The first month...

So... it’s been a while!

Let me backtrack and update you on my journey up to this point. I arrived in sunny Southern California on September 1, and finally met my team face-to-face. They. Are. Awesome. I’m incredibly grateful for them! Training was good, very informative, very LONG at times, but a valuable experience. Plus, amazing accommodations and food! :) On the 17^th, we trekked out to LAX (adventures along the way include a blown-out bus tire, McDonald’s, and karaoke quartet on the bus!) for our impossibly long flight to Shanghai, then connected to Beijing. I highly recommend flying directly to the city that you are going rather than connecting. It’s the last thing you want to do after 12 hours in the air! We spent a few wonderful days in Beijing exploring, spending time with our CTF-family, and adjusting to the time difference. It was sad saying goodbye to the other teams, we had all gotten so close, but it was exciting to finally be on our way to Taiyuan!

(Team on the Great Wall - L-R - Elizabeth, Jenni, Kristina, me, Mary Beth, Tanya - team leader - & Susie - roommate)

Our Foreign Affairs Official (who spoils us rotten!), took us to a hostel to rest before our 11 hour train ride from Beijing to Taiyuan – and then we got sleeper cars on the train! If you have never ridden a train in China, you most definitely want to get the SOFT SLEEPER cars – they are little rooms with doors and 2 bunk beds (sleeps 4). The hard sleeper cars just have a little curtain and stack 3 high. Thus, we were actually able to sleep being in the soft sleepers! We arrived in the rain early that morning and made our way to the school.

Since then, we’ve been settling into our apartments, taught for 3 days (I taught for 1… scheduling errors…!) and have been exploring the city that will be our home for the next 9 months! I’m sharing an apartment with Susie, my fantastic teammate, and it has… been an adventure. Once we get the apartment decorated just like we want, I’ll take pictures and show y’all and explain the … trials… we’ve had!

Fun fact about China: Whenever you get a new cell phone, you can choose the number. It is VERY important that you get a ‘good’ number. What exactly a good number entails, I have no idea – but I do know that it took about 15 minutes for my friend to choose mine. :)

To recap: Taiyuan is definitely different from anywhere else I have ever lived (or visited for that matter!), but despite the difficulties and differences, I feel myself falling in love with my students and the people of this city! While I may not know what the rest of my life holds, or even tomorrow, I do know in the deepest part of my heart that I belong in Taiyuan for this season. And, through His strength, I’m embracing that and will do my best to love those placed in my path!

Keep in touch!