He Knows Me

Making Jiao Zi with my student and Emily

I love how well the Father knows me. My weekend this weekend has confirmed to me (as if He needed too) just how well He knows me inside and out! So Friday, I had one morning class... and lemme tell ya it was by far the most random and funniest class I have had yet! I was calling random names and my students were telling me their partner's answer to the question I gave them to discuss in English. The question had something to do with winter break plans. Well, when I got to this one group, a boy and girl, the boy said she likes to play Eagle and Chicken. I wasn't sure I had heard them right and apparently my facial expression gave away my confusion because the whole class began to shout at me the name of the game "Eagle and Chicken"... except they were doing hand motions to demonstrate the two animal names. I started laughing and finally it clicked that he said "eagle and chicken". Having never heard of this game, I asked what the game was. And boy did they all jump up to explain to me! I couldn't stop laughing at how much energy was springing forth from these students at the mention of this game... yet, with their poor English ability I calmed them down and said I don't understand, show me! Oh boy! Mass chaos erupted as students began yelling out Chinese getting the game organized. About six students stood up and formed a line and then another student, who was detached from the line, started trying to run around the line of students- but the line of students was preventing this student from getting to the end. After the funniest and most random demonstration of the game, I still had no idea what was going on.... So they explained that the line of students was protecting the chicken at the end of the line and the eagle was the student trying to get to the chicken at the end of the line.... Interesting. Weird. Moving on! I ended up laughing randomly throughout my day as I was walking around because I just couldn't get over how much fun it was to be around these students and this completely different culture!

My Whole Class of 38, the jiao zi, and my teammates and I

Friday night was full of even more chaos! Earlier this week, I had been invited to make jiao zi (dumplings) with one of my whole classes! All week I was looking forward to this because this class in particular is one of my favorites! It has the group of boys that asked and took me out to lunch the second week I was teaching! So, three of my teammates agreed to come along and we met two of the students, Susan and Jack Black, outside our apartments. Okay, Jack Black has a special place in my heart- he was the boy that asked me to go with him and his boys to lunch. He had bought me lunch and he just is so sweet- I feel a sense of protection like an older sister with him. Susan is a kick in the pants! She literally was bouncing around from side to side as we walked over to the dining halls. Her energy is infectious and I could feel mine racing up to join hers! Some of my teammates seemed a bit overwhelmed during the night because they teach older students. The older students have really good English and are not as "young" (shall I say?) as the freshman I teach- the two levels are very different! Yet, when we got to the room and all 38 of my students were there, I has the most beautiful sense of peace and pure joy wash over me. I smiled all night long as we filled the dumplings with stuff, as the students tried to speak English with me, as they smacked my cheeks with flour so that I matched all of them, and as they laughed and loved on one another. I love my job. I love my students. And I love where the Father has me right now. There is a sense of rightness that comes flooding around at times like these! How well He knows me to place me with the squirrely and energetic freshman classes- He knows my personality, my crazy, energetic heart and He placed me in the right classes! I feel no disappointment that my conversations with my students this year will be much more limited than some of my teammates- because He who knows me best, placed me where my heart will thrive and my love for Him will be most evident-not in my words but in my joyful and upbeat personality! Praise Him! The night was full of drama in the good sense! Boys will be boys no matter what country you are in and last night was no different. The boys started a flour fight with the girls- and me and my teammates got dragged into it as well! We made a TON of jiao zi! We put together a bunch of tables to make one big banquet table to eat at and we all sat around giving cheers- and making speeches! It was a blast to say the least! And toward the end, they all began asking and pushing each other to do performances! About half of the boys in my class sang songs individually at the request of the girls :) And they kept pushing for me and my teammates to perform but we did not succumb to the pressure. I mean I am their teacher- gotta maintain some sense of authority here!  :) Can't be letting them see me completely unwind all in one night!! After the performances, I left and went back to the apartments. It was approaching 10 pm and the rest of our team finally returned back to campus after going to an international music show in the city. They had not had dinner yet and so they concocted this wonderful idea to make pancakes and french toast! Me and my teammate Megan joined them in this endeavor at our team leaders' apartment. One of our Chinese brothers, Grammar, was with them as well. He had never eaten french toast before and it was probably one of the funniest moments I have ever witnessed! So, our team leader Dan gives him a plate with two pieces of french toast on them and a fork.  (Side note: the fork looked so awkward in his hands- must be how I look holding chopsticks lol) And Dan also gives him peanut butter and syrup for his french toast. So Grammar puts on the pb to one of the pieces of bread and then asks Dan, "Dan is this okay? Is this enough peanut butter?" We all laughed at his concerned question and Dan agreed with a smirk that it was a sufficient amount of pb. So Grammar then proceeds to sandwich the two pieces of bread together and lifts them up to take a bite. Dan quickly stops him, almost startling him, "No No No, Grammar it's not a sandwich, you just eat it a piece at a time, here I am going to put a little syrup on for you". We all started busting out laughing because Grammar had no idea what was going on, and he starts laughing too with this comment, "what? this is my first time". Oh man it was the cutest scene to witness. The night continued on way past my bedtime to 12 pm. We just sat around talking and laughing about various things and it was so comforting! It felt like a piece of home! Earlier in the week I had the privilege of going out to dinner with one of the "supers". The "supers" are a team from our organization on campus for their second year here. So they do what we do but they also did the same thing last year- they are the returners. So anyway, this super, Tannah, is a little piece of home to me. She is very similar to me in our approach to most things and I loved discovering this when we went off-campus to eat dinner together. In that night, I felt like I was home again- enjoying a nice dinner out with a friend talking about everything meaningful to girls! It was a blessing to say the least! I also learned that my love language is quality time. I felt so restored from this time with Tannah because it was intentional one on one time spent talking about our lives and the Father. I became aware that THAT is something I need more of here. It gives life to me, where as too much time spent in big groups talking about meaningless things can be life-threatening to me. Anyways, both evenings were blessings because they brought me back home- where it is normal to meet up with a friend and go eat. One way I can bring a little bit of home here :)

RiRi teaching me Chinese!

So Saturday was incredible as well. I got to sleep in, have an amazing conversation through skype with my parents after a couple weeks of not having the opportunity! Then I went to lunch with one of my students named Phoenix. She is so sweet- she is from the Southern part of China and wants me to come home with her over winter holiday! So we will see. She says she is a sister, and she wants to get the Word and go to fellowship! I was delighted to hear this but the Spirit is giving me some caution in this as well as discernment. I will continue to pursue her and lift her up!

Cornerstone Cafe with RiRi and our Tea!

The afternoon was full of RiRi time! RiRi is one of my teammate Megan's students and she has impeccable English. I have spent a little time with her before, but yesterday was awesome! We went to a like-minded coffee shop off campus and had tea as she gave me my Chinese lesson. Um, I love the language of Chinese! I want to learn it forever regardless of where the Father leads me next! As we were studying, a man in about his thirties approached our table and said an awkward hello. I greeted him back and then waited expecting he would say something because he had approached our table. He didn't say anything. I could see RiRi giving me confused glances and I just tried to be kind to the man, "How are you?" I decided to ask. He replied he was good and then his comments came. He asked what we were doing, where I was from, how long I had been here, where I was working... etc. He was so strange, but RiRi being equally outgoing as me and not as apprehensive asked him to join us in the lesson. He agreed and I quickly had two teachers teaching me Chinese. Then RiRi had me practice my lessons by conversing with the waitress. It was a performance- the coffee shop is not big and so everyone was staring at me as I practiced what I learned. I was put on the spot- literally brought back to the moments of panic as my spanish Professor would rattle off a question to me with her eyebrows raised in expectancy. The only difference, the Chinese people are beyond gracious! They are truly so kind and gracious when it comes to trying and learning! They were all patient with me as I tried my tongue at the four tones creating their language! It went decently and they all encouraged me to continue practicing! Loved it! After our lesson, we left and went walking around the local market eventually settling down for dinner. But as we walked around, I was questioning every vendor I passed with my little chinese asking what is this? and what is this? Having no clue what they would say in response I just embraced what little knowledge I had garnered! RiRi took delight in my little production! I got to know RiRi much better in these four hours of venturing around the shopping area and I have a special place for her too in my heart! She will continue to teach me Chinese and I hope to teach her more about where the meaning of my life comes from. May He have his way in this relationship! That is all that I have to report about from this wonderful weekend. I am awed by how well the Father knows me and how all the struggle I went through in deciding to come here was purposeful. I have been given the greatest gift of love from Him, and my students. They are a true joy to work with and I know I can continue to walk in trust and faith because the One leading is the One that knows my heart, and my desires the best!