It all started last Thursday.  Some of my students students had organised to visit an elderly community to teach them some English for the Olympics.  They had asked me to come with them, and after some shuffling of things, I told them I would be able to come.

The students were really excited about me coming and they told the people who they were organising it with that I was coming.  When we got there, there were tv cameras.  Yes, TV cameras. 

I guess foreigners are still a bit of a novelty in little Fengtai…so it looks like I’m gonna be on BCTV…Beijing CTV.  I don’t know when yet, but I'm hoping to get a copy of it. 

We left school at 12.30pm - on a public bus and then for a jay walk accross a highway.  We arrived and after waiting for about an hour and having a whole lot of photos taken, which of course all have me in them, we sat down in a room (I’m in the front row) and first a choir of the elderly people sung two songs in unison.  My students said that singing in union has something to do with the strong spirit of the community.  Then ladies in costume did a version of Chinese rap.  It was totally cool!  After that the class monitor got up and said something, then I got up and said about how happy I was to be there and what a privilege it was to meet them all – with my student translating.  The students took turns teaching different English phrases and asking the people to repeat them and practice them on me.  Of course almost the whole time the camera was on me…oh man.  I may be ok on the stage when I am all prepared to sing or talk…but being filmed and taken photos of constantly is a different story.   

Next we went and visited a couples home, and they told us (I’m still being translated to) stories about their youth, about some of the hard stuff they went through, drought, war and other things.  They were all really kind to me, exited that I was there and wanted to talk to me.  My students did an amazing job of translating, teaching and of course asking me if I was ok every few minutes.  Soon it was all over, we were taking the last group pictures and then we walked back to the bus. 

All in all it was a pretty cool experience!  And as my students kept asking, 'Its something that will be my last impacting moment in China'.  Thank you class 1!  Thank you for the impacting moments of Friday, they'll stick with me for life.

Imagine this...never ever having eaten mexican food before.  In a country of a billion, this is definatly a possiblity. Now imagine the scene where you are trying mexican food for the first time.

 

If you can't imagine, I will imgaine for you...

 

We are sitting in Pete's Tex Mex, my absolute favourite restaurant in Beijing, and the waitress who speaks amazing English (basically because she's worked here for ages and has learnt from foreigners) comes to take our orders.  But no one knows what to order, and the Chinese on the menu doesnt make any sense (according to my students!).  Joell gives a little tutorial on the differences between nachos, tacos, burritos and chimmichunga's.  Finally after about 20minutes we place some sort of order.  When the food arrives we hear: "Its so messy!", "Do we share food or um what do we do?", "I pick this up with my hands?".  It was so fun seeing them completely out of the their comfort zone, but trying something new.  I guess in the West we eat so many different foods from different countries.  At my house we have mexican, dutch, italian, chinese, english, and kiwi (whatever that is) variations of food all in one week.  So new flavours dont come a long often.

 

It was a great night though, everyone ended up enjoying their food and went home with warm hearts and full tummies.  Precious times like these make it so hard to leave all my friends and make the journey back to NZ and the unknown.  But its ok.  All we have sometimes are a few days, and they are ordered by someone above...so I trust he has a purpose for all of them.

 

Enjoy the pics:

Last night I went to the Darlene/ Hillsong Concert in Beijing.  It was SO awesome!  I've had the priviledge of attending an international fellowship this year, and while the worship is good, I guess I still prefer the NZ/Aussie worship style over the American one.  (Regardless of style they both lift up Dad, so when it comes down to it, it really doesnt matter what style you use.) 

 

Anyway, it just reminded me of how much I love worship.  And being in a position to lead worship and worshippers.  It is such an amazing priviledge and I find it so incredible that for so many years in NZ Dad held the door wide open for me in this area.  Although I haven't lead worship or even sung on a worship team this year, I've come to realise that this hasn't really changed things between me and the big guy.  Infact it has cemented more in my heart how much my singing is firstly a song just to Him. 

 

Something else that has been a cool revelation of late is also about my life calling.  Its always been a struggle for me, measuring myself against people who seem to know exactly what they want to do, which career or life calling they have...while I kinda stand by and feel a little lost.  My heart has so many passions, so many things that I love to do, desire to do and feel called to.  Music, global service, youth discipleship, speaking and teaching the word, and one day being a mum and a wife really are just the tip of the iceberg.  I also realised afresh that everything has its time and season.  It takes courage to pursue these things; maturity to know when its the right time for each; and humility to know when its time to move on.  I will certainly spend a life time learning these lessons, and I'm sure I will learn many of them the hard way...through trial and failure! 

 

No matter what, as long as somehow (through His strength) I can continue to put my heavenly Father at the forefront, I know that my life will continue to have a purpose, that my life will count for somethin bigger than me.  In the end, loving Him is all really I want to do.

So I did spell Bei Hai Park wrong yesterday.  But I wasnt wrong about all my excitement.  We had a fantastic day!  And my girl were incredibly sweet.  On Saturday they went to the park to scope it out.  And one of them did research on the different things there and had cool stuff to say about the different places.

 

Enjoy the pics!

Hey hey hey.   Its been another week...and my calander is telling me that I have only 1 month left here in China.  EEEEK.  Thats scary.

 

Now for some intelligent writing.  Um...

 

Sitting here its actually hard to remember what I exactly did this week.  Last weekend I went and saw Spiderman 3.  One of Joell's students came and we had a bit of fun with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle cutouts.  There are even photos of the fun.  I may even add them on this post.  Hehe.

 

The rest of the days seem pretty normal to me, but I'm not the best judge of normal, since I live in China and all.  We went out on Tuesday night for Ama's birthday...it was FUN!  Some of my teammates found this little pizza place that actually makes western style pizza, and even though it had rained all day and for the first time in China my hair went curly from the humidity, we had an awesome evening.

 

This week I gave my student a differnt kind of assignment.  They have to come up with a kids radio program.  And instead of teaching them in the classroom every day, they have to come to my office on scheduled days and we kinda do a sort of a tutorial kind of thing.  I told them that they are not kids, and honestly I've taught them a lot this year, and its time they had a chance to put it all to practise.  Radio is not easy.  People can't see your face, they can only hear your voice.  So you've got to pronunciate and you a lot of expression!  I wont hear the final product till next Friday, but the feedback has been very positive.  Now I just need to follow up this week with something better...!

 

Tomorrow I am getting up far to early for a Sunday morning(like 6am) and meeting some students at 9am in Wangfujing.  We are gonna go to a place called Bai Hi Park.  I dont think thats spelt right.  But I'm really excited to be hanging out with them!

 

Well thats all folks!

If Ugly Betty has taught me one thing this week, its honesty.  And honestly, I've had trouble being honest this year.

 

It all started with the warning...'don't be too negative in what you blog about or tell people at home'.  Unfortunatly I may have taken this a little to far.  Most of the time I have meant that to mean, 'don't let on that your not doing fine and that things are less than a field of flowers'.

 

Life rarely is a field of flowers.  Most of the time its more like roses.  Roses that only bloom in season, roses that have thorns.  And even when roses are blooming they need to be trimmed quite viciously if you ever want them to truely look good.

 

I have felt a lot like that this year.  Most of the time, I feel like a bit of a failure.  I honestly didnt come to China thinking I could change the world, but you do hope for change to happen in even just a small corner of it.  And as much as I'm sure things may have changed, I struggle with the fact that because I dont nessecarily see change the way I want it, nothing has truely changed.

 

Not coming back also makes me feel a bit like a failure.  Like I couldn't hack it in China and now I need to come crawling back home.  Home where things aren't quite as familiar as they once were, home where there are no hairdressers on the streets, not enough minature dogs, and very few babies with spilt pants.  Home where I dont know the person who sells me carrots and onions, home where there is no dumpling guy who still talks to me in Chinese even when I have no idea what I'm saying, and home without my gypse taxi driver still refuses to take my money (saying: "ni shi pung you.  Your my friend!" over and over pushing the money back at me).

 

Its funny, as much as I maybe know the truth about how Dad has used me this year, SO often I end up accepting the lie rather than embracing the truth.  I guess also its hard admitting that I have fallen short.  There may have been many opportunities I have missed this year.  Many students who would have liked to spend more time with me, but I was too tired or too busy dealing with my own issues to reach out.  And its true, in life we will always fall short.  Its what we are good at, its what the 'humanness' in me tends to do.

 

So thats my honest post for today.  I guess all this from above has been one of the reasons why I've found it so hard to regularly post about life.  I have wrongly assumed that people simply cant understand this life I'm living, forgetting that if I dont tell anyone, how on earth are they meant to find out?!

 

Ahhh, LIFE.  Praises upwards for the days and the hours.  Without you, my lover, my friend, I dont know how I would have got this far...

...but my mum commented that I haven't updated my blog recently.  So I really should update it.

 

Lalalala LIFE is good.

 

Lots of things on my mind these days:

We're back from travelling - and lots of pics to prove it!  We left from here on the 2nd at 4am - yawn - and arrived in Guilin around midday.  Guilin was pretty hot, but not as bad as Cambodia.  We spent a lot on tours but it was worth it.  We had a private guide for the first afternoon and then went on a boat along the Li River the next day.  It was loads of fun, just hanging with Mum and Age.

 

One thing that was funny for me was that I really felt like Beijingren - being in Guilin.  Maybe the best way to explain it would be that I'm an Auckland girl - and when I visit Hamilton, I feel a little different from the Hamiltonians.  Thats how I felt in Guilin.  Wierd huh.  Whenever I think of leaving China - my heart is pretty sad - this place, these people are grown on me.  I've even noticed how much I accept all the things I thought were so different from NZ.  Many of the things Mum and Age ask about or spend time looking at, I walk past because its nothing different for me. 

 

Shanghai was cool!!  Check out all the new albums - especially the China signs one - it should give you a bit of a laugh!

Mum and Age are here!  They arrived on Friday, while I was stuck in traffic in a taxi.  But the driver was very nice and he parked and helped me find them and carried the bags, so that was nice!  I've been keeping them busy, Saturday they came to school to meet my students, and I had them come to my classes and let the students ask questions for the whole time.  Yesterday was fellowship and we had Italian for lunch (at another branch of Annies) and then went to Yashow clothing market while Alex got fitted for a suit.  Age and I bargained for some fans and I was surprised at how much more Chinese I have learnt since I went shopping last.  That was really tested out again today because we went to the Silk Market and Mum and Age got gifts for everyone at home.  First stop was Stephanie's pearls - and luckily we are friends of friends so no real bargaining need be done there - good prices all round.

 

Here are the photo's.

Saturday was Alex's birthday!  Ama organised a surprised birthday party - by getting some students to take Alex on a wild goose chase - while we met all the other students and took them to the World Park.

 

It was a beautiful day - and we got to visit a lot of places all over the world.  I even made it back to NZ for a few minutes, and educated a few students about some Maori words...the very very few I know.

 

Enjoy the photos!

Kinda random story to start with.  But let me warn you there really is no point to the story, I'm just gonna tell ya what I ate for lunch.

Gong Bao Ji Ding.  If thats spelt right.  But the cool part was we at this little place that has recently been erected outside the school back gate.  The ceiling is just high enough for you to stand, and seriously the whole place is a bit of a lead-to.  You walk in and the menu is on the wall (this is pretty common at little eateries - if they bring you a menu the place is a little classier, but the foods not necessarily much better), there are low tables and three legged stools.  Students are scattered around, some are watching a basketball game on the box in the corner, and the cute little waitress comes to take your order.  And as has become the biggest cliche for our students, we order the most common dish that foreigners order.  Gong Bao Ji Ding.  Chicken, cucumber, chillies, carrots and peanuts.  Stir fried the royal style.  Thats what the Chinese characters mean - royal in some way.  Whether its really royal or not I'm not sure, but it does taste good.  And it has vegies - so I'm all for it.

That was lunch.

Now for the cultural discussion.  One of my students did his speech on the difference between how Chinese and Westerners deal with their elderly.  His opening sentence which almost made me stand up and correct him was, 'Westerners put their parents in nursing homes when they get old'.  It is possible that our parents are a lot more independent than perhaps their parents are when they get old.  Our parents hope that we will have kids and will visit them and love on them - and they look forward to seeing us grow up and have our own lives separate from them.  But most parents I know (in NZ I'm meaning) are not relying on their children to provide for them when they get old.  If they haven’t had some saving scheme of their own they will probably live off the miniscule pension they get from the government.

To my student this idea seemed almost disgusting.  That our parents who gave birth to us and raised us and spent a lot of time and money on us would not be 'paid back' in old age.  The Chinese way (as I am aware) is that as your parents get older and retire, you become financially responsible for them, and often they will come to live under your roof, and perhaps take care of your child.

So my student asked me…don’t you see this as being selfish?  And I had to be honest…no I don’t.  But I do feel a little selfish saying that I don’t feel selfish!  Believe me, I love my parents and will look after them in their old age.  But they have planned for this time, and are looking forward to retirement (I think J).

I guess this is just one of some very big gaping cultural differences.

I have come this fine day to share with you some craziness from the foreigners who already stick out A LOT in China.

 

Apart from all the other work I obviously do...(cough cough)...I have taken time out of my day several times to break from the ordinary and have a little fun. 

 

These are my attempts...

 

 

SO many things to say!  And pictures to share. 

Firstly more birthday pics...click on the Birthday folder to the right and you can see all the pics I added from the dinner we had on Saturday night.  All my CTF friends from Beijing came and we had Italian at a restaurant called Annies.  It was fun!   Everyone had a great time (I think) and afterwards we walked through the city.  It was a beautiful clear night, and the lights are so pretty in Beijing.  Here is everyone who came!

A friend of Joell's is visiting at the moment, he is staying at the boys apartment.  Last night we went into town to enjoy yet another western meal at the Hard Rock Cafe.  It was a little ouchy on the pocket, but fully worth it!  We couldn’t believe how big this brownie & icecream was.  IT WAS SO GOOD.  I felt incredibly full afterwards and insisted we walk for a while before getting a taxi home.  Again we were blessed with absolutely gorgeous weather.  The air was warm and the conversation good.  Makes for a good evening!

In other news (beep beep beep beep beeeep - you know the sound of breaking news), it is offically only 24 sleeps until Mum and Age arrive in this amazing exquisite land!  I am over the top excited.  More excited than I was about travelling before ATC.  Yay!!  I wonder what they will think, I wonder what things will surprise them, and if I will be reminded of some the things that I thought when I first arrived.

Things have changed a lot for me since August last year.  In so many ways I feel like a different person, not so afraid of life...kinda like someone above has been working on my heart.  And I know he has.  Thinking back on things that have happened this past year and how I've had to grow up in so many ways, really makes me so grateful for how the potter has been working on me.  Believe me, I have a long way to go.  I realise that more now that I ever did.  It is so amazing to see how Dad is working in our school, the people we have been able to share light with this semester and those with longing hearts has increased a lot. 

What a blessing to be part of what is going on here.  And its so humbling to know that it will continue long after I am gone.  I guess thats how he keeps us humble...in knowing our place, in knowing our time, and in knowing that if we allow, he will order them all.

Yay, so yesterday was my Bday. I am now offically 22! I thought you might enjoy some pics from the day.

This is my 202 class. They had written bday messages all over the board for me!! Ama came into my class before I got there and as I walked in had my students sing to me! Isn't that cool! These guys are my highest level students and are a lot of fun. But really all my students are a lot of fun. This is a pressie I got from a student! Isn't it cute? If you pull the handle out slides a mirror. This is an example of the quirky pressies you get here. I also go a soft toy cow (I'm the year of the ox), a red soft toy pig head (that when you put your finger in the nose it plays a recorded message), and two 'Hello Kitty' tins with chocolate biscuits in them. Funny huh?
Lastly here is Joell and I. Alex gave me two masks for when I go riding, and I gave one to Joell and this photo happened. We are sitting at the restaurant we went to for dinner last night. Its down the road from my apartment and its actually really nice. If anyone comes and visits me I will gladly take you out. My food ordering skills are getting pretty good, so when I get home I might even be able to go to Medowlands to a Chinese restaurant and find some of the yummy foods I love in China.

All in all it was a great day! Melony made me a magnificent chocolate cake (I dont have those pics yet cause theyre not on my camera) and they all sung happy birthday to me. My first China birthday... a success!

So today I met up with a couple from Eastgate who have been in China for the last two weeks speaking around the country. It was such a blessing to meet with them and fellowship for the day. They were such an encouragement to me!

But let me explain how this day started...

I was at the bus stop at 9am, and two buses I could have got on went by and I couldnt get one. People were literally falling out the door. So I didnt get on. Finally a bus came and after a while I got a seat!

I'm on the bus for about 3/4hr when we stop again, about 5mins ride from the stop where I get off, when the bus joined a line of buses and cars that was not moving. Of course, how could I forget, today there is a marathon through that main street!! Silly me! (Yea like I knew!)

Of course thats not the end of the story. I got out and walked the rest of the way, which was no problem. Today was a BEAUTIFUL spring day. Sunny, warm....ahhhh. SO nice.

So I get on the subway, change lines and then after 15mins get off at my stop. My instructions said to go out the 'Ditan Park' exit. Of course, that was the exit that was closed for repair! How silly of me to assume that I would actually be able to go out the right exit! But I looked at the map (yes I can read maps) and found my way.

In the end I found them no problem and had a great day. But yea, thought my day would amuse you!

Its funny, the last two weekends I have made rather grand plans, only to have them SQUASHED last minute. Don't ask me why. Last weekend I was sick, well just enough to not go out shopping with my girls. This weekend I had put aside time to meet up with a couple from Eastgate who are in China at the moment, speaking at fellowships and such, and somehow I thought that that would be happening on Saturday, but instead I am meeting up with them tomorrow. And I had my weekend all nicely planned out. With a student friend coming to stay the night at my apartment on Saturday night and then us heading off to visit with other lovers of Dad in the morning on Sunday.

But again, my plans have been changed. And its ok. But instead I find myself at home, with nothing really to do. I staying in bed until about 1pm, listening to audio sermons (by the way, podcasts are AWESOME! Free and have been keeping me entertained for hours! Also its nice to get some good solid word teaching!) I started watching a movie, and then I just listened to some music. I thought about writing some lesson plans, but I finished next weeks plans on Tuesday night (aren't I efficent?!), and really had nothing else to 'work' on!

Actually I forgot to mention that earlier this morning, some workmen came to the house as our bathroom has been mysteriously leaking. The floor is always wet and I never knew why. It appears we have a 'sealage' problem along the side of the bath. SO that was 1/2hr of entertainment.

But the point of the story is that I have been a bit of a bum (excuse my french!). I dont really feel guilty about this fact. My bed is comfortable, and sometimes just some quality 'alone' time doesnt go amis. I spend so much time at school talking to students (in and out of class) rushing to get things done and waking up this morning and realising there was nothing I NEEDED to do was so refreshing. Lots of praises upwards for that!

Well yea, thats all for now. I am probably gonna go back to um...doing nothing. Team night tonight. That'll be fun - pizza and board games! Bless ya! Leesh out :P

PS - Sorry I couldnt find any interesting pictures! I need to actually go out and do something to have pictures!

We were SO incredibly blessed this weekend. Melony came back from her trip down south with a MASSIVE block of New Zealand cheese!! The people who she stayed with have 'contacts' and gave it to her! We can get cheese here, but its expensive, so we dont normally buy the good stuff (if we splurg on cheese at all!!). This block should last us a good long time!!

because I have loose bowels and the collywobbles.