I don't even know where to begin besides with the fact that in about 10 hours I will be on my first plane on my journey towards HOME. Can you believe it? This week has been a whirlwind of emotions but it has been one of the best weeks of my life...
I've had a lot of closer with people I have met and also my students. Although I was bawling like a baby when they left school today, I know they will always remember me as I will remember them. Today on my last day at school we went on a field trip to the train station. We took a train ride and the kids got to climb on old train cars and a steam engine. It was the perfect day to really enjoy the kids and take some pictures altogether. As they were lined up and getting ready to walk out at the end of the day, I walked down the line and have each of them a hug. The kids said a lot of things to me but one thing one of the boys said to me was "it's okay Ms. Kammer, when we die, we will see each other in heaven!" And that is something I will always remember :)
Tomorrow (Saturday) morning I will be waking up and leaving for the airport at 5:30 in the morning. I will have so much traveling to do but I know The Lord will be with me every step of the way. Your thoughts and prayers will definitely be appreciated :) Can't wait to land in the good ole USA!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
China Biking Chronicles Continues.
It is Saturday afternoon here in Kunming and I keep thinking about the fact that one week from now, I will be on a plane headed to the good 'ole USA. You wouldn't believe all the emotions I am feeling... sadness because I have to say good bye to so many people and places this week. Happiness and joy because I get to see the people I love. Excitement because I will be graduating from COLLEGE so soon. It's so unreal!
This week was an excellent week. On Monday, Josalyn and I were biking to this shopping center so I could buy some shoes I found for graduation along with some grocery shopping. We were just having a nice ride, minding our own business and all of a sudden, Josalyn makes a noise, I look to my left and there is a scooter (moped) literally an inch from me. She didn't honk or anything so I had no idea she was so close to me..... so she ran into me. Thankfully I caught myself fast enough and didn't fall completely off my bike but her scooter fell over and she was on the ground. I apologized numerous times in Chinese even though it wasn't my fault... But then again when you're a foreigner, everything is your fault. I still have a small bruise on my leg and a bruise on my arm from the incident.
Thursday night I went to a Chinese Christian worship service with some people. It honestly was a beautiful thing to see people worship the same God in a different language. I had no idea what they were saying but you could feel their sincerity as they sang. I was so happy to see that. On Saturday Josalyn took me the Minority Park where there Minority villages that you can see and experience... it was an absolutely gorgeous place and there were performances going on so I got to see traditional Chinese dancing and an elephant show. Loved every minute of it!
Everyone at school keeps asking me when I leave and they are just astonished at how the time has just flown. I have a lot of plans next week before I leave... I will be observing other classrooms in KIA. Wednesday we don't have school so that is my packing day and I will also be going to someone's house for dinner. Friday Kindergarten is going on a field trip to the train station and that night a bunch of us are going out for dinner and some possible karaoke.... Chinese style. Sounds like a perfect last night in China.
This week was an excellent week. On Monday, Josalyn and I were biking to this shopping center so I could buy some shoes I found for graduation along with some grocery shopping. We were just having a nice ride, minding our own business and all of a sudden, Josalyn makes a noise, I look to my left and there is a scooter (moped) literally an inch from me. She didn't honk or anything so I had no idea she was so close to me..... so she ran into me. Thankfully I caught myself fast enough and didn't fall completely off my bike but her scooter fell over and she was on the ground. I apologized numerous times in Chinese even though it wasn't my fault... But then again when you're a foreigner, everything is your fault. I still have a small bruise on my leg and a bruise on my arm from the incident.
Thursday night I went to a Chinese Christian worship service with some people. It honestly was a beautiful thing to see people worship the same God in a different language. I had no idea what they were saying but you could feel their sincerity as they sang. I was so happy to see that. On Saturday Josalyn took me the Minority Park where there Minority villages that you can see and experience... it was an absolutely gorgeous place and there were performances going on so I got to see traditional Chinese dancing and an elephant show. Loved every minute of it!
Everyone at school keeps asking me when I leave and they are just astonished at how the time has just flown. I have a lot of plans next week before I leave... I will be observing other classrooms in KIA. Wednesday we don't have school so that is my packing day and I will also be going to someone's house for dinner. Friday Kindergarten is going on a field trip to the train station and that night a bunch of us are going out for dinner and some possible karaoke.... Chinese style. Sounds like a perfect last night in China.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Another week gone.
Another weekend has passed and I will start my last week teaching tomorrow! Friday night me Josalyn and another teacher went to a mexican restaurant that is in the North side of town. It was SO yummy and actually a really nice place (a lot more expensive than we thought haha). Afterwards we went to a cafe and got some cheesecake. Cheesecake is something that is really popular here.. it is something that you guarantee every restaurant will have as a dessert. I think it's because it's not very sweet and Chinese people don't like sweets (not American standards of sweet anyways).
Saturday morning I woke up and went to the international fair at school because I volunteered to help. All staff had to but even though I'm not considered "staff," I still asked if there was any way I could help. Basically there were booths set up from a bunch of different countries (Malaysia, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Japan, Singapore, Denmark, England USA....) and they were all represented by parents and students who are actually from those countries. They made food, had games, pictures, activities from those countries and then each thing cost a certain amount of tickets. I helped out with the USA booth. It was fun because not just students and staff came to the fair, people from all over Kunming came. Some of the Chinese people wanted their picture with me... because they just never see foreigners! Not gonna lie, made me feel pretty special :)
Ready to start this week and finish it off STRONG. In 13 days I will be on a plane headed across the world. I'm so excited to see and get hugs from the people I love so very much!! Keep me in your prayers :)
Saturday morning I woke up and went to the international fair at school because I volunteered to help. All staff had to but even though I'm not considered "staff," I still asked if there was any way I could help. Basically there were booths set up from a bunch of different countries (Malaysia, Korea, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Japan, Singapore, Denmark, England USA....) and they were all represented by parents and students who are actually from those countries. They made food, had games, pictures, activities from those countries and then each thing cost a certain amount of tickets. I helped out with the USA booth. It was fun because not just students and staff came to the fair, people from all over Kunming came. Some of the Chinese people wanted their picture with me... because they just never see foreigners! Not gonna lie, made me feel pretty special :)
Ready to start this week and finish it off STRONG. In 13 days I will be on a plane headed across the world. I'm so excited to see and get hugs from the people I love so very much!! Keep me in your prayers :)
Friday, April 19, 2013
Kindergarten has my heart.
It has been such a wonderful week teaching in my precious kindergarten classroom :) I love every single one of those kids. It just amazes me how close you can get to kids in such a short time. May 3rd is going to be a very sad day indeed.
This week I had the opportunity to visit an "unregistered" (illegal) kindergarten in Kunming that was started by a foreigner about 5 years ago. She wanted to provide education for families who work but can't afford to send their children to Chinese kindergarten. The thing about Chinese Kindergartens is that it's a BIG DEAL. They are all over the city and these schools JUST have Kindergarten in their buildings. After kindergarten they go to a primary school and then middle school.. etc. All these schools cost a tuition and most of them are more than what Chinese people can afford. So this Kindergarten is held in an apartment, now taught by a local Chinese woman who took over after the foreigner left. She lives in this apartment so she has her own bedroom and the rest of the apartment is all for this school. I got to interact with the kids a little bit and although they didn't know any English, I figured out quickly how incredibly smart they were. I thought it was so great to see how God has given the skills and patience to this woman in order dedicate her life to helping others. That is what I hope to be doing for the rest of my life!
Otherwise.. life in Kunming has been pretty much the same. Go to the market after school to pick up stuff to cook for dinner.. ride your bike to school every morning.. sit outside in the evenings and thank God for every single blessing..
The next 2 weeks will be exciting as I finish doing everything that I want and preparing for my journey home.. I feel like I have planned something everyday to make sure I don't waste a minute here. God is so good. I really can't say it enough. I think back sometimes about the process of getting here and how He never failed me. And even as I am sure, His promises are still true.
This week I had the opportunity to visit an "unregistered" (illegal) kindergarten in Kunming that was started by a foreigner about 5 years ago. She wanted to provide education for families who work but can't afford to send their children to Chinese kindergarten. The thing about Chinese Kindergartens is that it's a BIG DEAL. They are all over the city and these schools JUST have Kindergarten in their buildings. After kindergarten they go to a primary school and then middle school.. etc. All these schools cost a tuition and most of them are more than what Chinese people can afford. So this Kindergarten is held in an apartment, now taught by a local Chinese woman who took over after the foreigner left. She lives in this apartment so she has her own bedroom and the rest of the apartment is all for this school. I got to interact with the kids a little bit and although they didn't know any English, I figured out quickly how incredibly smart they were. I thought it was so great to see how God has given the skills and patience to this woman in order dedicate her life to helping others. That is what I hope to be doing for the rest of my life!
Otherwise.. life in Kunming has been pretty much the same. Go to the market after school to pick up stuff to cook for dinner.. ride your bike to school every morning.. sit outside in the evenings and thank God for every single blessing..
The next 2 weeks will be exciting as I finish doing everything that I want and preparing for my journey home.. I feel like I have planned something everyday to make sure I don't waste a minute here. God is so good. I really can't say it enough. I think back sometimes about the process of getting here and how He never failed me. And even as I am sure, His promises are still true.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
A long adventurous weekend.
I have returned from Yuxi and it really was a great weekend!! There were 9 middle school girls and 5 adults. I must say it was rather strange to be on the "chaperone" side of things. I'm so used to being on the kids side but it was rather fun being one of the adults :) And it was very different than chasing 5 year olds around the classroom!
The reason why we went is because there is a teacher who used to work at KIA who started an English school in the village of Er Shan and she wanted to us to come and host an Easter Party for her students. SO that is what we did on Saturday. Friday, we left right after school at 4 on a charter bus. We got stuck in a traffic jam for about an hour and a half so our journey was prolonged and we didn't get to eat dinner until I think 8 or 9 o'clock. Food all weekend was SO good. All typical/traditional Chinese dishes but I loved them all. Friday night we ate at a restaurant and they served us family style. All the food goes on a big lazy Susan so you just spin it until you get what you want. I have a confession to make up.. I ate chicken feet this night. I was so curious and everyone thought it was so funny because I had never seen cooked chicken feet before. I took one bite and that was plenty for me! We got to the hotel and let's just say that American standards are quite different than Chinese standards. There was a cockroach in our bathroom, no shower curtain on the shower and the bed was like a cement block.
Saturday morning we woke up and ate breakfast (meals were in the hotel from this point on- they cooked for us). Rice noodles are what Chinese typically eat for breakfast so that is what we had along with warm sweet soy milk and hard boiled eggs. The milk was my FAVORITE. It was so yummy. We then hiked up a path on the mountain so I got to see a beautiful view of the village and all the farmlands. I also got to know Vivian (an assistant in my classroom) better during this time because she shared her story with me :) She is a beautiful person and I'm so glad we got to talk. After this we walked through town a little bit and as you can guess, all the villagers stared at us because they don't ever see foreigners. Lunch was so good. I'm serious, I could live on Chinese food forever. After lunch we had to get ready for the party- there were 5 stations that kids rotated to- making gods eyes, Easter egg hunt, piñata hitting, water game and an English game. They put me helping with the craft and if you know anything about me, you know how perfect that is. It was really difficult for me to communicate with the students because all of them speak Chinese and barely English. So it was quite interesting to see us try and give directions...
The rest of the day, the girls were allowed to have fun. We went swimming in a hot springs pool and then went to a karaoke room and had a dance party. I didn't have a bathing suit but I wore shorts and a tshirt. It was totally worth it. I CRASHED that night because it was such a long day! We woke up Sunday morning, packed up, ate breakfast and went into the center of the town where the Girl Scout leader gave the girls a photo And shopping scavenger hunt. They had a lot of fun :) and then we ate lunch and left for our journey home.
It truly was a great weekend and its crazy that I gotta get up and go to school tomorrow morning! Another week is about to begin and I think I am ready for it... hehe. Thank you all for your continued prayers :) Can't wait to see all the people I love in just 20 days!
Things I've learned:
17. Little boys swim butt naked in pools in China.
18. All parts of an animal are edible.
19. Cooked plain pumpkin is DELICIOUS.
The reason why we went is because there is a teacher who used to work at KIA who started an English school in the village of Er Shan and she wanted to us to come and host an Easter Party for her students. SO that is what we did on Saturday. Friday, we left right after school at 4 on a charter bus. We got stuck in a traffic jam for about an hour and a half so our journey was prolonged and we didn't get to eat dinner until I think 8 or 9 o'clock. Food all weekend was SO good. All typical/traditional Chinese dishes but I loved them all. Friday night we ate at a restaurant and they served us family style. All the food goes on a big lazy Susan so you just spin it until you get what you want. I have a confession to make up.. I ate chicken feet this night. I was so curious and everyone thought it was so funny because I had never seen cooked chicken feet before. I took one bite and that was plenty for me! We got to the hotel and let's just say that American standards are quite different than Chinese standards. There was a cockroach in our bathroom, no shower curtain on the shower and the bed was like a cement block.
Saturday morning we woke up and ate breakfast (meals were in the hotel from this point on- they cooked for us). Rice noodles are what Chinese typically eat for breakfast so that is what we had along with warm sweet soy milk and hard boiled eggs. The milk was my FAVORITE. It was so yummy. We then hiked up a path on the mountain so I got to see a beautiful view of the village and all the farmlands. I also got to know Vivian (an assistant in my classroom) better during this time because she shared her story with me :) She is a beautiful person and I'm so glad we got to talk. After this we walked through town a little bit and as you can guess, all the villagers stared at us because they don't ever see foreigners. Lunch was so good. I'm serious, I could live on Chinese food forever. After lunch we had to get ready for the party- there were 5 stations that kids rotated to- making gods eyes, Easter egg hunt, piñata hitting, water game and an English game. They put me helping with the craft and if you know anything about me, you know how perfect that is. It was really difficult for me to communicate with the students because all of them speak Chinese and barely English. So it was quite interesting to see us try and give directions...
The rest of the day, the girls were allowed to have fun. We went swimming in a hot springs pool and then went to a karaoke room and had a dance party. I didn't have a bathing suit but I wore shorts and a tshirt. It was totally worth it. I CRASHED that night because it was such a long day! We woke up Sunday morning, packed up, ate breakfast and went into the center of the town where the Girl Scout leader gave the girls a photo And shopping scavenger hunt. They had a lot of fun :) and then we ate lunch and left for our journey home.
It truly was a great weekend and its crazy that I gotta get up and go to school tomorrow morning! Another week is about to begin and I think I am ready for it... hehe. Thank you all for your continued prayers :) Can't wait to see all the people I love in just 20 days!
Things I've learned:
17. Little boys swim butt naked in pools in China.
18. All parts of an animal are edible.
19. Cooked plain pumpkin is DELICIOUS.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
5 weeks??
It is seriously so hard to believe that my 5th week here in China is just about done. 3 weeks from Saturday I will be on plane headed back to the states and it will definitely be a bittersweet day for me...
I made it back to Kunming in one piece :) Exhausted, but I made it back and jumped right back into school on Monday. Standardized testing began so it was just a crazy week from the beginning. Our normal routine was all out of order and since I don't believe in testing Kindergarteners, my patience was tested this week! BUT on the bright side, I got to start my science unit on motion which the students love. We got to walk around the xiao qu (sounds like shou choo = neighborhood) to find a swing (most of my students have never been on one before..) as apart of one of the activities. While we were walking I noticed two of my students were holding hands (a boy and a girl) and I started listening to their conversation.. the girl said "when I grow up, I'm going to marry you." The boy said "how do you know you're going to marry me?" Girl- "because I decided it." Boy- "I have to decide too!" Haha I thought this was so cute and just a typical kid conversation. Love my Kindergarteners!
Tomorrow (Friday) after school I will be headed on then Girl Scouts trip for the weekend and I'm really excited about seeing another part of China and just getting to know other students and teachers. I decided I'm going to do a "technology fast" so I'm not taking my iPad, phone, etc. so if you try to contact me, you'll know why I'm not responding! I want this weekend to just give me a break from student teaching and just relax and enjoy this time I get to have with new people. God has been so good to me, so I want to give some time back to Him. This is something I have felt like he has been leading me to do. I promise to share all my adventures when I return :)
I have also been planning and filling every spare time I have for the 23 days with seeing new things in Kunming and spending time with people. I want every moment to count so I won't leave here with any regrets. But I hardly think that is going to happen.
Keep me in your prayers. God just keeps showing me that His plans for me are far greater than I'll ever imagine. And because of that, I'm so full of joy.
I made it back to Kunming in one piece :) Exhausted, but I made it back and jumped right back into school on Monday. Standardized testing began so it was just a crazy week from the beginning. Our normal routine was all out of order and since I don't believe in testing Kindergarteners, my patience was tested this week! BUT on the bright side, I got to start my science unit on motion which the students love. We got to walk around the xiao qu (sounds like shou choo = neighborhood) to find a swing (most of my students have never been on one before..) as apart of one of the activities. While we were walking I noticed two of my students were holding hands (a boy and a girl) and I started listening to their conversation.. the girl said "when I grow up, I'm going to marry you." The boy said "how do you know you're going to marry me?" Girl- "because I decided it." Boy- "I have to decide too!" Haha I thought this was so cute and just a typical kid conversation. Love my Kindergarteners!
Tomorrow (Friday) after school I will be headed on then Girl Scouts trip for the weekend and I'm really excited about seeing another part of China and just getting to know other students and teachers. I decided I'm going to do a "technology fast" so I'm not taking my iPad, phone, etc. so if you try to contact me, you'll know why I'm not responding! I want this weekend to just give me a break from student teaching and just relax and enjoy this time I get to have with new people. God has been so good to me, so I want to give some time back to Him. This is something I have felt like he has been leading me to do. I promise to share all my adventures when I return :)
I have also been planning and filling every spare time I have for the 23 days with seeing new things in Kunming and spending time with people. I want every moment to count so I won't leave here with any regrets. But I hardly think that is going to happen.
Keep me in your prayers. God just keeps showing me that His plans for me are far greater than I'll ever imagine. And because of that, I'm so full of joy.
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Beijing in 3.
Well as you all probably have figured from my pictures on Facebook and Instagram, I have been a busy busy girl the past 3-4 days! I think I will just take you guys day by day and let you know some of the fun and interesting that have happened...
Wednesday: Jennifer Zhang was essentially my personal tour guide through my trip to Beijing. Ric and Cindy asked her to travel along with me and show me the sites and since she is Chinese, she was an excellent translator as well :) On this we day we went to the Great Wall. We were planning on going to a very touristy place where they charge you admission and all that stuff but someone told us about this secret non-public place to the climb the wall sooo we decided to go on that adventure :) It was an hour drive through back country roads to get to the wall so that itself was a beautiful scene. In order to get up TO the wall we had to walk through someone's yard so they she made us pay them 2 kuai (which definitely beats 45 kuai) and then we had to walk up this crazy hill/pathway. Once we got up on the wall, the view was absolutely breathtaking. I'm sure you could see by some of my pictures how beautiful it was. Not just the wall itself but we could see mountains for miles and miles and there was a gorge right below us and we could see other villages as we walked... We climbed (yes, climbed- not walked) for almost 2 hours and then decided to turn around. I was absolutely terrified the whole time because I'm so scared of heights and the wall's sides weren't there any more so there was practically no edge/side. SCARY. But it was worth every second :)
Thursday: I woke up with sore legs. This girl isn't used to climbing. But we went into the heart of Beijing- where Tianamen Square & The Forbidden City are. It was SOOO crowded because it was a holiday- Tomb Sweeping Day. This is where the people decorate the ancestors tomb in honor of them and also burn paper money for them in the afterlife. So there were people everywhere and we took lots of pictures and went to the Forbidden City where we got to see all the old buildings and architecture of where the emperor and all his wives lived. It was really neat to see all that history from so many years ago. Since I forgot to take a piece of the wall home with me, I grabbed some stone that chipped off the road in the Forbidden City and saved it :)
Friday: Today we went to the Pearl Market which is essentially a Chinese mall. You can bargain for ANYTHING and there were like 5 levels of just stuff- purses, shoes, some clothes, electronics, Asian stuff, etc. I had a really really fun time learning how to bargain and the tricks of how to get the price you want. All the workers spoke English so it was pretty nice, although I do know how to bargain in Chinese too :) I got some really good deals and was very proud of myself! I got 2 pairs of Toms for about $15 each. One of those pairs are actually for Brittany's (my roommate) wedding so I was thrilled to have bought them in China for way cheaper.
On Sunday I am headed back to Kunming where I will finish up my last 4 weeks student teaching! Next weekend I will be traveling again so I'm enjoying being a busy girl :) I have really really really enjoyed my time here with Ric & Cindy. They have truly been such a blessing to me and have made me feel right at home. I don't know how I'll ever thank them enough for everything they have done for me. God has been so good to me.
Things I've Learned:
14. Street vendors are illegal so when they see/hear police coming, they pack up and leave asap!
15. You can trust Muslim restaurants here because since they are religious, they're restaurant and food will be clean.
16. Beijing dialect is so different than Kunming. People who live in Beijing add like a "r" sound at the end of words/sentences. (And I can actually tell the difference!)
Wednesday: Jennifer Zhang was essentially my personal tour guide through my trip to Beijing. Ric and Cindy asked her to travel along with me and show me the sites and since she is Chinese, she was an excellent translator as well :) On this we day we went to the Great Wall. We were planning on going to a very touristy place where they charge you admission and all that stuff but someone told us about this secret non-public place to the climb the wall sooo we decided to go on that adventure :) It was an hour drive through back country roads to get to the wall so that itself was a beautiful scene. In order to get up TO the wall we had to walk through someone's yard so they she made us pay them 2 kuai (which definitely beats 45 kuai) and then we had to walk up this crazy hill/pathway. Once we got up on the wall, the view was absolutely breathtaking. I'm sure you could see by some of my pictures how beautiful it was. Not just the wall itself but we could see mountains for miles and miles and there was a gorge right below us and we could see other villages as we walked... We climbed (yes, climbed- not walked) for almost 2 hours and then decided to turn around. I was absolutely terrified the whole time because I'm so scared of heights and the wall's sides weren't there any more so there was practically no edge/side. SCARY. But it was worth every second :)
Thursday: I woke up with sore legs. This girl isn't used to climbing. But we went into the heart of Beijing- where Tianamen Square & The Forbidden City are. It was SOOO crowded because it was a holiday- Tomb Sweeping Day. This is where the people decorate the ancestors tomb in honor of them and also burn paper money for them in the afterlife. So there were people everywhere and we took lots of pictures and went to the Forbidden City where we got to see all the old buildings and architecture of where the emperor and all his wives lived. It was really neat to see all that history from so many years ago. Since I forgot to take a piece of the wall home with me, I grabbed some stone that chipped off the road in the Forbidden City and saved it :)
Friday: Today we went to the Pearl Market which is essentially a Chinese mall. You can bargain for ANYTHING and there were like 5 levels of just stuff- purses, shoes, some clothes, electronics, Asian stuff, etc. I had a really really fun time learning how to bargain and the tricks of how to get the price you want. All the workers spoke English so it was pretty nice, although I do know how to bargain in Chinese too :) I got some really good deals and was very proud of myself! I got 2 pairs of Toms for about $15 each. One of those pairs are actually for Brittany's (my roommate) wedding so I was thrilled to have bought them in China for way cheaper.
On Sunday I am headed back to Kunming where I will finish up my last 4 weeks student teaching! Next weekend I will be traveling again so I'm enjoying being a busy girl :) I have really really really enjoyed my time here with Ric & Cindy. They have truly been such a blessing to me and have made me feel right at home. I don't know how I'll ever thank them enough for everything they have done for me. God has been so good to me.
Things I've Learned:
14. Street vendors are illegal so when they see/hear police coming, they pack up and leave asap!
15. You can trust Muslim restaurants here because since they are religious, they're restaurant and food will be clean.
16. Beijing dialect is so different than Kunming. People who live in Beijing add like a "r" sound at the end of words/sentences. (And I can actually tell the difference!)
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Happy Easter!
Well thankfully I made it to Ric & Cindy's apartment in Tianjin in one piece! I got off the plane and had to find a taxi and then find their apartment. I called Cindy and she actually had to talk to the taxi driver because she knows way more Chinese than obviously I do.. Once I got to their apartment and met them, I immediately went to bed. I took a melatonin on the plane so I would sleep but I was just still so tired. And it was 1:00 AM.
Woke up on Sunday morning and met their son who is still with them along with their 2 grandchildren who are 4 (girl) & 2 (boy). They are SO fun and I love playing with them. We left at about 8 in the morning, got street food for breakfast and then got on a bus for an hour drive to a hotel in a place called Teda. The service was very good.. they have a small congregation and they sang Easter hymns. It honestly felt like I was a little kid again, at one of the small churches we went to in Kentucky :) After church the whole congregation went to someone's house (apartment.. like I said, there are no houses) for Easter meal. There was ham, mashed potatoes, vegetables, rolls, salad, pumpkin soup, and dessert for days. It was the best westernized meal I have had here!
After getting back to Ric & Cindy's, we just relaxed and spent time talking. The kids hunted eggs inside the apartment and then dyed eggs. While they were doing that I was watching something on my iPad and they were so curious so they came up to me and I showed them all the kid options on Netflix. They curled up next to me and we watched "The Great Mouse Detective" :)
Ric and Cindy are one of the nicest and sweetest couples I have met. They have made me feel so welcome and at home here and I'm very excited for the days to come as we travel to Beijing. They asked a teacher in the school they work at to come along with us and kind of act as my tour guide around Beijing. Since Ric & Cindy will be teaching, I will now have someone to explore Beijing with me! I'm thrilled. She is Chinese so it'll be perfect to have someone who can translate everything. I will meet her today (Monday) as we go see some things around the city. Also, where we are staying in Beijing will be free of charge. They arranged all this for me and I couldn't more thankful for everything they have already done for me!
Woke up on Sunday morning and met their son who is still with them along with their 2 grandchildren who are 4 (girl) & 2 (boy). They are SO fun and I love playing with them. We left at about 8 in the morning, got street food for breakfast and then got on a bus for an hour drive to a hotel in a place called Teda. The service was very good.. they have a small congregation and they sang Easter hymns. It honestly felt like I was a little kid again, at one of the small churches we went to in Kentucky :) After church the whole congregation went to someone's house (apartment.. like I said, there are no houses) for Easter meal. There was ham, mashed potatoes, vegetables, rolls, salad, pumpkin soup, and dessert for days. It was the best westernized meal I have had here!
After getting back to Ric & Cindy's, we just relaxed and spent time talking. The kids hunted eggs inside the apartment and then dyed eggs. While they were doing that I was watching something on my iPad and they were so curious so they came up to me and I showed them all the kid options on Netflix. They curled up next to me and we watched "The Great Mouse Detective" :)
Ric and Cindy are one of the nicest and sweetest couples I have met. They have made me feel so welcome and at home here and I'm very excited for the days to come as we travel to Beijing. They asked a teacher in the school they work at to come along with us and kind of act as my tour guide around Beijing. Since Ric & Cindy will be teaching, I will now have someone to explore Beijing with me! I'm thrilled. She is Chinese so it'll be perfect to have someone who can translate everything. I will meet her today (Monday) as we go see some things around the city. Also, where we are staying in Beijing will be free of charge. They arranged all this for me and I couldn't more thankful for everything they have already done for me!
Flying.
I am currently writing this on a plane headed to Tianjin to spend my Spring Break. I realize that this won't be posted until after I get there but writing to my friends and family makes the time go by a lot faster :) My flight was originally supposed to be at 6:30 but after several annoucements of delays, we took off at 7:30. I will most likely land at 12:30.. then get a taxi at the airport.. then ride
to Rick & Cindy's apartment. AND obviously tomorrow is Easter Sunday so we will be going to church in the morning. Cindy told me that Rick is preaching! I'm excited about that. I'm also excited about the fact that I have been saving my favorite Easter candy that I brought with me for Easter Sunday :) My mom bought me the sweet tart chicks and ducks and you have NO idea how eager I am to open them. If you don't know anything about the sweets in China.... they're almost non-existent.
I have some more good news about future plans.. The weekend after I get back from Tianjin I will be traveling to Yuxi which is a village/town about 3 hours (driving) away. The girl scouts at our school will be going there for the weekend to teach other kids about Easter at a school and some other outreach activities. The more I found out, I will let you know! I am going because one of the teacher assistants in my classroom is going to help translate because the Girl Scout leader is American and she thought I might like to go and help out/chaperone. Of course I wanted to say YES but I was really worried about money for the stay and food, etc. But ya know, God is so good. He never has failed me. I was discussing this with Jean one day and she sad "How's your money situation? You doing okay? Ya know what, I have some ministry money, I'm going to just pay for your way to go." If that isn't an answered prayer and a sign, I don't know what it is. Once again, I must say: God is SO good.
The only thing that makes me sad about being gone that weekend is I will only have 2 weekends left after that to do/see stuff in Kunming! I can't believe that. Time is an enemy right now... I want more time here but also, I want time to go by so I can be home, graduate and begin my "adult" life. Bah.
Okay now it's time for an update on the "China Biking Chronicles" because I'm sure you're all dying to know if I have had another dramatic experience... and the answer is no :) Sally's (what I decided to name bike; no judgement please) chain has been entact for more than a week now and although she is old and squeaks a lot when I pedal... she remains strong! Let's pray she lasts the next 4 weeks.
Things I've Learned:
13. All domestic flights in China offer a meal on the plane. Even if it's just an hour.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
A Good Day
So today was a really good day because of many reasons:
1. The whole elementary part of the school (grades JK-5th) did a service trip during the school day today. The students delivered cookies to people working in the neighborhood (guards, maintennance, people who sweep the sidewalks, water the grass, etc.) and thanked them for all their hard work. The kids really enjoyed it and so I just hope they learned from that experience!
2. My teacher uses dried bamaboo sticks as pointers in the classroom and today I realized that would be something really great to take home and use in my future classroom... so I asked her about them and she said "oh, I have a hand full in the back cabinet." I have two set aside for me to take home! How great is that! A story to go along with that.... when I was walking back to the cabinet to get the bamboo sticks, there were a group of students working so of course they were all asking me what I was doing. I said to them "I am getting some of these sticks so I can use them when I go back home and teach." One of the little girls looks at me and says, "Your going to teach Miss Rolfe??" Otherwise known as Josalyn, my roommate. OH Kindergarten :)
3. Josalyn took me to the Bird and Flower Market which is this huge outdoor market where 100's of venders come out and sell literally whatever you can imagine. There are pets, plants, jewelry, tea sets, the list could go on and on... It was just a really neat place and I will probably end up back there again to buy gifts!
4. We also ate dinner down there at Papa John's and let me just say that for a girl who has been craving cheese (there is not cheese here. not the kind I am used to anyway...), it was like a dream come true. And what was so funny to me is that Papa John's is like a nice sit-down restaraunt here in Kunming. I have no idea why but it is very elite. They also started to play english christmas music when we came into the restaraunt.. Josalyn said it is because when they know there is a foreigner in the place, they try to impress you. Oh boy.
Things I've learned:
11. You can bargain/barter anything. I mean really, anything.
12. How to sing happy birthday in Chinese :)
1. The whole elementary part of the school (grades JK-5th) did a service trip during the school day today. The students delivered cookies to people working in the neighborhood (guards, maintennance, people who sweep the sidewalks, water the grass, etc.) and thanked them for all their hard work. The kids really enjoyed it and so I just hope they learned from that experience!
2. My teacher uses dried bamaboo sticks as pointers in the classroom and today I realized that would be something really great to take home and use in my future classroom... so I asked her about them and she said "oh, I have a hand full in the back cabinet." I have two set aside for me to take home! How great is that! A story to go along with that.... when I was walking back to the cabinet to get the bamboo sticks, there were a group of students working so of course they were all asking me what I was doing. I said to them "I am getting some of these sticks so I can use them when I go back home and teach." One of the little girls looks at me and says, "Your going to teach Miss Rolfe??" Otherwise known as Josalyn, my roommate. OH Kindergarten :)
3. Josalyn took me to the Bird and Flower Market which is this huge outdoor market where 100's of venders come out and sell literally whatever you can imagine. There are pets, plants, jewelry, tea sets, the list could go on and on... It was just a really neat place and I will probably end up back there again to buy gifts!
4. We also ate dinner down there at Papa John's and let me just say that for a girl who has been craving cheese (there is not cheese here. not the kind I am used to anyway...), it was like a dream come true. And what was so funny to me is that Papa John's is like a nice sit-down restaraunt here in Kunming. I have no idea why but it is very elite. They also started to play english christmas music when we came into the restaraunt.. Josalyn said it is because when they know there is a foreigner in the place, they try to impress you. Oh boy.
Things I've learned:
11. You can bargain/barter anything. I mean really, anything.
12. How to sing happy birthday in Chinese :)
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Sound Of Music
So I can't believe that Spring Break is so soon. I am so excited (more than I can show via blog...) to fly to Tianjin and then travel to Beijing by TRAIN next week. I have made lists of things I definitely want to experience and see so I'm just praying I get to do them all :) The good news is, I will have internet everywhere I'll be so I will be able to tell you about all my stories!!
This week I have been planning my science unit for the week after spring break; which is the same week as their standardized testing. So, I'm trying to make it a lot of fun for the kids- they will deserve it after testing all morning! Jean told me too that my last day in the classroom (May 3) we will be going on a field trip to the train station AND we are going to have a party for me on May 2. I am super blessed.
So this week is the school's big production of the Sound of Music. They have shows Thursday-Saturday and I will be going Friday before I leave Kunming. Since a lot of our students will be going to see the show, we have been showing clips of the movie during school time. Today, the scene where Rolfe and Leisel are dancing and singing "16 going on 17" and all of a sudden the kids started chanting "KISS, KISS, KISS!" As most of you know, they kissed, and all my students screamed. Oh, Kindergarten.
Watching the movie gave me flash backs of watching it at my Grandma Wilson's house as a girl.. it was always our favorite to watch together. I remember thinking how old I thought Rolfe and Lesisel were... haha. I could tell my students were thinking the same thing.
Things I've learned:
8. Chinese men often carry their girlfriend/wife's purse for them... yes, I am serious.
9. How to count to 100 in Chinese!!
10. People who are here to share Christ's love say they are here on "family business" (code for missionary).
This week I have been planning my science unit for the week after spring break; which is the same week as their standardized testing. So, I'm trying to make it a lot of fun for the kids- they will deserve it after testing all morning! Jean told me too that my last day in the classroom (May 3) we will be going on a field trip to the train station AND we are going to have a party for me on May 2. I am super blessed.
So this week is the school's big production of the Sound of Music. They have shows Thursday-Saturday and I will be going Friday before I leave Kunming. Since a lot of our students will be going to see the show, we have been showing clips of the movie during school time. Today, the scene where Rolfe and Leisel are dancing and singing "16 going on 17" and all of a sudden the kids started chanting "KISS, KISS, KISS!" As most of you know, they kissed, and all my students screamed. Oh, Kindergarten.
Watching the movie gave me flash backs of watching it at my Grandma Wilson's house as a girl.. it was always our favorite to watch together. I remember thinking how old I thought Rolfe and Lesisel were... haha. I could tell my students were thinking the same thing.
Things I've learned:
8. Chinese men often carry their girlfriend/wife's purse for them... yes, I am serious.
9. How to count to 100 in Chinese!!
10. People who are here to share Christ's love say they are here on "family business" (code for missionary).
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Chicken Zhen
It is Sunday afternoon and I am back at the apartment watching Coyote Ugly. I have had a pretty interesting weekend... Friday night me and Josalyn went to Jean's (my teacher) apartment in a different part of the city. It was about a 40 minute bike ride there and then we walked to get dinner at a restaurant that was like a japanese steakhouse where they cook the food in front of you. After we ordered, it took quite a long time to get our food. Jean knows the most Chinese after living here for 10 years so after asking multiple times about our food, we eventually got the food and they placed the "chicken" we ordered in front of us. It wasn't chicken. We found out that what we ordered was actually chicken gizzards/insides! On the menu it said "Chicken Zhen." So. The lesson learned is that even after studying Chinese for 10 years, you still don't know it all :)
On Saturday we woke up and got a western breakfast. Eggs. Bacon. Pancakes. It was very good. We also went to this international imported foods store.. it was so tiny.. but as we were walking out, I spotted a green can that I know so well. 5 cans of Mountain Dew sat on the shelf just waiting for me. The previous day, I had to just been telling someone how bad I was craving a Mountain Dew so for those that know me, you know how happy I was :) Later on in the day after walking around the west side of the city and heading home, Josalyn and I went to Starbucks and got a drink. It was a little expensive but so worth it!
Church this morning was really good. We sang all songs that were familiar to me and so it was wonderful to just worship at the end/beginning of a week. I'm very excited about this week because Spring Break begins on Friday which means I fly to Tianjin on Saturday! Yay!
On Saturday we woke up and got a western breakfast. Eggs. Bacon. Pancakes. It was very good. We also went to this international imported foods store.. it was so tiny.. but as we were walking out, I spotted a green can that I know so well. 5 cans of Mountain Dew sat on the shelf just waiting for me. The previous day, I had to just been telling someone how bad I was craving a Mountain Dew so for those that know me, you know how happy I was :) Later on in the day after walking around the west side of the city and heading home, Josalyn and I went to Starbucks and got a drink. It was a little expensive but so worth it!
Church this morning was really good. We sang all songs that were familiar to me and so it was wonderful to just worship at the end/beginning of a week. I'm very excited about this week because Spring Break begins on Friday which means I fly to Tianjin on Saturday! Yay!
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Living life
I made it through my first full week at school here :) It is really flying by like I knew it would. I taught math groups all week and so next week I will be teaching writing groups next week. When we get back from spring break, they have standardize teaching and I will also begin a science unit on motion. I'm a little nervous about that because science definitely isn't my comfort zone but I also know that the kids really enjoy it so it will be fun to teach :)
Last night, a group of girls (5 of us) rode our bikes to another girl's house for bible study. It's about a 30 minute ride so not terrible- I love getting the exercise and the weather is perfect here so it makes it that much more enjoyable. However, last night, the chain on my bike broke AGAIN (BAH) going down a hill... it was underneath a bridge on a really busy street and I couldn't pedal up the hill so when I got off to push it and walk, all I thought was "these girls probably think I'm so lazy and can't pedal up a hill." lol. So after pointing to the chain dragging the ground many times, we finally found a bike shop and got the chain replaced! I should call these stories "China Biking Chronicles."
I'm super excited about this bible study though because I came at the perfect time. We are starting a brand new book next week called Traveling Light by Max Lucado. It's all about releasing the burdens that we weren't ever intended to carry and give them to God. I think it's going to be good to really get into a study and be focused on something while I am here. It will keep my mind off missing home and allow me to be connected with people here. God is good!
This weekend me and Josalyn, my roommate, are going to the west side of town and staying the night at my teacher's house (Jean) Friday night to explore that area. I'm super excited about that! I can't wait to share what it is like!!
Last night, a group of girls (5 of us) rode our bikes to another girl's house for bible study. It's about a 30 minute ride so not terrible- I love getting the exercise and the weather is perfect here so it makes it that much more enjoyable. However, last night, the chain on my bike broke AGAIN (BAH) going down a hill... it was underneath a bridge on a really busy street and I couldn't pedal up the hill so when I got off to push it and walk, all I thought was "these girls probably think I'm so lazy and can't pedal up a hill." lol. So after pointing to the chain dragging the ground many times, we finally found a bike shop and got the chain replaced! I should call these stories "China Biking Chronicles."
I'm super excited about this bible study though because I came at the perfect time. We are starting a brand new book next week called Traveling Light by Max Lucado. It's all about releasing the burdens that we weren't ever intended to carry and give them to God. I think it's going to be good to really get into a study and be focused on something while I am here. It will keep my mind off missing home and allow me to be connected with people here. God is good!
This weekend me and Josalyn, my roommate, are going to the west side of town and staying the night at my teacher's house (Jean) Friday night to explore that area. I'm super excited about that! I can't wait to share what it is like!!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
SO much
I literally wish I could explain and tell you all everything that is happening right now here in Kunming, China but I shall give you the highlights :) First of all, as many wise people have told, it has become easier and easier to be here with each passing day. Not that it was terrible or anything but I never thought I would get to the point where I could order something at a restaurant, count to 20 in Chinese, or ride down the street by myself to buy apples. It's the little things.
I went to church for the first time on Sunday at an international worship service that is actually run by government (strange, I know) that is specifically for foreigners. Some people however, meet with friends just in homes for Sunday morning church. I believe I will stick with going to regular church. I also had to get my bike fixed on Sunday because the chain completely broke off! We found a guy on a street with a cart who was fixing bikes.. it cost me 4 RMB. That is less than a dollar in America :)
My students completely fill my life with joy as I knew they would. Although they never sit still, they always tattle and they always have some kind of boo boo which needs a bandaid, I couldn't ask for a better group of kids. I'm hoping to get pictures up soon of them so you all can see the smiling faces I get to see everyday! There is one student in particular who has become of special interest to myself, my teacher and the special ed. teacher. Knowing my background, my teacher had me test her on Monday on letter sounds and recognition and writing. I looked at all the data collected and we had a meeting with her mother after school. I presented everything that I found to her mother and then we created a plan to help her get to know where she needs to be for Kindergarten. This was HUGE to me because I don't feel like many student teachers have an opportunity like this in the states let alone a completely different country... God is good! I get to teach 21 kids along with some intervention as well!!
This week at school is spirit week- it's a lot like what school's in the states have. Everyday is something different to dress up as. Monday you were supposed to wear bright colors, neon, etc. so I wore my bright red pants and aqua shoes with an aqua shirt. I looked insane but it was fun. Tuesday was "Tasty Tuesday" and you were supposed to dress up as your favorite candy, sweet, whatever. I was a sour patch kid. I dressed in all red, wore a sour patch kid package around my neck and then gave one to each of my kids at the end of the day. They thought it was the coolest. haha.
Last but not least, I have some exciting news for my spring break which is March 30-April 7. I have planned and booked a flight to Tianjin where I will spend the week with Cindy and Rick Harvel (they used to teach at MVNU). They invited me into their home for Easter and are going to take me to Beijing so I can see the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and other places that typical tourists go. At first, I was very hesitate about this but after much prayer and thinking, God kept confirming and showing me that this was a good thing. Not just because I get to see all the things I want to see but because being with Cindy and Rick will give me a piece of home that I am missing already. I'm so excited and blessed beyond belief.
Things I've Learned:
5. China has no laws against domestic violence... I learned that when literally witnessing a fight inside a restaurant against a man and a woman. The restaurant didn't kick them out and no one called the police.
6. The government controls EVERYTHING. Including water and electricity. I was warned that they can go off any time without notice.
7. There are people that still live villages who come into the city (Kunming), search through trash, pick out things to take to landfills and get money so they can provide for their families :(
I went to church for the first time on Sunday at an international worship service that is actually run by government (strange, I know) that is specifically for foreigners. Some people however, meet with friends just in homes for Sunday morning church. I believe I will stick with going to regular church. I also had to get my bike fixed on Sunday because the chain completely broke off! We found a guy on a street with a cart who was fixing bikes.. it cost me 4 RMB. That is less than a dollar in America :)
My students completely fill my life with joy as I knew they would. Although they never sit still, they always tattle and they always have some kind of boo boo which needs a bandaid, I couldn't ask for a better group of kids. I'm hoping to get pictures up soon of them so you all can see the smiling faces I get to see everyday! There is one student in particular who has become of special interest to myself, my teacher and the special ed. teacher. Knowing my background, my teacher had me test her on Monday on letter sounds and recognition and writing. I looked at all the data collected and we had a meeting with her mother after school. I presented everything that I found to her mother and then we created a plan to help her get to know where she needs to be for Kindergarten. This was HUGE to me because I don't feel like many student teachers have an opportunity like this in the states let alone a completely different country... God is good! I get to teach 21 kids along with some intervention as well!!
This week at school is spirit week- it's a lot like what school's in the states have. Everyday is something different to dress up as. Monday you were supposed to wear bright colors, neon, etc. so I wore my bright red pants and aqua shoes with an aqua shirt. I looked insane but it was fun. Tuesday was "Tasty Tuesday" and you were supposed to dress up as your favorite candy, sweet, whatever. I was a sour patch kid. I dressed in all red, wore a sour patch kid package around my neck and then gave one to each of my kids at the end of the day. They thought it was the coolest. haha.
Last but not least, I have some exciting news for my spring break which is March 30-April 7. I have planned and booked a flight to Tianjin where I will spend the week with Cindy and Rick Harvel (they used to teach at MVNU). They invited me into their home for Easter and are going to take me to Beijing so I can see the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and other places that typical tourists go. At first, I was very hesitate about this but after much prayer and thinking, God kept confirming and showing me that this was a good thing. Not just because I get to see all the things I want to see but because being with Cindy and Rick will give me a piece of home that I am missing already. I'm so excited and blessed beyond belief.
Things I've Learned:
5. China has no laws against domestic violence... I learned that when literally witnessing a fight inside a restaurant against a man and a woman. The restaurant didn't kick them out and no one called the police.
6. The government controls EVERYTHING. Including water and electricity. I was warned that they can go off any time without notice.
7. There are people that still live villages who come into the city (Kunming), search through trash, pick out things to take to landfills and get money so they can provide for their families :(
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Seeking Him
I made it to my first weekend :) It has definitely been an interesting but exciting week. Thursday and Friday I was in my classroom, getting to know my students and learning the routine. Kindergarten is very different here but also very much alike. We had a parent party at the end of the day on Friday before school let out and all the parents came except for one student. I told my teacher that if we did that in the states, we would be lucky to get a couple of parents to come! I was very grateful for it though because I was able to introduce myself (with the teacher assistant translating of course..) and they were all very kind and welcoming. I will start teaching math next week to all the students in small groups so I am very happy to just be able to jump right in.. and the fact that my teacher has said multiple times that she trusts my judgement. That means a lot to me!
On Thursday, I went to Chinese class! My teacher goes twice a week.. its a one-on-one session with a Chinese lady who is super cute and nice. So instead of her going, I will take her place for the next 7 weeks while I am here! She told me I got the hang of it really quick and was very impressed. That is seriously going to be so nice getting around the city and buying things at a store, etc.
Friday afternoon I came home from school and laid on my bed with no intention of falling asleep, but I did. That was around 4:30. I ended up sleeping all evening, through the night and woke up around 6:00 am Saturday morning! I did wake up a couple of times but I kept falling back asleep. I think I just really needed that time to rest... hopefully my sleeping schedule won't be all crazy this week.
It feels like I am on a really long vacation here.. even as I work in the classroom, it's so strange. Wish I could explain it! Although life is getting easier here, I still have times of struggle. I am continuing to seek Him in all the times I feel lonely or question why I am here. Just as always, He confirms that He has a plan for me- bigger than I will ever or could ever imagine. I'm looking forward to living through that plan with Him by my side. With Him, I know I can do anything! Keep me in your prayers, as I know you already are.
On Thursday, I went to Chinese class! My teacher goes twice a week.. its a one-on-one session with a Chinese lady who is super cute and nice. So instead of her going, I will take her place for the next 7 weeks while I am here! She told me I got the hang of it really quick and was very impressed. That is seriously going to be so nice getting around the city and buying things at a store, etc.
Friday afternoon I came home from school and laid on my bed with no intention of falling asleep, but I did. That was around 4:30. I ended up sleeping all evening, through the night and woke up around 6:00 am Saturday morning! I did wake up a couple of times but I kept falling back asleep. I think I just really needed that time to rest... hopefully my sleeping schedule won't be all crazy this week.
It feels like I am on a really long vacation here.. even as I work in the classroom, it's so strange. Wish I could explain it! Although life is getting easier here, I still have times of struggle. I am continuing to seek Him in all the times I feel lonely or question why I am here. Just as always, He confirms that He has a plan for me- bigger than I will ever or could ever imagine. I'm looking forward to living through that plan with Him by my side. With Him, I know I can do anything! Keep me in your prayers, as I know you already are.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Simple life
Today (Wednesday), I had a really great day. It was a little crazy but tomorrow I will start in the classroom and hopefully get in a routine.. but today I learned A LOT of new things and got to know some new people as well.
Started off by going to an all staff meeting at the school where I had to introduce myself and explain why I was there. Everyone was so curious why I chose Kunming and honestly, I didn't have a very good reason! But when I said that it was where God called me to, they understood perfectly. Being in the presence of Christians makes life a lot easier :)
I then got to spend some time in the classroom, about an hour and a half. Then went to have brunch at Solveig's apartment where I got to meet basically all the stay at home mom's whose husbands work at the school, including all their kids that aren't old enough for school yet. They are all so welcoming and loving and ask me tons of questions and since today I wasn't as tired and not as 'out of it' as yesterday, I really enjoyed getting to know them and learning how they got to Kunming.
After that, one of the ladies, Crystal, took me all around the city to help me get groceries, a Chinese cell phone, and just help me learn how to get around. For 138 Qui (that is what they call the money here, not Yuan) I got some hangers, 5 chicken breasts, I think a 10 pound bag of rice, coffee and pretzels.. which translates to about $15 in. So I got it pretty good here! Everyone also gets their fresh fruit at just a little tent/vendor in the street so I got a whole pineapple and 5 apples for 15 qui which is about $2.50. How awesome is that?? I'm gonna try and cook so we shall see how that goes... haha.
She also took me to a shopping center.. like a mall but all open and outdoors. That is where I got my groceries and a phone. There was a Mcdonald's, Dairy Queen, Starbucks, KFC, & H&M. So that is where I will go if I'm needing any Americanized stuff. Or if I really need to go on a shopping spree haha! I'm curious if H&M is more or less expensive than the states.. hmm..
I think what I love most so far is the community of it all. Mostly all the people who work in the school live in the neighborhood and it's like one big family. In the states, you plan to have dinner with people like weeks in advance but here you see someone at school and say "hey want to go out to dinner with us?" or "want to come over and have dinner?" It's just so friendly here and it is completely safe for me to ride my bike around the neighborhood by myself if I need to go to a convenient store or get dinner. I am really enjoying the freedom to do what I want but also knowing that I can call anyone and they would help me with whatever.
I can't wait to learn even more about the school and my class the next two days and share that with you guys! The people I love! Continue to keep me in your prayers.. although I am adjusting well, doesn't mean I'm not homesick. I love you all so very much!
Things I've learned:
3. No one carries around purses or anything. Cell phone and money- that's all you need.
4. When you buy a cell phone in China, they give you a long list of phone numbers that you pick from. The numbers with less '4s' are considered better so they are more expensive. Something I will never understand!
Started off by going to an all staff meeting at the school where I had to introduce myself and explain why I was there. Everyone was so curious why I chose Kunming and honestly, I didn't have a very good reason! But when I said that it was where God called me to, they understood perfectly. Being in the presence of Christians makes life a lot easier :)
I then got to spend some time in the classroom, about an hour and a half. Then went to have brunch at Solveig's apartment where I got to meet basically all the stay at home mom's whose husbands work at the school, including all their kids that aren't old enough for school yet. They are all so welcoming and loving and ask me tons of questions and since today I wasn't as tired and not as 'out of it' as yesterday, I really enjoyed getting to know them and learning how they got to Kunming.
After that, one of the ladies, Crystal, took me all around the city to help me get groceries, a Chinese cell phone, and just help me learn how to get around. For 138 Qui (that is what they call the money here, not Yuan) I got some hangers, 5 chicken breasts, I think a 10 pound bag of rice, coffee and pretzels.. which translates to about $15 in. So I got it pretty good here! Everyone also gets their fresh fruit at just a little tent/vendor in the street so I got a whole pineapple and 5 apples for 15 qui which is about $2.50. How awesome is that?? I'm gonna try and cook so we shall see how that goes... haha.
She also took me to a shopping center.. like a mall but all open and outdoors. That is where I got my groceries and a phone. There was a Mcdonald's, Dairy Queen, Starbucks, KFC, & H&M. So that is where I will go if I'm needing any Americanized stuff. Or if I really need to go on a shopping spree haha! I'm curious if H&M is more or less expensive than the states.. hmm..
I think what I love most so far is the community of it all. Mostly all the people who work in the school live in the neighborhood and it's like one big family. In the states, you plan to have dinner with people like weeks in advance but here you see someone at school and say "hey want to go out to dinner with us?" or "want to come over and have dinner?" It's just so friendly here and it is completely safe for me to ride my bike around the neighborhood by myself if I need to go to a convenient store or get dinner. I am really enjoying the freedom to do what I want but also knowing that I can call anyone and they would help me with whatever.
I can't wait to learn even more about the school and my class the next two days and share that with you guys! The people I love! Continue to keep me in your prayers.. although I am adjusting well, doesn't mean I'm not homesick. I love you all so very much!
Things I've learned:
3. No one carries around purses or anything. Cell phone and money- that's all you need.
4. When you buy a cell phone in China, they give you a long list of phone numbers that you pick from. The numbers with less '4s' are considered better so they are more expensive. Something I will never understand!
Made it
Oh boy. Don't even know where to begin. First of all, I am officially in Kunming :) All I want to do right now is go to bed but every person keeps saying "you gotta stay up!!" in order to get on the schedule. My flight to Beijing wasn't horrible but I really didn't get that much sleep. When we landed in Beijing, there were just too many lines to get through and since I had less than an hour between flights, I missed my flight to Kunming (ugh!) but it all worked out perfectly because there was a flight one hour later. After going from desk to desk, asking tons of questions, checking in my baggage again, going through security, and running to the gate, I made the flight and was able to relax. I slept that entire 4 hour flight.
When we arrived in Kunming, I found out they do something different in their airports than in the US. They basically dropped us off in the middle of the runway, piled us on a bus, and then dropped us off at the doors where baggage claim was. I looked around for the ladies that were picking me up for awhile and I began to be frantic because I really had no way of contacting them at the time. Finally I spotted an American woman (you can spot us a mile away) holding a sign that said "Welcome Rebecca Kammer." The woman, Jean, picking me up is my cooperating teacher who I will be working with and the other woman with her was Solveig (hospitality coordinator at KIA). They were so kind and helpful! We then took a 40 minute drive to get to KIA- I got to see the city a little bit and it is very beautiful. The weather is quite perfect.
We arrived to the neighborhood (there is a Chinese name that they call it but can't remember at the moment..) which is like an american neighborhood except instead of houses, there are apartment complexes. And that's just where everyone lives! This neighborhood is also where the school is located. Solveig took me into the apartment and I was able to freshen myself, she had bedding all ready for me, some food items to get me started and there were some flowers and candy on my desk :) We then walked around the neighborhood to get to the school, stopped and ate lunch at a local little restaurant. I ordered a grilled cheese wanted to be safe and it was the best grilled cheese I have ever had! I got a tour of the school and met all my students! They are all so cute and I can't wait to work them...
Everyone here is so nice and helpful. It makes it easier when they are like that! Josalyn arranged for me to borrow someone's bike so I used that a little bit today! I'm learning all kinds of new things.. can't wait to tell you guys more!
Things I've learned about Chinese culture:
2. There is no such thing as waiting in a line. Therefore, you must be assertive.
When we arrived in Kunming, I found out they do something different in their airports than in the US. They basically dropped us off in the middle of the runway, piled us on a bus, and then dropped us off at the doors where baggage claim was. I looked around for the ladies that were picking me up for awhile and I began to be frantic because I really had no way of contacting them at the time. Finally I spotted an American woman (you can spot us a mile away) holding a sign that said "Welcome Rebecca Kammer." The woman, Jean, picking me up is my cooperating teacher who I will be working with and the other woman with her was Solveig (hospitality coordinator at KIA). They were so kind and helpful! We then took a 40 minute drive to get to KIA- I got to see the city a little bit and it is very beautiful. The weather is quite perfect.
We arrived to the neighborhood (there is a Chinese name that they call it but can't remember at the moment..) which is like an american neighborhood except instead of houses, there are apartment complexes. And that's just where everyone lives! This neighborhood is also where the school is located. Solveig took me into the apartment and I was able to freshen myself, she had bedding all ready for me, some food items to get me started and there were some flowers and candy on my desk :) We then walked around the neighborhood to get to the school, stopped and ate lunch at a local little restaurant. I ordered a grilled cheese wanted to be safe and it was the best grilled cheese I have ever had! I got a tour of the school and met all my students! They are all so cute and I can't wait to work them...
Everyone here is so nice and helpful. It makes it easier when they are like that! Josalyn arranged for me to borrow someone's bike so I used that a little bit today! I'm learning all kinds of new things.. can't wait to tell you guys more!
Things I've learned about Chinese culture:
2. There is no such thing as waiting in a line. Therefore, you must be assertive.
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Questions, lines and patience.
I am currently sitting in the LA airport waiting for my flight to Beijing and it has been quite a journey already. Thankfully, all my flights have been on time and have gone smoothly. When I landed in LA, however, my eyes got big because I simply had no idea where to go. After asking where I had to go next (the international terminal) I then had to ask someone else where that was. Then after going the completely wrong way, I had to turn and ask a different person where it was again. Somehow I made it there (Had to walk outside for 5 minutes which was different but very refreshing) and got in line to check in but I thought to myself "hey, I already have my boarding pass and my bag is checked in so I shouldn't have to go through this again." I should have known to just not listen to myself but whatever! I went up to security, waited in that line, to find out that yes, I indeed had to check in first.
I'm praying my connecting flight between Beijing and Kunming isn't like this. I will go nuts!
So now I must sit and wait until 1:40 AM to leave (4:40 AM at home). Considering I am running on 4 hours asleep, I'm hoping to sleep most of this 13 hour flight 😊
To my family and friends who have been praying for me- I love you and thank you so much. I know God's presence has been all around me during my travels!
Things I've learned about Chinese culture:
1. They like to travel in large groups.
I'm praying my connecting flight between Beijing and Kunming isn't like this. I will go nuts!
So now I must sit and wait until 1:40 AM to leave (4:40 AM at home). Considering I am running on 4 hours asleep, I'm hoping to sleep most of this 13 hour flight 😊
To my family and friends who have been praying for me- I love you and thank you so much. I know God's presence has been all around me during my travels!
Things I've learned about Chinese culture:
1. They like to travel in large groups.
Monday, March 4, 2013
6 Days.
It's hard to believe that in 6 short days, I will be on a plane headed half way across the world! I'm so incredibly blessed to have this opportunity and I will thank God everyday for it. I still have a long list of things to do before I leave but I am taking one thing at a time :) What I am most worried about at this point is the traveling. Please pray for me that I will find gates quickly, remain calm when I land in China and not be too bored during lay overs. I have faith that HE will watch over me and keep me safe. I promise to write to you all again when I land! Thank you so much all the support and prayers. I will forever be thankful.
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