I have yet to forget one of my favorite TV shows -- in fact it isn't one of my favorites, it is my favorite (Above "Touched By an Angel," though it was great, and "Promised Land," a show which made me long to get in a silver camper and travel with my family, too.) -- "The West Wing." "The West Wing" had a great run of 7 seasons on TV and acquired many loyal fans. (I even know of one couple who named a precious daughter after one of the characters.) It was a witty, intelligent, fast-paced, incisive, and sometimes humorous look into what running one of the world's greatest nations might be like. The characters, with their various personalities, talents, and foibles, faced many personal and political battles. They fell down and made many mistakes, but they triumphed, too. They created new policies, wrote new laws, helped each other, and even dreamed of what the nation could become. As I watched week after week I was impressed by their ...

As I look back at my journal (which I ended up keeping for less than a month because I am terribly slack) I am amused by my first few days of my new life. I arrived in China late on a Saturday night and began teaching on Monday, two days later. Talk about a period of adjustment! 1st Full Day (Sunday) : It's customary, it seems, to greet new and 'honored' staff with a wonderful Chinese meal to introduce them to the culture and the staff with whom they will have the privilege of working. So on Sunday I had this customary dinner with my boss and at least 12 to 15 other people. We went into the restaurant and my boss took me to the seafood area and asked me to point out which seafood I might like cooked. (There were tanks all over the walls in the room, holding fish, lobster, crab, and other things I don't like to mention or name.) Sadly, I hadn't realized what a picky eater I was until I moved here... so I kindly tried to tell him I rather liked vegetables instead....

My Savior loves, My Savior lives, My Savior’s always there for me. Mine He was, Mine He is, Mine He will always be… “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-5 I am not sure I understood the importance of fellowship when I lived at home. From a young age I went every time the doors were open – girl’s programs, Sunday programs, youth programs – all of it was part of my habit. I enjoyed the time and made so many great memories. Words were spoken into my life, and I was transformed, but I took it for granted, the opportunities I had. Today, I’ve been living abroad for 16 months and 20 days. In that time, I might have been able to join fellowship for maybe two months. The first time I went, it had been approximately 9 months since I’d stepped foot inside a building with other Family membe...

D ragging luggage up three flights of stairs. Way too heavy. A helping hand reaches out and weight is lifted, figuratively and literally. “Excuse me, can I help you?” “Why yes, please.” At the train station, the buses have stopped running. Where are the taxis? Sigh. “Hey, where are you going? Do you want to share a car with us?” On the train, two sweet teachers share conversation with a weary foreigner. “Here’s my phone number. If you’re ever in my city, please call me! I would like to be your guide.” On the bus, coming home from a trip, so tired, and so much luggage! “Here,” he says, “take my seat. Please.” I am often overwhelmed by the kindnesses those around show me. The teachers at the University often greet and chat with me. They give gifts and invite me to lunch. They help me with any problem I experience and often they will ask their friends to help me when I travel. For example, this trip to Beijing has been truly blessed. My friend and I traveled from Xiam...

smiles. Now, I've gotta preface my post with the fact that I teach my students, and I try to live by, the idea that most of culture is not right or wrong, it's just different. And it's true. I will post more on this topic in the future so I can give you more examples of what I mean. Also, if you're at all squeamish, this is not the post for you. Check out the others -- they're humorous, too. Now, all warnings aside, here is my story: I am often amused by my small town life. In America, my home is in the country. My hometown has probably no more than a few thousand people in it. I've been surrounded by horses, chickens, goats, etc. The town's in the south, so it is rather laid back and the people are pretty friendly and, of course, speak southern. I move to China, and my home, though it's in the city, is still rather country. And that suits me just fine -- most of the time. The sights and sounds are so different. The people, and the atmosphere, ar...

I came to China a little less than 2 weeks before my 25th birthday. I was so overwhelmed with acclimating, teaching, and the new things around me, that I didn't really think too much about it. (Not that I normally care very much for celebrating my birthday to begin with.) In any case, my friends did not forget my day. I taught class, thinking that little else would happen that day. I would go home, find some food, and settle in to sleep. However, my friend and her family had other plans. They took me to this wonderful hotel downtown. On the 17th floor of the hotel there's a restaurant that revolves, giving a beautiful look at the city lights in the evening. (It has a mixture of Chinese food and Western food: pizza, rice, dumplings, salad, chicken wings, soup, etc. It is wonderful and quickly became my favorite place to eat.) After having a meal together, we came back to the apartment and had cake with a couple of other friends at which time they presented me with gifts. I w...

What is life in a new place other than a grand adventure, discovering new smells, tastes, sounds, languages, fashions, manners... etc., etc., etc.? There were two things that struck me when I first moved here from home. 1. I am definitely a foreigner. I live in small town China (which is medium-sized city in America) and I am one of 10 or less English-speaking foreigners here. So I, with my blond hair, green eyes, and pale skin, stand out to the nth degree. I get stares all the time. On the bus. In the classroom. Ordering at a restaurant. Heaven forbid I go into a supermarket and want to buy things without an entourage of sales associates following me, wanting to help me out. My two favorite stares are the little kids, with eyes so big, like, "Wow! That's what foreigners look like?!" and the older people, or people who need glasses, who do that freaky squinty-eyed look that you normally associate with your mom when she's extra angry about something you've done...

A little over a year and a half ago a friend emailed me and asked if I'd like to come teach English overseas. I said, "Heck yes!" smiles. Then I prayed about it and discovered it was indeed the door open to me. So I began the whirlwind process of putting things in place at my job, getting a physical, putting all the paperwork together, the arduous work of getting funding together, spending time with all my loved ones, and, finally, packing. Those last weeks at home were pretty much nontstop activity, people to see and things to do, every day, all day. I was so tired! The time to say goodbye rushed up so quickly I had no time to cry or even emotionally realize what I was doing before I stepped away from my family and my boyfriend and passed through the gate to board my plane. Days of little sleep beforehand, a plane to New York, with a "10 hour" overnight layover. I made it there at about 12 at night, got to my hotel after 1 am, and had to be up and back at t...

Well, I must smile because from the beginning my blog doesn't sound so original, but it will definitely be full of me, my crazy thoughts, my serious thoughts, and anything I think of that is in between. As for the direction the blog shall take, for a while I'd like to reminisce on my life overseas. I have learned so many things, but the more I learn, the more I discover I don't know. So I live a life of discovery and adventure, and, to be honest, that is quite alright with me! Join me in my adventures if you like. Whether you do or not, may your days be sunny and bright, your problems something you can learn from, and your life filled with love, joy, peace, and compassion!