Fried Beach

I went camping in China and swam in the South China Sea in Zhuhai.  It was so much fun.  We camped at this place called Fried beach.  Camping in China is very different than in America.  You don't have to bring any camping stuff, because everything you need you can rent at the location for super cheap.  The beach was scattered with tents and people.  People were up late walking on the beach, lighting fireworks, sitting around barbeque grills.  There were some university students that started a camp fire so we joined them, unfortunately some angry person came and started yelling at the students for having a fire, complaining about the pollution one little fire was creating and what would the foreigners think.  I thought that was pretty funny and told the students not to feel bad about creating a fire it had brought them new friends.

The beach was so beautiful.  When we arrived all the Chinese people were swimming in this one area.  I thought that was strange, because it was a large beach and there was so much room for swimming.  My group got into the water far away from the massive crowd of people.  As we were enjoying the waves I heard this whistle, whistle, whistle.  Some guard came over and was whistling at us, because we were not in the contained swimming area.  So I obliged and the other Chinese people who followed me in water obliged.  But I felt a little sad.  Here is this beautiful ocean, which to me is so powerful and freeing, and people must have control over the fun and freedom the natural beauty offers.  I still enjoyed the waves in the contained area, but I thought these people are way too obliging and obedient.

Chinese National Holiday

This week is the Chinese National Holiday.  It is like fourth of July in America accept you get a whole week off rather than one day.  China has officially been a communist country for 59 years.  This is what they are supposedly celebrating this week.  I asked the locals what they do and it seems to be a week of travel.  This makes it difficult to purchase train tickets and travel yourself.  My plans for this week keep evolving.  I think the latest plans are to travel to Zhuhai on the coast by bus and take a boat out to an island.  

As I was walking down the Nanchen Walking street, close to where I live Sunday afternoon, I was wondering why it was so crazy.  I felt like I was at a carnival.  It was because of the holiday.  All these booths were set up selling food, socks, various trinkets.  The people selling food were pretty crazy.  They had music blasting and some were dressed in costumes dancing trying to get people to buy their food.  I kept thinking they must be so hot by the food in costumes jumping up and down.   

The Bike Guard

I used to think that people would leave their bikes in large piles all over.  Then I realized someone guards the bikes.  Today as I biked to my local grocery store I noticed this pen of bikes and a man standing guard.  I thought I had to pay him to watch my bike, but he did it for free.  It must be a service the grocery store provides.  He was very happy to get his picture taken.

Good Morning Baby

This morning I awoke to little Nathan baby running around in his walker.  My friends and co-workers let me spend the nights  Friday.  They are in the process of adopting this little sweety. He has been apart of their family since birth.  The mother came to live with them when she was pregnant.  She wants them to adopt him, because he will have a better life.  It's so amazing to me how life happens and if you are looking up things work out according to the best plan.

My Wild Animals

My students are so sweet, but they also drive me crazy sometimes.  The nine boys have become quite the little click.  They love to have fun and be wild.  The girls are sweet and follow directions very readily, but the boys it's like pulling teeth sometimes.  Friday was sunglasses day.  So I took a class photo.  Friday was also a bad day for them.  They spent two times throughout the day with whole class time outs, heads on the tables and lights out, to think about their behavior.  It is days like this when I show my iron fist that I feel very sad.  I think teaching is a mix of emotions.

Koinonia and New Family

I'm so excited I found a Friday night single get together called Koinonia.  The group meets in a four story apartment and has a mix of Chinese, Americans, and Africans.  Everything is translated from English to Chinese even the music.  It was so fun and beautiful to sing in Chinese songs I knew in English.  Something I love about the Chinese people is when you are new to a gathering, you stand up and introduce yourself and give a small speech.  Their little speeches are so sweet and sincere.  There seems to be a spirit of innocence and openness among the Chinese people that I have not found in America.

I also have found a family away from my family.  I spent the night with them after Koinonia, because it was past midnight.  A couple, Steve and Denise from Tennessee, who I work with at QSI, open their apartment to young people.  Before Koinonia I ate dinner with them and found myself three new brothers.  Two from the West Coast and one from the East Coast.  This couple has four children back in America.  I feel like I've become apart of their family of four here in China.  In the picture with all the Chinese you can see Denise.  This couple is an inspiration.  

Cultural Differences

Living in China has made me realize some differences between my culture and China's.  For example they do not use ovens to cook.  I thought I had an oven in my apartment, but ended up being a sterilizer for dishes.  Chinese wash their dishes in cold water than cycle them through a sterilizer.  Not having an oven is sad, because that means no baking cookies or cakes.  Another difference is most apartments don't have bathtubs.  I love taking baths so this was a disappointment.  Washing cloths is another difference.  Washing machines are outside and you dry your cloths outside, too.  The Chinese believe you should always iron your clothes to kill micro-organisms since the cloths dry outside.  Not a bad idea.  I've never even thought about the micro-organisms on my cloths.  I'm not much into ironing, but maybe I'll start.