Another Time, Another Place

This week, I joined the writers club.  We meet at the coffee shop right outside my apartment complex.  What is writers club?  Well, one of us looks for a writing prompt throughout the week and presents it to others.  We sit, ...thinking and writing for about 45 minutes, and then we share what we wrote.  I LOVE THIS!  Creative writing is one of my favorite things to do, but who does that if you are just sitting at home?!
Here was the writing prompt this week: The picture below with a caption, "Another Time, Another Place," and you had to fit in a line in your story, "If there were an answer, he'd find it there."

Here is what I came up with.  It's more of a "book jacket" summary rather than the whole story.  The boy I refer to is the boy on the far right, a little removed from the others.  :)  ENJOY.

The sky holds ominous clouds full with rain taunting the sea below.  The wind strengthens with each moment, catching the tattered sail. The noise of the railroad tracks, ocean waves, and wind together is almost too much to bear. The makeshift cart on the tracks follows an unknown path through the darkest adventure a boy could imagine.

The boy has escaped a lifetime of pain, in search of a reason, an answer, a hope. His tears never seemed to fall too far from others like him, so the adventure grew each time another boy escaped a life of pain.

A flash of lightning catches the boy’s mind back to the adventure before him. Although the storm grew quickly, the squealing of the cart’s front wheel is the only thing that carries to his ears. “You can make it,” he whispers into the wind. “I have to make it.” 

He stares into the distance, the end in sight. Images flood his memory and he shakes his head to wish them away.  With each wave that passes by, so also his fears pass, and another hope is gained. The peaks of the castle reach just beyond the horizon, screaming out a chance to be free—the last chance to be free. 

As the clouds finally released the water it held, the others who have joined him for the journey stare in a solemn silence.  The boy stands proud, knowing that he rescued others like him.  Those peaks are as much a mystery to him as the wind and the waves, but something inside pushes him to hope for more.  He doesn’t know what kind of answer he’s looking for, but if there were an answer, he’d find it there.

An Update... just on life in general. No fancy title needed.

This post was not planned and it's 9 p.m., which means it might not make a whole lot of sense.  But, I just thought you'd want an update on day-to-day life.  

Update on the House:

We finally bought a lamp for our bathroom.  It's a very dim-lit bathroom, so now I can actually see when I put my make-up on and such!  This makes me happy.  We also bought a recliner/glider chair, although I haven't fallen in love with it yet.  Ben's not happy with it, but we bought it... now we have to like it.  And we are finally getting a rug!  My poor feet need to feel carpet again!  A staff member is giving away a rug, and we will be getting it soon.  Our Ayi starts soon, and she will be helping us out a lot.  It will be extremely nice to have a clean home when we come home.

Update on ME:

Now that we are getting an Ayi soon, it is easier for me focus on things I need for ME-time.  I’ve started running again, and I even have a running partner.  Jenny and I decided to run together… she just got to Qingdao 4 days ago.  She is a high school student teacher.  She’s in her last semester of college.  Her and I seem to have a lot in common, and it will be great to get back into running. 

Update on my Chinese:

I love my Chinese teacher... she's just adorable. Sometimes she speaks Chinese to me... and then I give her a blank stare, and she'll say something like, "Oh, I uh, like Chinese. But, uh, I will, speak English.  Sometimes Chinglish works, Okay, ...yes?"   I'm learning the pinyin (phonetic spelling of the Chinese words), but it is very difficult for me.  The Z and C sound very similar.  And the Zh makes a J sound that sounds the same as the J.  It's very confusing... but I'm learning, I think.  I should practice more, but at the end of a long day the last thing I want to do is try to sound out one or two syllable words for an hour!  

Update on Near-Future plans:

Each year, our school provides an all-expenses paid conference trip to Beijing.  This will be the first 5 days in October.  We are thrilled to have a break from normal life, visit another city, and see our friends that went to other schools in China.  After this conference, we decided it would be good idea to take a break from our city and do something else for the remaining 4 days of vacation.  Our friends that we met during orientation in New York, Tricia and Evan Dyson will be joining us in Beijing and then we will be going to their home in Tianjin (only a short train ride away).  After a few days with them, we will return to Qingdao.  We are excited for an opportunity to get away and enjoy time with our close friends who we have missed.

Also, we are hoping/planning to vacation in the Philippines over our winter break.  We're looking at the costs and hoping it works out... it's the only thing we really want to do, and we also have a lot of friends going on this trip as well.  More on that later!!  :)

Pr*yer Requests

I am beginning to see several High School girls on a regular basis, so please be praying for their hearts.  There is a large problem with seeing themselves as beautiful, smart girls that have something to offer.  They may be Likeminded, but they don't always feel G-d, or know how precious they are to Him.  Please pray that I can have wisdom as we have weekly conversations.

Thank you for all your support.   Our life is coming together quite nicely here in China.  This makes me S.M.I.L.E.  :)

What I want...

What I want...


...Is to Learn.


I have lots to learn.

I want to Learn--

How to think internationally

How to counsel with Asian values in mind

How to apply b*blical truths that speak to Asian teens

More about the TCK life

Counseling ideas that can be intercultural

How to create transition programs

How to create an inclusive school environment in an international school

These are issues that we have been discussing in our Student Services Meetings.  

Yesterday, in our meeting, I said, 

"This sounds impossible.  It sounds like trying to solve world hunger."   

My boss smiled, others laughed, and then he said, 

"Well, then why don't we pr*y about it."   

What I want... Is to Learn.  And Today... That has to start with Pr*yer.   

Six StuCo-ers in Shenyang

I had the amazing opportunity to lead 6 high school students to the ISC student council retreat.  This year, the retreat was hosted by the Shenyang school.  I wasn’t sure where Shenyang was, or what the retreat would hold.  But for some reason, I was trusted to take these 6 high schoolers on a plane, to a city I didn’t know, for a retreat that I’ve never been to before.   A little intimidating… Yes! 

BUT…  I wouldn’t have traded it for the world.

I learned so much about the retreat, about student council, and about my students.  The flight was an hour and half.  I gave the students leadership for everything within the airport. They all speak English and some Chinese, and most of them speak Korean.  SO, I was in good hands!  

Shenyang is a northern city in China.  We didn’t see much of the city, because our retreat center was 2 hours away from the airport.  However, I did notice it was not as clean as Qingdao, and it seemed like it had a poorer population.  I’m finding that Qingdao is pretty unique since it’s more of a tourist spot. 

Here are a few highlights in pictures!   

Bags Packed - We are ready for our van ride from the school to the airport.

Construction Zone in Shenyang.  This isn't a great picture,
but this was my view for about an hour on the bus ride
after we landed in Shenyang.

The students trying to complete a team building activity.

ON A LAKE in Shenyang.  This is our ISQ Student Council
(minus our class representatives).
The lake was beautiful and reminded me of Minnesota!!!

This is the boardwalk to get on/off the boat.
It was a little sketchy!

These lovely ladies are a hungry bunch.  But most Korean teenagers don't like Chinese food.
Those two dishes were only a handful of the food on the rest of the table.
We ate good... even though the kids don't think so.

Life Finds a Way

This week is the first full week of school.  How did I feel this morning? In a word: Intimidated!  Ben would tell you that I was nervous for no reason.  I was anxious going to bed; I was anxious getting up, and I was anxious getting to work.  I think this is how it is every time I start a new job. 

Looking back on my mindset 13 hours ago, I’d say I was acting silly and not walking in faith.  Sure, my day had its moments, like waiting an hour for technology to do it’s part in my job.  But then came lunch, when I sat by a 9^th grade girl who had lived in Africa for the last 11 years.  Africa to China is a major difference!!  I heard she was having difficulties fitting in, and I could see why.  She’s a bit shy, and very soft-spoken, but man is this girl passionate about Africa.  She loved telling me stories… and I loved listening!  

After a few more hours after lunch of dealing more with technology, the bell rang, the students left, and then I had my first meeting with the student council.  If you would have asked me 2 weeks ago what a student council does, I would have shrugged.  Now (thanks to my sister Sara and my friend Jessica), I have a much clearer idea.   Most of the student councilors I had met in the hallways, interviews, or my P.E. class, but I was excited to have them all in the same room.  And MAN, they are very cool people.  We talked about what Student Council stands for, and what they want to be known for.  These are very outstanding students who, I believe, will make a difference how this year is run!  I am honored to be a part of this, and to be a part of their lives.

Washing snap peas with soap.
Apparently, you have to do that here

Even dinner tonight was amazing.  Thanks to my new friend Stacey, I re-created the meal she made for me, and it turned out great.  We even went to the corner store and asked for chicken.  The man didn’t understand me, so I flapped my arms like wings.  He smiled at me and graciously found the chicken breast for me.

Our "oven," but it does the job!  Two chicken breasts
baked to perfection in under 25 minutes

Ben’s finishing up his last lesson plan for this evening, and then it’s time for some “Lie to Me,” our TV show of choice for the past 2 weeks.

We are doing okay… Life has found a way.