the countryside, and the angry gray clouds didn't help much. and even though we are in china, we can't help but feel at home in the mountains with clouds of mist. . . ahhh. . . there's even the orangey-red clay!! no kidding!
we arrived in huang ping with all of our fillings intact. . . no small miracle after enduring the bumpiest three hours of twisting through the mountains. and best of all, no motion sickness!! apparently, this is a common ailment among asians, because the bus driver passed out little plastic bags to everyone on the bus.
we walked from the bus station to the hotel--basically a parade of foreigners through the major streets of hp with our backpacks and rolling duffles in tow.
we ate dinner at the couch restaurant (we named it for the couches around tables, but the actual name is even funnier. . . go home!) which was just as delicious as we remembered.
after dinner we gathered at the basketball court for dancing, which happens every nite it's not raining. the students we know aren't all about dancing in the square because they say it's an old person's activity, but our team loved it! it's almost like jane fonda, chinese style. people spread out all over the court, music plays, and there's an understood pattern of moves that goes with it. it wasn't too hard for our girls to catch on (i was a different story, let me tell you! dancing is NOT one of my gifts!!) and they danced until it was over. we met several students there to sit and hang out, and it was nice to have a relaxed atmosphere to make introductions and chat.
for dan, chelsey and i, this was like coming home. . .
sadly, the camera does little to capture the beauty of the countryside, and the angry gray clouds didn't help much. and even though we are in china, we can't help but feel at home in the mountains with clouds of mist. . . ahhh. . . there's even the orangey-red clay!! no kidding!
we arrived in huang ping with all of our fillings intact. . . no small miracle after enduring the bumpiest three hours of twisting through the mountains. and best of all, no motion sickness!! apparently, this is a common ailment among asians, because the bus driver passed out little plastic bags to everyone on the bus.
we walked from the bus station to the hotel--basically a parade of foreigners through the major streets of hp with our backpacks and rolling duffles in tow.
we ate dinner at the couch restaurant (we named it for the couches around tables, but the actual name is even funnier. . . go home!) which was just as delicious as we remembered.
after dinner we gathered at the basketball court for dancing, which happens every nite it's not raining. the students we know aren't all about dancing in the square because they say it's an old person's activity, but our team loved it! it's almost like jane fonda, chinese style. people spread out all over the court, music plays, and there's an understood pattern of moves that goes with it. it wasn't too hard for our girls to catch on (i was a different story, let me tell you! dancing is NOT one of my gifts!!) and they danced until it was over. we met several students there to sit and hang out, and it was nice to have a relaxed atmosphere to make introductions and chat.
for dan, chelsey and i, this was like coming home. . .
day of rest
just as our daddy designed, sunday was a sweet day of rest. our team was responsible for all aspects of our sunday morning activities, so we divided everything up and all took part. bethany began with a call from a passage in the book, kathryn and molly (now affectionately known as mao mi--chinese word for "cat" and mao li--the chinese childrens' rendition of molly) led us in songs. chelsey led in a time of group thinking, i taught (completely out of my comfort zone, but once i let go, daddy gave me just the right words... it was about reaching up and reaching out, the essence of across centered life, if you get that). dan and becca cox served the meal and becca jones and bethany prepared something for the children to learn in their own area. afterwards, we all had a potluck lunch, and many lingered until 2. we have met lots of great people throught these times, and one couple in particular have invited us to join them on monday at their organization that places orphans with foster families until they are place with adoptive families.
our hosts left for the afternoon, and we relaxed with a movie. later in the evening, we caught our own bus, managed to get off at the right stop, did a bit of shopping before meeting rebecca, alfreada and amy for dinner. it felt good to be able to do a bit of our own maneuvering!
then it was home and off to bed to be ready for the countryside!
again, will post photos when i am able.
thanks for your patience!
our hosts left for the afternoon, and we relaxed with a movie. later in the evening, we caught our own bus, managed to get off at the right stop, did a bit of shopping before meeting rebecca, alfreada and amy for dinner. it felt good to be able to do a bit of our own maneuvering!
then it was home and off to bed to be ready for the countryside!
again, will post photos when i am able.
thanks for your patience!
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