It's China

I find myself saying this a lot lately.. "It's just China." There is nothing within my control here. I like that feeling. I like being reminded on a daily basis that I have no power in this World. Things that have taught me this.. I went to buy a bicycle yesterday. The campus is very large and I teach about a mile from where I live. I needed a bicycle.

One of my students went with bekah and I to buy a bicycle. We looked and bargained and I found a silver one that would work.. and I was content... and then out of the corner of my eye I found the perfect bike. It was a dark blue purple color with some light blue flowers on it. It's beautiful.. and a big black basket. It was perfect. I bargained and finally got a deal. They set me up and I wheeled off on my new purple bike and Bekah on her new Pink bike. We were very happy little girls on our bicycles. We were all the way on the other side of campus and mine started to feel funny and then.. my pedal fell off. hmm.. I was fine. I just got off and put it my big basket (happy to get to use the basket for the first time) and then walked all the way back to the shop. About a quarter of a mile. They fixed it and laughed at me and sent me on my way again.. Then we get to about the same spot that the pedal fell off and my back tire blew up! It sounded like a gun shot. So loud.. the only difference in this happening in China is that no one hit the deck. They dont' know what a gun shot sounds like. So then I get off of my bike and assess the situation. Bekah is frustrated at this point and I'm exhausted and pouring in sweat. So.. I just decide to wait till today to go back and get the tire fixed. Bekah could not believe I was so non-chalant about the whole thing.. I guess when you've been in China you just know that things happen. You dont' control things here and bad things happen all the time. It wasn't that big of an inconvenience.. I would just walk to class till it was fixed. No big deal.. but people new to China don't realize that life in China is unpredictable. Things break, busses aren't on time, and life just happens around you. It's OK. It's nice to have that feeling of carefreeness where I don't worry about what will happen. You just take life as it comes. The other thing that I love about China, is that as I was walking my bike to my apartment.. broken tire and bent frame.. we passed our gate and a cute lady and her husband sell bikes and fix bikes there. She grabbed my bike from me and fixed it without me even having to ask or anything.. she gave me a better tire and a tube that fit my bike and bent back my frame. I just stood watching in complete aww that she would do that for me.. just because it needed to be done. She didn't expect money or anything.. she just wanted to help me. Our Dad keeps showing himself to me through his people here who dont' even know he's in them..

Another thing that happened yesterday.. we were all standing outside a restaurant, getting ready to meet our friend for his birthday dinner, and we're all just talking.. no big deal and all the sudden bekah leans across our whole group and pushes this chinese man in the back and says "Hey!" We were shocked because that's not normal behavior from our sweet little Bekah.. and we look at the man and he has a pair of tongs in his hand.. Bekah explained that the man was pick pocketing Graham. It was so weird. We were all in shock.. this is my first pick pocket experience in China. The man just walked away.. We didn't really know how to react at all.. we should have yelled or something, but just all stood there in shock and laughing at Bekah for pushing a Chinese man. It was so strange. Needless to say I am glad my bags have zippers and I dont' keep things in my pockets...

I live on the 4th floor of our apartment building so my legs are getting strong. The girls have a lunch/thought time every Thursday.. there are 3 of us and we get along great. We also go walking/jogging every night together and with one of the foreign students that is from the Czech Republic. She is really sweet.. there are about 70 students from Mexico and Europe here studying Chinese.. so we see foriegners often. I will upload apartment pictures and bicycly pictures soon. It's wonderful.

One last quick story.. I had my first Chinese boy ask me if I was single because he was looking. I walked into Jessica's apartment last night to play games and her friend Bill is there. He is a 3rd year and nice. I said hello and started to ask where they were from and Bill blurts out.. "Are you available? I am looking." I continued to ask where they were from and ignore him.. I wasn't sure how to act and everyone started looking at me.. so I asked to make sure I heard him correctly and everyone just laughed at me. I was definitely thrown off. The best part about Chinese boys is that they don't want an American girlfriend and so it's fun to make them nervous, but he definitely succeeded in making me nervous. I just giggled it off and said no.. I did not want to be his girlfriend.. haha. We are friends now.. haha so if any of you american girls want a nice Chinese boy.. I have one for you. He owns a little coffee shop which is great! I love coffee!

My students are fabulous and so excited for this term. Only one really shy class that will be hard to deal with. It's hard to teach a conversational English class to students who are scared to look at you, let alone speak to you or anyone else... The other teachers I am with are wonderful. Our group has really come together. We girls are always laughing about something and it's refreshing. It's nice to have so much support right here. It feels good to be here and with the people I am. I am so glad I'm not in control of my life and I can have this experience with people who are so great. The boys are great leaders and I am so thankful for that. It's going to be an amazing adventure.