am i really in china?

yes.

sometimes... i forget that- as crazy as that sounds... i even forget sometimes what life in america is like.. driving on freeways, using a vaccum cleaner, carpet floors, the beach, asian americans... haha those were all familiar things to me once and now are becoming more and more foreign the longer i'm here! haha..

teaching has been good- last week i gave my students oral midterm exams in the form of a mock interview.. let's just say no one got the job :( haha.. they tried their best but their resumes needed some major help and out of 100 students, i say only one of them had a decent and non-bent/torn/crumpled resume! they were soooo nervous as a grilled them on a couple interview questions.. it's mainly to give them practice of being professional, prepared, and know what a small american interview process is like!

we had an afternoon with some sisters from the old and new campus and got to sing together in english and their native tongue (which sounded beautifullll- wish you could hear it!) and lift each other up- i got to talk to two sisters about talking to the father- because they weren't sure how to, or what to talk about... overall it was good sweet fellowship and i know he's working in their hearts! please keep lifting up my special friend (who i ended a study with)- she is still not yet part of the family... ask for an open heart- thanks!!

pictures? sure, why not? hehe

group shot with some sisters :)

uhhhhh.... there's delicious japanese food in china!!! wahhhh!! too bad it's "expensive" 95 kuai for 3 girls for lunch... and a chinese dinner would cost 68 kuai for 10 girls!! haha

amy, frances, laura, and reborn... we were making ghetto rice krispy treats with our hands because china doesn't have wax paper haha

high's and low's....

all in a day i experience some significant high's and low's...

amazing.

the day started with a sunshine high- beautiful weather, extra spicy lunch with 4 of my sophomore boys (they all have such different personalities and are a lively bunch to eat with!), going for a walk and taking "classic american" style pictures (pyramid, jumping, circle of friends...) here's some of my favorite pictures from today :)
then after classes i decided to take the city bus back home, the 220 bus naturally. but my eyesight is failing me and i went on the 226 instead! apparently the 226 is a direct bus to some unknown small village down a bumpy narrow road with chickens and people in their padded pajamas (it's the cool thing to wear here) outfits... when you're lost in china and panicking about where you're going- people don't seem to understand your english OR chinese... it took a good effort to get the bus driver to stop the bus and let me off before i jumped out of the windows. then once he did that i was standing there on the road not sure how i was gonna get back to the main road miles away... bicycles and families on a little motorbike went by and occasionally a real car. i would have pulled out the hitchhiker thumb but no one would understand what that meant, plus i wouldn't be able to explain myself or where i would need to go. after talking on the phone with teammates to lift me up and shedding a few frustrated tears from realizing that things are just harder here because i'm in a different country- a little motorbike taxi green thing approached!! thankfully, SOMEHOW he understand where i wanted to go and i found a taxi for the rest of the way back. as i was walking back to my apartment i looked up to thank him and saw majestic blue skies and clouds... the lesson learned: he provides and i am never alone!