Preview for an Adventure

I'm sure you've heard where I'm headed for the Chinese New Year holiday, but I thought I'd refresh your memory. I've included some more info. and pictures about each place, so you can imagine you are going with me. :)

Chiang Mai, Thailand (Jan. 23rd-Feb. 7th)

Jodi and I are flying all day Saturday to northern Thailand for our organization's annual conference. We will have a few days to hang out before and after the conference. I'm looking forward to the warm weather, wonderful Thai food, and the beautiful sunshine! Hopefully we'll go on a couple biking and/or jungle adventures.

I suppose I'm also looking forward to the week-long conference, where we'll continue to learn more about how to be effective teachers and lights for Him. It should be restful, although there will be about 600 other people there. That can be a little overwhelming, but blessed to be surrounded by so many energetic people on fire for Him.



Urumqi, Xinjiang province, China (Feb. 8th-Feb.10th)

After spending a couple weeks in a politically open and hot, tropical climate, I will head to one of the most politically closed and coldest, most remote places. My friend Kelsey and I will commence our long journey back to China's far northwestern province, Xinjiang. This is one of China's most diverse and amazing places. It is home to a variety of different ethnicities, who aren't even close to being Han (China's main ethnicity). Many of them are Uygur Muslims, who have lived in Xinjiang for hundreds of years and are quite distinct from the Han in appearance, culture, identity and language.

A few decades ago China decided that this vast, resource-rich part of Asia bordering China was Chinese. It obviously wasn't, but what are a few million people going to say to a billion people who want to incorporate them into their country? So millions of Han people have been moving to Xinjiang in the past 60 years, becoming the majority in Xinjiang. The Uygur culture has been diluted, and their rich culture and language are slowly being erased.

Tensions boiled over last July, when many Uygurs rioted in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi (which is where we are going first). Around 200 people died, thousands of Uygurs were arrested or put to death, and there has been a clampdown by the Chinese government in the region ever since.

Most Internet access is still banned, and most communication with the outside world has also been cut off. So if you don't hear much from me during those days, that's why...



Altay, Xinjiang province, China (Feb. 10th-Feb.16th)

After a couple days in the freezing cold capital, we will head all the way north by bus to my friend's hometown, Altay. Her family is Han Chinese. Her grandparents moved to Xinjiang several decades ago to develop this "backwards" place. That is the story of most of the Han who have settled in this huge province.

And this particular town is only about 60 miles from the Kazakh, Russian, and Mongolian borders. It's about as remote as you can get, and has the nickname of being China's "little slice of Siberia." Now that I think about it, I really don't know why we are going to such a place in the dead of winter. But it should be an eye-opening experience, and I can tell stories to my grandchildren someday about "China's last frontier."







Dujiangyan, Sichuan province, China (Feb. 16th- Feb. 21st)

Our last stop will be central China's Sichuan province. It is a place full of green, misty mountains and extremely spicy food. It is also a very unique place in China. Apparently you haven't seen China if you haven't seen Sichuan.

Kelsey and I will be staying with another friend from our organization who teacher at schools ravaged by the May 2008 earthquake, which killed 90,000 people. I don't really know what to expect, but again I'm looking forward to experiencing yet another side of China.



Thanks as always for your thoughts, especially as we travel to many slightly crazy places. I'm not sure how often I will be able to update my blog in the next month, but know that I'm thinking of you!