A Qingdao Fall, and now Winter!

Christmas is quickly approaching, although it doesn't quite feel like it here in Qingdao.  We had our first snow today, but nothing accumulated on the ground. It was more like a wet cold day... so the first snow wasn't that impressive.  However, the cold weather has just begun in the last couple weeks, so I am thankful that we did have a beautiful fall that lasted for months with 50-70 degree weather!  Now, the 40's and 30's are blowing in, but along with the cold weather comes some fun to remember.

A friend in our apartment complex threw a halloween party.  Ben and I dressed up like we were in the 20's.  Other friends were from different decades, but one of the more creative costumes was a greek god... he dressed up in a toga and put grapes and vines all around him.  I think you had to be there. :)

This month, the high school had their play.  I was actually gone on a retreat that weekend, but Ben helped out with the lighting and sound.  He said the high school did great, although the themes for the individual skits were mostly a bit grim.

Also, we had our first Chinese Thanksgiving celebration. Unfortunately, we had to work on Thanksgiving, but on Friday, we did tons of shopping at a place called Ji Mo Lu.  It's crazy!! There were tons of people there, but Ben and I found Christmas decorations, presents, and some clothing items!  All for very cheap.   We ate our Thanksgiving meal at at friend's house in our apartment complex.  Everyone from that complex came over, so it was about 25 people in one apartment.  We watched Captain America, and ate LOTS of food.  Most of it was traditional American Thanksgiving food, but some of our staff are from Australia, India, Korea, China, South Africa, etc...  So, there was certainly some other cultural influences in the food they brought.  We welcomed it all the same... the more food, the better!

Ben and I will be getting a Christmas tree soon from Metro (the Chinese version of a Sam's Club).  I wanted to put up decorations last weekend, but we just had too much to do!  I very much miss the traditions I'm use to around this holiday season, but I know that God will carry me through to enjoy new things in a new place!

Danger Danger Danger

We did it.  We completed all the bookwork to Scuba Dive.  We passed the quizzes and the tests.  We know all about the air pressure, the buoyancy, the emergency procedures.  We know that the most important thing is to keep breathing!  Unfortunately, we also know all about the dangers… what can happen to our ears, to our lungs, to our bodies if we don’t do things just right, at just the right time!  I’m scared, and thrilled.  I felt the same way about skiing and white water rafting… both are also dangerous, yet thrilling.  I feel as if I must take these opportunities when they come!  If I don’t… I may never get to do them again!

Incase you missed it, Ben and I will be going to the Philippines for two weeks in January.  The trip is relatively inexpensive, and it will be a much needed time to relax.  We are traveling with several others from our school, and our scuba instructor is the head principal of our school.  He and his family use to live in the Philippines, so he is very familiar with the area where we will stay.

So, for a final word in Danger, here’s Seinfeld talking about skydiving.  I would say that skydiving would be something I’d NEVER do, but I suppose, never say never.

Currently Reading: Hunger Games & Choosing to See

Currently, I’m reading through two books.  One fiction and one non-fiction. 

The fiction book is called “Hunger Games.”  It’s a book targeted towards the young adult crowd.  This is the first ‘young adult’ book that I’ve read since I was considered a ‘young adult.’  But it is blowing my mind.  It is a fabulously written, unique story. 

The story takes place in the near future, after a massive war, and there are only 12 areas of the United States where there are people living.  These are the 12 districts.  The Capitol is in control of everything.  Amid this horrible living situation, the Capitol sponsors the yearly Hunger Games, where 2 people from each district enter an arena. . . . and only one comes out alive. 

There is a movie coming out soon. Although it looks promising, I’m not sure if they can capture how great the book is.  Check it out…

The other book I’m reading is
“Choosing to See,” by Mary Beth Chapman.  If you are not familiar with the Chapman family, they lost their little daughter to an accident in 2008. Mary Beth’s book is not only about the accident and life after, but life before.  It’s a story about how she came to know the Lord, how she met Steven, how nothing in her life happened as planned, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.  I love the way she writes; I feel like we are chatting in a coffee shop, just her and me!  Since picking up this book, I have become Facebook friends with Mary Beth, and get the family updates often!  Things like this bring God’s family together.  They seem less like “celebrities,” and more like family.   This book is also important to me because a family here in Qingdao lost their young son to an accident last year before we came.  We have seen the aftermath of so much grief and sadness and lost.  In reading Mary Beth’s story, I feel like I can connect just a bit more to the story of the family here with us.

Mary Beth Chapman speaking about her book:

Mediation Leads to Reconciliation

There are two 6th grade girls having a major conflict in the last several months.  It has been affecting the classroom, and their families.  I have been involved only in the past few weeks, but after meeting with each girl individually, I see that both have hurt feelings and both have said unkind words.  We as Student Services would like to set up a reconciliation meeting with the girls, which will happen tomorrow.  I will be meeting with one of the parents, each girl separately, and then both girls together alongside the main middle school counselor.  After I took notes on  several meetings about our approach, these are the main points I will touch on with each student.  Maybe it's idealistic...  I think with obstinate students, this would be difficult.  However, I think these two students will have no problems.   But... I'll find out after tomorrow!  

RECONCILIATION MEETINGS

·    Each student should feel valued and validated

·     Each student should have an understanding that relationships are important

o   Relational tree; "If one branch gets ignored, others notice, and it is not healthy for you."

·      Each student has a responsibility in the problem

o   “What did I do to hurt the other person?"  "What can I do to make this better?"

·      Each student should understand how to handle conflict in a positive way 

o   Value the other person

o   Taking responsibility for your part in the situation

o   Apologizing and accepting the other person’s apology

·      Modeling an Apology

o   What is your part in the situation that may have hurt the other student

o   How would you say that to the other student?

o   What can you do to treat the other person better?

o   How would you say that to the other student? (I agree to, I agree not to…)

·      Modeling Accepting an Apology

o   The other student may say, “I did not treat you well, and I’m sorry about that.”

o   What would you say?

o   The other student says “I will agree to not isolate you” “…tease you” “…talk bad about you”

o   What would you say?

What will happen, and what will not happen:

We are not going to discuss the things that may or may not have happened, and we are not going to bring up new issues.  

This is a time to value the other student, take responsibility for your actions, apologize, and accept an apology.

 

A little bit of Chinglish goes a long way. . .

Since I’ve been in China for a few months, I’m picking up all the Chinglish words westerners say.  Some of them are legit, others are a little sketchy with that way they are used.  Either way, these words are a normal part of my every day language:

Dong xi (Dong-she) – Stuff, Any kind of Stuff.  As in, “Grab your dong xi, we gotta leave!”

Shen me (Shen-muh) – Question word: What, Chinese often use this twice in a row. As in, if I didn’t understand you because you were mumbling, I might come back with a quick: “Shen me Shen me?”

Deng yi xia (Dung-E-sh-yah) – Wait one moment.   This comes in handy as I was still saying Uno Momento in Spanish.  Now I can throw it out in Chinese

Dui (dway) – Yes.  Chinese use this word twice in a row, or sometimes 5 or 10 times.  When there is confusion and finally someone understands, they will say, “Dui Dui Dui Dui Dui Dui.”   I’m not sure why.

Ting bu dong (ting boo dong) – I hear you, but I didn’t understand you.  Unfortunately whenever I use this, the Chinese person keeps right on speaking in Chinese…. And then I keep saying ting bu dong, ting bu dong, ting bu dong.  They usually keep smiling and talking, until I nod my head and say, Dui! (yes).  Then they usually say goodbye and we part ways…. I’m never really sure why this phrase doesn’t work. 

Je ge (juh-guh) – That.  As in, I can’t speak any other words in Chinese at a restaurant, so I point at a picture and I say, “Je ge!” Meaning, I want that. 

Wo yao (whoa-yao) – I want.  I use this phrase more than I think I did in English.

Mei you (Mayo, like mayonnaise) – Don’t have.  Ben will say mei you mayo in the house, since he doesn’t like mayonnaise… but I don’t know the word for mayonnaise in Chinese….

Hen hao (hon, like in honey, hon-how) - Very good.  As in, “My Chinese lesson was hen hao”

Bu hao (boo-how) – Not good…  As in, “The bus is 15 minutes late! Bu hao!!”

Zhang fu (jong-foo) - Husband

Tai tai (tie-tie) - Wife

Xie xie (sh-yeah-sh-yeah) – Thank you.  I’m finally out of the “Gracias” stage, and can now be polite in Chinese, too.

Hao chi (how-chur) – literally, good eats, or delicious, or good food.  However, our staff use it for everything, like a slang for “that’s cool” or “I’m glad” or “exciting!”  So, I could say, “Our team won in basketball yesterday.” And another person would say, “Hao Chi!”  It doesn’t make any sense, but it always makes us laugh.  I don’t think Chinese people use Hao Chi this way.  J

And my favorite Chinese word:

Li hai (lee-high) – literally means something like, becoming anxious about, or it can describe a very particular person.  Westerners use it as a synonymous term for OCD. “She is li hai about her toe nails; she goes in for a pedicure every week.”  Or “I’m really li hai about wanting things at right angles” 

I love being able to add to my vocabulary!  I learn new things every week, especially from my Chinese teacher, Susie.  She’s so helpful in teaching me new things to say!