I'm in a waiting phase of life. I was in China for four months, then I moved home to work at Wee College in Moncton. Suddenly an opportunity to teach in Jakarta, Indonesia presented itself. The thing I've been loving about the time leading up to starting my teaching job in Indonesia is that this is a waiting phase.
More often than not, I've wanted to hurry time to the "next big thing" in my life because I've been so excited about it. This time, I find that I want to add extra days to my time remaining in the Maritimes, but I also want to skip days to fast forward to the next adventure.
I decided a month or two ago that I was not just going to sit back and wait excitedly until I start my new job in a new country. I'm not saying that I'm not also excitedly waiting, because I am. But, I've also taken this waiting time to strengthen relationships, learn to love a group of 14 incredible little three year-olds, appreciate the beauty of the Maritimes, and prepare spiritually, mentally, practically, for a huge life shift.
The phase of life you're going through is not a coincidence. There is meaning to it, regardless of the difficulty or ease that comes with it. What are you going to do in this time of waiting?
I'm reading a book called A Million Little Ways by Emily P. Freeman. In this book, she talks about what it means to live life as an "artist", to find your true calling, to do this all as a way to give honour to God! It's been eye-opening, as her writing often is. The chapter I read last night was titled "Wait". She ends the chapter with these words:
Show up in the place where you already are fully alive as the image bearer God made you to be. Embrace the mysterious, invisible work of Christ even when it seems like nothing is happening. You are an image bearer and you have a job to do - whether you see the results or whether you don't.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
My Book Plea
Hi friends, I'm about to mooch off of you, but it's for a good cause.
I need your books.
Read on. Or, if you don't feel like reading on, please at least glance at the list at the end of this post.
Pluit Village School is a new school campus that is a part of the Sekolah Pelita Harapan International (SPH) network of schools in Jakarta, Indonesia. This means that it will be very hard to come by English books at the grade level that I need for my own classroom library, and the ones that are available are expensive I'm told. A lot of teachers who have been teaching for several many years may have built up their classroom library over time. This, however, will be the first class that is my very own, and it's in a developing country.
Next weekend, I'm going home to my parents for Easter weekend, and I plan on doing an archaeology dig into my childhood. I'm going to scour every nook and cranny for my old chapter books (and possible my brothers' old books too). I'll bring every Newberry Medal book I can find. I'll find some great read alouds that I can read to my class just like my grade four teacher read Silverwing, Harry Potter, and Charlotte's Web to us on her banged up wooden stool. I'll snag whatever seems relevant.
Reading is obviously a fundamental part to a child's early education, and I want to do everything I can to provide them with different reading opportunities in my classroom. I'm still not entirely sure how I'm going to pack a classroom library into a suitcase to bring with me, but if you know me, you know that I've been refining my packing skills for many, many years. Worst case scenario, I send some on the slow boat to Indonesia..... Or I'll find Mary Poppins' bag.
Pluit Village is in a transition period, and this school year will be the transition year between it being an early education center and becoming a full K-5 school in the center of Jakarta. The transition school we'll be at this year will be in the Pluit Village Mall. This will be a challenge at times, but I know that it's a challenge that is well worth the efforts we'll be putting in.
I'm so excited for the challenge this year brings! I can't wait to get to the point where I have a unique and diverse classroom library for my students, and I get to see them debating over which book to take home to read.
I know that it'll come together, but I may need a little help. Here's how you could help if you feel so inclined.
1. Point me toward different book sales at schools in the Greater Moncton Area and even on PEI. This will be my gold mine, I'm hoping.
2. Look through your old chapter books, novels, picture books, and send me an email or message with a list of what you think you'd be willing to donate to my classroom.
3. SPH is a Christian international school network. If you know of any books that would be helpful for the spiritual growth of children (ages 7-11) and interesting to read, please send me the titles of these books. Even better, if you have some that you don't feel you need anymore, you could consider donating them.
4. Give me some tips or pieces of advice on how to accomplish this task!
5. Pray.
Email me or message me on Facebook.
Here's a link to give you an idea of what kind of books are around the grade three level.
I need your books.
Read on. Or, if you don't feel like reading on, please at least glance at the list at the end of this post.
Pluit Village School is a new school campus that is a part of the Sekolah Pelita Harapan International (SPH) network of schools in Jakarta, Indonesia. This means that it will be very hard to come by English books at the grade level that I need for my own classroom library, and the ones that are available are expensive I'm told. A lot of teachers who have been teaching for several many years may have built up their classroom library over time. This, however, will be the first class that is my very own, and it's in a developing country.
Next weekend, I'm going home to my parents for Easter weekend, and I plan on doing an archaeology dig into my childhood. I'm going to scour every nook and cranny for my old chapter books (and possible my brothers' old books too). I'll bring every Newberry Medal book I can find. I'll find some great read alouds that I can read to my class just like my grade four teacher read Silverwing, Harry Potter, and Charlotte's Web to us on her banged up wooden stool. I'll snag whatever seems relevant.
Reading is obviously a fundamental part to a child's early education, and I want to do everything I can to provide them with different reading opportunities in my classroom. I'm still not entirely sure how I'm going to pack a classroom library into a suitcase to bring with me, but if you know me, you know that I've been refining my packing skills for many, many years. Worst case scenario, I send some on the slow boat to Indonesia..... Or I'll find Mary Poppins' bag.
Pluit Village is in a transition period, and this school year will be the transition year between it being an early education center and becoming a full K-5 school in the center of Jakarta. The transition school we'll be at this year will be in the Pluit Village Mall. This will be a challenge at times, but I know that it's a challenge that is well worth the efforts we'll be putting in.
I'm so excited for the challenge this year brings! I can't wait to get to the point where I have a unique and diverse classroom library for my students, and I get to see them debating over which book to take home to read.
I know that it'll come together, but I may need a little help. Here's how you could help if you feel so inclined.
1. Point me toward different book sales at schools in the Greater Moncton Area and even on PEI. This will be my gold mine, I'm hoping.
2. Look through your old chapter books, novels, picture books, and send me an email or message with a list of what you think you'd be willing to donate to my classroom.
3. SPH is a Christian international school network. If you know of any books that would be helpful for the spiritual growth of children (ages 7-11) and interesting to read, please send me the titles of these books. Even better, if you have some that you don't feel you need anymore, you could consider donating them.
4. Give me some tips or pieces of advice on how to accomplish this task!
5. Pray.
Email me or message me on Facebook.
Here's a link to give you an idea of what kind of books are around the grade three level.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Love God. Love Others. Love Indonesia.
How do I start a blog post about my recent life changing decision?
Let's go back to ten year-old me sitting on the couch after church with my mom. The all familiar World Vision commercials flashed across the screen, and I admit, they got me. While the commercial showed adorable kids in tough circumstances, a voice asked a simple question: "Do you have room in your family for one more?" Mom tells me that I turned to her and asked, "Do we?" How could she resist that? ha ha.
This is how our family came to sponsor Putri Maisaro, a six year-old girl from Indonesia. This is also how I came to be very interested in this faraway country. At the time, Indonesia seemed as familiar a place to me as Narnia or Bear Country (come on, Berenstein fans). I used to dream about meeting Putri someday, and by the time I was in high school, it was near the top of my bucket list.
What else was near the top? "Become a teacher." This was always at the top of my list, and it was always the same answer when someone would ask me that obligatory childhood question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" My answer never changed except for a brief time near the end of my Arts degree when I reconsidered my career choice. I wanted to make sure that this was what I was meant to do, that it was part of God's ultimate plan for me, that I wasn't just pursuing that because I'd always wanted to. So I took a year to teach English in Quebec, and I found that I loved teaching. During that year in Quebec, I also heard about this school in Indonesia where some relatives of some relatives were working, so I emailed them.
I asked what I needed to do to work there. I asked what kind of education they required their staff to have. Unfortunately, I did not meet the requirements at the time. I can't properly explain my feelings towards Indonesia or why they existed, and it took until now to see God's hand in all of this.
I just want to take a minute to emphasize that too often we stress about God's plan in our lives. A friend recently quoted another friend to me. God's plan for our lives is fairly simple, for the Lord gives two commandments. To love God. To love others. It's very clear in the Bible that if God cares so much for the sparrows and the lilies, then how much more must he care for us? I've made the mistake before of stressing what I'm "supposed" to do. We're supposed to love. So, stop worrying; take it from a first class worrier, it does nothing. Just trust. Find peace.
Anyway, fast forward three years after my year in Quebec, and this past fall, I started worrying about what I'd do after finishing my B. Ed teaching practicum. I know, there I went worrying. But I assure you, worrying did nothing. After my practicum, I could either take the job offer from the school I did my practicum at in China, or I could return home and go from there. So, after prayer, consideration, and some wise words from friends and mentors, I returned home. This was a very difficult decision and disheartening in many ways. The upside was that I was coming back to a great workplace at Wee College where I've been very happy working. I still didn't know what the next year would bring though, and I had decided to just trust. It seems simple, and surprisingly, it was.
Remember that school I had inquired about in Indonesia. Well, I applied there. I prayed a lot about this decision, and I continued praying in the months following my application. The Lord surprised me over and over again as things came together. I felt so at peace with the whole thing, and even if I didn't get a job offer, I felt good about the process. I had no feeling of dread or stress because I knew so surely that regardless, I would still love God and others in the outcome.
Now, I won't lie and say that I was indifferent to whether I got the job or not: I so badly wanted this. Yes, I was nervous to hear whether I had the job or not. Yes, I was borderline a nervous wreck the night of my Skype interview, but it was a nervous excitement. I ultimately felt a peace about whatever the result would be.
A few weeks ago, a package arrived in the mail for me. Inside was a contract. Wahoooo!!! While I'm scared about many things in this decision, and there were difficult sacrifices that came with it, I know that this is the right decision and it is a blessing. God is faithful, and I can't believe that I am finally a teacher. I can't believe that I have the chance to love God, love others, and love Indonesia.
So, as of July 14th, I will be in Jakarta, Indonesia as the third grade teacher at Sekolah Pelita Harapan International School.
One last thing. A quote I saw on facebook yesterday:
“You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place, like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again.”
― Azar Nafisi
Let's go back to ten year-old me sitting on the couch after church with my mom. The all familiar World Vision commercials flashed across the screen, and I admit, they got me. While the commercial showed adorable kids in tough circumstances, a voice asked a simple question: "Do you have room in your family for one more?" Mom tells me that I turned to her and asked, "Do we?" How could she resist that? ha ha.
This is how our family came to sponsor Putri Maisaro, a six year-old girl from Indonesia. This is also how I came to be very interested in this faraway country. At the time, Indonesia seemed as familiar a place to me as Narnia or Bear Country (come on, Berenstein fans). I used to dream about meeting Putri someday, and by the time I was in high school, it was near the top of my bucket list.
What else was near the top? "Become a teacher." This was always at the top of my list, and it was always the same answer when someone would ask me that obligatory childhood question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" My answer never changed except for a brief time near the end of my Arts degree when I reconsidered my career choice. I wanted to make sure that this was what I was meant to do, that it was part of God's ultimate plan for me, that I wasn't just pursuing that because I'd always wanted to. So I took a year to teach English in Quebec, and I found that I loved teaching. During that year in Quebec, I also heard about this school in Indonesia where some relatives of some relatives were working, so I emailed them.
I asked what I needed to do to work there. I asked what kind of education they required their staff to have. Unfortunately, I did not meet the requirements at the time. I can't properly explain my feelings towards Indonesia or why they existed, and it took until now to see God's hand in all of this.
I just want to take a minute to emphasize that too often we stress about God's plan in our lives. A friend recently quoted another friend to me. God's plan for our lives is fairly simple, for the Lord gives two commandments. To love God. To love others. It's very clear in the Bible that if God cares so much for the sparrows and the lilies, then how much more must he care for us? I've made the mistake before of stressing what I'm "supposed" to do. We're supposed to love. So, stop worrying; take it from a first class worrier, it does nothing. Just trust. Find peace.
Anyway, fast forward three years after my year in Quebec, and this past fall, I started worrying about what I'd do after finishing my B. Ed teaching practicum. I know, there I went worrying. But I assure you, worrying did nothing. After my practicum, I could either take the job offer from the school I did my practicum at in China, or I could return home and go from there. So, after prayer, consideration, and some wise words from friends and mentors, I returned home. This was a very difficult decision and disheartening in many ways. The upside was that I was coming back to a great workplace at Wee College where I've been very happy working. I still didn't know what the next year would bring though, and I had decided to just trust. It seems simple, and surprisingly, it was.
Remember that school I had inquired about in Indonesia. Well, I applied there. I prayed a lot about this decision, and I continued praying in the months following my application. The Lord surprised me over and over again as things came together. I felt so at peace with the whole thing, and even if I didn't get a job offer, I felt good about the process. I had no feeling of dread or stress because I knew so surely that regardless, I would still love God and others in the outcome.
Now, I won't lie and say that I was indifferent to whether I got the job or not: I so badly wanted this. Yes, I was nervous to hear whether I had the job or not. Yes, I was borderline a nervous wreck the night of my Skype interview, but it was a nervous excitement. I ultimately felt a peace about whatever the result would be.
A few weeks ago, a package arrived in the mail for me. Inside was a contract. Wahoooo!!! While I'm scared about many things in this decision, and there were difficult sacrifices that came with it, I know that this is the right decision and it is a blessing. God is faithful, and I can't believe that I am finally a teacher. I can't believe that I have the chance to love God, love others, and love Indonesia.
So, as of July 14th, I will be in Jakarta, Indonesia as the third grade teacher at Sekolah Pelita Harapan International School.
One last thing. A quote I saw on facebook yesterday:
“You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place, like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be this way ever again.”
― Azar Nafisi
Saturday, March 8, 2014
What travel taught me about teaching
I've been back in Canada now for almost three months now, and I can hardly believe that. It feels like just yesterday I was walking that willow lined street back to my apartment with a load of groceries in my arms (building up my sick biceps). I miss that, not the lugging of groceries, but being in China on the biggest adventure of my life thus far. This evening I watched two episodes of Departures with my fellow travel enthusiast friends. I have developed a love/obsession for Asia in the past year or so, and so I was so excited to watch double episodes on Indonesia. If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter or know me in general, I have not made this a secret: I have the travel bug again.
I do realize that I may not be able to travel again for a while, but there was something incredible I experienced while in China that I am eager to replicate frequently throughout my life. I'm not sure if it's the uncertainty of what you'll come across every day. Maybe it's the knowledge of having your mind opened up to new ways of living and finding that something you really disliked at first about a new place is missed now. I even miss the adventure of sprinting through a massive train station trying to catch the last train back to Shanghai before nightfall.
Being home, I find myself on a brand new kind of adventure, that of being a preschool teacher to thirteen three year-olds. Being a preschool teacher stretches me in new ways that travelling, I think, kind of prepared me for. While I was travelling to China and within China, the unpredictability of life was a guarantee and you had to be okay with that. At first I wasn't, but as time went on I learned about a new layer in my patience that needed to be uncovered. Pretty soon, I enjoyed experiencing the unpredictability of life in China.
As a preschool teacher, I find that I am learning yet another new layer to my patience as a teacher and as a person in general. Being a teacher is not always an easy or comfortable job. Travelling is not always easy or comfortable. Sometimes the things you love most are not always easy or comfortable though. The things that you learn and the people you develop relationships with during both is priceless and rewarding in so many ways. So, while my travel bug kind of hibernates happily (albeit, a little eagerly), I'll make the most of my days as a preschool teacher and as I grow in my relationships with my kids. I'm eager to see what new things I'll learn about them and myself in the coming months.
I do realize that I may not be able to travel again for a while, but there was something incredible I experienced while in China that I am eager to replicate frequently throughout my life. I'm not sure if it's the uncertainty of what you'll come across every day. Maybe it's the knowledge of having your mind opened up to new ways of living and finding that something you really disliked at first about a new place is missed now. I even miss the adventure of sprinting through a massive train station trying to catch the last train back to Shanghai before nightfall.
Being home, I find myself on a brand new kind of adventure, that of being a preschool teacher to thirteen three year-olds. Being a preschool teacher stretches me in new ways that travelling, I think, kind of prepared me for. While I was travelling to China and within China, the unpredictability of life was a guarantee and you had to be okay with that. At first I wasn't, but as time went on I learned about a new layer in my patience that needed to be uncovered. Pretty soon, I enjoyed experiencing the unpredictability of life in China.
As a preschool teacher, I find that I am learning yet another new layer to my patience as a teacher and as a person in general. Being a teacher is not always an easy or comfortable job. Travelling is not always easy or comfortable. Sometimes the things you love most are not always easy or comfortable though. The things that you learn and the people you develop relationships with during both is priceless and rewarding in so many ways. So, while my travel bug kind of hibernates happily (albeit, a little eagerly), I'll make the most of my days as a preschool teacher and as I grow in my relationships with my kids. I'm eager to see what new things I'll learn about them and myself in the coming months.
Monday, December 16, 2013
See Ya Later, Beijing
When I used to hear of people going abroad for a while, I
never thought I would be one of those people. As much as I wanted to do it, I
always thought that those kinds of experiences were for the people who were
more daring than I. For most of my life I have wanted to teach overseas for a
stint of time, even my old barely-put-together junior high yearbook says that I
want to be a teacher in Africa when I am older. Now, granted this ambition has
changed slightly, but still, I’ve always wanted to do what I just did for four
months.
Coming to Beijing was the craziest decision I’ve ever made,
but I also know that it is by far one of the best decisions I ever made. I had
no idea what to expect, so I tried to figure that out by reading people’s
memoirs of travelling around China and by thoroughly reading Wikipedia articles
on this city. I’ve realized though that every person’s experience is different,
and as much as you try to prepare yourself for something new, it will not be
what you expect. At all.
I felt that God was calling me here. I was having a
heart-to-heart with a friend in cab a few weeks ago about our purpose for
coming to China. I doubted my purpose at times before I came. I talked with my
parents about it and wondered if this really was God’s will for the next four
months of my life. There were so many obstacles that had come up, and it seemed
like it wasn’t right. To others it would seem like these were signs to not go.
Just hours before we were supposed to fly out of Halifax, we checked online and
found out that our flight was cancelled. You would think this would be a very
clear sign not to go. The peace that I had in this decision to go overruled the
signs though, and I went to China.
Kenzie, Alicia, and I had many low days early on. There were
days where I wondered if it was all worth it or not, days where I actually
considered going home. I am beyond grateful for these two women in my life. We
laughed together, we cried some ugly tears together, we darted across six lanes
of traffic together, and we learned how to use chopsticks expertly together. I
am thankful to have come home after a good day at school and be able to share
it with them, and I’m thankful that they had listening ears when I had a more
frustrating day. I know that God brought the three of us to China at the same
time for a very specific purpose, and it’s amazing to have seen the way that
our friendships evolved.
I’ve learned how to be more open since being here. I’m not
sure what events all led to this, but God has taught me so much about what it
means to truly be yourself. I read a book while I was here about the masks that
Christians sometimes feel like they have to put on at times. I’ve asked myself
questions about the motives behind the relationships in my life, behind the
decisions I make, and behind the ways that I devote my time. Does all of this
point back to God? God has revealed new truths to me that I think I knew in my
heart, but it hadn’t sunk in, or maybe I just hadn’t learned how to apply these
truths to my daily living. This passage from Colossians 3 has been sort of the
theme of my time here: “Since, then, you have
been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is,
seated at the right hand of God. Set
your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For
you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear
with him in glory.” After helping at a weekend camp retreat with my church, I
was driving home in a cab with a few friends, and we were sharing some of the
ways that God works in our lives. Someone said that maybe as Christians we
focus too much on what we are supposed to do instead of who God created us to
be.
This had been something I, too, had
been thinking a lot about. My purpose in China is not so much about what I did;
it is about learning who God made me to be, it is about the people that I had
the chance to meet and build relationships with. I’m not minimalizing the
things that happened here, or minimalizing making decisions of what you should
do in your life; I think these are important, but who are you while you do
these things? Have I reflected God? Am I the person he wants me to be?
We are always making decisions; this is
something that I have struggled with. If you know me well, you know how
indecisive I am. I am learning about letting the peace that comes in Christ
rule in my life. I’m learning about praising him in all circumstances. My time
in China has been incredibly challenging and rewarding, and I have felt the
Lord draw me closer to him in this time. He has revealed areas of my life that
need attention, and he has revealed more of himself to me. It has been
surprising, refreshing, unsettling, and comforting all at once.
No matter where you are or what you are
doing, invite God to show you something new about who he is. Watch out though because
it could be a doozy. You might not see it for a few days, or you might see him
reveal it slowly over a few weeks. If you’re stubborn like me, it could take
moving to China for four months to finally realize what that new “something”
is.
I leave China in eighteen hours. What
an adventure it has been.
 |
| Going to miss Geetika and Camesha like crazy. So blessed. |
 |
| Family portrait time :) |
 |
| Dysfunctional and wonderful |
 |
| Final Saturday in Beijing with the girls. Going to miss you all! |
Monday, October 7, 2013
City and Country Tales
If I keep going to Bethel, I may very well end up adopting one (or two or three) of those kids. On Saturday a group from my church went to the Bethel Foster Home to help harvest crops and do whatever they needed us to do for the day. It was hard work, but it was so worth it.
We drove west of Beijing to Bethel which is about 90 minutes from Chaoyang. There were about twelve of us who went. I had no idea what to expect, but I was just eager to help in whatever way I could. I had my greenhouse working chops to put back into practice. While there, we harvested winter melons and beans; then, we planted lots and lots of garlic. We also cleaned some dormitories. It was really neat to see the facilities and hear the stories of the people there.
Bethel was founded by a French couple (they call them French Papa and Mama) who felt called to sell everything they own. They then decided to start an orphanage in China for a group of children who are often forgotten about: those who are blind. You'd think it would be a sad place when you think of orphanages or foster homes, but it is actually so full of joy and hope! It was overwhelming.
At the end of the day, we had the chance to spend some time with the kids. I really wish I could speak more Chinese so that I could have asked them more questions. It's surprising though how insignificant the language barriers are when you are just showing each other love. They just wanted to play and be around us. They loved playing clapping games and giving hugs :)
It was a short experience, but it was the highlight of my holiday week. It was the last thing I did after spending a whole week in Shanghai.
This is not to say that seeing Shanghai was unimpressive. I could not get over the number of people that swarmed the streets because of the holiday. The lights were amazing to see as well. We went on a night cruise along the Huangpu River and saw the cityscape all lit up. I really was just a wide-eyed country girl trying to take in one of the world's largest cities. I would try and seem relaxed - like being in a city like that is no big deal. It was a big deal though! I've learned that I love cities and the energy in them. I love all the different kinds of people that you can meet who you would not normally meet, especially when one foreigner comes across another. It's like an instant bond.
This being said, I'll always come back to the country. It's my home. It's in my blood.
These are some photos from our day at Bethel:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gleefully/10100094733/in/set-72157636213878224/
This is a photo from one of our days in Shanghai:
We drove west of Beijing to Bethel which is about 90 minutes from Chaoyang. There were about twelve of us who went. I had no idea what to expect, but I was just eager to help in whatever way I could. I had my greenhouse working chops to put back into practice. While there, we harvested winter melons and beans; then, we planted lots and lots of garlic. We also cleaned some dormitories. It was really neat to see the facilities and hear the stories of the people there.
Bethel was founded by a French couple (they call them French Papa and Mama) who felt called to sell everything they own. They then decided to start an orphanage in China for a group of children who are often forgotten about: those who are blind. You'd think it would be a sad place when you think of orphanages or foster homes, but it is actually so full of joy and hope! It was overwhelming.
At the end of the day, we had the chance to spend some time with the kids. I really wish I could speak more Chinese so that I could have asked them more questions. It's surprising though how insignificant the language barriers are when you are just showing each other love. They just wanted to play and be around us. They loved playing clapping games and giving hugs :)
It was a short experience, but it was the highlight of my holiday week. It was the last thing I did after spending a whole week in Shanghai.
This is not to say that seeing Shanghai was unimpressive. I could not get over the number of people that swarmed the streets because of the holiday. The lights were amazing to see as well. We went on a night cruise along the Huangpu River and saw the cityscape all lit up. I really was just a wide-eyed country girl trying to take in one of the world's largest cities. I would try and seem relaxed - like being in a city like that is no big deal. It was a big deal though! I've learned that I love cities and the energy in them. I love all the different kinds of people that you can meet who you would not normally meet, especially when one foreigner comes across another. It's like an instant bond.
This being said, I'll always come back to the country. It's my home. It's in my blood.
These are some photos from our day at Bethel:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gleefully/10100094733/in/set-72157636213878224/
This is a photo from one of our days in Shanghai:
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Accustom
China is sincerely baffling sometimes. Around one corner, you'll see a couple frying up some chicken legs on a makeshift stove. Around another, you'll nearly get trampled by a woman decked out in Prada and whatever other expensive designer clothes she buys. The next, you'll see a dad holding his toddler out over a bush to pee through the big split in the child's pants (intentionally put there, of course). Despite all of this though, I have been surprised at how life has not changed that drastically.
I know you're thinking, "But she's in CHINA!" Surely, there is culture shock. Well, yeah, in some ways: like becoming accustomed to being pushed up against on all sides while on the subway. Who needs to hold onto a handle or pole when you have your trusty Chinese posse invading your personal space?
I think that I was expecting the very worst though. I expected thick orange air that you can't see through, but we've had mostly blue skies. I expected to see snake intestines and scorpions hanging from street vendors, but I've only seen a few strange organs wrapped up in an indistinguishable... pastry? I expected the Chinese to be rude, but they are actually very friendly for the most part. I expected the drivers to be nutty here, but... well, they are.
As Alicia, Kenzie, and I were crossing a busy intersection yesterday, I was reflecting on our first couple days up until now. I think I said out loud: "I'm glad my mother doesn't see the way I cross streets now. I think she'd have a heart attack." We've become experts at weaving. I remember the first time I watched someone cross six lanes of traffic one lane at a time. I was terrified for them. I didn't think I would ever do that, but lo and behold I do it almost every day now.
Just watch out for the tuk-tuks and rickshaws. They're merciless.
Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not naive to think that this is "real China" as people refer to it here. We are very fortunate to be in such an international area that has English signs and peanut butter and real hamburgers. I had the best burger on Saturday from Blue Frog; it may even beat the burgers at Cage aux Sports in Rimouski. This is saying A LOT.
The National Holiday week is coming up soon. Alicia and I will be travelling to Shanghai and staying there for four nights. An adventure off of an adventure. We're taking the bullet train and then hostelling for most of the week while we explore Shanghai. I still can't believe this sometimes, here I am in China just taking off to freaking Shanghai for a few days. No big deal.
Here are a few photos from our long weekend adventures:
I know you're thinking, "But she's in CHINA!" Surely, there is culture shock. Well, yeah, in some ways: like becoming accustomed to being pushed up against on all sides while on the subway. Who needs to hold onto a handle or pole when you have your trusty Chinese posse invading your personal space?
I think that I was expecting the very worst though. I expected thick orange air that you can't see through, but we've had mostly blue skies. I expected to see snake intestines and scorpions hanging from street vendors, but I've only seen a few strange organs wrapped up in an indistinguishable... pastry? I expected the Chinese to be rude, but they are actually very friendly for the most part. I expected the drivers to be nutty here, but... well, they are.
As Alicia, Kenzie, and I were crossing a busy intersection yesterday, I was reflecting on our first couple days up until now. I think I said out loud: "I'm glad my mother doesn't see the way I cross streets now. I think she'd have a heart attack." We've become experts at weaving. I remember the first time I watched someone cross six lanes of traffic one lane at a time. I was terrified for them. I didn't think I would ever do that, but lo and behold I do it almost every day now.
Just watch out for the tuk-tuks and rickshaws. They're merciless.
Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not naive to think that this is "real China" as people refer to it here. We are very fortunate to be in such an international area that has English signs and peanut butter and real hamburgers. I had the best burger on Saturday from Blue Frog; it may even beat the burgers at Cage aux Sports in Rimouski. This is saying A LOT.
The National Holiday week is coming up soon. Alicia and I will be travelling to Shanghai and staying there for four nights. An adventure off of an adventure. We're taking the bullet train and then hostelling for most of the week while we explore Shanghai. I still can't believe this sometimes, here I am in China just taking off to freaking Shanghai for a few days. No big deal.
Here are a few photos from our long weekend adventures:
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