Christmas Time is Here!

A lot of friends and family members have asked us how we're adjusting to living in China, especially during the holiday season.  To be honest, being overseas during this time is hard!  Missing loved ones during Thanksgiving was not too bad, but Christmas time is proving to be a bit more challenging.  We miss being with our families, seeing all of the Christmas lights in people's yards, and being with our fellowship to sing together.  But He is still good.

And being in China during this season is not bad- it's just a little different!

Cleanliness

Here at Guangya, things stay pretty tidy. We find everyone helping to keep things clean. From the students sweeping their classes to the ayi's (pronounced I-E) who pull the weeds out of the soccer field to the lovely ayi who takes out the trash from our building and makes sure we step on the carpets leading into our apartment to the elementary students who wipe off all of the signs and even rocks around campus.

This is also true all around China. There's a job for everyone, and that includes street sweeping with brooms made from sticks and twigs. It's the little things like this that make us smile daily.

Day in Our Life

Running Buddies and Language Barriers

I run at least once each week with two Chinese friends. Each time, there are funny moments of misunderstanding. The language barrier makes for awkward silences, but they are improving their English while teaching me some new Chinese words. This past week was particularly funny. While waiting for Z* to arrive, Sharon* and I walked around the school track. Suddenly, Sharon was holding her lower abdomen, saying, "How to say...?"  I didn't know what she was talking about, and tried to guess:  abdominals? stomach? small intestines? uterus? bladder? All of these were incorrect guesses, but when the walked by the bathrooms, Sharon ran in, saying "I ate last night, Shao Kao!" Ohhhh. Now I realized the word she was searching for was lower intestines... These delicious barbecue restaurants, known as Shao Kao, cook the skewers of vegetables and meats of your choice, covering them with Sichuan spices that sometimes upset foreigners' stomachs and apparently affect some Chinese people.

China Life [According to Sara's iPhone]

Just a little video we compiled with video footage and photos from Sara's iPhone. Enjoy! 

Two Months In

Here is a quick video that we put together from some of the footage from our first three months with our organization. It starts with the end of our training in Colorado when we had the chance to get out and enjoy the mountains for a day before we left.

Also if you want to catch up on what we have been doing on YouTube we have some other videos too. Here is one from that day in Colorado:

Home

Dujiangyan, Sichuan Province.

Our apartment is on the third floor, with a balcony view of the mountains!  

"Wo Ting Bu Dong"

Training in Beijing taught us so much, but our favorite piece of wisdom has been the phrase "wo ting bu dong," which means, "I don't understand."  We've used it more times than we can count, because we are still learning Chinese and will probably be learning for a very long time.

In our attempt to survive and eventually thrive in our new culture, a typical conversation will go like this:

Training for China

Ni hao!  

We've been in Greeley, CO for over a week now, becoming certified in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESOL) and other cultural training at the University of Northern Colorado.  Saying goodbye to friends and family was pretty hard, but He has great things in store for everyone while we're gone and for us in China!

So far, our days have been full.  

Rest for the Soul

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  [M. 11.28]

The last couple months have been very full for us.  Somehow moving out of the country for a couple years will make family and friends desperate to spend time with you;)  We've been trying to attend most weddings we're invited to, and work has taken over all other available weekends.  Teaching and working during the week with little to no break on Saturdays and Sundays is exhausting.

Montgomery Life

Montgomery, AL was not our first choice.

It wasn't the coolest city when we were growing up.  Crime engulfed the downtown area, and the few attractions included the zoo, Krispy Kreme [still magical], and a few historic places we visited on field trips.  Thankfully, Montgomery started improving the downtown area while we were in high school.  The Biscuits minor league baseball team came to Riverwalk Stadium, the Alley Station brought several restaurants, and the crime became almost non-existent downtown.  An outdoor hangout area was built by the river, with an amphitheater to host concerts and ballet performances, a water pad for kids, and the Sandbar restaurant/bar for young people and adults.  So much better than it was 10 years ago!  Still, we weren't sure about living in Montgomery when making decisions last spring.  We contemplated Birmingham, Costa Rica, and even Kansas before we landed on two job openings [together!!] at EAT South in Montgomery.

Then it happened.

Refuge

"My refuge and my fortress..., in whom I trust.”

We're comforted to know that we're not alone in this life, and that we were created for a Purpose much bigger than ourselves.  As we get ready to embark on our move to Asia, we've been refocusing on the fact that we're not the reason for this opportunity.  After meeting with one of our sweet friends yesterday, we were so encouraged by her words, "there is nothing to be afraid of... ask that He gets the glory when requesting specific things, and be so thankful when those are answered."  We can't do what needs to be done on our own strength!  Join us in interceding for those we'll meet for the next two years [and beyond].

Here's what we're needing now: