My Chinese painting Class
My final project for painting
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Last Day of Class
Today we finished our Chinese Painting, TaiJi and Eastern Philosophy and Religions Class. I cant belive I'm done! When I recieved my syllabis 3 months ago I was totally overwhelmed not knowing how I would get thorugh all of my classes. Well, I did and on top of that I passed all of them which is always a plus :) Here are some pictures...
My final project for painting
My final project for painting
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Answered Prayer
God is so good! Just last night I wrote about what a hard time I was having. How I was feeling really torn and just not sure what to feel about anything that is going on around me.
Today I woke up feeling so much better. I feel that I have mourned leaving this place and these people and I am ready to move on. I am super excited to get back to America. The thought of stepping off the plane in LA and being on American soul just makes me so excited :) I feel like just yesterday I was boarding the plane in LA thinking "this is the last time on American soil in a long time" and in just 9 short days I will be back. Its crazy.
God is good. He really did answer my cry for help. For now He has healed my heart and brought me to a place where I am ok with leaving this place and exited to back to life in the states.
2 more days of classes and then a couple days of debriefeing and I will be done!
Today I woke up feeling so much better. I feel that I have mourned leaving this place and these people and I am ready to move on. I am super excited to get back to America. The thought of stepping off the plane in LA and being on American soul just makes me so excited :) I feel like just yesterday I was boarding the plane in LA thinking "this is the last time on American soil in a long time" and in just 9 short days I will be back. Its crazy.
God is good. He really did answer my cry for help. For now He has healed my heart and brought me to a place where I am ok with leaving this place and exited to back to life in the states.
2 more days of classes and then a couple days of debriefeing and I will be done!
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Heart Ache
So, Im really haivng a hard time these last few days. The best way I know to put it is just that my heart hurts. I feel like it has been ripped in two. I absolutely can't wait to go home. Everyday I am counting down but there is another part of me that just really doesnt want to leave China. I really really like it here, actually its more than that I LOVE it here. I just feel so confused. I knew that this would happen, that I would come to the end of my time and not want to leave but I dont think I realized the magnitude of how it would make me feel. One of the things that I loved about having my family is here is that for 8 short days my two worlds (china and home) where combined. It was amazing!
We had dinner with our Chinese friends tonight and we were planning out all of the things that we want to do before we go home. It so wierd that we have spent three months with them and in a few short days I will probably never see them again. Same way with my friends from my group. We have lived, traveled, studied, ate, went though good times, and bad times together over these past 100 days and most likely when we say goodbye in LA that will be the end. Its just wierd to me. Its wierd how people come into our life and quickly go while others stay for your whole lifetime. Its wierd how we are all walking down our path of life and sometimes the path crosses with a particular person and you grow to know them, love them and learn from them and then there are others that we will never meet. Other people that we will never encouter. Its funny how God works. Its funny that 3 months ago I knew none of these people. I didnt know their faces, their names, their life stories, their passions and dreams and now I do but will have to leave them all too soon!
The same goes for the kids in the orphanage. Why is it that the 20 kids that I have been playing with over the past months why was it those specific kids? there are millions of orphans. God could have crossed my path with so many different ones but for some reason he chose these specific kids, these specific smiles and heart aches, these specific laughs and tears all for me to spend time with and love on. For some reason he put me in their life and he put them in my life. Why is it that he gave me such a love for my little precious girl Xin Yue. Why do I feel so burdened to find a family to adopt her? Why does the thought of saying goodbye to her on Saturday make my eyes well up with tears? I dont know why I probably never will.
So in all of this I guess I have just been thinking alot lately. A lot about God, his creation, his plans and how his plans are not my plans and his ways are not my ways. Part of me wishes that I could know all of the answers to these questions but then there is another part of me that is glad that I will never know because that is the beauty of faith; being able to look to God and not know the answers but being ok becuase I know that He loves me and that He is in control.
10 days and I will be home, I will be hugging all of you that I have missed so dearly, all you that have provided with me love and encouragement that has helped me to make it though these past 3 months. If I could ask for prayer from all of you that would be amazing. Please pray that God would heal my heart. That he would help me to hold onto every moment that I have left here in China and that He would prepare me for the changes that are ahead in the coming days. Love you all!
We had dinner with our Chinese friends tonight and we were planning out all of the things that we want to do before we go home. It so wierd that we have spent three months with them and in a few short days I will probably never see them again. Same way with my friends from my group. We have lived, traveled, studied, ate, went though good times, and bad times together over these past 100 days and most likely when we say goodbye in LA that will be the end. Its just wierd to me. Its wierd how people come into our life and quickly go while others stay for your whole lifetime. Its wierd how we are all walking down our path of life and sometimes the path crosses with a particular person and you grow to know them, love them and learn from them and then there are others that we will never meet. Other people that we will never encouter. Its funny how God works. Its funny that 3 months ago I knew none of these people. I didnt know their faces, their names, their life stories, their passions and dreams and now I do but will have to leave them all too soon!
The same goes for the kids in the orphanage. Why is it that the 20 kids that I have been playing with over the past months why was it those specific kids? there are millions of orphans. God could have crossed my path with so many different ones but for some reason he chose these specific kids, these specific smiles and heart aches, these specific laughs and tears all for me to spend time with and love on. For some reason he put me in their life and he put them in my life. Why is it that he gave me such a love for my little precious girl Xin Yue. Why do I feel so burdened to find a family to adopt her? Why does the thought of saying goodbye to her on Saturday make my eyes well up with tears? I dont know why I probably never will.
So in all of this I guess I have just been thinking alot lately. A lot about God, his creation, his plans and how his plans are not my plans and his ways are not my ways. Part of me wishes that I could know all of the answers to these questions but then there is another part of me that is glad that I will never know because that is the beauty of faith; being able to look to God and not know the answers but being ok becuase I know that He loves me and that He is in control.
10 days and I will be home, I will be hugging all of you that I have missed so dearly, all you that have provided with me love and encouragement that has helped me to make it though these past 3 months. If I could ask for prayer from all of you that would be amazing. Please pray that God would heal my heart. That he would help me to hold onto every moment that I have left here in China and that He would prepare me for the changes that are ahead in the coming days. Love you all!
Portrait
Currently I am taking a Chinese painting class. It meets 4x a week for 3 weeks. We are in our last week of classes here so I am almost done with it. My teacher does really amazing portraits of people so I asked him if he would draw me. He gladly agreed saying that I would only be his second foreigner that he has ever drawn. Yesterday afternoon me and my friend Tiffani went over to his apartment and he sketched me. It took 3 hours but he did a really great job. I was so happy with how it turned out. He told me he would give it to me today at class. When class was over today I asked him if I could have it and he said that he couldnt give it to me because his professor wanted it to stay in the art school here in Xiamen as an example for other art students. I was really really dissapointed because i was hopeing to be able to take it home. He told me that he would be happy to do it again but my time is running out so im not sure if it will happen or not. Anyways in the end its kind of a bummer that i dont get to keep it but its kinda cool that my portrait is goi
ng to go up on the wall in the art building here at Xiamen 
University
ng to go up on the wall in the art building here at Xiamen 
University
Saturday, November 24, 2007
I took my family to the airport last night to fly back to the States. It was so great having them here. I loved showing them around Xiamen. I loved that they got see the things, the places, the people that I have grown to love so much over these past months. Having them come to China was such a precious gift. Something that I will always remember!
Here are few more pictures from their time here...
Here are few more pictures from their time here...
Friday, November 23, 2007
When in China... you never know what the day will hold!
This morning I woke up at 6:45 becuase I had a date with my dad at McDonalds for breakfast so I got ready and then we walked to Mcd. which is about 10 min. from the hotel that my family is staying at. We had a great breakfast and a great talk. When we returned Milly, Lindsy and my mom were all ready to go so we left the hotel. We were headed to Volcano park. 4 of my friends went last week and said it was beautiful so we decided to check it out.
We walked to the bus stop and waited about 10 minutes until the #2 bus came. It took us 2 stops down the road where we got off and crossed a very busy street. Since I had never been here before and don't know how to read chinese characters I asked several people along the way "Zhong Zhou Por zai nali" (translation: where is Zhong Zhou port?) They all pointed me straight ahead. Finally we found the port bought our 5 tickets and boarded the boat. The boat took us about 30 min. across the water where we got off and then proceded to find the bus that would drive us to the volcano. Before I knew what was hapening I was surronded by about 10 different chinese people all speaking very loudly at me trying to get me to get on THEIR bus. After much frustration we found a private bus who would take us for 70 kuai which is about 10 dollars. The drive was about 45 minutes. When we arrived at the gate there was again much frustration and chinese rambling none of which I understood. Finally they let us go through.
When we arrived at the volcano all we could see was the ocean. It was beautiful and clear water with big black volcanic rocks. As we walked down the beach there was a large hill/small mountain that we decided to climb thinking that maybe that was the volcano. Lindsy, Milly and I climbed up and my mom and dad followed behind. When got to the top there was a medium sized sign that said "Military base stop! No photography" We quickly read the sign and then proceded onward. When we got to the top it was gorgeous and there was no one in sight so the three of us got out our cameras to video tape the view. Before we knew it there was a little chinese man in uniform running towards us. He had a great big smile on his face and was trying to talk to us. He was also motioning for us to come with him. We thought that he wanted to show us around but after alot of rambling and half way communication back and forth we decided not to follow him and to make our way back down the mountain. Mom, Milly and Lindsy where in front and made it half was down but my dad and I were stopped by men in unform this time there were about 4 of them. They were trying to talk to us in chinese but I couldn't really make out what they were saying. We tried to continue down the mountain but they stopped us and wouldnt let us leave. They kept pointing towards their military base motioning for us to go with them. We said no and kept trying to walk forward but they wouldnt let us. They started to get sterner and so did we. At this point there were about 10 -12 army men. It was getting a little nerve wracking because we didnt understand what they were saying. Then a few of them went down after mom, milly and lindsy. They stood by them so that they wouldnt get away. The rambling continued for me and dad. The men kept pointing to the sign that said no photgraphy and making the motion of taking a picture. Eventually the men that were down with the girls had brought them up towards us. We were getting very frustrated and were getting more stern with them as they were with us. Next their commander came out and in very broken English asked to see our camera. So we showed him the camera and after looking through about 200 pics on there he asked to see the others' cameras. We wanted to walk down to them but they wouldnt let us. They pulled out their cell phone and called someone who knew Chinese and English when I talked to her she said that they wanted our passports. I explained that we didnt have them because they were at our hotel. When they translated this back to the commander he let us walk down towards the girls. The commander checked moms camera and then said he was sorry but he had to do that and he let us go.
It was very intense. At one point I think there was a total of about 20 men in uniform surronding us. It wouldnt have been so bad If I could speek the language but I just really couldnt communicate with them. After they let us go we got away as quickly as possible and waited an hour for our drived to come back and get us. We never did end up seing the volcano which I think is pretty funny becasuse thats the whole reason why we went. haha!
Our driver ended up being 30 min early which was a huge blessing. He drove us back to the port where we bought our tickets back to Xiamen. While we where in line for the boat we were met by two drunks guys behind us who were trying to talk to Lindsy. That was a little nerve wracking. Eventually we made it back to Xiamen where we caught a taxi which brought us back to our hotel.
It sure was an eventful day. We probably should not have taken any video since the sign said so but it was really hard becuase the scene was gorgeous and it didnt seem like anyone was even around to see us doing it.
Even though days like this frustrate the living daylights out of me, in the end I am always thankful for the experience because it helps me learn more about the culture and it always makes for a good story to tell :)
My family leaves tomorrow. It has been so great having them here with me. I have loved it. I am sad to see them go but I will get to see them in 14 days when I get home :)
I packed up the majority of my stuff tonight to send home with them. My room seems pretty empty. Its so crazy that 2 weeks from right now I will be on a plane crossing the Pacific Ocean on my way back to the states. Where has the time gone? How does 3 months fly by so quickly? I cried my first tears about leaving this place tonight. Im sure there will be more to follow. My heart feels so torn. I know it will be a process; saying goodbye to this place and these people and re-entering into the American culture but I also know that as God held my hand through every step of preparing to come here, traveling here, and living here, he will also hold my hand as I prepare to go home, travel home, and re-adjust to being in America. HE is a good God and I trust Him with it all.
We walked to the bus stop and waited about 10 minutes until the #2 bus came. It took us 2 stops down the road where we got off and crossed a very busy street. Since I had never been here before and don't know how to read chinese characters I asked several people along the way "Zhong Zhou Por zai nali" (translation: where is Zhong Zhou port?) They all pointed me straight ahead. Finally we found the port bought our 5 tickets and boarded the boat. The boat took us about 30 min. across the water where we got off and then proceded to find the bus that would drive us to the volcano. Before I knew what was hapening I was surronded by about 10 different chinese people all speaking very loudly at me trying to get me to get on THEIR bus. After much frustration we found a private bus who would take us for 70 kuai which is about 10 dollars. The drive was about 45 minutes. When we arrived at the gate there was again much frustration and chinese rambling none of which I understood. Finally they let us go through.
When we arrived at the volcano all we could see was the ocean. It was beautiful and clear water with big black volcanic rocks. As we walked down the beach there was a large hill/small mountain that we decided to climb thinking that maybe that was the volcano. Lindsy, Milly and I climbed up and my mom and dad followed behind. When got to the top there was a medium sized sign that said "Military base stop! No photography" We quickly read the sign and then proceded onward. When we got to the top it was gorgeous and there was no one in sight so the three of us got out our cameras to video tape the view. Before we knew it there was a little chinese man in uniform running towards us. He had a great big smile on his face and was trying to talk to us. He was also motioning for us to come with him. We thought that he wanted to show us around but after alot of rambling and half way communication back and forth we decided not to follow him and to make our way back down the mountain. Mom, Milly and Lindsy where in front and made it half was down but my dad and I were stopped by men in unform this time there were about 4 of them. They were trying to talk to us in chinese but I couldn't really make out what they were saying. We tried to continue down the mountain but they stopped us and wouldnt let us leave. They kept pointing towards their military base motioning for us to go with them. We said no and kept trying to walk forward but they wouldnt let us. They started to get sterner and so did we. At this point there were about 10 -12 army men. It was getting a little nerve wracking because we didnt understand what they were saying. Then a few of them went down after mom, milly and lindsy. They stood by them so that they wouldnt get away. The rambling continued for me and dad. The men kept pointing to the sign that said no photgraphy and making the motion of taking a picture. Eventually the men that were down with the girls had brought them up towards us. We were getting very frustrated and were getting more stern with them as they were with us. Next their commander came out and in very broken English asked to see our camera. So we showed him the camera and after looking through about 200 pics on there he asked to see the others' cameras. We wanted to walk down to them but they wouldnt let us. They pulled out their cell phone and called someone who knew Chinese and English when I talked to her she said that they wanted our passports. I explained that we didnt have them because they were at our hotel. When they translated this back to the commander he let us walk down towards the girls. The commander checked moms camera and then said he was sorry but he had to do that and he let us go.
It was very intense. At one point I think there was a total of about 20 men in uniform surronding us. It wouldnt have been so bad If I could speek the language but I just really couldnt communicate with them. After they let us go we got away as quickly as possible and waited an hour for our drived to come back and get us. We never did end up seing the volcano which I think is pretty funny becasuse thats the whole reason why we went. haha!
Our driver ended up being 30 min early which was a huge blessing. He drove us back to the port where we bought our tickets back to Xiamen. While we where in line for the boat we were met by two drunks guys behind us who were trying to talk to Lindsy. That was a little nerve wracking. Eventually we made it back to Xiamen where we caught a taxi which brought us back to our hotel.
It sure was an eventful day. We probably should not have taken any video since the sign said so but it was really hard becuase the scene was gorgeous and it didnt seem like anyone was even around to see us doing it.
Even though days like this frustrate the living daylights out of me, in the end I am always thankful for the experience because it helps me learn more about the culture and it always makes for a good story to tell :)
My family leaves tomorrow. It has been so great having them here with me. I have loved it. I am sad to see them go but I will get to see them in 14 days when I get home :)
I packed up the majority of my stuff tonight to send home with them. My room seems pretty empty. Its so crazy that 2 weeks from right now I will be on a plane crossing the Pacific Ocean on my way back to the states. Where has the time gone? How does 3 months fly by so quickly? I cried my first tears about leaving this place tonight. Im sure there will be more to follow. My heart feels so torn. I know it will be a process; saying goodbye to this place and these people and re-entering into the American culture but I also know that as God held my hand through every step of preparing to come here, traveling here, and living here, he will also hold my hand as I prepare to go home, travel home, and re-adjust to being in America. HE is a good God and I trust Him with it all.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
I have never spent Thanksgiving in another country before. It was a little wierd because it was Thanksgiving but it didnt really feel like it because we didnt do any of the normal things that we do on Thanksgiving; No cinnamon rolls for breakfast, no football in the backyard witht the Arnolds, no Macy's Thanksgiving day Parade, no cooking in the kitchen, no little kiddos running around our house. It has been a little strange but I am so thankful that some of my family was here with me in China to celebrate the day. We had a good breakfast here in the hotel, then went to the botanical gardens which was absolubely incredible! Oh my goodness it was breathtaking. I loved every minute of it. This afternoon we took a drive around the island and saw the beach, scenery, statues, and other cool stuff to see here in Xiamen.
Tonight for dinner we went to a restaurant called The House. It was so good. I had Chesse and spinach raviollie in a butter garlic sauce with Chocolate Molton Cake for dessert. AMAZING!!!
The past couple of days we have just been hanging out. I have been showing them around Xiamen, the campus, the places where I shop and eat. Yesterday we went to Gulongyu Island which is about a 10 min ferry ride from Xiamen. We did some shopping there and hit up McDonalds for dinner which is always a personal favorite of mine.
At the beach right by campus
The view of Xiamen from Gulongyu Island
Dinner at McDonalds
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope that you have a great day with your family and friends. I am so thankful for each one of you and love you all dearly.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
My Family is Here!
Wow it has been really long since I last wrote. Things have been pretty busy. We got home from The Trek, our two week travel, last Friday, the 9th. It was so good to be back in Xiamen and it was so wonderful to be back in the warm weather, oh how I had missed that! The weekend was spent just hanging out and relaxing which was great after two weeks of non stop moving and sightseeing. On Monday we started our Chinese Painging, and Tai Ji classes. They are amazing! Chinese painting is so fun. I didnt realize how much i had missed using the creative part of my brain and tai ji reminds me a little of yoga. Its very slow and relaxing. It really stretches your muscles and just feels good!
My famiy arrived here in Xiamen yesterday afternoon. It is so amazing to have them here with me. I have missed them so much! It's also really great that I can show them where I have been living and what I have been doing for the past 3 months. Its funny to see China through their eyes, the same eyes that I had only 3 months ago. I didnt realize how much I had become accustomed to the culture and my surrondings.
Once they arrived yesterday they mostly just recovered from jet lag. Today they came to the orphange with me. They got to play with and interact with the kids. They also got to meet my special little girl. She gets better and better every week! Before when you looked at her it was like staring into a blank wall and now she laughs and smiles and interacts. It has been fun to see her develop over these past months. Sadly I only have one more saturday with her. Next week we have Thanksgiving break and then 2 weeks after that I will be on a plane on my way home. How crazy it is that I only have 20 days left in this amazing place.
My famiy arrived here in Xiamen yesterday afternoon. It is so amazing to have them here with me. I have missed them so much! It's also really great that I can show them where I have been living and what I have been doing for the past 3 months. Its funny to see China through their eyes, the same eyes that I had only 3 months ago. I didnt realize how much I had become accustomed to the culture and my surrondings.
Once they arrived yesterday they mostly just recovered from jet lag. Today they came to the orphange with me. They got to play with and interact with the kids. They also got to meet my special little girl. She gets better and better every week! Before when you looked at her it was like staring into a blank wall and now she laughs and smiles and interacts. It has been fun to see her develop over these past months. Sadly I only have one more saturday with her. Next week we have Thanksgiving break and then 2 weeks after that I will be on a plane on my way home. How crazy it is that I only have 20 days left in this amazing place.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
The Things you eat in China..
Yesterday I ate Dog!!! Yea its pretty much disgusting. It took me a while to try it because all I could think of was my sweet little Essy dog. It was really tough meat and not very appetizing but donkey on the other hand was pretty tasty!
Yes that pretty plate in the middle
with the pink flower is DOG!
Today we did some English teaching at a rural junior high school. It was so much fun to be with the kids and see their school. I think they enjoyed it too. We played Head and Shoulders Knees Toes and Simon Says. They like it a lot
This afternoon we had the opportunity to go to a univeristy here and talk with some students It was fun to meet new people but tiring at the same time.
Tomorrow we travel to Shanghai and then back to Xiamen, home sweet home, on Friday!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
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