Smelling Something

Everyday as I walk to and from different places there are things you notice. You notice the vast amounts of people,  the traffic, the sounds, and... the smells. If you have been to China you can appreciate some of them, if you have not, I hope you can imagine them.

You get the smell of stinky tofu. Which smells a little like... well, it's hard to describe. I asked some of my friends and here are their replies:

• it smells stinky- Chinese friend
• a baboon’s left butt cheek-Jonathan
• poop and BO combined- Andy
• I'm not exactly sure, just bad. - Brian
• crap = Nicole
• rotting flesh...? It's very hard to describe.-Julie

The exhaust from the cars and buses next to you on the street.

The cigarrete of the man in front of, next to, and behind you on the street.

But last night I got another smell. I smelled smoke, real smoke. I looked over and oh.... look, the dumpster is on fire. Well, the contents inside of the dumpster. Hmm.. no one is really noticing, I guess it's ok... I will say, the dumpster is all metal, so chances are it won't spread, but I still feel that SOMEONE would notice and do something about it.All well, that's just the way it is.

Bike Math

   1 new, to me, bike
   1 out of shape foreigner
   1 medium hill
+ 20 minute ride to school
-------------------------------------
   1 very tired person in the beginning of class

   1 new, to me, bike
   30-45 degrees F
   2 mittens
   1 face mask
+ 1 scarf
--------------------------
    a bundled up foreigner ready to hit the road on her bike!

My bike on my porch. What's great is the gears have a guard, so my pants don't get caught in them.

Here you can see my green bell and blue lock. I don't have any gears, but it still works ok.

  

One of a kind

My student, Ocean (it's not as weird name once you teach him all semester) invited me to see a band with him and some other students. At first I said "no" because it was 100rmb, which is about $15. Quite a lot for China. However, I was rethinking, it seemed like a fun group that was going, and the singer seemed good too. Tamas Wells, check him out. He's from Australia. Nice, low paced music.

Well... on to the story. So, we went, they got me a student ID card (I was a Chinese tonight) so my ticket was cheaper.I went with a friend, so I didn't feel too bad hanging out with a bunch of kids 7 years younger than me. However, she is 4 years younger than me, so that's not much of a difference. But she seems much much older...

I know... get on with the story... My friend, students, and I listened to the mostly slow paced, good songs for about an hour. Then, for the last song Tamas said he needs some help with this one. That he needs 8 people to come on the stage. Well, I decided this is a great opportunity for me! So, I put my hand up real high (not hard when most people around you are the same height and shorter). Then I heard my students yell my name from the front right corner of the stage. I go over by them and Tamas catches my eye... he nodded and smiled! I'm going on stage! They did a beach boys song "Do you Wanna Dance". The 8 of us were the dancers in the back. My students recorded it all. In fact, I think more than one of them did! It was quite fun. Was a bit surprised I did it, but, being the ONLY foreigner in the place, I had extra pump of courage. That's right, as I looked around all night, The band and I were the only people not of Asian decent.

Afterwards my students wanted some autographs, so I stuck around with them and took a taxi back. Overall, a fun night. Glad I went and hey, I found a new band I like! Check out Tamas Wells online.

p.s. I forgot my camera this day, so I don't even have a single picture. :(

A Variety of...

G-d gives us a variety of many things in life: fruit, trees, animals, languages, faith strengths... friends

He has especially given me a variety of the last one. I have many friends. One of my Chinese friends said he thinks I have more Chinese friends than he has! Probably because part of my job here is to make and keep friends. Cool job, huh? I'm not here to brag about the number of friends I have, but it's a post of thanks.

Thanks for friends like John and Edward who, although have come to studies for over a year, still are questioning and fighting us. They keep us on our toes. What questions will they ask tonight? They keep us in the WORD.

Lily, who has the most curiosity I've ever seen. She comes early to study to learn more about the Book. She does homework during the week to make the one-on-one studies more productive. She's excited about everything! She is soaking it all it. She reminds us that the HS is working and our work is important.

I am thankful for friends like Julian, who, although is busy with school, will happily take time out of his day to help a foreign friend buy a bike.

Bruce, who is always ready to help you even if his English isn't the greatest. He's also willing to ask questions in study even if he knows we might not understand him.

Eunice, who can't speak English at all, but enjoys welcoming me (and my study buddies) into her home each week to 1)feed us 2)teach me the art of cooking Chinese food and 3)give us a place to teach her son as well as 10 other children about HIM and HIS SON.

I could go on and on talking about the friends HE has given me. The friends who, when you walk to the bus stop with them, you can't help but smile. Smile at their curiosity, their kindness, their English mistakes, their concern for our well being. Friends who will jump at the opportunity to help.  Friends from HIM who we get the joy of telling about HIM.

Thanks be to Him! He is great!

What's New?

It's been a few days since my last post. What has happened??
1) I decorated my room for Christmas. Even have some lights. I'll get some pictures later.
2) As I was smooshed in a crowded bus inching it's way towards my bus stop, I decided to buy a bike. Will do that tomorrow.
3) We had our first snow today, although it didn't stick, it still fell down.
4) I explained HIS Grace to a friend tonight at study.
5) I just finished my last leftovers from our Thanksgiving meal. I've been eating mashed potatoes for every breakfast and lunch (which usually occurs at the same time since I've been getting up a little late lately and decide it's not worth eating breakfast at 9:30).
6) I am in the process of reviewing a friend's personal statement for his Doctorate application for an American University. Hmm.. hope this goes well. :)

Thanksgiving in Wuhan

Thanksgiving has come and gone and now the Christmas season is here. I hope all of my friends and family enjoyed their Thanksgiving with loved ones. This year was yet another year to be thankful for all the wonderful things HE gives us every day. I'm working on a list of what I am thankful for, tell ya later. For now... I will tell you about Thanksgiving half the way around the world.

 First, China doesn't celebrate this American holiday. I asked my students what they know about Thanksgiving and most of them only knew that we eat Turkey (which in Chinese translates as "fire chicken"). Don't worry, I taught them all about the Pilgrims and Native Americans. Then, as a discussion topic, they had to pretend they were turkeys and Thanksgiving was near. They had to tell the class why we should eat their partner over them. Quite entertaining!

Thursday evening the four of us in the middle area of the city (Nicole, Peter, Darin, and myself) treated our friends to a Thanksgiving meal- Chinese style. We found a restaurant with a big private room and ordered the dishes. Altogether we had 15 people show up. It was a great time to show our friends how thankful we are for them.

Vivien, Joanna, Peter, John Wayne, Tracy, Bruce, Edward

Sherry, Jacquline, Nicole, Julian, Darin, Jonathan, Lisa

This was our Chinese Thanksgiving Feast! From the rice going clockwise: Rice, spicy bean sprouts, mushroom broth, something I forgot, donkey/cucumbers, spicy french fries, sweet and sour pork, eggplant, in the middle is tofu.

Today (Sunday) we had our FoC Thanksgiving meal. We all met at Beth and Sarah's home and worked on our feast. The final result was amazing! It felt just like a real family dinner. We had potatoes, chicken, rolls, veggies, fruit, cornbread casserole, sweet potatoes, stuffing, bacon wrapped hot dogs, wine, and of course... pie! After dinner we played some games and people fell asleep on the couch while watching football. Kidding... no football here. We watched a movie.

Our Western Feast!

Before tonight it didn't really feel like Thanksgiving, however, having our whole "family" together is a great way to spend the holiday. I am Thankful for my great support system over here. Keep us in your thoughts especially as Winter comes and sicknesses are seeming to conquer us one by one.

Care Skin Bathe Turban

I never know what to call it in English, but now I know. It's a bathe turban. More commonly known as a loofah or a pouf. I bought one today and started reading the description... enjoy! (If it doesn't make sense, it's ok)

Add some shower juice is it is it make foam to be abundant all over to wipe to wipe away, smooth and incomparable before taking a shower, is it carry on keep-fit massage to whole body, let skin gloss extraordina rily of you happy easily to equal to, fine and smooth and rich flexibly, like bud being generally pleasant. 
If anyone would like to rewrite it into what you THINK they meant, give it a shot. I'd love to see what you get! :)