Tuesday of crazy week

Tuesday morning started off early again. I left my place around 9 (which is early for me) and headed out to a university. Some friends from ch-ch work there and they wanted to throw a party for their son and show us around. I didn't realize until I was on the bus that this was the same university I was at just yesterday. Going to see the same flowers I just saw. :) all well, I'll enjoy the company. That I did!

Bill walking with Luther

David just didn't want to smile.

Phoebe and Jonathan with little Luther. (Jonathan is one of the Chinese leaders)

Here is all of our food.

There were about 20 people from Chu-ch that joined. Some Chinese, some American. We walked around by the flowers, took some pictures, and eventually made our way to an area for a picnic. The family provided a great meal for us to enjoy. Pizza, noodles, fruit salad, chips, bread, and some other snacks that are hard to describe. They also had soda, water, and beer (which was very similar to the water) to drink.

 

Picnic Lunch

The weather was amazing and the fellowship was great. The movement was slow. :) We didn't see much for being there for over 4 hours. That's what it's like moving 20 people around.

Afterwards I went home and chilled for about 30 minutes, realized it was way too nice outside to be inside, so I took my bike for a ride. I went towards the lake, seemed like a lot of people had the same idea. Since it's the holiday, many people were off of work. I ended up flowing the flow of traffic to Meiyuan 梅园 (Plum Garden) and Moshan 莫山 (Mo Mountain). People everywhere!!! Then, recognizing the bus stop names, I realized this is where I was going tomorrow. Oh no! we will be fighting the crowds. Must be a good place if so many people are here!

The lake I found

The people I found

The night ended with a relaxing dinner with a few friends and a movie with Nicole. The next day was also expected to be full of activities.

Bike ride with Jess, Jess, Julie, and Dan

You know what it's like when you are on vacation... You love it, you love not going to work, for teachers, not planning lessons, or facing the people you don't enjoy seeing. BUT, by the end of a vacation you are so tired that going back to work seems like it would be easier. That's how I feel about the past 3 days. I've loved them, but I'm tired! :) This might become a long post, but I have pictures to include too! Here it goes...

Long bike ride across town.

Monday: We moved our Sunday to Monday (since we worked on Sunday this week) so we had our normal "Sunday meeting" with the foreigners and then with the Chinese. I left after the English study to meet a friend for a bike ride. Julie and I rode our bikes for about 1 hour to meet our friends.

We ate lunch, had a rest, then rode our bikes to the Agriculture University. This University has many flowers to look at. We parked our bikes and walked around.

Jess, Dan, Julie, Jess

 Our friends didn't know exactly where we were going, so we got a little lost. That's ok, we found the "Student Center" It was equipped with a Karaoke room, game room, kitchen, bathrooms, and hang out areas. I'm sure it's not a real student center (you'll see what I mean from the pictures) but it could be. :)

"Student Center"

more of the student center

Student center bathrooms. NEVER complain about dirty bathrooms again! :)

Trying to find the yellow flowers, we are confused what these are.

Rape flowers

Julie, boy Jess, Dan, girl Jess

Stopped for an ice cream break. Julie and I had chocolate, Jess and Dan had pea flavored.

After exploring this university, we headed back to our friend's University. However, since we still had an hour bike ride home, Julie and I left and went back. We took a pit stop at my school and I showed Julie around.

One of my students was still on campus, so she showed us her dorm room and accompanied us to supper. On our way, I passed a hair salon.... Julie, wanna get a haircut with me??? SURE! My student translated for our beautification process. My guy loved it. He asked me lots of questions (of course, most had to be translated) Questions about the NBA, Chinese food, and how are Chinese people and Americans different-that was a tough one.

After our hair cut we jumped on our bikes back, then Nicole and I jumped on a bus and I went back to the same area as this morning to play games. Finally, I was home and in bed around 12:00. Fun, busy, exciting day. Day 2 was just as busy, but I'll tell you about that one later. 

A busy day

I knew today would be a fun-filled day. I started making plans a few days ago about what I all wanted to do. You see, It's Saturday, but according to school it's a Monday. We have a holiday next week, so to make up of our days off, we work the weekend. I don't work Monday's, so I had a free day anyways. I knew the weather would be great, so I packed in the activities.

My morning started with Chinese lessons. Got up, rode my bike up to to my friend's place, learned some Chinese, and rode home.

15 minutes later, I jumped in a cab to find another friend and help her move into her home. Luckily, Chinese people don't pack much, so with three of us it only took 3 trips each. :) She treated Nicole and me to lunch, put us in a cab to go back to our place.

On our way back, a different friend called me because he arrived at my apartment. I told him I'll be there in 5 minutes. Nicole and I ran upstairs, grabbed our bikes and we were off to play some badminton. My friend drove my bike, I rode on the back of Nicole's. We were off to the Sports University.

We arrived about 10 minutes before our other friend who was "in charge" of finding a place to play. He had a friend at the University, so that friend came out to show us around. (That friend is a study friend from a different part of town that Nicole and I also knew-small FoC) This is when it became confusing...

We went to not 1, not 2, not 3, but technically 4 different places to look for courts (number 4 was just returning to number 1) Since it was a school day, everyone was around practicing or having classes on the courts. After returning to place #1 again, our friend decided to work his charm. He told us that we were teachers at his university and all of the other people were students. We laughed and said "ok"

He walked up to a guy and told him that we were foreign teachers and we wanted to play badminton. They guy made 2 girls share a court with another group and we got to play. We played for about 1 1/2 hours until my next activity would begin.

This was the gym we played in. You see Adam (in black) and Edward (in red)

I jumped on my bike and rode home. Grabbed my shopping bag and went to the fruit and veggie market. I had 4-5 friends coming over tonight and I was making them Chinese food! I planned the menu, bought the materials, met my friend on the way back (she was a little late to help me buy most of the stuff) and got a call from someone. This was another friend who was coming to help cook. I thought she would be lost since she's never been to my place before. I asked her where she was and she replied, "I'm outside your door." "AHHH!! So sorry! I'll be home in 10 minutes."

Got home, threw together some delicious Chinese/American food (I cook a little with an American influence) and enjoyed supper. Afterwards, we played Rummikub with the group.

The girls for supper.

Our food: from bottom- pea pods; chicken, cucumbers and carrots; pork, potatoes, mushrooms; cabbage and mushrooms

Nicole didn't even get to play and someone won. :(

That was my day: Chinese, moving, badminton, supper, and Rummikub. Altogether I hung out with 8 friends. What an amazing time in China!

Lior

Meet my friend Lior. He started studying with us in November. He turned 21 last week Friday. However, it's now not only his birthday, it's also his b-ptism day! It was an awesome night! Afterwards, he told his story (he told it in Chinese, but I was able to read the English version). Jonathan also posted it on his blog, so I want give him the credit for the source. (I just taught my students about referencing and citing your sources) There were tears in the room as he was telling us about his journey to understand. G-d is good.

Please enjoy this statement of f-ith from your new brother in HIM:

Thanks, all of you guys, for being here for me on this very special day! It means a lot to me! Thank you so much, all my friends.

On this very day, my 21st birthday, I was b-ptized, the washing of rebirth and renewal by the HS, through which I'm marked as a saved child of HIM. So, now I want to say some things to thank HIM and to thank my friends.

Actually, it has not been a long time since I first heard about HIS words. I began to study the Book last year, mid November, at Jonathan's place. At that time I was totally an ath-ist; I didn't believe in His existence. I thought the Book was no more than a mythological book. It was like a fair tale for me. So, I started studying the Book thinking things like, "Hmm, maybe it would help with my English and help me understand more about the western culture. I can try, I mean, at least it would not hurt me." That may not sound like a good beginning. But, at least it started. Because of this, HIS words melted my heart!

I remember that, after the first study, Jonathan introduced his friend Jolie to me, who is now also a good friend of mine. She told me about her story: about how HE influences her, helps her, and has always been there for her. I was deeply touched, but still didn't really believe in HIS existence because I didn't feel Him. She encouraged me to keep studying, and I did. I kept going to study, twice a week, and going to chrch every Sunday. Through those means, and with the teaching of my Chr-stian friends, I learned a lot about Him and the Book. My f@ith got stronger every time I studied His words. So here I am, through b-ptism, a child of HIM. Through this s@crament, my sins are washed away. Through this means of grace, I received the s@lvation and eternal life that our merciful G-d offered me.

I'm not sure exactly when the HS opened my heart and came in. I'm not sure exactly when I started to believe there is a G-d who is so gracious that He sacrificed His one and only Son for all of us. Sinners. His enemies. I'm not sure when I started to turn to Him for help for all the anxieties and uncertainties that I had. In any case, now I  feel relieved and happier because I know He already has His plan for all of us. There's nothing to worry about.

However, I AM sure that it was Him that gave me the words and strength to talk to my mom about my faith in Him, which was really hard. It was so difficult that at first my mom thought I would kill myself someday. There were many times that we both wanted to quit, but through His words, my mom began to understand and believe that He won't lead me a wrong way. I AM sure than it was him that gave me the strength to fight against the devil when I was in a very hard time, which wasn't a long time ago. I AM sure that He is so gracious and loving that He forgave all our sins by sending His Son to suffer for us so that we have eternal life.

Besides a merciful L-rd, I am also blessed with so many great friends. Thank you all for helping me walking in the Faith. I want to give my thanks especially to Jonathan, my best friend, for all those hard, sad, happy, and joyful moments. You were always there for me, helping me, encouraging me, accompanying me, comforting me, telling His words to me, and helping me walk with Him. What you have done means SO much to me!

At last, I hope the friends here who still don't believe in Him will not resist the HS, but believe that He is always there for you and believe that He loves you! You CAN feel His grace. And for those study buddies, I hope that you can all keep studying His words and let your faith be strengthened.

And there is one thing that all of us should do, tell everyone about His awesomeness and let more people feel His grace! He is the perfect G-d that gives us a peaceful room in He@ven.

Lior is on the right. This is before the s@crament for safety reasons I didn't put the actual picture online. Also, it's poor quality because I only had my iPod with me at the time. Jonathan (middle) read it in English while Tony (left) translated.

Beautful Day

Sunday we had amazing weather. The sun was shinning, the sky was blue. The traffic verified the fact that everyone was out enjoying the weather (a normal 20 min bus ride, 30 minute bike ride, took over an hour). Nicole and I decided to go out and explore a little in this great weather. Nicole needed her winter boot fixed, so we would stop at the shoe fixer near our apartment. In order to fix it, he destroyed it. Nicole was a bit concerned. It all turned out ok...

Here's the old man fixing her boot. He just sits on the side of the road.

People watching/playing cards.

Nicole's reaction when he started to cut open her boot.

Next stop, wander through Wuhan University. We leave very near this campus, but haven't really explored it much. One of the first places I found was a Campus book store! I'm super excited. Now I can buy Wuhan apparel. Wuhan isn't a tourist city, so it's hard and nearly impossible to find anything with the name "Wuhan" printed on it. Luckily, I also work at Wuhan University, so I can wear it with pride.

Gate of Wuhan University near my home.

Entrance to my street.

Food area near my street. I usually get supper here on Wednesdays on my way to Study.

After this accomplishment, I had one more I needed... to eat my first ice cream of spring. Walking a bit further, I did it! I ate an amazing Magnum ice cream Popsicle. :) The rest of the walk was a blur. I was so happy. (Hmm... rereading this, it makes it seem that Magnums have something "special" in them, they don't. This was just a hyperbole)

My Magnum and the Wuhan bookstore in the background.

Since Sunday, it's been raining and cold. I've heard good news about the weather in the States. Enjoy the warmth!

Cooking lunch via a QQ teacher

QQ is a messaging system in China, very similar to Skype, but works better in some ways, not as good in others. I was talking to a Chinese friend who is currently working in America, Olli. He is a very good cook and I wanted some advice on how I can cook potatoes, pork, and mushrooms together. I was hoping for something super simple that even I could do. What I got was a recipe with at least 10 different ingredients/steps. The hardest part was that most of the ingredients are an estimate. You "just know“ how much to put in. I'm not at the "just knowing" part, so sometimes it's not quite right. Here is how it turned out.

I put in garlic, ginger, oil, and two other Chinese spices in the wok. After heating them for some time, you add in the cubed potatoes. Next, you put in the cut up pork. Then the tricky part. You add a little thick soy sauce, then a little more thin soy sauce. A really little bit of vinegar and a little baijiu (it's like cooking with wine), sprinkle some pepper on the whole mixture. Cook for a little, then throw in the mushrooms. Put water in the wok, cover it, and let it cook for 15 minutes. After it's finished cooking, you turn up the fire and boil off some of the water. Alacazam... it's done!

Dish some rice into a bowl and enjoy! Surprisingly, it tasted pretty good too!!! I got really excited. I might be able to make it again without the "recipe".

Here are pictures to help you understand my step by step process of the cooking.

I started the rice because it usually takes a while. It ended up being finished before I started the other food.

Here is the raw food I cut up. Pork, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, ginger, and some spices

Here are the other sauces/spices I added to the mix.

Potatoes went in!

Here is the mixture just before I covered it to boil for 15 minutes.

Final product!!! I like how you can see the steam. :)

Spring time!!!

Spring is just around the corner. Yesterday I went on a bike ride and it was the first time in months that I walked outside without wearing boots! The sun has been shinning, although it is fighting to be visible through the smog, it's still there. The birds are chirping, pineapple is showing up here and there, and people are shedding layers. This weather is amazing biking weather. I've really enjoyed going around without needing to use the bus system as often.

There is also a new member in the FoC Wuhan family! Sophia 永爱 (Yong ai) was born this Sunday afternoon to our Shephard and his wife. 永爱 yongai means Eternal Love. I saw her on Sunday when she was only 10 hours old. The youngest baby I've seen. We are thankful that both Sherry and Sophia are healthy.