The first week

Well, I'm two days into my first week. It's been interesting to say the least. I have some very sweet kids that will help me through the year. I have a few little rascals that will challenge my everything. Today I started the day with a little Brain tai qi. The question... "What makes your new school great?" Some of the answers were pretty cool:

I think mabe is the teacher is good. And I think is Gd help the teacher. And Gd help the studens. And the teacher is good teach. - oh yeah, baby! Teacher got two points on this one! :)

I like books. I like the food. I like the teacher. I like firend. I like the plant.

Making new 朋友 will make my new school great. I like my new 老师. I like the books in this school. I like the light in this school. I like the songs in this school.- I like that this student used Chinese in her English writing :)

I thing the student and the teacher. And if the student be great and the school will be great and every one is happy. new fries make the school graet and graet teacher. And the most is Gd made this school grate. It was graet at this school.

He said it! the fries here are great (he means friends) and Gd made it great!

Teacher bedtime is coming up!

I'm Back!

Good morning from jet-lagged Jess! I have been doing supper well lately on sleeping into an ok time. However, today I went backwards... 4:30am and I was ready to go! Today is the beginning of day four so I'm sure I'll be normal again within a week. :)

My trip out to Beijing was pretty smooth. I had a seven hour layover in Chicago which was actually pretty nice. I got to call some people and downloaded things for my class. The best part though... as I was boarding my flight I heard a stewardess say, "He doesn't speak English, he can't sit in the exit row". Then she turned to the line and asked loudly, "who is traveling alone?". Well, I knew the follow-up question to that one, so I raised my hand quickly. I got the exit row! Unlimited leg room! I could go to the bathroom anytime I wanted and never had to stand in line (it was right in front of me, so I could see when it was empty).

However, as we were about to land (over an hour late), we started gaining altitude again. The pilot said that we had to fly around again and try the landing again because we were too close to another airplane. Never had that happen before, but I'm glad it was easily avoided.

My first days in Beijing have been pretty simple. I'm trying to organize my apartment, which will take a while. I'm also preparing for school. I'll take some classroom pictures soon to show you what it looks like! 

Not sure if you can tell, but the Packers were playing as I boarded the plane.

I've never had this much space...

We have a ton of hand-me-downs! Our living room can't hold it all!

Final Days

Here are some pictures from the last few days in Wuhan. I'm now back in America and when I return to China will stop my journey in Beijing!

Quick update

Well, usually I'm much better at doing blogs, but lately my life has been a little crazy. Since May 1 I I've been on at least 14 trains (kinda lost count), 3 airplanes, and lots of subway lines. I finished teaching April 26 and have been traveling pretty much every since. I've made a few trips to Beijing for visa and passport stuff, out east for an amazing retreat, a trip up to Qinghai with my roommate, another trip out east to travel with some buddies for the last time, and I will head up to Beijing again shortly.

I'm very thankful that I was done with school so early so I have been able to slowly transition to Beijing. I've attended one of their studies a few times and have gotten to know some of the Chinese. My apartment is rented, contract signed, bike bought, and visa in process. I've explored the area for food and shopping and have unpacked most of my stuff! My new life in Beijing is waiting for me!

However, before I leave, I have lots of good-byes to say here. I don't think I really understand that my time in Wuhan is so limited. I've seen a lot of friends the past few weeks and it's hard to think that it might be the last time I see them. Yes, I'm still in China, but Beijing is a bit far away and some of them are also leaving Wuhan.

On another note, I'll be celebrating the 4th in America this year! I arrive July 1st in Chicago. :) Grill-outs and fireworks, here I come!

Beyond Expectations

I just got back from about two weeks of traveling and will spend about three days in Wuhan, then leave again for about two weeks (business this time, not all pleasure). So, since I'm here for a few nights, we decided to have a game night. I invited about 30 people to the game night. Only two told me they could come. I figured we'd have a small group since Dan (fellow American) also had only two friends say yes.

The night started at 7pm with... two friends, then it began to expand. It expanded quite rapidly! By the end of the night we had about 25 people! We almost ran out of chairs. And the best part, three of them said they would like to join on Sunday. So, I hope that they really will. HE is still doing great things here. He blesses our work beyond our expectations.

One table played Apples to Apples (and later UNO).

My table played Rummikub. (They LOVE this game!)

This table played Dix It... It's a very fun game, but hard to explain on here.

These people are such a blessing. :-)

Beijing or bust!

Now that it's almost May and the next year's decisions (for most of us) have been final for some time, I've decided that I'll make it blog official as well. This February I was offered a job in Beijing. At first I had no interest but after thinking about it some more I looked into the opportunity. Again, after lots of "thinking" and thinking, I decided to move to Beijing! It was a hard decision and I'll miss my family and friends here in Wuhan, but I'm excited for the next adventure as well.

Year five in China will consist of A LOT of change!

I'll change my city from "small town" Wuhan of 10 million to "big city" Beijing of 20??
I'll change from teaching college students to probably 3rd-4th grade.
I'll change from living with a Chinese friend whom I love to living once again with an American, whom I'm sure I'll love.
I'll change from knowing how to get EVERYWHERE I need to go to asking directions on how to get to the fruit market.
I'll change from being almost the oldest and most experienced in the city to being a rookie, sort of,  all over again.
I'll change from bringing old friends to studies to meeting old friends at studies for the first time.

However., some things won't change..

I won't change why I'm here.
I won't change studying with amazing brothers and sisters.
I won't change growing in love with an amazing country hungry for "food".
I won't change the love I have for my S@vior and the love He has for me regardless of where I live!

Bring on the Jing! Bring on the change and the new opportunities and challenges I'll have. 

Minimum wage

I had an interesting discussion with some of my students the other day about pay in China compared to America. In America, the minimum wage is technically $7.25 (44rmb) with some states higher and some lower. The highest is $9.32 (57rmb). At least, that is what wikipeda told me. In China, I get paid between 100-250 rmb an hour ($15-$40) which is very common for foreigners-it's almost like we have a PhD in English. However, Chinese nationals get paid much much less!

Most of my friends make anywhere between 10-30rmb an hour ($1.60-$5). Those with good jobs could get 50-75rmb an hour ($8-$12). Can you imagine working 8 hours and only making about $25!? They will get bonuses at the end of the year and some get paid more, but it's still much cheaper than the USA. Yes, many things are cheaper here, but it's still quite different.

I could pay a lady $3/hr to clean my apartment! Why haven't I, you ask? Because I didn't realize how cheap it was... and I don't know where to find one of those cleaning ladies... and I should clean it myself... :-(