Guess what, I’m in China! :) I can’t believe it’s finally happening RIGHT now. I feel like I’ve been preparing for this a long time and the fact that i’m actually here living it blows my mind! It’s been a crazy experience so far and with the ups and downs I’ve had it seems like I’ve been here about a month. In reality it’s been almost 2 days.. But I’m so excited to be here. I was thinking, yesterday as I was walking through some awesome park with a bunch of the other chinese teachers in our school, wow I’m petty much living the dream right now. I’m in an awesome place with awesome people just traveling and basically doing whatever I want. It was kind of a cool feeling. :)
(p.s. sorry for posting a million pictures, but I just can't help myself! prepare yourself folks, this might be a long one..)
*Proof that I was in Japan! Ok so just the airport, but that still counts.. right?*
*Finally in Hong Kong!*
Let me tell you a bit about what’s been happening. The flight was extremely long. I flew out from Vegas to LA to Tokyo then Hong Kong. It was cool being in Tokyo and I really wanted to get out and run around just to say that I’ve been there. I was really nervous that I would just be flying all around the world by myself, but I met my friend Tara in LA, and also a head teacher, Jamie. I’m so glad I found them because it made everything ten times easier and more relaxed. Thanks Tara! She’s awesome. :) When we got to Hong Kong, There were more girls we had met up with and we waited there for someone to take us to the hotel. Some girls got there alone and had to figure it out by themselves which is amazing. I probably would have just curled up in a ball in some corner and lost my mind. Ok, maybe that was a little extreme, but all I’m saying is I’m glad I had help. The next morning we got went on a tour of Hong Kong which basically included some peak I don’t remember the name of, a little boat ride, and some market places. It was cool though and I met some cool people.
*Outside our hotel in Hong Kong!*
*Awesome view from Victoria Peak... I think.. in Hong Kong*
*There are random stair ways that lead to nowhere all over here.*
*Aww cute! and kinda strange..*
*winners!*
*cool little boat place*
*They're on the wrong side of the road! I feared for my life a few times. But they actually drive normal here in china. strange.*
*This is an awesome cemetery we passed!*
For the rest of that day a group of us went to the Hong Kong temple! It was really cool. It was closed so we kinda waited there for a while and visited with some missionaries in the church across the street. One of which was the boyfriend of one of my friends. She was really nervous because he lived in the temple which is also a church office building or something, and apartments. She booked it back home before he could get there so we took a picture with him. :) How funny.
*Beautiful Hong Kong Temple!*
*we took a picture with my friends missionary for her!*
When we actually got to go inside it was really pretty, and we talked to some wonderful people. It made me grateful that the gospel is true everywhere you go, not just at home. :) We were super exhausted after that and it took forever to walk home. Oh yeah, getting around Hong Kong was pretty exciting. I’ve never had to just find my way around and use the metro and buses by myself, but there’s a first time for everything I guess! Now I’m pretty much a pro. The next day some of us went on this really awesome, treacherous, painful, beautiful long hike to the giant buddha. It basically started at the very bottom of this mountain and had a total of infinity steps to the top. I’ve never seen so many stairs in my life. It was totally straight up the mountain. Every time we’d see a peak and say, ‘Ok just to that next peak then we’re there!’ There would be another peak after that. It was brutal. At the highest peak we proceeded to hike straight down the mountain on the steps of doom. Our legs were totally fatigued and shook when we put weight on them. I’ve also never sweat more in my entire life. It was quite the experience. Plus it was a major bonding time for us all.
*professional at the metro after a number of times on it!*
*Our hiking crew! We had some awesome bonding memories during this treacherous hike.*
*See how ridiculous this is? It was this steep the whole way. And it doesn't look that bad but it was. My quads are still sore to prove it.*
*Finally made it down the stairs of insanity into some civilization!*
*I have no idea what these are.. but they're really cool!*
*Abandoned little town thing near the giant buddha*
*Cool grounds around the giant buddha*
*Me thinking, Um... I'm pretty sure I've had enough stairs for the day.*
*Rocky victory, Hong Kong style*
*Debating whether I should just roll down the stairs instead of walk them.*
*My friends! They're pretty great.*
*There were random cows just chillin all over the grass.*
*This is papa, our friend we met on the trail. We call him that because he looked after us and gave us water bottles when we ran out. He was such a sweetheart."
After that we basically came back, got on a bus that took us to a ferry, came to Zhongshan and BAM! here we are in our little Xiaolan school. (pronounced show as in chow but with an sh...-lawn. :) did you catch that? good.) Now being here is where the downs have come into play, but only for a minute don’t worry. It was all just slightly overwhelming because it was totally new, it’s very different from Hong Kong, and all the friends I had made went to other schools. It was also extremely hot and I realized I chose the smallest room and the only one with no AC. The size doesn’t bother me, but holy cow that was not the most pleasant nights rest I’ve had. I basically just lay there on top of my bed in my underwear sweating to death. Sorry to paint such a terrible picture, but I hope you can now understand some of my pain. I would take the freezing Burg weather any day. (aka rexburg). Also the next morning we went over lesson plans and had to prepare our lessons for the next week. I got really overwhelmed and thought, wow I can’t do this. But it’s ok because I did it, and I also slept on one of the other girl’s floor last night, meaning, I had AC and it was great. All is well here in Xioalan. I’m still pretty nervous about teaching but I think I’ll be fine. I decided if I fail at it, what’s the worst that could happen? I guess their parents could complain and throw me into chinese prison, but lets hope that doesn’t happen. Also, the girls in my group are really great and I’m pretty sure we’ll have a blast. Our chinese coordinator, Kelly, is so stinkin cute. These hilarious and I’m excited to spend more time with her.
*Finally in Zhongshan!*
*We were walking outside and it all the sudden started down pouring on us. It was pretty sweet.*
*Sneak peak of the school entrance!*
*This is my small room with no AC. Can't complain though, I'm in China!*
*kitchen. No, our fridge doesn't work.*
*aaand living room!*
We’re pretty much celebrities around here and everyone always waves and smiles or just stares at us like aliens. Anyways, China is pretty different that’s for sure.
Yesterday we also went on this hike with all the teachers in our school. It was in this awesome park type place but there was a trail, then stairs that led us through this rainforest basically, and up to this prayer palace thing. It was really pretty and everything here is so green and lush. Thus with that being said, and the fact that we live a number of flights up stairs, I’ve climbed more stairs in the past two days than I have in my life, and my quads are dead.
After that we went to this awesome outdoor restaurant place. It was sooooo funny. They just brought out a whole bunch of different foods and we all tried some pretty crazy things. I had a bowl of soup and i picked up my spoon and screamed because there was a little claw-like hand thing in there! It was the creepiest thing ever and apparently chicken feet are very big here. I did try a piece of it which didn’t taste too bad, but it was really gross to look at. There was also pig stomach, purple sweet potatoes, tofu, a bunch of other random stuff and whole chickens given to all of us. I was reaching in for a leg and saw something that looked like a face. Low and behold, there’s the poor little guys head. Another girl screamed and I don’t blame her because it was really gross. It was more of a shock than anything. I guess they just throw the whole thing in the oven! except for the feet, of course, which were in my soup.
*Tebowing in the cool park*
*After our hike to some prayer temple thing*
*huge, disgusting spider along the trail*
*cutest little 2 year old EVER*
*Almost all of the teachers at our little Xiaolan school!*
I also used my first chinese squatter! It just reminded me of camping. Oh the things I’m experiencing and have yet to experience...
I’m pretty excited to go to church tomorrow. I’m not sure how it will be, but I’ll let you know. I just have to say that the gospel really is my whole happiness foundation. I mean, wherever you are, and under any circumstance, you can be happy. I’m so grateful for the joy it brings to my life, and I’m grateful that Heavenly Father knows me and answers my prayers, because I’ve sure needed that since I’ve been here. I know I’m kind of a spastic sometimes and that I could probably not worry about things so much, but I do, and every time I pray I’m blessed with the comfort of the Spirit. What a wonderful blessing it is to never really be alone.
Well, I’m off to do some shopping for much needed supplies, then some major partying and karaoke-ing! :) Yes, this is the life and I’m excited to be living it.
Until next time!
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