The entire world in the middle of nowhere

I used to be afraid of North Central Wisconsin. Hunting, beer... football... We had been planning on Chicago. Music...art...culture... My imagination hadn't included a smaller city as an option. But its definitely growing on me. Of course, with a year under my belt and a growing community of friends I'm feeling more optimistic.

One thing I'm loving about Wisconsin is the people I meet at my day job (I teach music lessons- by night). As a program assistant with the International Student Office I spend my days supporting students from all over the globe. This week orientation began at UW-Stevens Point. The international students converged from 16 countries. I got to each lunch today with German, Vietnamese, Japanese and Canadian students (and that was just a my table). My favorite part was when a German student was complaining about how much English sounded like a hammer. He said German is more poetic.

Old friends from this year are coming back with tales of the their summers. Some of these stories are exciting (travels with family, being at the Olympic opening ceremonies and getting home at 3 a.m., job offers with theater companies in the U.S.), and others will be fearful (stories of sudden war in Georgia, earthquake recovery). When I moved back from China I never thought that I would remain in this cosmopolitan of a setting, but here I am. Suddenly, the entire world is in the middle of nowhere.

Book Club Mania

It all began when I learned about Melissa and Andrew's book club in Ottawa. They got together with friends at a local coffee shop and discussed a portion of Augustine's Confessions. I realized that I was missing out. Thankfully, Erik and Mac agreed to form a Wausau Chapter (I know..I know its small) We've chosen the Russian classic Brothers Karamazov by Dostoevsky. Perhaps it should be placed on your "Must read before death" lists. The reading experience has been greatly enhanced by having freakishly intelligent people in the book club with me and some friendly accountability to read the next chapter.

People! Book clubs are so great! I propose you start one now. Here are the simple steps to beginning a fabulous book club.

1-Start talking to your friends about it. See if you have any dream reads in common. ex. "I've always wanted to read War and Peace, but I can't!" Make sure to recruit at least 2 English/Philosophy/Anthropology types so you can listen to their analysis.
2-Choose a book. Preferably a good one. Research the most excellent translation.
3-Choose a time, preferably on a Friday right after work, to meet and purchase the books together. This builds group unity. Then go out for pizza after you buy your books and think about how cool your book club will be.
4-Meet once a week and discuss the characters, plot, epic themes and hilarious moments.

Book Club Wausau is currently researching our second book choice. Any suggestions?

Vortex (Knot) / winnie the pooh!!**

A vortex (pl. vortices) is a spinning, often turbulent, flow (or any spiral motion) with closed streamlines. The shape of media or mass swirling rapidly around a center forms a vortex. It flows in a circular motion.

I don't really understand exactly what a vortex is, or how it works, but I feel that it is an apt analogy for the past few months of my life. I think I am finally to the point where I can sit back and reflect a little on events, instead of swirling around in a turbulent and spinning circular motion. Reflection is usually an important part of my existence-- I enjoy journaling and day-dreaming, blogging and "processing" life with others in long conversations. (Even though I dislike to equate people with machines, the word "processing" is a helpful descriptor. I'm suddenly remembering a moment during a class debate last year in China when Stella yelled out, "WE ARE NOT MACHINES" and thrust her clenched fist into the air... simply amazing.) It is noteable that since I have arrived back from China I have spent VERY little time writing or blogging. With the advent of this renewed urge to write (spurred on by Alli's recent prolific blogging and a desire to keep in touch with people, (Shout out Grandma!) ) I think this is a good sign that I am arriving at a bit more stability of life! Yay!

My life has not been unstable in a negative way... on the contrary there have been such incredible blessings of the past few months that I can't begin to take it in. June-October has definately been characterized by TRANSITION. Transition to good things, but transition nonetheless.

Breathe.

One of the truly wonderful blessings has been getting engaged to Erik. He is truly amazing and I am so glad and richly blessed to spend the rest of my life with him!

(WOW!!!!)

I am currently wrapping my brain around the fact that we will be married in less than 2 months! An example of how mushy I am right now is characterized by my experience in a flower shop last week. I was glancing around at the decorations they had on the wall and I read these words on a sign...

“If you live to be 100, I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day, so I never have to live without you.” (Winnie the Pooh)

And I started crying. And its true. I hope I never have to live without you Erik. I love you!

Summer 2007

This summmer I had the incredible opportunity to go to Europe with Erik and his parents. We saw so many amazing art museums, churches, cities and people. One thing that really stood out to me was the richness of the cultural heritage of faith. I saw the story, again and again in such beautiful ways.

Green Grass and Coming Home

I have arrived back to the USA!

My journey looked something like this:

-a farewell from about 20 of my students
-a van ride to the trainstation
-an all night train from Nanchang to Beijing
-a debriefing session in Beijing
-a 14 hour plane ride from Beijing-Shanghai-LAX (at this point I got to hang out with my cousin in LA! She is awesome!)
-a 2 hour flight from LAX to Spokane

It has been so wonderful to see my family again and to feel at home.

Before I left I was warned about a phenomena called "reverse culture shock".
So far I am experiencing the "honeymoon stage" of "reverse culture shock".
While it hasn't been difficult to be home I have noticed some interesting differences between China and America. I keep seeing everything through the eyes of my Chinese friends and imagining how they would view America. Things that I always assumed were normal suddenly strike me curiously.

For example:

-the abundance of wonderful green lawns. I did not see any lawns in China and I sometimes wonder if the thought of a sprinkler system would be offensive or miraculous to the water depleted northern areas.
-the abundance of cars and the absence of motorcycles and bicycles. I think the driving lifestyle in America as well as the relative order of the traffic would be very interesting to my Chinese friends.
-the absence of people outside.
-the fact that everyone is speaking English. I have been so happy to be able to make small talk with strangers! I've always enjoyed talking to people at the grocery store or talking to little kids, but I couldn't do this in China.
-the material I can access on the internet
-the things I can say

Often when I told Chinese students that I was from America they would say something like this, "Oh! America is a very developed country!" This struck me strangely as the first comment to make about a country, but in fact, after being back, that might be one of the first comments I would make too.

G.K. Chesteron said, "The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land."

I like this quote because I think it has helped me to understand what has been happening to me this year. I leared a lot about China, but I also see my own country differently. I think one of the main changes that has happened in my life this year is that I see my role here differently. I have been welcomed into the land of China and I want to be a person who welcomes newcomers into the land of America. Its hard to be away from your own culture and America has so many people coming from different places that its easy to build friendships with people from all over the world. This is an amazing opportunity and it is at our front door if we open our eyes.

How I have changed in other ways:
-I say random things in Chinese instead of Spanish or English. I will say "due" instead of "si" or "yes". I will say "shi shi ni" instead of "gracias" or "thankyou".
-The way I speak has changed. I have stopped using reductions and slang. (I do not understand, instead of I don't understand). I speak slower. I use smaller words. Being an English teacher has decreased my vocabulary.
-I am more grateful.
-I am relatively obsessed with Asia! The continent has come alive to me and it is a real place with a fascinating history and a fascinating future even though it is far away.
-I am not afriad to move to a different country.
-I will never look at a "made in China" label the same again. Many of my friends worked in factories before they came to college.

I am really glad to be home and while I don't know exactly how this year in China will play into my future I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to go.

I look forward to catching up with you all! Please don't hesitate to call or write!