"From Scratch"

I used to think that I baked from scratch. I was wrong.

For example, I used to make a coffee cake “from scratch.” The recipe called for chopped pecans and sour cream. I would often buy the pre-chopped pecans and the sour cream that came in the 1 cup container. Then I would simply dump in both ingredients. China has since taught me that my “from scratch” wasn’t even scratching the surface. (Yes, that pun made me literally laugh out loud)

For starters…
If you want chopped pecans, you have to first SHELL the pecans and then you have to CHOP the pecans.
If you want sour cream, you have to first travel across town to the import store, buy a big thing of whipping cream, add vinegar and literally SOUR the cream. Now that’s from scratch.

However, our team leader takes “from scratch” to a whole new extreme. I just tasted Stollen for the first time in my life…and I don’t have the words to describe the wonder of it. The baking process lasted for at least two days. The recipe involved shelling pecans, plumping raisons, roasting almonds, sifting sugar, doing something with vanilla beans, and letting dough rise at least 2-3 times. However, the result was something that packaged and boxed will NEVER come close too. I will now mark time by PreStollen and AfterStollen.

Speaking of time…HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

stol·len

 [stoh-luhn; Ger. shtaw-luhn]

noun German Cookery .

a sweetened bread made from raised dough, usually containing nuts, raisins, and citron.

 

How to NOT Get Caught...

Grading final papers has been an education in plagiarism.  Below are my top 5 ways to NOT get caught plagiarizing.

5. When cutting and pasting into your paper, remove the "scanned by virus-ware" words.
4. If you are talking in first person, make sure what you copied is also in first person.
3. If you have poor grammar skills, once you cut and paste a paragraph into your paper, go through and make it sound like you. 
2. If the paragraph you are copying is talking about your own people group, it should say "us" not "them."
1.  Don't plagiarize the text book.  Odds are that the teacher has read it before.

Or...you could just cite the source.

Sophomore Grading Pile(s) of Fun

Ode to Coffee

Of the things I love in life, I give my love not only because of what they are but because of the memories associated with them. For example, I LOVE beignets from the Grand Luxe Café. While I cannot deny their inherent goodness…it is the memories that go with them that bring all the more joy. I have rich memories of laughter and friendship each time I had them. Therefore, I love beignets. Coffee is no different.

Coffee is a trifecta of love.

1. Coffee aides in my ability to function. Without it, I become “pre-coffee Lizzie” and I’m told that is just not pretty. So coffee allows me to be…me. 
2. Coffee is often decorated and adorned with happiness. I love coffee mugs. The beautifully decorated cup beckons one to wrap their hands around the wonderful warmth. The whip cream often placed on top begs one to dive their face in and emerge with a smile and a mustache. 
3. Coffee = good memories. How many long, wonderful, thought-provoking conversations have I had over a cup of coffee? If you know me, you know that I crave intellectually stimulating and challenging conversations and I have found coffee to be a natural inducer of fluent, challenging, and memorable conversation. Some of my best friendships have come about over a cup of coffee. 

To end a long ode I will simply say…I Heart Coffee.

Christmas Compare/Contrast

I survived my first Christmas in China!!  And I must say...it was AWESOME!  Good friends, good food, and good times had by all.  However, I wanted to briefly offer a compare/contrast analysis of Christmas in the different countries.

US/China Christmas Contrasts: 
1. In China, people kept saying, “Happy Christmas.” Why do we have a “Merry Christmas” in the US and a “Happy Christmas” in China? 
2. U.S. Christmas wrapping paper isn't pink and purple with puppies and happy everyday quotes.
3. Silk Worms were part of the menu for the Christmas dinner. Never saw that on the U.S. menu. 
4. Some of my students were taking exams on Christmas day. 
5. My neighbors looked at me like I was crazy when I excitedly exclaimed, “Merry Christmas!"

US/China Christmas Similarities: 
1. He is the Reason for the Season. 
2. Christmas movies were viewed. 
3. Way too much sugar was eaten. 
4. I didn’t get my Christmas cards mailed. 
5. It was a white, cold Christmas. 

Used...

Twice a week I have office hours where my students can come make up lessons or ask questions. There are also several non-English majors who come to talk with the foreigner and practice their English. (I also attend English corner on Tuesdays where about 40 students excitedly try to talk with the 1 foreigner…me.)

I have one student, let’s call her Maggie, who comes every Thursday without fail. Many times it is just me and her, and I love it. She comes with a notebook full of questions…questions from newspaper articles she has read or life that she has encountered that week.

However, there have been more and more students coming to practice their English. They are at times pushy and want me to magically pull interesting topics out of my hat that they can discuss in English. (this can be hard at times to find interesting topics that also coincides with their vocabularies) They get upset if there are too many students and they do not get my undivided attention. As I was walking home the other day, I was trying to work through my annoyance at their attitudes. Another foreigner had said that it also irked them that people “just want to use us to practice English.” As I focused in on the words “just use us” I bristled with irritation.

And the words kept rolling through my head…”Just use us…”

And then I realized…isn’t that what I came here for? Didn’t I come to be used?

Some days that will look like a nice chat with my dear student Maggie. Other days, that will be a long drawn out conversation with a pushy student who insists that I help them improve their English so that they can be magically fluent in three weeks for their trip to Shanghai.  Other days it could be me reading the Christmas story for the first time to my excited students. Whatever it is…I want to be used.

Just a normal day in my life…

The other day, I was graciously given the opportunity to judge a singing competition.  No other foreign teachers were able to go, I was flying solo.  I have judged a couple English competitions, so I thought this would be routine…no big deal.

That evening my students hurried me from class without dinner, so that we could arrive 45 minutes early.

Once there, everyone shoved me to the front of the performance hall where I sat all alone at the judges’ table for 30 minutes…right where everyone could see me.  I read over the rubric and got acquainted with the schedule.  I also noted that the Compulsory song would be Porker Face.

I then had a student come explain to me that one of the finalists would be chosen by me.  When the time came, I would need to send a discreet signal to one of the MCs.  This is when I started to get nervous.  I had no idea when this would happen, how I would choose, and what was truly expected.  So while I was judging (they give you roughly 15 seconds to judge and tally your score after the performances), I was keeping notes.  With my notes, I knew who I thought would be the top three performers.  I knew if they called on me, I could confidently choose who would be the third person to go to the finals.   

(The other issue at hand is that it is all in Chinese…so through the entire night I have to listen to all the Chinese words with the hope that I hear them when they say, “Something, something, Lizzie, something something.”)

The next problem was, the top three went to the finals, I had to choose a 4^th place (as opposed to the 3^rd place I had planned on).  ARGHH!!  They were then coming my way with a microphone.

So with a microphone shoved in my face…and a couple hundred people waiting for my answer…I did what any ethical judge would do…I chose the first student that I recognized.

Good news – she was actually pretty good and the other (Chinese) judges generally agreed with my choice.

Afterwards, I was pushed away from the judges’ table and realized that I was the one responsible for granting the awards.  I then had to stick around for a couple hundred pictures, so that the finalists could say someday, “Oh yeah, that’s me with the blonde foreign teacher…can’t remember her name though…”

Western Roots

It has occurred to me that I usually blog about my adventures into the Chinese way of life.  However, I wanted to note that I am still in touch with my roots...and here are some of the ways.

Western Dining - Sometimes a girl just needs a big ol' hamburger.

Visits - Mom visited Harbin.  YAY!!

Metro - The best import store in Harbin...yes, we shop in herds of foreigners.

Moody Grads - There are a handful of Moody Grads floating around the organization.  (below Erica and I are demonstrating our love of Moody with our own "Arch.")

Top 10 Ways I'm Acclimating

10. I own 10 pairs of house slippers/shoes.
9. It's normal to clean the poo off my eggs...don't you?
8. I'm drinking more tea than coffee. (!!)
7. I walk arm in arm with friends.
6. Meat is optional...vegetables are not.
5. I walk on streets and believe sidewalks are parking lots.
4. I put my unwanted food on the table (or floor).
3. I believe the correct driving position is 10 and horn.
2. I excitedly point at any blonde that I see.
1. I lecture people on the number of layers they are wearing.

"Blending In"

Remembering Grandma

I wrote this a year ago, shortly before my Grandma passed away.  In loving memory...

1928 - 2010

My definition of love has been challenged of late.  I have been told that my definition of love is too deep, too extravagant, and too costly.  In response to this challenge, I began a search to find why I define love in such an apparently unique way.

In this search, I looked to my family.  My family is not perfect…never have been, never will be.  My family is crazy, but I know that my family loves. 

My grandma is not like most grandmas.  I’ve never seen her knit or crochet and we didn’t usually get cookies fresh from the oven.  She didn’t always hug me and she was never overly sweet.  However, my grandmother is a survivor.  Life taught her from day one that it’s going to be hard, people cannot be depended upon, and you’re on your own.  Throughout her life people left her by death, by neglect, and by abandonment.  She loved and she lost, but she survived.  When her husband left her with three kids, a mortgage and a divorce, she put on her heels and marched to work.  She survived and she fought for her kids.  While always being a survivor did save her and her kids, it didn’t always leave her with the ability or knowledge of how to show love.  She loved…I know she did…but she didn’t always act it out or communicate it.

Fast forward 40 years.

My grandfather that I had never met shows up completely destitute, sick, and unable to take care of himself.  In a decision filled with grace and mercy, my mom and aunt take care of him.  I never heard him say thank you and he never said I’m sorry.  He didn’t tell them that he loved them and he never told them that he was grateful for them.  And yet, they loved him and served him until the end.

Fast forward another 10 years.

My grandma doesn’t know who I am.  My grandma doesn’t know who her son and daughters are...but my family loves her. 

My grandma doesn’t remember how to swallow, put on her shoes, or go to the bathroom.  My grandma didn’t know how to show love and now she doesn’t remember who she loves…but my family loves her.

I watch my uncle move my grandma to her wheel chair even though the pain shooting from his hip is intense enough to make a grown man cry.  I watch my aunt struggle to get my grandma back in bed after finding her sitting on the floor next to her bed.  I watch my other aunt sit with my grandma and hold her hand until she falls asleep.  I watch my uncle change my grandma’s diaper, just like she did for him years ago.  I watch my mom selflessly work for years tracking my grandma’s bills and doctors and taxes and all the details my grandma can’t remember.  I watch my family love.

My family knows how to love…it runs in them and through them.  They do not love because the person receiving their love was kind to them, nor do they love because of what that person can do for them.  They love with abandonment because that is the only way they know how.

My family has shown me that love is costly, love is deep, and love is extravagant.

While I have seen pain, betrayal, and heartache because of this love…I have also seen joy, hope, and peace.  Love is extravagant, love is deep, and love is costly.  If love is shallow, containable, and cheap– it isn’t love. 

At this point, the question arises,   “Isn’t G-d’s love free?”  Absolutely not!  His love is extravagant, it is deep, and it is costly.  “For God so LOVED the world that He GAVE His one and only son…”  His love for us cost Him everything…and I’m positive that He did not love us because we were able to give Him something or because He was better off with us. 

He loved us because He is love. 

In the end, I define love as deep, extravagant and costly.  To those who accuse me of defining love as an impossibility, my reply is to look at my family and to ultimately look at the Creator and Definer of Love.  There is love…and I would not want it or define it in any other way.

Definition:

Love is patient, Love is kind

Love does not envy it does not boast…it is not proud

It is not rude, it is not selfseeking, it is not easily angered

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love Never Fails.

Perspective

Sometimes, in life, there are aspects about yourself that people make fun of.   For example, in my old job many people would comment and snicker about how short I was (I'm mentally glaring at specific people - you know who you are).  Or, many of my friends would comment about how white I was and my ability to blend in with bright lights and white walls.

HOWEVER, in China...these facts are viewed differently.

- I'm tall here!  (Except for the other day when I was smashed into the corner of an elevator by a really tall Chinese man and 10 of my students.  As I was straining my neck to look up at him, I had a weird sense of long ago de ja vu.) 

- Being this pasty white is a whole new experience here.  I have actually seen facial cleansers with whitening cream (I try to avoid buying those).  The other day at the copy shop, one of the friendly workers giggled and grabbed my arm to compare skin colors. The whole store then got into the conversation and once again...how white I am was highlighted.

So, if the kids make fun of you on the playground...I recommend moving to a new country.

"Lightness of One's Dreams"

"One loses, as one grows older, something of the lightness of one's dreams; one begins to take life up in both hands, and to care more for the fruit than the flower, and that is no great loss perhaps."
-W.B. Yeats

I jokingly posted this FB status awhile ago, "I'm teaching 45 of my sophomores how to play kickball today. I so did not see this happening in my 5 year plan..."


I am learning that while measuring myself next to my own plans...success and fail should not be the only vocabulary used..."different" and "well, that's interesting" can also be used.
 
As I look forward to the next five years, W. B. Yeats words play in my mind.  With all of life's uncertainties, I do know one thing...I will keep dreaming while taking up life with both Hands.

How to Properly Eat Fish

1. When your students excitedly ask if you like fish...place a grin on your face and nod your head.
2. Wait expectantly for the food to arrive...
3. Have your students eat first (this ensures the fish finishes cooking in the soup and allows someone else to find the head)
4. Carefully use your chopsticks to find some fish in the huge bowl of soup in the center of the table an entire arm's distance away.
5. Place fish on bowl of rice. 
6. Talk with a student while carefully inspecting your piece for gills, eyes, and scales.
7. Place fish in mouth - DO NOT SWALLOW!
8. Chew...while chewing search for bones with your tongue.
9. Upon finding bones spit them out onto the table.
10. Repeat steps 4-9
11. Walk home in the freezing cold
12. Spend the rest of the afternoon trying to cough up the bone stuck in your throat
13. Go to a team dinner and choke in front of everyone.
14. Eat a ton of rice hoping to dislodge the fish bone...
15. Write a blog

Joy

I thought I understood the words, "Be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have."  However, maybe I didn't.

In America, people often commented on how I love to smile...
In China, people often comment on how I love to smile...

My response: I have joy and hope...and that joy causes me to smile.

I then ask them why they think I smile.  Most of the time I hear something like, "Foreigners are always happy" or "Maybe your life is easy and nothing difficult happens."

A smile can be the opportunity to give an answer for the hope that I have.

Denial

Tonight, I worked with three students who are going on to compete in a city/region wide English contest. 

Their challenge: Speak for 3 minutes about a Word that has Changed the World.

One of my students chose the word Denial.  She wrote that through people denying us and even self denial great things have come (Steve Jobs being fired from Apple etc).  However, the translation of denial from Chinese to English missed some connotation causing the native English speakers to question her usage of the word.

We spent two hours tossing around ideas for a new word...criticism, overcoming denial, failure, etc etc.  There was no word, no English word at least, that would capture her idea.  However, the word denial in its base form worked...it just had connotation and grammatical baggage that made it unacceptable.  So we talked, debated, and thought and thought and thought.

Finally, I simply said that we needed to acknowledge the word's failure and point out the weakness before the judges do.  By acknowledging the weakness, admitting the failure, we then became able to use the word...without its baggage.

And isn't that true in life?  When we have a weakness or a shortcoming, we need to acknowledge the weakness and admit the failure.  We can then take the good that is there and move forward...working with what we have but also drawing from our strengths.

We need to stop denying that we have shortcomings...rather, we need to face them, own them, and well...Just Do It.

Popcorn...the pop, pop, and burn.

Dear World,

 There are some universal facts that are undisputed and they are as follows:

• Nails on a chalkboard is a horrendous sound.
• Burnt popcorn is a horrible smell.

For this post, I will focus in on, "Burnt popcorn is a horrible smell."

For those of you who know me, you know I like popcorn.  For those of you who know me well, you know I depend on air, water, and popcorn for physical survival.  Sooooo, when I got to China I knew there was an issue to be dealt with.

I made it about a month without popcorn (the buttery microwave popcorn was NOT a good substitution for my stove top version).  And then, Laura showed me the way.  There are popcorn kernels to be bought and popped.  YAY!!

Step 1: Purchase and Take Home

Step 2: Popping on the stove

Step 3 (optional): Failure

Step 4: Try Again (a few days later with a little research done)

Step 5:  Success!!!

And that is a fine example of my life in China...sometimes it takes a little more effort, time, research, and energy...but it generally can be done!!

3 BIG Things Every Teacher Needs

For this past month, I have been doggie paddling, swimming, treading water, and frantically grabbing onto random floating objects...metaphorically speaking.

While learning to teach (an ironic statement if you think about it), I have discovered that teachers need 3 BIG things.

1. A Teacher needs a BIG Smile.
         Students respond to genuine kindness...at least Asian students do.  I believe they can see through the fake happiness, but when they see genuine happiness and kindness they respond.

2. A Teacher needs a BIG Heart.
         If someone was in this for the money, they would be:
            -disappointed when they got the paycheck
            -burnt out before they could say "burnt out"
        With almost 200 students, each day I teach a classroom full of young lives with intricate stories to tell.  I hope I have the ears to hear and the heart to help and guide.

3. A Teacher needs a really BIG Back Pocket.
         Teaching often involves "pulling something out of my back pocket."  Every 5 minutes, I am mentally reviewing my lesson plan, adjusting to the clock, and searching my student's faces for understanding.  If I do not see understanding I have to add (out of my back pocket).  If I see understanding faster than expected, I have to move on which may mean "pulling something out of my back pocket" later.
          As a new teacher, I have to intentionally plan my "back pocket" activities.  However, I'm reading TEFL journals/methodology books and making my own journals with the hope that one day I will have a natural, built in back pocket.  Until that day...

One of my Freshman Classes

Dizzy...not Lazy.

On Tuesdays, I teach listening to a class of teachers.

For some Chinese, my name is hard to say/hear. One of my teacher-students said, "I told my daughter that my teacher was Lizzie (child heard lazy) and she thought that wasn't good."

So for a listening exercise we did:

Lizzie can be dizzy, busy, or frizzy.
But
Lizzie is not lazy.

Growing up, I would get so mad when people would sing-song my name, "Lizzie is dizzy 'cause she's so busy!" "Dizzy Lizzie!"

Now, I encourage it.

Oh, how the tables have turned.

The Wheels on the Bus don't always go round...

Yesterday, I walked 20 minutes and got on the 102 Bus.
The 102 Bus then got stuck behind an accident.
The people in the accident yelled for awhile, exchanged cash, and went on their way.
My bus then got into an accident.
The people in the accident yelled for awhile...and then we got off the bus.
I got on another 102 Bus and it took off like a rocket.
Before I could grab onto a bar...I fell on my butt.
The Chinese graciously looked away to save me face.
I then road on the 102 Bus for 20 more minutes.
I arrived at my destination and got off the 102 Bus.

I paid $2 and took a taxi home.

Likes and Dislikes

In America, I disliked the following:

·      Rain

·      Getting up at 6:00am

·      Ambiguity

In China, I have the following often:

·      Rain

·      Getting up at 6:00am

·      Ambiguity

So, l have learned some things.

Rain is wonderful!  It clears the skies, it brings moisture to a very dry place, and it cleans streets.  In Beijing, it allowed us to see the Mountains for a day (and then they went back into hiding).  Bring on the rain!

Getting up at 6:00am is OK.  (reader, you were expecting a radical heart change…weren’t you?)  Actually, I’m getting used to it.  The sun sets early here.  Getting up early, allows me to have a nice breakfast with Father and then get to work while sitting next to a window with sunshine.

Ambiguity…well, I’m embracing it. 

I am learning that likes and dislikes are just opportunities for change.*
*I hope I never see that cross-stitched into a pillow.

Early Breakfast

Blue Skies after the rain!

Today's Taxi: Scenes 1 and 2

Shelley: Take us to the Metro Market
Driver: No, I will take you to a better market
Shelley: No, take us to the Metro Market
Driver: I will drop you off on side of road...but not charge you.
Shelley: No, take us to the Metro Market like you agreed.
(repeat about 5 times)
Driver: Americans are bad

Silence.
Taxi pulls into an ally. Driver gets out.

Lizzie: uuummmmm

Two new men get into the taxi.

Lizzie: ummmmmm
New Passenger: How old are you? About 24?
Shelley: Close enough
New Passenger: I would marry you
Shelley: *Laugh*
New Passenger: (points to Lizzie) You are so white...you are so beautiful.
Lizzie: ummmmmm

New Passenger gets out.

New Driver: That is my friend...he is fun to play with.

We arrive at destination.

Lizzie: ummmmmmmm

The Market

Below is a conversation that I can imagine having after going to the market:

American Friend: So what did you do today?

Me: Well, I had breakfast and then I went to the market

American Friend: Oh that’s nice.  What else did you do?

Me: Ummm….Rested from the market and had dinner…

American Friend:  That’s it?

Me: Well…ummm…yep.

Task in America: Simple

Task in China: Complex

Completed task in America: Check it off the list

Completed task in China: Check it off the list, run down and tell a teammate, and do a happy dance.

Food from Home

Tonight Elisa, Beth, and I ate at a small diner that served Taiyuan food.  Elisa shared that she used to live in Taiyuan, which caused excited chatter to break out from the owner and cook.

The owner of the restaurant, so excited to share her love of her home city, gave Elisa a whole bottle of Taiyuan vinegar sauce as a gift…a gift from home. 

Not understanding the language can be hard.  However, when I don’t know the language the actions, emotions and expressions become the words.  Excitement, joy, sharing, pride, and generosity became her words that communicated as clearly as if she were speaking English. 

I have always said that food is my love language…

The Park

While in Beijing, our teacher told us to observe, observe some more, and then ask questions.

Well, this morning I observed.

I observed men performing synchronized sword exercises.

I observed group tai chi.

I observed people clapping and hitting themselves (It looked random but I doubt it was random).

I observed friends jogging through the park together.

I observed many people completing the exercise circuit in the workout park.

I observed men listening intently to their teacher on how to perfect their character calligraphy.

I observed hackysack, singing, and talking with friends.

I observed intentional beauty in the park.

I observed discipline, community and serenity.

My question: Why did it take me so long to come here?

Workout circuit

Calligraphy Practice

Progress Report

I have been living in China for 2 weeks now. This may not seem like much of a feat...but it is.

The #1 lesson learned in those two weeks...Chinese is HARD.

Basically, I can speak food and read directions.

I can now speak the words for the following:
Boiled water, rice, tea, bill, waitress, dumplings, north, Hi, thank you, no thank you, goodbye, how much is this, road, this, and that
(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9...)

I know the characters for the following:
North, south, east (need to figure out west), middle, gate, exit, faith (you need that to survive the chaos, I mean traffic)

...and that's about it.

In Guatemala, I could get around and understand quite a bit after one or two weeks. Here...ummm well you've seen my progress report.

According to statistics it takes the average person 20 weeks (30 hrs/week) to gain intermediate proficiency in Spanish. To gain intermediate proficiency in Chinese would take 50 weeks (30 hrs/week).

So my new goal for all the world to know: Conquer the book "Survival Chinese" by Christmas. I have lowered my expectations and raised them all at the same time...here I go!

(Oh! I also know the characters for man and woman...so I don't walk into an awkward situation, if you get my drift.)

Sprite and Water

Have you ever taken a big gulp of water just to discover it was Sprite?

That's how I would describe my early days in China.  I like water...I like Sprite...I just never know which one I am going to get.

Some examples:
I ordered beef dumplings (or so I thought):  I received mutton dumplings
I purchased vanilla cookies: nope, I purchased lemon cookies
I purchased mint gum: that would be green tea gum
I went to the park: there was dancing in the park
I thought it was a clear day: there was a monsoon in Beijing

In conclusion, China is amazing.  However, I often go out for water and come back with Sprite.

...I like Sprite.

Dancing in the Park

Basi Ping Guo!

My First English Lesson

I had dreams about giving my first English lesson in China.  I would be in my classroom, dressed ever so professionally, my chalkboard would be pristine and organized, and my students would be eager and ready to learn.  (I know, I know…I dream big)

My first English lesson happened a few days ago…in a shoe store.

Yes, I was buying shoes…but they were really cheap and cute!

It happened like this. 

Beth and I were on an adventure.  In that adventure, we found a coffee shop with a really nice Chinese barista who showed me where to buy my umbrella (different story to come later about Beijing monsoons).  We then wandered over to this mall of sorts.  I became super excited about a small shop overflowing with shoes.  I eagerly began to look around and with the help of the store owner I discovered my shoe size (with wool socks I am a size 40). 

After a few minutes in the store, I became aware that the store’s population had risen from 4 to about 10.  As the shop owner, Beth, and I repeatedly said my shoe size of forty and the price of forty five, I began to hear a low mumble.  As I tuned and looked, I saw 3 men at the front of the store repeating, “Forty – Five,” “Forty Five,” and “Forty Five.”  As I looked at the crowd that had gathered, which included the little ladies picking up the shoes I had tried on and the men mimicking my words, I realized that I had just completed my first English lesson.  Forty Five!

Firmness

Every night as I fall asleep on my Chinese bed, I contemplate the word firmness.  Those of you who have slept on a Chinese bed know why.

In my contemplation of the word firmness I decided to look it up in the dictionary.

Dictionary.com: Not soft or yielding when pressed; comparatively solid, hard, stiff or rigid; securely fixed in place

Foolish Dictionary*: That admirable quality in ourselves that is detestable stubbornness in others.

As I laughed at the foolish dictionary’s definition, I was struck by the truth of it.  Why is it that we admire stubbornness (calling it by a name of some random virtue) in our own lives, and despise stubbornness in others?

I hope that as I live in this new culture, I will leave behind my desire to remain securely fixed in place.  I hope that I will not remain firm and unyielding.  Rather, I hope to bend and flow and grow in this amazing culture that astounds me daily.

*The Foolish Dictionary: An exhausting work of reference to un-certain English words, their origin, meaning, legitimate and illegitimate use, confused by a few pictures.  By Wallace Goldsmith

My firm Chinese bed

Finding Rest in China

Tea! More waitress please!

Ok…by the title of the blog you may be able to tell that my Mandarin may need some work…

In other news, WE MADE IT!!

We flew from Denver, Co to Newark, NJ (for a 7 hour layover). Once we were all good and tired, we boarded the plane for our 14-hour flight to Beijing! Let me just say, you can watch a lot of movies in 14 hours. Also, you learn to eat on command. For example, a flight attendant comes by and asks if you want food, you auto-reply yes, start eating, and then contemplate as to whether or not you are hungry….in that order.

After arriving in Beijing, we hauled our weight in luggage out of the airport to the hotel. And let me tell you, there is a lot of luggage for 50 people to move to China. After finding our room and getting settled in, we headed down to dinner at the hotel restaurant. 50 of us then uncaringly stuffed our faces with food, which we weren’t sure we recognized, while trying not to fall asleep and jab ourselves in the eye with a chopstick. And ummmm my chopstick skills after 48 hours of no sleep are, well, they are messy.

With the travel adventures behind me, I now look forward to so many amazing discoveries in this extraordinary country!

Bus to the airport...a little crammed.

Great friends seeing us off in Colorado!

Three Degrees of Separation

I have finally arrived at the University of Northern Colorado for orientation! Today I went from Greenville to Detroit to Denver. At Denver I waited for hours with other people for our bus, where we then again lugged our weight in luggage (with a broken wheel) to the bus for our hour long trip to Fort Collins.

At the airport, on the bus, and at UNC I made an amazing discovery...there are only three degrees of separation for all team members.

Examples:

• I met Jake who went to language school with Elisa
• I met my future Harbin teammate in Greenville, SC for coffee (neither of us live in Greenville)
• Beth's friend's cousin is here (or something like that)
• Wheaton seems to always be a connecting point in some way

Literally, I feel as if I have a random connection to everyone here...

However, I must say that Moody is not well known out here. I was sitting at dinner and overheard someone say, "I was reading the bios and one said that she was a Moody grad. What's that mean? That she hated every class but graduated anyway?" Much laughter abounded...*Sigh*

Dwight*...sometimes I wish you had had a different last name.

*D. L. Moody was the founder of Moody - hence the name. (in case you didn't already know)

Checklist

I have a verbal rut that drives some people crazy...my over-usage of the word "check!" I love checking things off lists. Saying "check" helps me mentally add or subtract something to one of my hundreds of lists. I have mental, digital, and paper check lists.

One of the many lists I have is entitled, "Things to do before China." I have been checking things off like crazy. Below are some of my checked off items.

• Write Philosophy of Teaching Paper - Check
• Get Ears Irrigated - Check!
• Spend time with friends and family - Still checking
• Write thank you notes - (I would say check, but this one spawned a whole new list)
• Go to Doctor - Finally Check (yeah this took about 9 checks to complete)
• Eat Chickfila - Check (checked that one about 4 times just to be safe)
• Buy Coffee Press - Check!

I still have roughly 35 checks to go, but the good news is that the lists are getting shorter.

If you were leaving the country, what kinds of things would you need to check off your list? Can you think of anything I should add to my lists?

Also, I thought of some checklists for you, my friends.

• Sign up for Skype and find Lizzie
• Read about Harbin, China
• Give Lizzie one last hug 'cause you love her

Feel free to add to the list!

Common Responses

At this point I have told many, many people that I am moving to China. I have received so many different reactions that I thought I would share some of them with you.

My Statement: "I'm moving to China."

Responses:

• "Say What?"
• "Oh that's...nice."
• "Cool!"
• "Why?"
• "Do you know Chinese?"
• "Where in Japan are you going?" (my response, "Uhhhh")
• "You are going with blonde hair?!"
• "Hey, you'll be tall for the first time in your life!"

My Statement: "I'll be living in Harbin, China."

Responses:

• "Where?"
• "Oh, that's cold!"
• "I have a lumberjack song for you."
• "Now where is Siberia again?"

Perhaps I'll post the responses to the statement, "I'm from Indiana" once I get to China.

The Power of One Thousand and One

We've all heard about the Power of One. Now at ExactTarget you hear about the Power of One Thousand.

This week, I learned about the power of One Thousand and One.

My friend Megan is on her way to Kenya. She and her husband will be working to help widows and orphans by providing aide and education. ExactTarget coworkers rallied behind her and hosted a service auction (what's that you say: It's an auction of people's times, talents, and services to help Megan be able to serve those in Kenya)

With the power of one thousand, Megan moved closer to her goal.

At the auction, I had hoped to buy some graphic design time. Doing so would allow me to have some awesome email templates for my newsletters all the while helping Megan - Win Win!

However, I was outbid.

As I resigned myself to the loss, the winner came around and informed me that he had bought the graphic design services to give to me. I literally could not believe it. With one bid, he helped Megan and then turned around and helped me.

With the power of one, I was helped and encouraged.

That is what the power of One Thousand and One is all about. Sometimes it takes a whole group of people working together to accomplish a goal...
but at the same time if each person is looking for ways to help the person laboring beside them amazing things can happen.

Interested in rallying behind Megan? (or just learning more?)
Go to: www.lcms.org/dooms

Good Bye

The month of goodbyes has begun. With that, I have started contemplating the word, “Goodbye.” Why must we add the “good” to bye? We do not have to say “Goodhello” so why must we say good bye?

My conclusion: Because we all know hello is intrinsically good whereas bye rarely seems good. So we add the adjective good to the word with the hopes that we can will it to be good. For example, your mother never needed to say, “Would you like some good brownies?” But she would have had to say, “Would you like some good brussel sprouts?” Even as children, we knew brownies were good by their very nature, with or without the adjective, and we knew the brussel sprouts were not good, with or without the adjective good. (and while our moms were bringing us these mythical, supposedly good brussel sprouts didn’t you always wonder if the unicorns and other mythological beings could serve them?)

Therefore, we say goodbye to help us believe it will be good. We say goodbye hoping the word will bring about a truly good bye.*

With that, what does a true good bye look like?

I believe my goodbye will truly be a good bye. Why? Because only good things are inspiring the Bye. I’m leaving to do something I am incredibly excited about. I’m leaving so that I can work with some amazing people. I’m leaving to begin an adventure that few ever dream of. I’m leaving with the support and encouragement of those I love. I’m also leaving knowing that this is not a separation that will last forever.

With all things considered, I will wish all of you a Goodbye knowing that it is truly a Good Bye.

*Side note – the same argument could be applied to “Good Morning”…just saying.