Birthdays and Scooter Adventures

This week culminated a month of birthday celebration festivities for my 23rd birthday. I was unsure how it was going to be with having a birthday 10 days after arriving in a new country halfway around the world. I was pleasantly surprised when my roommates remembered it was my birthday and asked about a celebration. I would have been perfectly satisfied with that, but when the important day finally came, my co-operating teacher, Amanda threw a surprise party for me at school with our class. She baked me a cake and the students sang happy birthday to me in English, Chinese and Korean. Being a language person, this was extremely exciting to me.



That night, Catie and Bethany took me out to dinner at one of their favorite restaurants they fondly refer to as the Green Chair - because of its green chairs. We ended the evening with a manicure at a place just down the street. It was one of the best birthdays ever! The next evening some of my new friends came over for brownies and a movie. It was like a normal birthday - definitely made me feel special. Thanks girls for everything you've done for me!


One of the main modes of transportation around here are scooters. Many of the teachers here have them. My roommates each have one and I've gotten to ride on the back multiple times. Last weekend while composing my previous blog, I got the brilliant idea, maybe I could get one too! Well friends, after talking with someone at school who pulled a few strings, I am borrowing a scooter from someone on staff that doesn't use theirs much. The first night after obtaining the keys took some getting used to but I was pleased to be able to ride the scooter home the next day with no problem - AND it was on my birthday! I wish scootering was more popular in the States, it's a lot of fun. However, should I move back to Philadelphia, a scooter may be a little too dangerous!

Well, that's all for now. I'm getting excited for dinner in the night market again tonight!

-kaitlin

The Market

This has been quite the weekend. Saturday I ventured to the market behind our house for the afternoon with Kimberly, one of the other teachers. We wandered around and saw ducks, chickens, and rabbits skinned and hanging from hooks on carts. We saw colorful vegetables, and miniature mandarin oranges. People were selling their wares on crowded streets or filling tea houses to play an addicting version of Mahjong.

Kimberly and I stopped for milk tea, a warm drink that was actually quite tasty. Kimberly says its the best milk tea in the market. We had an enjoyable time walking and wandering and being stared at unashamedly.



Upon returning home I got the code backwards to the apartment building front door. My apartment is on the 3rd floor. All the signs were in chinese characters. No one could hear my loud knocking on the door, or at least they didn't respond. The construction guy I tried asking for help from just stared at me. I had no way of getting back in. After about 15 minutes a security guard from the complex drove by on his scooter, he may have been coming to our door anyway since I kept putting the wrong code in. I motioned to him my problem and he let me in. When I burst into the apartment I informed Catie I needed to find a cell phone ASAP. Thanks to a friend, I have one now! =)

Today we spent the day in Chengdu, had Indian food for lunch, then walked to a Korean program to support some students and had Korean food for dinner. We had to get back home so we took our food "to go" and took it on the taxi with us. Well, at one point the driver slammed the brakes and my foil roll of kimbop (fishless sushi) rolled off my plate and under the driver's seat...we never found it. I hope his taxi doesn't wreak tomorrow!

-kait and kung fu

Chengdu, I Have Arrived

It has been quite the emotional day so far. After leaving my parents at the airport in Newark, I was on my own and found my way to my gate…no problem, it was still in the US. I met a young banker from New York, originally from Mongolia who was traveling to Beijing on my flight. We talked briefly in line waiting to board, I was grateful to have made a potential contact who would help me when I got to Beijing. I was also blessed to have 2 middle aged women sit next to me on the plane – we all kinda bonded because we were all traveling alone. The lady in the middle lived in China for 4 years and was going back to visit.

The flight seemed like it would never end. I was ready to turn around and come home after hour 7, I had almost 7 hours left to go. We landed in Beijing and I made it by myself through the health check point – didn’t get quarantined, thank goodness! I saw my banker friend and we ended up next to each other on the train to the other part of the airport to get our bags. I was again thankful to have met him but was careful not to give out any personal information. We chatted some more while waiting to get our luggage. His came first and we went our separate ways. Well, so I thought. Since mine came so shortly after his arrived, I saw him again in the huge lobby. I must have looked confused because he asked if I knew where I was going, I said “sort of”. He told me where to go. This was his 3rd trip to Beijing in 2 months! I would not want to make this trip that often.

After I left my new friend for the final time, I had to find my way around the check-in area. That was another emotional experience and I felt very alone, I didn’t even know how to ask for help. I finally found my way and arrived at my destination where I was welcomed by my 2 roommates, my co-operating teacher and another lady from the school. It felt so good to see some friendly faces again.

I went to school today and stayed all day. It was hard, but I'm trying to not let myself give in to jet lag. I'll write more about school later, this has been long enough.

All is well, I'm here safe and sound.
-kait and kung fu

The Adventure of my Lifetime (so far)

Alright, I'm gonna try my hand again at this whole blogging thing. This past week has been so surreal. I feel like I was walking through a dream or something. I can't believe that in just over 24 hours I will be boarding a plane and not getting off until it reaches Beijing. I've been planning this for so long, and now its finally happening.

I move out of my condo today. Its raining, not gonna be a fun mix for packing the van. My bed is covered with clothes that haven't been packed yet. I tried and tried to get it all to fit in the 2 suitcases I have, but it just wasn't going to happen. Thanks Mom and Dad for bailing me out on that. Traveling for 2 monthes in the winter months makes packing more tricky...and even less fun.

Yesterday I finished up my first student teaching placement at a school near Philadelphia. I could not have asked for a better experience. I learned so much and had an excellent co-operating teacher. The kids were a challenge at times, but I made it. My co-op had some good things to say to me yesterday as I left the classroom for the last time. He said that I should be encouraged that I handled such a feat so well in 6-8 weeks. I'm gonna miss those kids. They gave me letters and notes yesterday before they went home for the weekend. I was attacked by hug after hug. Some kids I had no idea I impacted the way I did in such a short time.

Well, now its off to a new group of kids and a whole new adventure. Thank you for your support and prayers. I will try harder to keep up with this thing and let you know how my adventure is going. I do not plan to return home without seeing the Great Wall, or a panda.

Speaking of pandas, I do have a travel companion named Kung Fu. Danielle, my brother's girlfriend gave me a stuffed panda last weekend - Kung Fu is definitely coming with me. =)

So long for now. Next time I write I will be on the other side of the world!
-kait and kung fu

Stepping Out On My Own

I know that its been awhile, but I'm about to embark on the next chapter in my life. I'm sitting in my parents kitchen and tomorrow morning I will be moving out, not to a dorm room and a cafeteria that prepares food for you, but a house with a friend where I have to make my own meals everyday. Yeah, the real world. I will be student teaching in an area just over city line in the greater Philadelphia area. It will be an exciting time, actually learning what my career path will be like, but at the same time it will be incredibly difficult.

So, when I have some free time, the intent is to update on what's going on in my life. I will probably update more when I get to China in October. Stay in touch - it will be more reason for me to write. For now, back to packing.

-kait

Freedom from...my cell phone?

Last night I was having a conversation with a friend about how I want to be more present with the people I am currently physically with instead of always feeling the need to run to my phone to respond to text messages to people elsewhere (who are probably with other people as well).

I have noticed recently that I have become so accustomed to text messaging that I want to send a friendly txt or movie quote to a friend at random times of the day, whenever inspiration hits -whether or not I am with other friends at the time. The cell phone has created this phenomenon that I don't think I would otherwise have acquired. I've found that I'm walking along the paths at school with my head down and trying not to run into things, trees or other people.

As a result,this friend challenged me to go a day without texting or facebooking anyone who was not at school with me (with the exception of my family). I didn't want to accept the challenge but the competitiveness in me took over and I accepted the challenge.

Wow I learned a lot.

This morning on my way to breakfast, I had more focused conversation with my roommate who was walking beside me. Later in the day I noticed the trees and birds around me on the paths. I even was able to make eye contact with people and have short little conversations with them. I wasn't even distracted in class to answer text messages. Not that I don't normally notice the trees or talk to people on the path, but I didn't feel the urgency to use the "unstructured" time to be texting or calling people. It was so refreshing. I was able to enjoy my surroundings. I even heard something rather profound from God because I wasn't distracted by my phone. (I think I'm going to start putting my phone on silent when I have my time with God because no one is more important than God and text messages can wait. )

I'm so thankful for this exercise. It really made me think about how I am spending my time when I am with my friends. No, I'm not going to stop texting, but I am going to try to be more aware of what is going on around me and be more intentional with the people I am with - afterall, I won't be with them forever.

Actions speak louder than words...and you are contradicting yourself

This is something that I wrote for my church weekly email.

"Actions speak louder than words... and you are contradicting yourself."

That was my Facebook status earlier this week. It was provoked by thoughts recently of some of my friends, both back home and here at school. These friends have grown up in the church and profess to be Christians. They seem to be good people, but sadly they are in many ways just like my summer co-workers who want to have nothing to do with Jesus. There's little substance to their faith - no fruit, no works, no evidence that the Lord has gotten a hold of them.

James says "Faith without works is dead." (Jas 2:14) Jesus warned the church "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Rev 3: 15-16) I think we should take these warnings seriously.

It is so easy for us to get comfortable in our little bubbles, thinking that we are fine living on yesterday's religion, but in reality we are becoming lukewarm. I can see it in my friends. I can see it in my classmates. And I am concerned.

I am swimming against a lukewarm current and I need others around me, doing the same. Let's pray every day that people will get to know Jesus by watching our lives. I try to leave no question - is she really who she says she is? But I don't want my actions to be glorifying myself, no, instead I desire that the essence left behind by my life is that of the Latin phrase: Soli Deo Gloria - to God alone be glory.

Soli Deo Gloria,
kaitlin