Open the Eyes of my Heart

Burnt offerings to their G-ds

Just waiting around

My random friends in Shanghai

QiXiaShan (mountain) and Americans

This month has been full of travels and teaching and exhaustion. Through all of these things, I have had the blessing of getting to see different places, people, and cultures. In my teaching I have gotten to know some of my students so much better recently. The things we have talked about in class have really opened my eyes to their lives and trials. I have learned the different backgrounds they have, and thought processes. It's wonderful to see when they have a different thought or experience.

Through my travels, I have met some new friends. I have seen more of China. I have gotten to experience so many new things. This weekend was no exception. We left on Friday afternoon for Nanjing. I was really excited for this trip because of the friends we got to catch up with, and because Nanjing is such a cool city. I hope to return very soon to go to the museums and historical things in this city. This is a city that many governments of China have started and died. It's a city that has been attacked countless times. It's a very historical city in China.

We climbed a mountain on Saturday. It was beautiful. The leaves were all changing, so it looked like fall at home. We climbed up, and from the top you could look out over the river. The river was large and hard to see from all the fog. Lots of barges on it. Then dinner at Burger King and coffee for a few hours with good friends. It was wonderful to catch up with people and just talk about our lives. I find that I appreciate fellowship much more now. It's wonderful to be around people of like mind.

Friendships in China are so different. With the Chinese, you can only get so deep. With foreigners.. especially other Americans, it seems that you get so deep so much more quickly. You bond on this "foreigner in China" status and share so many more intimate details more quickly about onesself. It's been amazing to see into these people's hearts and souls while I'm getting to know them. I am learning so much about others and about myself in the process. My eyes are being opened daily to see in a new way.

Then on Sunday.. I went to Shanghai to see Tara. She went to Harding with me for a bit, then taught here for 6 months (my first year), and is now back visiting for a couple weeks. She has been so busy.. so I just made a quick stopover in Shanghai to visit with her. It was wonderful to see her and catch up. We got to talk for a long time about life and where we are in it. How much we love China and the things we get to see. It was nice to be around someone who misses China as much as I missed it. It was a good reminder for me. I was starting to get a little bitter about things here, but she reminded me of the simplicity of life here. It was a nice refreshing visit.

When I got to Shanghai though.. I had some time to kill before she got back.. so I wandered out of the subway at People's Park and thought about going to sit and read at Starbucks. When I got out of the subway station, 4 students stared and said their "Hellos." I smiled and said Hello.. well, we ended up visiting and then they invited me to a tea showing. Where the woman told about all the different teas and how they are made and we get to sample them. We also learn the history and everything. It was so interesting. It was one of those random moments where you remember you aren't alone in this World. You remember to seize every opportunity given you. I was definitely given an opportunity and took advantage of it. It was a wonderful afternoon.

Monday in Shanghai... I literally fell of the Subway. I was trying to get off and people are all in the way.. Oh China. A guy picked up my leg and literally threw me out of the subway car and onto the ground. I had a swarm of people trying to help me and also yelling at the guy. It was crazy. I am bruised and a little sore, but such is life. Shanghai is busy and crowded. Not my favorite place on earth, but close. I did get Cold Stone Creamery, and Crocs. Found an amazing book store! Can't wait to go back to the book store. Other than that.. nothing. It was wonderful to see Tara.

Now I am back in Ningbo. I am exhausted. This week is really busy. Thanksgiving is Thursday. I will be cooking a lot for that and hosting it in my apartment. Today is Graham's birthday party.. so Burgers at the Irish place downtown and bowling. Tomorrow is Wednesday... so cleaning and cooking for Thursday. Friday I am leaving for Wuhan. Steve, Jesse, and I are going out to central China to visit some American friends. Harding people out there and others. We are having a big Thanksgiving on Saturday. I am really excited to see my friends. An overnight train on Friday and Sunday should be fun too. Then I'm done traveling until Christmas. I will go to ChongQing to visit my best Chinese friend, Angus. He will be home from England for a couple days. I am so excited about seeing him.

Needless to say.. my eyes are opened daily to new things and experiences. Life is different and fun all in one. I love what I'm doing and where I am. I just hope that I continue to look UP when I am faced with hard things like being thrown off a subway car.