China, Oh China...

I've been in China for almost 6 months. I wish I were better with words, but I will try to express to you what it's like living in China...

Day 153 (approximately...):

  I wake up around 9:00, make a cup of coffee and dig into the Word before my day starts. I can hear a cannon shooting off (at the funeral home) near my apartment, indicating that yet another person has died, probably without ever hearing the name of  J. I spend some time in pr.yer and then get ready for the day. I eat breakfast, slip my house shoes off at the door, and then put on my yellow Keens. I decide to walk to a cafe about 3 miles from my house. I go into a convenient store on the corner to grab a bottle of water. The cashier giggles as I ask her "Duo shao qian?" and then giggles again as she tells me that it costs about 16 cents. I tell her thank you and then set off down the street. On my way, I encounter a variety of situations. A horse-drawn carriage drives past me. A man in a Porsche drives past me. Some little children walk past, giggling and saying "hello!" to me. I tell them "hello!" and they giggle even more. I keep walking. I see a woman about 65 or 70 years old working in the fields and I think about the hard life she must live, and wonder if she ever even had the opportunity to go to school. Some college students walk by. One of them points to me and says "Outsider" to her friend in Chinese. I pretend like I don't notice. I pass probably 100 people on my way and every single one of them either stares, points, giggles, looks at my weird shoes, or does all of the above. I finally get to the cafe. I study Chinese for a while and then a student or 2 comes in and wants to practice their English. I am happy to help. They ask if I speak any Chinese. I say a few sentences in Chinese and they say my Chinese is great (for having only studied for 4 months). I compliment them on their English. They say "Oh, sank you!" and I just laugh to myself. I spend all afternoon at the cafe and then I take the bus back to my apartment . More stares. More pointing. More giggles. I get home and make dinner, check my e-mails. and study more Chinese. 

Day 154:

   I didn't sleep well, so I hit the snooze button a dozen times before actually rolling out of bed. Some friends are coming for breakfast, so I get ready quickly and fix chocolate chip pancakes and bacon. They ring the doorbell while I'm still cooking. I buzz them up to my apartment and we spend the next few hours talking, laughing, and eating. I clear the table and then we walk around town. I need to buy laundry detergent so I go to Carrefour (the French version of Walmart) with my friends. The bus is crowded and of course, more staring. Some days it doesn't bother me at all and other days, I want to scream at people. (Hey, just being honest...) After I buy a few things, I take the bus back to my apartment. When I get off, it's raining. I have forgotten my umbrella AGAIN. It's a 10 minute walk to my apartment. By the time I get there, I am soaked and freezing. I blow dry my hair and decide to take a nap. I wake up to the sound of someone screaming in the courtyard (yet it only sounds like screaming to me. Chinese people naturally talk very very loud.) I get out of bed and go to meet some other foreigners for dinner. I study Chinese while I'm there. A Chinese person tells me my tones are terrible. Gee, thanks. We laugh and talk about our frustrations. It's good to have people who understand what I'm going through here. Afterwards, the guys are still hungry, so we go to the night market near my house. There are people everywhere, making fried rice, noodles, shish kebobs (with unknown meat on them), fried potatoes, corn, and selling everything from clothes pins to watermelon. I sit with the guys as they eat. More stares. More pointing. More giggles. We talk until about 9 and then part ways. I go home and Skype with my Grandparents and my best friend. It's always good to talk to those I miss and love! And I study Chinese before going to bed.

As you can see, everyday is different for me here.

Sometimes I am so eager to learn Chinese; other times, I feel it is a hopeless endeavor. 

Sometimes people stare at me and I think it's funny; other times, I want to scream at them.

Sometimes I think trying new things is fun; other times, I dream of the familiar.

Sometimes I absolutely love China; other times I have to remind myself every 2 minutes why I'm here.

I've been in China for almost 6 months, and Oh, there is so much the Father has yet to teach me.

Father, give me the eyes to see these people like You see them. Give me the heart to love them like You love them. Help me to get rid of this earthly perspective and replace it with an eternal perspective. Amen.