Been there, done that.

In the last two or three years, I've been a lot of places. I've witnessed and watched people love the Lord on a 115 degree day in Nogales, Mexico and then just a week later stood on the edge of Niagara Falls in Canada. That same summer, I packed enough stuff for 3 weeks and drove across the country. I've seen places like the Grand Canyon and Crater Lake. I've driven to Nashville all by myself, and I've driven to Michigan in the middle of the winder, in an RV, with 7 other people. But, out of all the things I've seen, and places I've been, none of them compare to the Great Wall of China. Crater Lake, is a close, very close, second, but still, it's not Great Wall.
I don't know what it was, but somthing about the whole thing just threw me off. I don't usually like ancient history; I'm more of a 20th century history kind of girl, but the Wall was fascinating to me. While I was standing there/walking up and down the millions of steps, I realized that I knew nothing about it. I mean, sure, I knew it was old and that it was built to keep someone out, during some empire...but that was about it. See, I knew nothing. So I did a little Wikipedia-ing. There is a LOT to read about the Great Wall, so I'll spare you some of the details and give you the stuff that literally made my jaw drop.
The Great Wall:
-is about 4,000 miles long. If you don't really know how to grasp that number, The Great Wall could start in Miami, Florida, stretch all the way up to Seattle, Washington and still have a 1,000 miles left over. Insane.
-was completed in 221 BC. This is 221 years before Christ was even alive. That, blows my mind. I guess when I think about history, it's always hard for me to comprehend that there were pople in other parts of the world, that aren't mentioned in the Bible, doing crazy things. Building a 4,000 mile long wall, is one of them.
-Took centuries to build. It was estimated that the building started in the 8th Century BC. If that is the case, then it took about 500 or so years to complete. Think of how many generations worked on the wall that never saw it finished. Hmm, I'm feeling an analogy coming on, but I'll save that one for another post.
Just think of all the people who walked on the very same part that Alisha and I did. It's crazy to me. But anyway, here are some pictures I took....enjoy!

Chinese people always pose with the peace sign...When in Rome...














It's something that I'm realizing my pictures do not capture. If you're ever in the area, it's worth a trip. Even if it's out of the way, its amazing.

"They just don't make things the way they used to"....no kidding.

It's foreign on this side...

There are certain times where it hits me that I'm i the middle of a foreign country, and I'm the foreigner. It doesn't really bother me. Life is easy enough that I don't NEED to know the language. Pretty much everywhere I go, there is English underneath the Chinese characters. I can usually point to a map and figure out where I'm going. Shanghai is very international, so people are used to seeing "my kind" around and don't always stop and stare.
Beijing, is another story. Last week when Alisha were in Beijing, I really felt what it was like to be a foreigner. This week is the Chinese New Year, so last week a lot of people were traveling. It is common for some Chinese families to go to Beijing to bring in the new year. Go check out the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, be reminded of their ancestors, where they came from. Well, people who live in the country, out in secluded villages, have most likely never seen a white person, let alone a white person with blond hair and blue eyes.

We got off the plane in Beijing and looked for a taxi. Emily, Chrissy's roommate had helped us figure a lot of stuff out. She wrote a lot of phrases in Chinese for us, and gave us maps to carry around. She is great. Seriously. Anyway, we knew that after we got off the plane that we needed to go to the 919 bus station. Then, we found this huge bus depot thing at the airport. There are bunch of shuttles that can take you anywhere in the city, so I went to the guy and showed him my makeshift map, and he told us which bus to get on, and pointed to what stop we would want to get off. He pointed to number 4, so we remembered, to get off at the 4th stop. Well we got on the bus and the guy who helped us said something to the driver and the driver just stared at us. We stopped once and someone got off and then the driver got on the intercom and said something in Chinese, and no one moved. So Alisha and I didn't know whether to count it as a stop, because we didn't actually stop. Two stops later, a couple people get off and we started getting prepared for the next stop, which would be ours. Then, the driver, at the third stop, put the bus in park, and got up. He walked back to us, pointed and said something in Chinese and then pointed to the outside of the bus. We assumed that he wanted us to get off, that this was our stop, so we got our stuff and got off. As we were walking off, the whole bus stared at us. Then as we waited for the bus to pull away, the people on the bus all stood up and stared at us out of the windows. Alisha and I started laughing so so hard.

Turns out, the bus dropped us kind of far away from where we were actually headed. Every couple of yards we would stop and ask someone where the train station was, just to make sure that we were still on the right track. Most people were very friendly and helped us. We thought that we should have been there by now, but I knew we had to keep asking people. We were on our 5th or 6th person by now, and I was getting tired of trying to get complete strangers to answer back. So, I saw a couple teenage boys standing around and went up to them. I knew not to say much because it never helped anyway, so I just pointed at the map and then, out of the mouth of this Chinese teenager, were words I never thought I would be so excited to hear, "Turn left, go straight, keep going until a big crossroad, and then look to the left, and you will be there." All of that, in English. I could have hugged that kid. It was the beam of hope that Alisha and I needed to keep going. But that is the case, every time I hear English somewhere, I get a little bit excited. It's something huge that I have in common with someone who is in the same boat as me. It's just always refreshing. I can't explain it.

While on the Great Wall I had a Chinese guy stop and ask if I would take a picture of him next to the Great Wall, so of course, I said yes. While I was taking the picture he didn't seem that interested. He kind of hurried it and then ran back over before the picture was even finished. Then, he asked if I would take a picture WITH him. I said no. He was by himself and it felt too weird, so I said no and walked away. But hey, at least that guy had the decency to ask. I found out during the rest of the trip, everyone else just snapped away. Almost every time I turned around, I saw a camera pointed in my direction. Some people tried to hide it, and when I would turn around, they would put their camera's down real fast. Some people would even not face me, and just hold their camera at a weird angle, as if I wouldn't notice. Lots of school kids pointing and staring. They probably found me more interesting than the Forbidden City.

Then, last but certainly not least. After the Great Wall, we took a taxi back to our hotel. We hadn't been there yet, so I just handed him the address. He tried to ask me questions about the address but I couldn't answer, so he just started driving. Then the taxi driver dropped us off at the end of this dark alley, and pointed down it. Since he seemed unsure about it in the beginning, we decided to ask someone for a second opinion, and they too, pointed down the dark alley. We started walking down it, and it wasn't getting shorter. We were looking for 104, and realized that after a couple yards we were still only on number 6. Oh man, long way to go. So we kept walking. No one gave us any trouble, but it was super dark and we walked fast. Then, we finally came to 104. The room was actually pretty nice. Nice for 135 rmb a night (equals out to about 20 US dollars). But in all honesty, it had its own bathroom, heat, clean sheets and two beds; what more do you want?

The dark alley we were left at.




The dark alley gets darker...




Our hotel...




The hotel during the day...not so sketchy...

Far ahead the brush is moving, with others here the good is proving.

On the way to China, I had a lay over in San Francisco. I hadn't really thought much about leaving for China on the first flight out. I mean, I had, it was undeniably there, but I hadn't really processed it all yet. So, landing in San Fran, I could feel myself start tearing up. That's not a good sign with me. Then I talked to some people and eventually calmed down a bit. After a few phones calls and texts, a friend sent me a verse from 1 Peter. It says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 5:7 That's it. Simple as that...right? It should be. It's always hard for me though. I freak out and get upset and anxious and worried about everything. Well, when I first got the text I read it, remembered the verse and clicked out of it. It's a verse I've heard a couple times before, seeing how this is not the first time I've been worried about something. Getting onto the plane, they have the famous, turn off all cell phones announcement. I waited until the LAST second to turn it off, knowing that it would be the last time I had it on for months. When I finally got the nerve to pick it up to turn it off that text message was on the screen, "'Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.' 1 Peter 5:7....do it." All of the sudden it was gone. I read it over and over again and finally realized the reality of it. Then other verses came to mind; Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Oh yeah, this whole China experience is not supposed to harm me. God wants me to have a future just as much as I do. His goal isn't to get me somewhere for "no reason."
Why is it that we so often forget this? I say "we" because I know I am not the only one. Why do I get in these places where I really believe that I'm doing something out of the will of God, when I KNOW He was the one who called me? Before I left Baltimore, I told people that I KNEW this was of God, mostly, because I have never once in my life wanted to go to China. Chrissy would talk to me about visiting, and I would just wait for her to come home and then see her. There were other reasons, it was a long process, but you get it.
Have you ever been to an amusement park, or had a really long day that was filled with a lot of walking and at the end of it you think to yourself, "There is no way I'm gonna make it." You get out of the park, getting ready to find the car, only to realize you're parked in the second to last row. All of the sudden the end doesn't see as close as it did. You're tired and exhausted and you're looking right at your car as you walk, and it doesn't seem to be getting closer. It feels like you're on a treadmill and you're going nowhere. You look down to the pavement to see if your feet are even going anywhere. At that point you realize that they are, in fact moving.
I know God has a plan. A huge one. Just for me. And sometimes, when all I do is focus on this HUGE thing, it feels like I'm not moving at all. It feels like I'm running and the plan, the will, whatever it is, is not getting any closer. It's not until I look down at my feet I realize that I AM moving. That even though my body, tired as it is, has me believing that I'll "never make it," I know that that is not the case.
I just have to take it one step at time. I need to stopping looking to the far future and trust that God has me taking these steps for a reason. That these steps, although they seem very small, are moving me right towards where I need/should be. It's then I realize that my shoes have a hole in them that I never noticed before, or it's then I realize all that is going on in my life right now; the people in it, my relationships, how I've changed.
I know this is a lesson I need to learn. I can write this now knowing and feeling the truths of the verses in the Bible, but I need to know and feel them all of the time.

Cast all of your anxiety on him because he cares for you. -1Peter 5:7

For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. -Jeremiah 29:11

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:2-3a

Its not always what you may think.

The other day Chrissy, Alisha and myself were going somewhere on the Metro and just laughing at things and acting pretty dumb. We get really hyper when we're together and laugh at everything we say. Being here for just a week, I've gotten used to the language barrier, and I got used to knowing that I could say most stuff and no one would understand me. Well, on the metro, laughing at things we were saying, we realized the next stop was ours. So Chrissy said something like, "This is us" and we started moving around so we could stand right next to the door. There was one guy that was standing next to us the whole time that was blocking the door. All the sudden the local guy goes in perfect English, barely an accent at all, "You guys getting off here?" It threw the three of us off so much that we were quiet for the rest of the ride. It had never occurred to us that someone could understand what we were saying. After we all reevaluated in our minds, we realized that we never said anything that was inappropriate. We got off the train and laughed forever. Lesson learned? You always need to watch what you're saying.

It's a long way home.

Alisha came on the 13th. It was weird to see her and talk to her, knowing that I am in China. It eases the shock of everything when someone who isn't really adjusted to things here can experience the differences with me. We've already seen a lot.
Yesterday we went to Lujiazui, the Fabric Market, and the Bund. Lujiazui (pronounced Lu-gi-a-way) is where the big Super Brand Mall is located. It has a ton of stores from all over the world and it has 12 floors. It's also where the Pearl Tower is. The Pearl tower used to be the tallest builging in the world until Shanghai built the newest tallest building in the world just a few blocks away. The Fabric Market is where you can go to get things made really really cheap. Anything you want, custom fit to you! AND, it's REALLY cheap. I'm getting a dress made there for 20 US dollars and it is being made from scratch to fit only me. I couldn't even find dresses that DIDN'T fit me in the States for 20 dollars. We also went to the Bund. It has some of the oldest buildings in Shanghai. Most of them date back to before the cultural revolution. There was so much construction going on around it that we didn't reallly get a chance to see a lot, but I got some pretty good shots of the city.
One of the bad things about living here is the transportation situation. When we were in Lujiazui, we were SO exhausted by the end of the day. All we wanted to do is to get home. Well, home was a 30 minute metro ride, where you're most likely standing because the seats are always filled, and then a taxi ride back to where you parked your bike, and then a bike ride back to your house. It is always a long way home.
Monday we head to Beijing. There we will see the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. I should have some good pictures of them.


Alisha and myself on the ferry to the other side of the city.




^The Pearl Tower





^The Fabric Market




^The new tallest building in the world.



Keep checking back, I know I'll have more pictures soon! You can see more pictures at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2006822&l=8044d&id=1226970196 .

Trashcans that aren't automatic and the Chinese do not speak Spanish.

So, being here, I've already noticed some differences. Some huge, some not so big but just interesting.

At the Korby's we had this trashcan that would open automatically. You just ran your hand over it and the top would lift up, and you throw your trash away and as you walked away, it would close. Well, the first couple days being here, I would go to throw something away and just run my hand over the trashcan, well, needless to say, it did not open.

A "compound" is the word that is used for a housing complex over there. The pictures I put up of my neighborhood, that's my compound. In my compound, there are guards EVERYWHERE. Just making sure that the same people are coming and going, and what people are up to. Well, whenever I pass them, I always say Hello, and smile. Most people don't say anything to them, so I figure that maybe a simple Hello and a smile, might just be enough to brighten up a minute or two. Well, I was stopped at the gate, looking for something in my purse, and one of the guards came up to me to say hi and wave, and replying back I said "Hola! Como esta?!" Chinese people do NOT speak Spanish. But, he did laugh after I started cracking up at myself.

The family I live with is very very nice. Not that I expected anything less; they agreed to have a perfect stranger live in their house for 7 months. The first night I met the dad, getting out of the family van, I tripped over my suitcase and almost fell flat on my face. The second time I ever saw him, I was riding my bike out of the neighborhood, and my pant leg got caught in the pedal of my bike and I almost fell over, right as he was driving by. Hopefully in coversations through out the week, I have redeemed myself.

Here are some pictures of where we have the middle school youth group. They meet in a huge room in the community center that is in my compound. It's a really cool set up, the only downer about it is that it all has to be set up and tore down before and after the program. But I think they do a great job of making it go from just a huge empty room, to a place where students would actually hang out.

One more thing..

Remember how I said that winters were milder here? Well it seems that I brought the winter of Baltimore to China with me. The next 5 days will be the coldest days that Shanghai has seen in years. And here, it's not only temperature you're worried about, but the wind chill always makes it a lot colder. Try only having a bike in 21 degree weather. The wind was so fast yesterday that it nearly knocked my bike and I over!

Well, now I've done it.

As I write this, I am very very frustrated with myself. Yesterday, I was supposed to go out with Chrissy and some of the people from church, but instead I decided to stay home. It was for a number of reasons. I started not feeling so well, I wanted to get fully unpacked, I was super tired and now sure that I would be able to have/be fun, and after our adventure to the other side, I was feeling a bit sad. So I came home and started watching an AWESOME movie that Jen Milan gave me before I left called "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness." (I really really love that movie and you should really check it out!) Anyway, about halfway through I could feel my eyes get heavy, and before I knew it, I was asleep. It was only 8 o'clock. So, I woke up at 3 ready to go. Oh well, I'll fall asleep in a little bit right before Rush Hour (the middle school ministry) starts. I will NOT be making the same mistake I did last night.

I thought that by now I would have more pictures, but I do not. Part of the reason is, I know I'll be here longer than just a week like most trips I go on, so I'm not feeling rushed about getting pictures. Also, ALISHA comes out next week! We're going to go to some really cool places; such as the Great Wall, Beijing, and some touristy things in Shanghai. I'll take lots and lots of pictures then. Sometimes I hate taking pictures because I am clearly American, and I hate feeling like a tourist. Granted, people will stare at me no matter what. I have blonde hair in and I'm in China, its a big deal. Also, it is SO fast paced. Some of the places that I want to take pictures at are always too busy and crazy and it overwhelms me.

The day after Christmas, Katie and I thought that it would be a good idea to go to Towson Town. We got there and the place was PACKED. We didn't end up staying long because we couldn't deal with it. It was too overwhelming to try and move around and to not really know what we were looking for...it was horrible. I thought about that day yesterday. Being in the Metro and in the huge 12 floor mall, and in downtown Shanghai, on the west side of the river, I wished that I could be back in Towson Town the day after Christmas. I thought I was good at crowds but, maybe not.

Talk to everyone soon! Eats lots of chocolate chip cookies and ice cream for me! Both are rare around here.

Country Mouse goes to the city.

I am here. In this new house, in a new compound, in a new city, in a new country, 9,000 away from home. There are a lot of new things about this experience. The fact that I have never lived in any area that could remotely be called a city, is one of the bigger ones. It's a different country, and for once in my life, I'm the minority. These are not bad things. Just challenges.

I have been in Shanghai for just over 24 hours, and I already know how to get 3 places! Today Chrissy showed me around a bit. I saw the Community Center; which happens to be about a 3 minute bike ride from my house. Yes, I ride a bike. Which, I am positive that to everyone who isn't me, it's hilarious. The blonde American who can't seem to handle riding a bike up a street. Ha, I'll catch on, hopefully before July, right as I'm getting ready to leave. Anyway, after seeing the Community Center, where one of the youth groups is held, we went to Chrissy's apartment, and then we went to CarreFor. Which is a French version of Wal-Mart in China. It's the store that has it all. Everything from washers and dryers to shark heads on ice. You want it, they got it.

All in all, I felt like I learned a lot today. It doesn't really seem like much, but when you know nothing at all, its a good start.

Couple of random things:

-There is a LOT of imported American food in China. I could go and get Rice Krispies Treats whenever my little heart desires. It'll cost me, but I could.

-Light switches are backwards. Up is off and down is on.

-They drive on the right side of the road, just as we do.

-People don't say excuse me, they just push you and keep walking.

-Carrefor is so so so so crowded even at 11 o'clock on a Thursday in the middle of the work day.

-The Golden Week, is the week of the Chinese New Year. Everyone in the entire country gets off for the whole week.

Now for the fun part; here are pictures! Not many right now, but there will be more soon. I don't want to be the white girl taking pictures everywhere. And hey, I've got time.

The streets of my neighborhood which is call "Greenhills." When I'm here, it does not feel any different than being in Towson.

Home Sweet Home...

My room...I plan to put pictures EVERYWHERE....and clean up that huge mess on my bed.

...and the mess on the floor.

When you're at the front door, and look right, you look straight down to my little balcony/porch/thing. Inbetween the lights is the door into my room.

My ride. I feel like a Korby or Bob Decker would be very very proud of me. Haha.

I will write more later! Thanks to everyone is praying and supporting me. It really means the world to know that back home there is such a big team of people pulling for me.

Lots and lots and lots of love.