Did you know that people get sick in America too? I started to think I was immune and had created super resistance after getting ill in China just about every other day. I can't remember the last time I was sick in America. But apparently standing out in blizzards and riding crowded buses with coughing people everywhere can also get you sick in America. I'm glad it's the weekend though, so I don't mind my fever and sore throat as much. I do miss my Chinese students texting me to tell me to "drink more hot water and wear more cloth-es." Now I don't know what to do!
So I have survived my first week back at classes and I'm officially a second semester grad student, which sounds more impressive than a first semester one. Surely now I'm filled with so much more knowledge and overall impressiveness, right? Of course not. I'm just reminded each day of how little I do know.
And after a first semester of only quantitative and "numbers" classes, I have to learn again how to use large vocabulary words and write 20 page term papers. I haven't used a calculator once this past week. I thought I would be thrilled about that, but classmates are much more opinionated and argumentative when the topic isn't about regression analysis or marginal cost pricing. Now I have classes, like law, where we discuss what on earth "civic republicanism" is. I still don't know. I think I'm just more intrigued at how my old classmates have transformed into political scientists and public managers. Am I the only person who hasn't worked in the White House or State Department?
Okay, I'm really not complaining, but I feel like I'm on a slippery slope. I think going to the super crowded grocery store with thousands of undergrads on a Saturday morning when you're sick can do that to you...
So here's some positive things that happened this past week:
-I got to meet more new people in my new classes.
-I hung out with my Chinese friend, Grace, and we studied Chinese and English.
-My Kenyan friend came to the IV Grad Faculty Ministry Bible Study with me this week.
-I have been spending a lot more quality time in His Word.
-Last night I hung out with some of my friends and other like-minded believers, when we talked for hours about how we can better love and serve the huge international community here in Bloomington.
-I made some really good chocolate chip muffins and ate them.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
School daze
I'm in a cloudy daze. At 5 a.m. this morning after getting approximately 2.6 hours of sleep, Andrea and I hopped into my car to take her 60 miles away to the Indianapolis airport for her flight back to Orlando.
Andrea spent a good portion of last night talking with some nice folks in India on the phone with US Airways and Expedia. She has the most incredible patience. Her flights for this afternoon were canceled because of the impending snowstorm of the century blanketing the South. After waiting for about 45 minutes to speak to a guy with US Airways who had canceled her flights, she was informed that he couldn't help, because her flights had been booked through Expedia. Thus ensued another 45 minutes waiting, plus another 45 minutes talking to an Expedia guy in India, who probably shared the same office with the US Airways guy. Maybe it was even the same person.
They honestly had no clue what they were doing, so Andrea kindly prompted them along. Nobody could rebook her flights for one reason or another, and if they did rebook her flight that went through Charlotte for Tuesday, her flight from Indiana would probably be canceled because of an impending snowstorm tomorrow here. So I found Andrea a cheap non-stop flight straight to Orlando and past all the crummy weather for the wee hours of this morning. I booked it for her while Andrea was convincing the guy to give her a refund. The flight we booked was $97. Andrea got a refund for her canceled flights for $130. So she ended up saving money through this whole ordeal and has finally arrived safely back in Florida.
It's been enjoyable hanging out with Andrea for the past few days and weeks. I always learn so much from her, especially about patience, endurance, and the faithfulness of God. Everything she does seems to teach me something. When we were driving back to Indiana from Kansas a few days ago, we were driving on one- lane, deserted back roads late at night in a raging snowstorm. Civilization was not to be found. While I was nearly shaking with thoughts of falling off into a ditch, or sliding off a mountain of some sort, Andrea calmly, skillfully, and prayerfully drove us to Bloomington. I've been in much more precarious situations, but I panicked at the thought that I had led my dear sister into some terrible end in remote, backwoods Indiana.
So I have parted with my dear sister and started school all in one day on one ounce of sleep. I was also supposed to go to work for 4 hours, but I wouldn't have survived. My classes in general put me in a daze. They always turn out fine, but I am always overwhelmed at first, especially with the daunting amount of group projects facing me this semester on topics that I hardly know anything about. But that's why I'm in school, right?
Happy mid-January! Hope you are warm and blessed wherever you are.
Andrea spent a good portion of last night talking with some nice folks in India on the phone with US Airways and Expedia. She has the most incredible patience. Her flights for this afternoon were canceled because of the impending snowstorm of the century blanketing the South. After waiting for about 45 minutes to speak to a guy with US Airways who had canceled her flights, she was informed that he couldn't help, because her flights had been booked through Expedia. Thus ensued another 45 minutes waiting, plus another 45 minutes talking to an Expedia guy in India, who probably shared the same office with the US Airways guy. Maybe it was even the same person.
They honestly had no clue what they were doing, so Andrea kindly prompted them along. Nobody could rebook her flights for one reason or another, and if they did rebook her flight that went through Charlotte for Tuesday, her flight from Indiana would probably be canceled because of an impending snowstorm tomorrow here. So I found Andrea a cheap non-stop flight straight to Orlando and past all the crummy weather for the wee hours of this morning. I booked it for her while Andrea was convincing the guy to give her a refund. The flight we booked was $97. Andrea got a refund for her canceled flights for $130. So she ended up saving money through this whole ordeal and has finally arrived safely back in Florida.
It's been enjoyable hanging out with Andrea for the past few days and weeks. I always learn so much from her, especially about patience, endurance, and the faithfulness of God. Everything she does seems to teach me something. When we were driving back to Indiana from Kansas a few days ago, we were driving on one- lane, deserted back roads late at night in a raging snowstorm. Civilization was not to be found. While I was nearly shaking with thoughts of falling off into a ditch, or sliding off a mountain of some sort, Andrea calmly, skillfully, and prayerfully drove us to Bloomington. I've been in much more precarious situations, but I panicked at the thought that I had led my dear sister into some terrible end in remote, backwoods Indiana.
So I have parted with my dear sister and started school all in one day on one ounce of sleep. I was also supposed to go to work for 4 hours, but I wouldn't have survived. My classes in general put me in a daze. They always turn out fine, but I am always overwhelmed at first, especially with the daunting amount of group projects facing me this semester on topics that I hardly know anything about. But that's why I'm in school, right?
Happy mid-January! Hope you are warm and blessed wherever you are.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Resolutions
Happy 2011, dear friends!
Do you want to read a book that will change your life? This is my second time reading "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream," by David Platt. He was the "youngest megachurch pastor in history" when he realized much of American Christianity has manipulated the Gospel in order to fit our cultural preferences. I'm sure I mentioned it this summer, but really, truly you should read it!
Hanging around my Chinese friends and my mom and sister who have such strong faith, I realized that I'm already slipping into apathy and a lukewarm walk with Him. I don't want to be that way. I want to be radical and living my life in complete devotion to Christ.
Here are some interesting sneak peeks from the book, which has helped me re-think my faith, especially as I continue to live in America:
"We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."
"We are afraid that if we stop and really look at God in his Word, we might discover that he evokes greater awe and demands deeper worship than we are ready to give him."
"The goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the Gospel is to make much of God."
"Jesus commands us to go. He has created each of us to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and I propose that anything less than radical devotion to this purpose is unbiblical Christianity."
"We will multiply the Gospel only when we allow others to get close enough to us to see the life of Christ in action."
"Jesus beckons each of us to plainly, humbly, and quietly focus our lives on people."
I could go on and on... But you'll just have to read it for yourself. :) So in this New Year, I only have one resolution. I was thinking about how I would resolve to exercise more, study Chinese more, love more, etc. etc. But everything will fall into place if I focus on God and pray that the desires of His heart will be the desires of my heart. What are your New Year's resolutions?
Do you want to read a book that will change your life? This is my second time reading "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream," by David Platt. He was the "youngest megachurch pastor in history" when he realized much of American Christianity has manipulated the Gospel in order to fit our cultural preferences. I'm sure I mentioned it this summer, but really, truly you should read it!
Hanging around my Chinese friends and my mom and sister who have such strong faith, I realized that I'm already slipping into apathy and a lukewarm walk with Him. I don't want to be that way. I want to be radical and living my life in complete devotion to Christ.
Here are some interesting sneak peeks from the book, which has helped me re-think my faith, especially as I continue to live in America:
"We were settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."
"We are afraid that if we stop and really look at God in his Word, we might discover that he evokes greater awe and demands deeper worship than we are ready to give him."
"The goal of the American dream is to make much of us, the goal of the Gospel is to make much of God."
"Jesus commands us to go. He has created each of us to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and I propose that anything less than radical devotion to this purpose is unbiblical Christianity."
"We will multiply the Gospel only when we allow others to get close enough to us to see the life of Christ in action."
"Jesus beckons each of us to plainly, humbly, and quietly focus our lives on people."
I could go on and on... But you'll just have to read it for yourself. :) So in this New Year, I only have one resolution. I was thinking about how I would resolve to exercise more, study Chinese more, love more, etc. etc. But everything will fall into place if I focus on God and pray that the desires of His heart will be the desires of my heart. What are your New Year's resolutions?
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Holiday reflecting
I'm alone. All four of my little sisters have left, and Mom is being productive at work. Today our last Chinese friend, Wei Wei, made her exodus from Topeka. Mom's two Chinese daughters, Mandy and Maggie, left for California a few days ago to travel. Andrea somehow is in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She will be there the rest of this week for a Campus Outreach conference.
When I first arrived home for Christmas break, I was really thankful to be celebrating the holidays with my family. But that quickly gave way to cynicism. In China I wasn't with my family for Christmas, and you wouldn't have noticed it was Christmas just looking around.
Christmas there meant telling your hundreds of eager students about the true meaning of the season. It meant performing ridiculous, but fun dances in front of a school audience of thousands who would cheer even if you just stood there. It meant a lot of rain and no snow. It meant having small parties for your closest friends and students. It meant creating new memories and new traditions. It meant that Christmas wasn't focused on giving presents, but reveling in the gift of friendship and the birth of a Savior who was actually from the East and not the West.
So Christmas in America was at first exciting, but it got old quickly. People just looked stressed and burdened. There was cheer in the air, but most of it felt false and forced. The stores were packed. I tried to avoid shopping, but sometimes I'd find myself in Target mostly just staring at the mayhem, rather than buying anything. People at church looked tired and antsy at the same time.
But thank the Lord for my new Chinese sisters who stayed with us. I was trying to love them, but they certainly showed me love. They reminded me yet again of what Christmas is truly about. Sure, it was exciting seeing them decorating the tree or opening their stockings on Christmas morning--all things they had never experienced before--but it was even better just being with them and spending time with them. I tried to be a good elder sister, and learned to respond to "Jie Jie" (older sister) instead of "Laura." My name's hard to say for Chinese people anyway.
We did sisterly things like putting on eyeshadow and watching dumb, girly movies. I even walked inside "Victoria's Secret" for the first time in my life...and then I walked promptly out with the word "scandalous" swirling around in my head. We talked about boys, and of course they are eternally concerned that I don't have a boyfriend at my advanced age of 24. But there were plenty of times for solid conversations, awesome meals with other friends, and going to church together.
Now I have to figure out what to do with my life for the next week. Maybe I'll think of some New Year's resolutions, which I'll share in my next blog. Now I'm leaving you with some of my favorite pictures from the past couple of weeks...
Big happy family making jiaozi.
We ate awesome, authentic Chinese food just about every day.
With my original baby sister.
Waiting to open stockings on Christmas morning.
When I first arrived home for Christmas break, I was really thankful to be celebrating the holidays with my family. But that quickly gave way to cynicism. In China I wasn't with my family for Christmas, and you wouldn't have noticed it was Christmas just looking around.
Christmas there meant telling your hundreds of eager students about the true meaning of the season. It meant performing ridiculous, but fun dances in front of a school audience of thousands who would cheer even if you just stood there. It meant a lot of rain and no snow. It meant having small parties for your closest friends and students. It meant creating new memories and new traditions. It meant that Christmas wasn't focused on giving presents, but reveling in the gift of friendship and the birth of a Savior who was actually from the East and not the West.
So Christmas in America was at first exciting, but it got old quickly. People just looked stressed and burdened. There was cheer in the air, but most of it felt false and forced. The stores were packed. I tried to avoid shopping, but sometimes I'd find myself in Target mostly just staring at the mayhem, rather than buying anything. People at church looked tired and antsy at the same time.
But thank the Lord for my new Chinese sisters who stayed with us. I was trying to love them, but they certainly showed me love. They reminded me yet again of what Christmas is truly about. Sure, it was exciting seeing them decorating the tree or opening their stockings on Christmas morning--all things they had never experienced before--but it was even better just being with them and spending time with them. I tried to be a good elder sister, and learned to respond to "Jie Jie" (older sister) instead of "Laura." My name's hard to say for Chinese people anyway.
We did sisterly things like putting on eyeshadow and watching dumb, girly movies. I even walked inside "Victoria's Secret" for the first time in my life...and then I walked promptly out with the word "scandalous" swirling around in my head. We talked about boys, and of course they are eternally concerned that I don't have a boyfriend at my advanced age of 24. But there were plenty of times for solid conversations, awesome meals with other friends, and going to church together.
Now I have to figure out what to do with my life for the next week. Maybe I'll think of some New Year's resolutions, which I'll share in my next blog. Now I'm leaving you with some of my favorite pictures from the past couple of weeks...
Big happy family making jiaozi.
We ate awesome, authentic Chinese food just about every day.
With my original baby sister.
Waiting to open stockings on Christmas morning.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Christmasing
Hello, faithful readers! I'm in a dream-- somehow I've found myself in my little room at home on the Kansas prairie. To be honest, I haven't wanted to come back to Topeka. Of course I want to see my family in my first Christmas with them since 2007, but I don't get excited about my hometown. I actually sort of dread coming back to this place. Topeka is safe, dreary, and depressing, to be honest. Things are also different, since the last time I spent Christmas here. My dear, sweet Grandma's gone, people are out of work, and I've seen and done a lot since then...
But on the positive side, there's so many things to be thankful for. First of all, by God's grace, I finished my first semester of grad school! I even got good enough grades to keep my scholarship, which means I'll continue on with my degree. I also did some crazy things to celebrate, like sledding down amazingly steep Indiana hills, which Kansas sure doesn't have. Then Andrea came up from Florida for a couple of days, and we got to walk through the snow and have a grand old sisterly time together. Then we drove the 10 hour-long drive home, with a stop at the Kansas City airport to pick up Andrea's Chinese classmate, Sarah.
In a couple of days two more Chinese students, Mandy and Maggie, will also be joining us. They have become two of my Mom's "daughters." So I love how it is my first American Christmas in a while, but it will still be very Chinese! Please think of all of these dear girls. We've already had some great conversations with Sarah. Sarah doesn't know about the Son, but she is already open. She is my "Mei Mei," or younger sister and has quickly become a part of our family.
I'm just incredibly thankful that Mom and Andrea thought of inviting these girls into our home. This is the first Christmas for all of them, and Andrea thought it would be so neat to share the love of Christ with them by inviting them into our family. And another cool thing about Sarah is that she is an exchange student from Harbin Engineering University, where my former teammate and roommate from China, Jodi, is now teaching! What a small, small world.
I'm leaving you with a couple of pictures, but I'm sure I'll have more of my Chinese little sisters in the coming days. Have a blessed week!
My gorgeous, but freezing campus!
Campus/Narnia
Baby Andrea, the Floridian, in the snow
Reading by the toasty fireplace at school
But on the positive side, there's so many things to be thankful for. First of all, by God's grace, I finished my first semester of grad school! I even got good enough grades to keep my scholarship, which means I'll continue on with my degree. I also did some crazy things to celebrate, like sledding down amazingly steep Indiana hills, which Kansas sure doesn't have. Then Andrea came up from Florida for a couple of days, and we got to walk through the snow and have a grand old sisterly time together. Then we drove the 10 hour-long drive home, with a stop at the Kansas City airport to pick up Andrea's Chinese classmate, Sarah.
In a couple of days two more Chinese students, Mandy and Maggie, will also be joining us. They have become two of my Mom's "daughters." So I love how it is my first American Christmas in a while, but it will still be very Chinese! Please think of all of these dear girls. We've already had some great conversations with Sarah. Sarah doesn't know about the Son, but she is already open. She is my "Mei Mei," or younger sister and has quickly become a part of our family.
I'm just incredibly thankful that Mom and Andrea thought of inviting these girls into our home. This is the first Christmas for all of them, and Andrea thought it would be so neat to share the love of Christ with them by inviting them into our family. And another cool thing about Sarah is that she is an exchange student from Harbin Engineering University, where my former teammate and roommate from China, Jodi, is now teaching! What a small, small world.
I'm leaving you with a couple of pictures, but I'm sure I'll have more of my Chinese little sisters in the coming days. Have a blessed week!
My gorgeous, but freezing campus!
Campus/Narnia
Baby Andrea, the Floridian, in the snow
Reading by the toasty fireplace at school
Monday, December 13, 2010
Racing toward the finish
The title of this blog says I'm "racing toward the finish." More like crawling. Having final exams around Christmas time isn't the best plan. There's gorgeous snow outside, there are a million Christmas parties to go to, and there's tons of food to eat. I've started studying a bit, but have lost a lot of motivation.
It all started with ice-skating on Saturday. The graduate student association for our program has an annual ice-skating party. For only $2.50 we could skate and hang out. I picked up skating again pretty easily, although the poor Chinese people were the ones falling all over the place. It reminded me of roller skating with my baby students in China. About ten of them would hold on to me for dear life, because most of them just couldn't get the hang of skating, although that was their 100th time trying. It also reminded me of the last time when I went ice-skating. It was last winter in Xinjiang, the Siberia of China. I've never felt so cold.
Speaking of cold, think of my dear former teammate and roommate, Jodi. She's still serving in China in the northeastern city of Harbin. Currently the windchill is -41 degrees there. Brrr!!
It started snowing here on Saturday night. We only got a few inches, but we still got the blizzard conditions. Schools are closed today, and I'm once again holed up inside studying. I really can't go anywhere with the roads and -1 windchill and want to go crazy. The salt trucks keep coming down our tiny street, but the roads stay the same. All my friends are studying anyway, and I ought to be doing the same!
Yesterday, though, before the blowing snow started, I went to church. Then by evening, the crazy weather began. I went to hang out at my friends' house, because they have a fireplace. It was only a ten minute walk, but I was a bit afraid I'd fall into a snow drift. Everything was eerily quiet outside, and the wind was throwing sharp little pieces of snow in my face. It was nice to sit by a cozy fire then with my wonderful friends!
Okay, now I'm really going to start studying again and I'll leave you with some pictures. Stay warm and healthy!
InterVarsity Graduate-Faculty Ministry Christmas Party
Reading poetry by the fire
Vanessa's expressive reading of a Shel Silverstein poem
Getting ready to brave the weather again
It all started with ice-skating on Saturday. The graduate student association for our program has an annual ice-skating party. For only $2.50 we could skate and hang out. I picked up skating again pretty easily, although the poor Chinese people were the ones falling all over the place. It reminded me of roller skating with my baby students in China. About ten of them would hold on to me for dear life, because most of them just couldn't get the hang of skating, although that was their 100th time trying. It also reminded me of the last time when I went ice-skating. It was last winter in Xinjiang, the Siberia of China. I've never felt so cold.
Speaking of cold, think of my dear former teammate and roommate, Jodi. She's still serving in China in the northeastern city of Harbin. Currently the windchill is -41 degrees there. Brrr!!
It started snowing here on Saturday night. We only got a few inches, but we still got the blizzard conditions. Schools are closed today, and I'm once again holed up inside studying. I really can't go anywhere with the roads and -1 windchill and want to go crazy. The salt trucks keep coming down our tiny street, but the roads stay the same. All my friends are studying anyway, and I ought to be doing the same!
Yesterday, though, before the blowing snow started, I went to church. Then by evening, the crazy weather began. I went to hang out at my friends' house, because they have a fireplace. It was only a ten minute walk, but I was a bit afraid I'd fall into a snow drift. Everything was eerily quiet outside, and the wind was throwing sharp little pieces of snow in my face. It was nice to sit by a cozy fire then with my wonderful friends!
Okay, now I'm really going to start studying again and I'll leave you with some pictures. Stay warm and healthy!
InterVarsity Graduate-Faculty Ministry Christmas Party
Reading poetry by the fire
Vanessa's expressive reading of a Shel Silverstein poem
Getting ready to brave the weather again
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Winter Fairyland
Out on the lawn there arose such a clatter
I sprang from my Ikea bed to see what was the matter
Away to the window I flew like a flash
I threw open the curtains my Mom had lovingly made
When, what to my wandering eyes should appear?
But a miniature pick-up truck and eight tiny men shoveling a heck of a lot of snow...
I feel like I live in a winter fairyland, just like what they sing about in the millions of Christmas songs I've been listening to on the radio. I am quite excited for Christmas, or as least an American version. It's like I'm a little kid. I am, but even more so lately. Everything is magical.
On Saturday, we got several inches of gorgeous, sparkling snow. The woods behind our apartments were covered, deer played in the big, nearby field, and kids went sledding down the hills next to our neighborhood.
I begrudgingly finished all my homework so I could get on with the festive side of life. I merrily walked to the post office in the falling snow, smiling and thanking the people shoveling (another awesome reason to live in an apartment), and waving at the post people delivering mail in their tiny, boxy vehicles that weren't designed for snow. The last time I saw snowfall was in Xinjiang, China, where it was -30 degrees and they used pick-axes to clear the ice and snow on the roads... And I was less excited about the snow by Saturday night when it took me 20 minutes to dig it out of the snow that encased it.
After shedding some tears yesterday, I'm back on track. All of a sudden I felt incredibly homesick for China. I think it was sort of triggered when I was told I basically did a horrible job creating a newsletter at my job, and then when I was walking around in a daze in Target. Where did all of these gaudy Christmas decorations come from? If America's in such a terrible recession, why is everyone walking around with a pile of pointless junk in their carts? Why do people look so frazzled and anxious? And more importantly, why are people still wearing Uggs?
Well, I better get back to analyzing the Tuolumne hydroelectric project for economics. Hooray! Merry Christmas!
Some of the snow when I woke up.
Narnia at the back of our apartments.
I sprang from my Ikea bed to see what was the matter
Away to the window I flew like a flash
I threw open the curtains my Mom had lovingly made
When, what to my wandering eyes should appear?
But a miniature pick-up truck and eight tiny men shoveling a heck of a lot of snow...
I feel like I live in a winter fairyland, just like what they sing about in the millions of Christmas songs I've been listening to on the radio. I am quite excited for Christmas, or as least an American version. It's like I'm a little kid. I am, but even more so lately. Everything is magical.
On Saturday, we got several inches of gorgeous, sparkling snow. The woods behind our apartments were covered, deer played in the big, nearby field, and kids went sledding down the hills next to our neighborhood.
I begrudgingly finished all my homework so I could get on with the festive side of life. I merrily walked to the post office in the falling snow, smiling and thanking the people shoveling (another awesome reason to live in an apartment), and waving at the post people delivering mail in their tiny, boxy vehicles that weren't designed for snow. The last time I saw snowfall was in Xinjiang, China, where it was -30 degrees and they used pick-axes to clear the ice and snow on the roads... And I was less excited about the snow by Saturday night when it took me 20 minutes to dig it out of the snow that encased it.
After shedding some tears yesterday, I'm back on track. All of a sudden I felt incredibly homesick for China. I think it was sort of triggered when I was told I basically did a horrible job creating a newsletter at my job, and then when I was walking around in a daze in Target. Where did all of these gaudy Christmas decorations come from? If America's in such a terrible recession, why is everyone walking around with a pile of pointless junk in their carts? Why do people look so frazzled and anxious? And more importantly, why are people still wearing Uggs?
Well, I better get back to analyzing the Tuolumne hydroelectric project for economics. Hooray! Merry Christmas!
Some of the snow when I woke up.
Narnia at the back of our apartments.
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