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CHINA Year 2: Where Did You Go?

2/16/2019

Where did you go?

I can answer this question in so many different ways.

Where did you go?

As in traveled? Since my last update blog, I have been to eight cities in China,
traveled inside three different continents, and moved to a new home!

Where did you go?

As in “Why haven’t you written more blogs?” Oh, well… I was travelling a lot in the fall, then I was sick, then I moved, then I was traveling again, then I was writing a book… I’m sorry!

How have six months gone by and I haven’t updated? Ah!

This school year has been unbelievably crazy. It was so unexpected, considering I imagined things would calm down as I settled into my life in China. However, my second year here has been more challenging and difficult than the first year for sure! The excuses I could make as a “newbie” are no longer valid and everything has moved away from being shiny and adventurous and now it’s just a little more mundane… on top of that, I still don’t have it all figured out and certain parts of life are still hard (grocery shopping is still the worst)…

Let's slow down though because I’m not trying to complain! I’m just recognizing how my circumstances have changed and this school year looks really different than last year. Nothing is quite the ‘normal’ I expected it to be. My responsibilities have grown and while I have flourished in commanding most of them, a few others have left me desperate and gasping for air. I didn’t mean to be so out of check with my blog, which honestly is really more like a journal for me, so here I am trying to get back into the swing with 2019!

(Some of you are like, “it’s already February, so that’s not 2019”, but I’ll have you know by the Lunar calendar we are only one week into 2019, so “Haha!”)

2018-2019 Highlights
(that have happened since we last "talked" properly)

SEPTEMBER 2018

1. I went on a week-long fall trip with our seventh grade students again this year. Two highlights of the trip were reaching the top of Mount Tai and going inside the museum of the Wexian Internment Camp.

2. I joined a local photographer’s club and went on a portrait outing in order to practice some photography skills. It was fun and I learned a lot from watching the technique and style used by others.

3. Did I ever mention that wild city hedgehogs are one of my favorite things about living in China? Seriously, catching these guys for a friendly hello is the best.

OCTOBER 2018

1. During our week-long October Holiday, I traveled to the city of Chengdu, China as a chaperone for a Youth Retreat geared toward our school's staff kids. I was able to camp out in a tent in the Chengdu Mountains and go hiking in southern China. My favorite part of the trip was singing around a bonfire at night and getting to know our guides from the tour company Extravagant Yak. Check out their website!

2. I also chaperoned a trip to Tianjin, China. Our sister school in Tianjin was hosting an MUN competition. For those of you who don’t know what MUN is, it stands for Model United Nations. The students debate and discuss real world events while playing representatives of different foreign countries. It’s really impressive to see these students putting in the time and research in order to think of ways to solve the world’s problems. The focus of this year’s MUN was technology and I enjoyed being a part of their growth and learning.

3. I began reading script adaptations of "Robin Hood" in order to pick one for my middle school spring show. I also did some hands-on prep at a local indoor archery range.

4. I got ridiculously sick during the middle of October and missed about a week of school due to fever, sneezing, coughing, the works... I know it was from overextending myself and all the travel I was doing (with more to come). Apparently, I'm bad at saying "No" when someone asks me to be a chaperone, haha. Thankfully, friends got me on some antibiotics and after a lot of rest I began to heal.

5. I celebrated the 1 year anniversary of attending a Korean fellowship here in Qingdao! I am really thankful for my fellowship family!

NOVEMBER 2018

1. In November, our school hosted a retreat for students in our school system throughout China. I was blessed lead a small theatrical portion of the weekend. I really enjoyed introducing some new skits that I had brought from my youth group drama club days! I think this weekend reminded me how my value is not found in how much other people do (or don’t) need me, but instead it comes from my Father. In a world full of global affirmation it can be hard to keep perspective on that.

2. November was also filled with rehearsals for the high school theatre’s performance of Louis Sachar’s “Sideways Stories from Wayside School”. I took on my role of director’s assistant and producer with vigor, but found myself quite overwhelmed and stressed during the shows prep. We are praising the L—d that the show itself had great success. The cast and crew were so comfortable and confident by the final performance that they just shined.

3. Spirit Week meant fun and memorable costumes for things like “Character Day”, “Hero Day”, “Wacky Day” and more! Any reason to dress up is a must for me!

4. Dog sitting for other expat families is such a blessing for my dog-sick soul. Missing my little Benji so much!

DECEMBER 2018

1. We don’t get snow days because it never stays long, but we do occasionally get enough to play in. I was excited to take my small group advisory class outside to play in the snow one cold morning!

2. I moved! I now have a new apartment and roommate here in Qingdao. My new roommate is also a TCK who is Korean by passport, but grew up with M parents in Thailand! We seem to get a long really well, which I am thankful for. I am also grateful that my move wasn't too extensive as I still live in the same complex. I just moved from building 12 to building 15. I must admit that the process of moving was still stressful… and doing it right before holiday break had me a mess.

3. Christmas festivities continued at school. From a school house caroling competition to our annual Christmas Fair the days were packed with holiday fun!

4. I held auditions for my spring show, “Robin Hood”. At the time, I still had not found a script. I had read about 10-12 scripts and hated them all. I was going on faith though that the Father had told me to do "Robin Hood" and he would provide the perfect script. I bought three additional scripts to read and had mailed them to my parents in the USA hoping that I would like one when I visited my family for Christmas… more on that later.

5. I did get to spend Christmas with my family. I was in the USA, for a total of 11 days and it was a complete whirlwind and not very restful. All the same, it was splendid to spend the first five or so days with all my siblings and my parents. The second half of the trip was just my parents and I (with Benji) and I spent quite a bit of time clothing shopping (something I haven’t done in over a year), getting new contacts/glasses, and other stateside necessities.

JANUARY 2019

1. I headed back to China on January 4th and started back to school on January 7th.

2. Upon return, we had three weeks of school where my Theatre class started with my cast and crew of "Robin Hood".
Now, I told you earlier that I was reading through scripts while I visited my parents. The bad news is that I hated all the scripts I had bought. Over 20 some Robin Hood adaptations and I couldn't find a single one I believed in. Long story short, I have come to discover that I am the type of director who has to believe in the message of a show in order to be able to do it. All the Robin Hood adaptations I read were either too mature for middle schoolers, were merely comedies meant to make people laugh, had weak female characters, or painted Robin Hood as this egotistical, cardboard cutout kind of hero.
I wanted to tell a story of Robin Hood that had themes of friendship, selflessness, courage, and I wanted a story that challenged my students to help those in need.
So, after bawling my eyes out to my mom the night before I flew back to China. I decided that I would still do a Robin Hood adaptation, but if I couldn't find the perfect script... I would write it myself (I know, it sounds as insane to me as it does to you.)
I wrote the initial draft in the two weeks back in school in January. (updates in February)

3. At the end of January, we were out of school again for another two weeks to celebrate Lunar New Year Holiday (Chinese New Year). My roommate and I travelled to South Africa together. It was my first time back on the continent of Africa after leaving Senegal when I was 12.

FEBRUARY 2019

1. After an amazing eight days in summery South Africa (of which I will write a much longer blog about soon), I returned to China ready to go back to work.

2. After a number of edits and adjustments the final draft of my “Robin Hood” script was given to my cast and crew on Thursday, February 14th (Happy Valentine’s Day!). I am thrilled and terrified to finally begin putting our show together. I never imagined being in my second year in China and writing my own show to stage. It is the L—d’s doing for sure, I just knew I felt called to do a “Robin Hood” adaptation… and when I couldn’t find one with the heart and message I wanted, I felt the Father telling me to do it myself. I’m really thankful for my coworkers here in China who pushed me and believed in me. It’s honestly, in my head, a total miracle that the 76 page script is complete.

I guess that leads me to Pr-y-r Requests ...

PR-Y-R REQUESTS

Please lift up our show. It is my pr-y-r that the message of "Robin Hood" touches the lives of the students and that my Father is glorified in its presentation. We have a lot of work to do!
I signed another contract! I can’t believe I’m already speeding toward the end of my second year working in China. On January 10th, I signed a second contract to stay in China for another two years (till 2021). I pr-y-d about it a lot and felt that the Father is not yet finished with me here. He has work He wants me to do and I am trying to be obedient to His call.
My Health (this is a constant battle, especially during the winter season as the pollution levels increase throughout China)
Motivation and productivity (Show season means my schedule is crazy busy and it’s hard to teach classes, be the director, continue learning Chinese, clean my house, oh and have a social life somewhere in there, too?)
Please lift up my students. It is my greatest desire to be a blessing to them for the kingdom. I’ve been feel discouraged in this area and want to take more time to lift them up regularly, recognizing that the Father has greater plans for each and every one of them than I could even imagine.
Staffing needs. Hiring season is beginning for international schools! With the end of the school year coming, the preparation to say goodbye to coworkers who are moving back to their home countries or going to other international schools begins. As a result, we are in need of more teachers! If you know anyone who may be interested in teaching in China, please feel free to give them my contact information and I’d be happy to answer questions and/or give insight into living abroad as an educator!

I hope this was a welcome update. Thank you for waiting around for me to reach out. I promise it won’t be this long before the next one! Blessings!

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Reflections: A Little Lot of Good

12/8/2018

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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights,
with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17 (ESV)

Today was an exceptional day. I make this statement recognizing that it is only two o’clock in the afternoon and the day is hardly over, but I feel my heart is full of thankfulness today.

This morning I slept in until about 7:30 AM. I got out of bed and decided that after getting ready for fellowship, I would go to a coffee shop down the road to get some breakfast and caffeine before heading to fellowship.

On my way, I stopped to look for Oliver (the stray dog I befriended after moving here) and was delighted when instead of me finding him, he found me and greeted me with big wags and lots of begging for belly rubs. He and I then walked together to the coffee shop where I told him I was going inside and if he waited I would be right back out. I looked outside as I ordered my coffee and breakfast and saw Oliver laying down patiently in front of the coffee shop doorway. He waited for me until I came back out and together we shared a ham and cheese sandwich on the steps of the coffee shop. My first thought was, “Humans don’t deserve dogs. They are too good.” Then I realized it’s not that dogs are good, it is that He, my heavenly Father, is good. I have been so blessed. I know that my friendship with this patient stray is undoubtedly from the L-rd.

After a shared breakfast on this chilly morning, I walked Oliver back to his street before boarding a bus and heading to fellowship. In October, I celebrated one year of attending this Korean fellowship in China. A bit odd yes, but such a blessing. As I sat down in my seat I noticed a little boy observing me curiously from a row across the way. I began making silly faces his way and in a few seconds he was squirming with giggles and wore a big smile on his face. I continued to make funny faces as the boy’s father noticed his laughter and saw my ridiculous expressions. The father laughed too at the boy’s happy amusement.

As I sat in my chair awaiting the start of the service, I thought about how simple my morning had been, but how blessed I felt in response to it. A morning full of dirty belly rubs, patient furry eyes, goofy faces and a child’s laugh. I continued to dwell on why I haven’t felt this way for much of the past month. I knew the answer immediately. I haven’t been seeking out the little bits of good that the Father has given to me.

My focus of late has been my unfinished to do list (why does it only seem to get longer?), my lack of time (this wasn’t supposed to take this long!), the emotions of relationships and doing life with people (why are people so complicated?), the ever growing number of grey hairs on my head (I’m only 27!), the stress of organizing this event or that activity (I think this is supposed to be fun, but I’m feeling too frazzled to enjoy it right now), the pressures of parent contacts, grades, the end of the semester (Chicken + chop - head = me!), and the simple, but strenuous challenges that come daily with being a teacher (Did I really choose this career?). Most of the month, my internal thoughts have been wrapped up in one very true and taxing statement, “Man, life is really hard right now.” I hope you can imagine my surprise at finding myself wholly content and at peace over something so simple as sharing breakfast with a dog and making a kid laugh. Those tiny things seemed so GOOD. However, I realize that what made them good was not the events themselves, but my recognition that they were from the L-rd. By accepting them as beautiful, truly good gifts from above… I loved them all the more.
I wonder how many times in the past month I have missed out on seeing the little goods my Father has given me because I chose instead to focus on what I perceived as the big “bads”. Noticing the little bit of good from Him, surprisingly helped me feel overwhelmed by a lot of good. I just can’t help, but think this lesson I have been reminded of today is a perfect reminder of the reason for the season.

A peasant girl.

A carpenter.

A stable.

A star.

A band of shepherds.

A baby.

A cross.

Out of context all these things can be perceived as little and insignificant, but altogether – when we recognize the gift they all make up – I suddenly see a whole lot of good.

My pr-yer for you today – friend, family member, and reader – is that you stop to see the little bits of good that you have been gifted today. The Father above is thinking of you as He holds you in his hands with a little, lot of His goodness.

The L-RD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
Psalm 145:9 (ESV)

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Language Learning & My Selfish Heart

10/14/2018

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Photo by VOA News

If moving across the world has taught me anything, it has taught that I’m pretty much the most selfish person to be alive. Listen, I’m not exaggerating and I don’t take pride in admitting this faulty, evil, just plain unpleasant part of my being.

There is nothing like inconvenience and cultural isolation to draw out our innermost entitlement and self-absorbed nature. Since I was a little girl my parents have preached into my soul the phrase “It’s not about you.” Yes, I can hear my mother’s voice telling me this as I whine about having to go to my sister’s orchestra concert. My father’s scolding tone speaks into my mind repeating this phrase as I object to not being allowed to do something for some reason or another. My whole life my parents have told me that life, particularly MY LIFE is NOT about ME. However, when you are a selfish person, you really never learn this truth. Unless, your whole world is turned upside down. The first time I really came face to face with this fact was after my horseback riding accident in 2012. I glimpsed what meant, but easily forgot the lesson.

My experience in China, however, though it has not cured me of my selfishness… it has revealed to me how REALLY true that statement is. I suppose I should explain myself, but I warn you it’s not a short story and it’s not a story that presents my best self. Still, if I am to learn what true selflessness is, then I think I should take the opportunity to tell you how I am starting to really understand what it means live your life for something bigger than just yourself.

First, I moved to China, you know this. You also know that China, the most populated country in the world, speaks Mandarin… a language considered by many to be the most difficult language to learn. Tones, measure words, written characters… these are just the tip of the iceberg when comes to how DIFFERENT Chinese is from my first language – English.

But when I arrived in China over a year ago, I was so excited to learn the language. I had these unbelievable expectations that I would come home from school every day and study Chinese for one hour. As you can guess, that lasted about three days into my school year. I was also surprised to discover how many expats in the city I live in, don’t speak Chinese. Most of them expressed their doubtful attitude when I talked about my excitement for language learning. Now, I understand that was because they realized the challenge of working full time and being a language student. Plus, I’m working in an all English environment, it doesn’t exactly accommodate immersive language learning (despite the fact that 30% of my co-workers are native Chinese speakers). Let’s just say I quickly became quite disillusioned about my language learning only a few months after my arrival in China.

My school is super cool in that they provide tutors for the teachers to meet with twice a week. Quickly, I discovered that while my tutor was one of the nicest people you could meet, there was no curriculum and the tutoring classes were really what you made them. I’m not criticizing my school or my teacher, I’m just saying what I was feeling. I realized this twice a week during a planning period one-on-one language practice was not enough… and really not what I personally needed or wanted.

Now, some people said I just had unrealistic expectations about what I was doing in China. My work is in a foreign school with the children of foreigners. They are my “m-work”. I believe this is true. My classroom is my field… BUT, you have to understand, I have a unique calling and self-inflicted pressure when it comes to language. My parents, as most of you should know, are Ms and have worked in BOOK translation for over 25 years (basically my whole life). I was raised believing that my Father speaks ALL languages. This means that if I pack up my life and move to another country, whether I am working in an English environment or not, it is a part of my soul belief that I should learn the language of the country I am living in. Otherwise, I am doing my Father, the one who called me to this place, a great disservice. Honestly, if I don’t put in an effort to study Chinese then I might as well live in the U.S. where I am comfortable and basic life (things from grocery shopping to travel) are EASY. Language is a part of my testimony as a believer, this I feel in the deepest recesses of my heart. Some may not agree with me, but I feel this.

So, you can imagine my frustration and truthfully RAGE at how unfulfilled I was in my almost non-existent language learning. Sure, I was learning survival phrases for basic everyday life stuff. I know way more now than I did when I arrived, but I still can’t talk, truly talk, to people… and I hate that. I think I’ve long prided myself in being eloquent and well-educated. I moved to China and suddenly I’m basically deaf, blind, mute, and dumb. It’s humiliating and feels so insulting to the wonderful Chinese people around me.

Over the summer, I wrote about how I really felt I had made more progress in two weeks of daily study than I had my whole first year. But, I could focus then… I could go home and had time to do two hours of Chinese homework. It ended and I felt myself become more bitter and resentful than before. I had talked to the tutoring supervisor at our school, expressing my dissatisfaction with my current tutoring situation, but found myself scheduled back with the same teacher… still with no goal. I was feeling unheard, angry, and downright selfish. I am not proud to admit how nasty my thoughts were about the whole situation.

I didn’t pr-y about it. I just decided I wanted to take things into my own hands. My motivations were completely selfish and honestly, spiteful. I went behind the back of my current tutor and the supervisor and talked to my friend the head of our student Chinese department. I asked her if one of the teachers would allow me to sit in on the student Chinese classes that meet everyday during first period. Truthfully, I thought she would say no. Instead, she excitedly told me she would ask all around and find me a class to become a student in.

The next day, one of the teachers came to me and told me she had a class of middle school students (all my students) taking Chinese I and she would love it if I would become a member of her class. So, I found myself a little unhappily giving up a 45 minute planning period every day to take Chinese class with 5 middle school students.

On the first day, we were writing Chinese characters. I was like “I’ve never studied characters! Only pinyin!” (pinyin is the Romanized version of the Chinese language and used when typing). The students laughed as I struggled to write characters for the first time.

I need you to understand how selfish my motivations were when I chose to be in this class. I just wanted something “better” for myself. I wanted… well, in short, I wanted to get what I wanted. Then, when I got it, I was mad because I’d had to give up my own time (precious planning period time) to have it. Over the next two weeks of classes, the Father rocked that selfishness to the core and humbled me incredibly.

After one week in the class, my teacher (and friend and co-worker) pulled me aside after class to explain that she had pr-yed to the Father for some sort of intervention in her small beginners class of five. See, the students in that class are pretty much all quiet, introverted students who lack confidence. She explained that the first three weeks of school getting any of them to talk had been literally impossible. Yet, she told me that when I joined the class… full of five of my own students, suddenly they were speaking. Not only were they speaking, but they were laughing and trying. They were failing, but they were also succeeding in expanding their language. She told me that it was because they saw me, their teacher, also commit to being a student. They saw me failing – badly, mind you – and doing things I’d never done before.

“I can see that you have given them a challenge and have brought energy to the class. We did not have that before.” She thanked me. She THANKED me. ME! The one who joined this class out of selfishness and spite. How guilty and truly chastised I felt in that moment. Unworthy, too. This thing I had done out of hateful, self-absorbed pride… she had pr-yed for…

It didn’t stop there. I found myself waiting outside the Chinese classrooms in the morning before class every day. More of my students in other classes began to notice.

“What are you doing here, Miss Manning?” they would ask.

“I’m going to class,” I told them. Then, I would get one of two responses. Pure laughter and joy OR shock and confusion. They began asking me what I was learning. They would beg to see my book filled with my toddler fail character writing. They would ask me to say the new words and make sentences out of the things I was learning. Some laughed, some corrected me, many said “Good job, Miss Manning!”

Others said, “Now you see how hard we have it, don’t you Miss Manning?”

“I do!” I replied. “You guys are amazing! I don’t know how you do this! Some of you this is your third or fourth language!” They shrugged, smiled, and nodded. They wished me luck on quizzes and told me it was okay when I got a bad score.

Then, there were the other co-workers. Other national staff who are not involved in the Chinese department began asking me about my classes. Telling me how impressed they were that a foreign teacher would be so committed to learning Chinese. They told me how inspired they were, how happy it made them to hear I was committed to fully taking these classes.

I have never been so… humiliated with myself. My high and mighty aspirations to learn Chinese were based off of selfish expectations. But it meant SO MUCH MORE to my coworkers and my students. Suddenly, these classes meant more than just “learning Chinese”. It’s my testimony to my coworkers… not in knowing the language, but in showing I wanted to learn. It’s my testimony to my students… not that I am the smartest person in the room, but instead that I fail and keep trying and do my best totally unrelated to a grade.

Boy, oh boy… I wish I could express how humbled I am. This thing that I did for me, for my own good, had absolutely NOTHING to do with me.

My Father let me pursue my selfishness in order to bless others.
In order to be an answer to pray to someone else.
In order to encourage someone else.
In order to motivate someone else.
This was not about me.

This was about the people around me that I was not seeing because I was too swept up in wanting what I wanted and getting it the only way I could. I’m not going to lie, the class is hard. Losing that planning period is so inconvenient. But the week before break, I read a book out loud to the class. It was a baby book, but all the words were Chinese characters.

It went something like this:

“The dragon is beside the mountain. The dragon is above the river. The dragon is in the river. The dragon is behind the tree. The dragon is in the tree.”

But I could read it! And my student who was sitting next to me in class, a girl who almost never talks, picked out a similar book and read it to me.

I don’t know how to explain it. I’ve just come to really understand that very little in my life is actually about me.
Any success that I have...
Any joy that I experience...
Any utter and total failure I live through…
it’s not. About. me.

It’s first and foremost about my heavenly Father and work that He is doing. Then, it’s about the people around me and how my life… the good, the bad, and the really ugly… what those experiences mean for them. I know I won’t always see this truth in my life. Sometimes because I’m too blind and self-absorbed to and sometimes because it’s just not for me to know.

Still, it matters. It matters that I realize that the experiences I have in my life are often times not about me.

I think about Joseph and Esther… these people who lived through really horrible times and really wonderful times, but it wasn’t about them. It was about the Father’s PEOPLE. Their tragedies and glories were the Father saving the lives of the people around them. Almost all of those saved were people that Joseph and Esther never even knew, but the Father knew them. The Father LOVED them. It’s because He loves the world that He uses us in this way.

I want to be a slave to that love. I don’t want to be a slave to my own selfishness anymore. I’m thankful that my selfishness was used to bless, but I wish I could have found that blessing without being consumed with myself.

My life is not about me.
Your life is not about you.

The minute I truly know this… I am sure I will feel such freedom and hope. Because if it’s not about me, then nothing in my life can crush me. There is something so much bigger happening in life when we recognize that it’s not about us.

I acted badly when I was full of selfish motivation. Yet, I am amazed by how my Father used my selfish plans to bring about so much good. From now on, I would like to live less selfishly and be motivated by the thought of those around me. This expanse of love is not my own, but that of He who is so much greater and wiser that little ole me. Whatever you do, whatever happens to you – the good and the bad – I hope you will remember and be comforted by the fact that the Father uses it all. He can bless anyone through any and every situation and circumstance… and often times we will never realize the impact these portions of our lives have on everyone, except for us. That, my friends, is good news.

But Joseph said to them,
“Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people."
Genesis 50:19-20

"For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"
Esther 4:13-14

Location: Qingdao, Shandong Province; Photo by: Nathan Mawhinney

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CHINA Year 2: Mid-Autumn Festival

9/22/2018

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The school year is in full swing and the days are flying by. My schedule for the most part looks similar to last year, for which I am very thankful. I am teaching two sections of 6th Grade English Language Arts, 1 section of 8th Grade English Language Arts, and my fall elective is Middle School Photography I. There are two main ways this school year has looked different for me.

Struggles and Pr-y-r Requests

First, my Middle School English partner is new to ISQ this year. My mentor, partner, and friend from last year got a job teaching at an international school in South Korea. My new partner transferred from one of our sister school’s in China. I am so grateful that she and I have hit it off remarkably. She is also a TCK who grew up in Thailand, so already we have a lot of life experience that allows us to relate to one another more easily. What has been hard about our relationship is that now I am the one “in the know”. Whereas my mentor/partner last year had been working, teaching, and building our Middle School Language Arts curriculum for three years… I’ve taught the entire curriculum only once. I know I really am my own worst critic, but I don’t think I’m doing a totally great job at helping and mentoring her as a new staff member. I do not always know the answer to her questions off-hand. I just don’t like feel like I’m letting her down or not providing her with the amount of support I was given. This is a difficult, but common reality when it comes to life as an expat educator. In one year you can go from being the newbie to being the veteran. I remain grateful that my partner has given me a great amount of grace and understanding as I strive to guide and assist. In many ways, we’re just learning and growing together which is not a bad place to be, just hard sometimes. I would appreciate any and all pr-y-r directed at this daily and weekly work struggle.

The second big change this year relates to a change in our entire school environment. Our school is (along with all our company’s other schools in China) significantly understaffed this year. We had more teachers and families leave last year than new staff have come in. This means the same amount of work and responsibilities has fallen into a fewer number of hands. I’m not complaining on the whole, but I do find myself far more stretched and busy this year than I felt last year (other than during show season). It isn’t unmanageable, but it is a little stressful and slightly overwhelming at times. I’m once again having to learn how to both become a better manager of my time and efficiently prioritize my responsibilities. Again, any and all pr-y-ers are welcome in this area, for both myself and our entire staff… as all are feeling the pressure and strain from the lack of hands and help.

Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival

Last week was Mid-Autumn Festival in China. As mentioned in my previous blog, Mid-Autumn Festival is the harvest moon festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar (always aligning with a full moon). Our national staff helped the students celebrate the holiday by creating a scavenger hunt for them within the school. Along with answering a number of questions about the holiday, its mythology and history, the students had to find 4 characters hidden throughout the school. These four character were Chang’E, Wu Gang, the Jade Rabbit, and Mr. Mooncake.

I’d love to share with you my short and very unpoetic version (the Chinese tales are absolutely glorious in their poetic tellings) of these mythological characters.
Featuring pictures of our in-school characters!

Chang'E & The Jade Rabbit

Chang'E quizzes students as a part of their scavenger hunt.

Chang'E is ready to float off to the moon to escape the greedy students. Can you spot the Jade Rabbit nearby?

To begin, Chang’E was a wise and beautiful woman married to an intelligent scholar and archer named Hou Yi. Hou Yi had an enchanted potion that could make him immortal, but he refused to drink it because he loved his wife too much and wanted to be with her. Hou Yi asked his wife to watch over and protect his potion anytime he was away. One day, when her husband wasn’t home one of his students broke into the home and tried to steal the immortality potion. Chang’E refused to surrender the potion, but when she realized she could not defeat the student she drank it herself to keep it safe. Chang’E was immediately transported into the heavens to live on the moon as an immortal. Her husband, heartbroken at the loss of his wife, discovered that the two could be together for only one night each year. That night was the evening of the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, when the moon is fullest and brightest. The two remain separated, but during Mid-Autumn Festival families have reunions and present each other with mooncakes as a symbol of love and loyalty. Chang’E found a companion on the moon in the Jade Rabbit. Interestingly, China’s first two space probes were named after the moon goddess: Chang’E 1 and Chang’E 2.

Wu Gang

Wu Gang came down from the moon to try his luck at cutting down trees on earth!

Wu Gang is another character who lives on the moon. He spends his life cutting down magical trees on the moon. He also harbors a deep unrequited love for the beautiful Chang’E.

Mr. Mooncake

Mr. Mooncake flees the hungry students who want the mooncake he wears around his neck!

Mr. Mooncake on the other hand is not an official mythical character. Instead, he represents the Santa Claus of the mooncakes during the scavenger hunt at our school. He walks through the hallways wearing a mooncake around his neck, trying to escape hungry school children who will do anything for a delicious mooncake!

Thoughts on Discovering Culture & Tradition

It was a really fun experience to celebrate this holiday with my co-workers and students this year. I got to experience the entire celebration first hand since I have switched into a student class for my Chinese language learning (more on that in another blog). We spent the week learning Chinese songs, talking about the myths and traditions, participating in the scavenger hunt, and trying different flavors of mooncakes.

One of the many things I love about living abroad is that there is always more to learn. About culture and tradition. There are always new stories and meanings behind everything. Discovering the inspiration for these cultural traditions is such an enriching experience. Seeing how excited my students and co-workers get makes me all the more eager to learn and engage with the culture. This is a part of relationship building and it is so precious to me.

I look forward to sharing more with you as I grow in my knowledge and understanding of China.

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CHINA Year 2: Visiting Yantai

9/15/2018

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A Weekend Getaway

Having reached my one year anniversary of moving to China, I celebrated by going on a weekend trip to the city of Yantai. Yantai is in the same province as Qingdao, though it lies about three hours north by train. It is on the other end of the Shandong Peninsula. It is another coastal city that lies across the Yellow Sea from the Koreas. Yantai is also home to one of my school’s seven sister schools across China.

My main objective in visiting Yantai was getting to see beloved friends who were a part of my New Staff and Pre-Field Orientation group from one year ago. It was really lovely to see these dear friends and see their city and school (after a year of telling myself I would go visit them). These girls have been to visit Qingdao about four times, so I was long overdue in returning the favor of a visit. We talked about our experiences in the first year, the changes and struggles we are facing in our second years, and even discussed our upcoming December decision about whether to renew contracts or not. It was really fun getting to see their school (they share a campus with a Chinese bilingual school that has more than 1,200 students) and having a game night with some of their co-workers. We also were able to cram in a day full of local sight-seeing!

Here are some pictures and stories behind our adventure!

Yantaishan

We first went to the Yantaishan (Yantai Hill Park) Lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1988 and stands just above the historic European district of downtown Yantai. It gives a great few of the harbor and shoreline boardwalk.

As a city, Yantai is less modern and far more spread out than Qingdao. I made the comment to my friend that it definitely felt “more country”, whilst remaining without a doubt a seaside city. This makes sense though because, while Yantai is the second largest industrial city in Shandong, its main industry is agriculture.

We met a man designing wood-burned engravings along the pathway. He was very excited to show us (a group of foreigners) his trade. He told my one friend, “I will write on your piece ‘Wonderland Yantai’! Because this place is so beautiful!” (my friends’ Chinese is MUCH better than mine!).

We walked through a prayer garden with hundreds of red ribbons containing handwritten personal prayers tied around the surrounding tree branches.

Like many other cities in Shandong Yantai shares a span of about 20 years where it was occupied by the Germans. Though never officially a German concession (unlike Qingdao), Germany certainly left their mark in areas with both architecture and street planning. After the Germans lost WWI, both Qingdao and Yantai were handed over to the Japanese. In 1938, a revolutionary movement declared Yantai its capital and sought to overthrow Japanese rule within the province. After China gained its independence from foreign rule, Yantai became an important guard point when entering the Bohai Sea from the Yellow Sea. It is considered a place of vital protection able to prevent an invasion on Beijing by boat.

The Museum of the Chinese Qipao

The most exciting stop of the day was at the Museum of the Chinese Qipao.

A Qipao is a traditional Chinese dress (pronounced ChEE-pow). In the museum, we were able to see the growth and transformation of the Chinese Qipao, first designed in as early as the 1700s, moving all the way up to present day. Many women still dress in red Qipaos for their wedding or other formal, special events.

An article by China Today describes Qipaos in the following way:

“Most of them were made of silk, and embroidered, with thick laces trimmed at the collar, sleeves and edges. The dress empresses of past dynasties wore them. Their style of dress was noted as the highest of standards for Chinese women for several thousand years. [The] Qipao characterize[s] Chinese women's modesty, softness and beauty. Like Chinese women's personality. Like many fashions, the beauty of Qipao stands away from others. Stunning is one of its features from the collar, loop, chest, waist and hips to the lower hem. Qipao completely shows off a woman's figure” (SOURCE).

The staff of the museum were SO excited to show us around and ask questions about our time in China. When we finished our tour they insisted that we try on some in-house Qipaos they have for sale. A good Qipao can range from anywhere between 300 – 5,000 RMB, depending on the style and/or what type of fabric it is made from. I tried on a simple lace dress that was about 500 RMB, whilst the staff insisted my friend Lydia try on a more modern dress that cost over 3,000 RMB. We girls giggled a lot and the staff kept begging we take pictures with them. I’m sure we’ll end up on all their advertising posters at some point in the next few months. Still, we had a lot of fun and it was really interesting learning the cultural history of such a traditional fashion piece in China.

(Chinese) Holiday Season

Everyone in China is currently preparing for the “Mid-Autumn Festival” holiday (also known as “The Moon Festival” or “The Harvest Festival”). The festival always takes place on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar and aligns with a full moon at night. This festival should also be known as the “Mooncake Festival” and celebrates the autumn harvest in China and a few other surrounding Asian countries. It is celebrated with family reunions, drinking traditional wine, eating mooncakes, and observing the full moon. I am looking forward to our school’s personal event on that day. It is a national holiday and therefore a day off for students and national staff. Meanwhile, the school’s foreign staff will go into school and participate in our district-wide National Day of P**yer.

Call Me the Chaperone Queen (upcoming travels)

This coming week (September 25th through 29th) I will be traveling as a chaperone on the 7th Grade Fall Trip again this year. I am looking forward to traveling throughout Shandong with 22 students and seeing some of the most notable historical and natural sites in the province. The week after that (October 1-5) is October Holiday and a week-long break to celebrate Chinese independence. I’ll be traveling as a chaperone on a staff kid youth retreat to the city of Chengdu! Lots of traveling for me in the next two weeks, but I am thrilled to continue building relationships with other staff and students and getting to experience more of this awesome country I live in. Plus, I am looking forward to having many new things to tell to you all!

Have a happy Mid-Autumn Festival!
Don’t forget to look at the moon and dwell upon Him that made it!

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CHINA Month 12: A Year of Color

8/24/2018

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365 DAYS. COME. GONE. HERE.

I did it.
I have lived overseas in China for one entire year.
My first year in China is complete and has come to an end.

How would I describe it in one word?

I have so many memories.
How can I put the experiences of 365 days into one word?
If I had to pick I would say my first year in China was COLORFUL.

"That makes no sense. Explain," you say.
"The colors ae no longer the same," I reply. "China has changed them. China has changed me. The colors are not colors alone... they are places, people, and things that have been poured out and overflowed into my life. It has been a year full of color."

BLACK

Black is lonely nights when I miss people (and my puppy) the most.
Black is my first mask that I wore through a few weeks of bad winter pollution.
Black is the tapioca pudding pearls inside a delicious warm cup of milk tea.
Black is my camera that has walked hundreds of miles with me and become a way for me to see things in the world I never would have noticed before.

GREY

Grey is the rainy and cloudy days I have come to love because they mean water for stray dogs and clean air for the next few days.
Grey is the thousands of bricks that make up the Great Wall of China and my awe at finally seeing it in person.
Grey is stone statues and sculptures that decorate the country with culture and history.

BROWN

Brown is my fingernails after I’ve given Oliver a good long scratch.
Brown is the hundreds of gallons of tea I have consumed since moving to China (though that wasn’t a big change from when I was back in the U.S.)
Brown is the dirt from days and days of construction work and transformation Qingdao went through to prepare for the Global SCO Summit this past summer.
Brown is the wood of ancient temples, manors, and walkways that I visited throughout the year.

CRÈME

Crème is the color of the stairway to my fellowship where I look forward to hearing from my Father’s Love Letter and being with the body from a completely different country and culture.
Crème is pet-sitting and loving on other people’s dogs to help me miss mine a little less.
Crème is the tasty clams, scallops, and oysters that deck seaside celebrations with friends.
Crème is long walks on sandy beaches.

WHITE

White is the school bus coming to pick us up every morning as my roommate and I make a mad dash to be on time.
White is 3 days of snow that lasted only a short time, but made for wonderful pictures and memories.

PINK

Pink is the plethora of sun parasols and umbrellas that are used by men and women in rain or shine.
Pink is my uncharacteristically bright cartoon kitten face on my bus and subway card.
Pink is the fragrance of the millions of spring flowers planted in the month before the SCO Summit.

PURPLE

Purple is the hotel behind which I met Oliver, Brownlow, Dodger, and later Oliver’s puppies Aladdin and Koda.
Purple is most of the Christmas decorations that I inherited for my first Christmas tree in China.
Purple is my kindle cover which has allowed for me to bring as many books as I can imagine to China with me (even though 30 boxes of real books are sitting in storage in the U.S. waiting for me).

BLUE

Blue is the sky and the ocean on the clearest days.
Blue is the salty spray of the ocean breeze reflected in the morning glow of day.
Blue is our school colors and the sight of the happy mascot dolphins across athletic fields and outside the school library.
Blue is the Skype logo that means I am about to talk to friends and family far away.
Blue is the pillows decorating my bed and the soft blanket I sleep beneath every night

GREEN

Green is the growth of a 30 plants and counting in my house.
Green is the trees and bushes nestled beneath sky scrapers and around asphalt roads.
Green is algae lined beaches with hundreds of tourists enjoying the summer waves.
Green is the evergreens outside my windows where I wave to friends walking by and people watch from my reading bench in my window.
Green is pieces of broken glass from famous Tsingtao bottles worn down by the pounding sea day after day.
Green is the subway logo that transformed transportation for everyone in Qingdao and helped me to be more adventurous than ever.

YELLOW

Yellow is the lights illuminating the city at night.
Yellow is the sound of firecrackers celebrating wedding, holiday, or birthday along with hours of fireworks set off to impress the presidents of 16 Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
Yellow is the only leaf color we seem to get when fall rolls in.
Yellow is the honey I buy locally to sweeten another cup of tea.
Yellow is the shade of my roommate’s cat Percy’s coat when he got into my vase of flowers featuring some very fertile lilies.

ORANGE

Orange is the mangos, carrots, tangerines, and other delicious fruit bought from the fruit market on the weekends.
Orange is sunrises and sunsets that seem so much larger and closer than I ever imagined they could be.
Orange is the coat of Shere Khan in Mowgli’s hands as he learns what makes him special is his blend of cultures and experiences in life.

RED

Red is delicious red peppers that creates my favorite spicy dishes.
Red is paper lanterns at Lunar New Year… along with red money packets, prayer ribbons, and every communist banner set up along roadways and intersections.
Red is scratched hands and legs from hiking adventures that bestowed incredible views.
Red is May Fourth Square and other iconic Qingdao sights.
Red is the faded stamps that now decorate my passport.
Red is a flag that will always be names and faces and landscapes instead of stereotypes and historical ignorance from now on.

AND SO MANY MORE

There are a million more colors that I have fallen in love with during my first year in China... this is only a twinkle of all that these colors now represent for me.
More than anything, every color is a piece of a flag that is no longer an unknown land.
Those flags are the faces of students and friends.
Those flags are the taste of exotic foods and beautiful cultures.
Those flags are homelands of beloved people who have filled my life with more color than I could possibly ever imagine.
It is my pr*yer that these colors would grow more vibrant and root deeper and deeper into my heart in the years to come. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for creating out and challenging me to seek these colors that He has created in daily life.
Thanks for following YEAR ONE!

WHEN I SEE THE RAINBOW...

Genesis 9:15-17
“When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between G*d and every living creature on earth.” Then G*d said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”

Ezekiel 1:26-28
“Above this surface was something that looked like a throne made of blue lapis lazuli. And on this throne high above was a figure whose appearance resembled a man. From what appeared to be his waist up, he looked like gleaming amber, flickering like a fire. And from his waist down, he looked like a burning flame, shining with splendor. All around him was a glowing halo, like a rainbow shining in the clouds on a rainy day.
This is what the glory of the L*rd looked like to me. When I saw it, I fell face down on the ground, and I heard someone’s voice speaking to me.”

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CHINA Month 11: Doors Wide Open

7/23/2018

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A number of friends and family have reached out to me to ask why I did not come back to the U.S. this summer after teaching for one year in China. The school I work for and its leadership organization gives staff between contract years (for me being between year 1 and 2) three weeks of vacation. After those three weeks are over staff are required to return to work during the final five weeks of the summer. I knew before I came that I probably would not go back to the U.S. this summer. Actually, I was looking forward to being in Qingdao this summer, especially considering the fact I arrived over 6 weeks after my planned arrival date due to VISA issues last year. I was looking forward to spending some more time getting to know China through the course of my summer.

The question you have now is probably something along the lines of,
"What are you actually doing in China this summer?"

TEACHING ENGLISH CAMP

Here I am leading our 66 campers during our 'Morning Rally'. It is a time of singing and dancing to wake students up and get them excited for the day!

Staff between contract years are required to participate in leading and teaching an English Summer camp hosted by our school. In previous years, the school has had the benefit of bringing in summer teams of teachers to assist with the camp. This year however, has seen a real tightening of regulations and limitations when it comes to obtaining a work visa in China. These new restrictions meant that, in addition to being on a new campus and in a new location, the school’s summer camp was going to look very different this time around.

I’ve really been looking forward to this summer camp for a number of reasons. First, I volunteered to head up and lead the ‘Morning Rally’ portion of the camp day. There was not much planned outside of the fact that this would be a time for all of the students to get together and do activities as a group.

Something you may or may not know about me is that I worked at a summer camp in North Carolina for four years both during and after my time in university. Also, when I was in high school I participated in our Pennsylvania home fellowship’s VBS program for four or five years. I believe these experiences prepared and equipped me to be the perfect person to lead the ‘Morning Rally” portion of our summer camp. My goals for the “Morning Rally” have been to get kids moving, singing, and engaging with the English language. I also pick songs and topics that align with my heart for “character” building (read: truth-based songs).

If you want a glimpse of some of the songs we are singing you can visit my YouTube playlist HERE.

The most special thing about our summer camp is that it is open to both foreign and LOCAL students. You see, in order to attend our school during the regular school year, students are required by law to have a foreign passport. National administration has instructed that no native passport holders may attend a foreign-run school (for obvious reasons due to conflict of background and beliefs).

Local students are encouraged to attend public school or pay to attend Chinese private school. A lot of people are surprised when they hear that I am teaching in China, but only a very small percentage of my students are actually Chinese—and only ethnically at that. They all will have been born in and be a passport holder of another country.

This means that our summer camp is very special because ANY student can register and attend. As a result, of our 66 total campers only 22 of them were actually our own students. The rest all attend Chinese private, public, or Korean private schools in Qingdao! What an open door! I am so thrilled to be investing in China first-hand through camp! The students I am working with this summer are students that I would never even have a chance to interact with without this camp (unless I went to teach at a Chinese school). I am so honored to have this opportunity to love on and pour into the lives of these wonderful students.

I am working specifically with students aged between 5th and 6th grade. Our students though fall into a range of skill levels when it comes to their English language comprehension and ability. It is really enjoyable to make them laugh and watch them grow as we practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening in English. I took a TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) course in university, but didn’t really enjoy it. It is a totally different ball game to teach English Language Arts (from the stance of a native English speaker). I do believe that teaching English during this camp has challenged me to be more creative and innovative as an instructor. I am asking hard questions of myself, “How can I turn this simple vocabulary worksheet into an opportunity for students to improve their English and grow in confidence when it comes to speaking in a foreign language?” We’ve done everything from playing charades and listening to “School House Rock” songs, to writing stories of our own and sharing them in new and fun ways. It is hard, but again, I really think working at this camp is pushing me and growing me as a teacher.

Another part of our summer camp that I deeply cherish, is that I am getting to spend more time getting to know our national staff. Many foreign staff (who are not in between contract years like myself) travel to their home countries for the summer. This means that there is a lesser number of international teachers in country at the moment. In the absence of this ‘safety net’ of familiar culture and language, I have been provided with a wonderful open door to continue building relationships with my co-workers who are nationals. It’s easy during the school year to get caught up in working with the same people (those who are in the same department, on the same hall floor, share an office space, etc). Yet, now teachers from all departments and grade levels (the majority of them being national staff members) are all working together through the course of the English camp. It is a wonderful time of learning and growing together.

STUDYING CHINESE

The second focus for staff during their working summers is completing and extensive study of the Chinese language. I had about 2 weeks of daily two hour one-on-one classes at school. This little diagram below is the most accurate depiction of learning Chinese I have ever seen.

Listen, I knew it would be hard. I knew that Chinese would challenge every piece of understanding I have of language, writing, and communication. What I didn't know was how mentally exhausted I would be from finally getting the opportunity to study Chinese daily over summer break. I definitely grew a lot through the course of these classes, but I recognize I still have a long way to go! Pr-y-rs for this passion are welcome. I truly believe by studying and growing in my Chinese language that my Father will open more doors for me to share my testimony and live out my conviction that my L-rd speaks EVERY language.

WHAT'S NEXT?

I finish up with camp this week on Friday, July 27th! It has been a memorable three weeks. Teachers head back to school for in-service week on Monday, August 6th. New Student Orientation is then on Monday followed by the first day of school on Tuesday, August 14th! I cannot believe I am headed into my second year of teaching in China. Not only that, but it will also be my 5th year of teaching! That's crazy. I am grateful to my heavenly Father for walking with me this far. I also would like to take a moment to acknowledge the people and pr-y-r warriors who helped get me where I am today. I know I couldn't do any of this on my own. I look forward to spending the rest of my life following where He leads me!

Click through the slideshow below to see some more highlights from this summer!

SUMMER 2018
PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

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Navigating NEW ZEALAND: The South Island

7/22/2018

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Photo by Abi Roy

I’m finally getting around to writing Part 3 of 3 of my New Zealand blogs! Over three months after our adventures ended, I finally have my final written memoriam of our experiences there. I’m still in awe of the fact that Abi and I were able to travel to such a colorful, inspiring place and do so many unbelievable things all in ONE WEEK! Hurrah for a BUCKLIST ITEM COMPLETE!

The second half of our spring break travels was just as thrilling and beautiful as the first, though with a lot more driving! I mean, what do you expect? The South Island is twice the size of the North Island and we did the entire length of the east coast and back in about five days! Get ready for a tale of farmland, coastlines, fantasy battlegrounds, and encounters with amazing people!

My cell phone's data tracker (follows our GPS movements) through the South Island

Photo by Abi Roy

Driving from Picton to Waianakarua (337 miles)

After we disembarked the Cook Strait Ferry, we set off on our longest leg of the journey yet; driving from Picton to the country village of Waianakarua. Yeah, I still don't know how to say that one. This drive remains without question my favorite driving scenery of the whole trip. One second we were driving through open grasslands with signs to watch for wild horses, the next moment we were passing through picturesque old towns, before suddenly we were along paradise-like mountains that bordered the ocean. It was breathtaking throughout the journey.

Photo by Abi Roy

WAIANKARUA FARM

The evening after our ferry ride we stayed overnight at the home of a lovely woman who lives in the country on a little farm with two dogs, some chickens, sheep and pigs. It was just so pleasant and domestic (in the best way). I could easily imagine myself settling down one day in a place like that, surrounded by animals and gardens. Still, our picturesque retreat in Waianakarua did not last long because that day we had a bit of a trek south. Indeed, we were headed to the southernmost town in all of NZ (more on that later).

Driving from Wainakarua to Bluff (198 miles)

MOERAKI BOULDERS

Our first stop on this drive was to see the famous Moeraki Boulders. I believe it was I who discovered this "recommended pit stop” when researching places to visit along our route in the South Island. Prior to our arrival at the boulders, both Abi and I confessed we didn’t expect much from the location. We were actually pleasantly surprised and impressed to discover a fascinatingly strange natural phenomenon there. Imagine a beach scattered with what looks like a cross between some sort of weird alien pod invasion and a unguarded nest of dragon’s eggs. It’s weird, but totally awesome.

Here’s the thing, I am no scientist, so I am not going to sit here and type out my clueless understanding of what is so cool about these boulders.

Here’s what I liked learning (and think I understand) about them. These boulders are almost perfect spheres that are surprisingly not manmade, but instead created by nature (erosion over time). Inside they are made up of different rocks, sediment and minerals. The coolest part is that at their center they contain a type of calcite crystal. This crystal can cause cracks in the boulders (and as you see in some of the pictures) and a number of them have been completely broken open as a result. They are old boulders (scientists don’t agree on how old), but records state that some boulders that have been 'excavated' and studied have been found to contain the bones and fossils of dinosaurs. Whilst the Moeraki Boulders are not the only example of this type of natural wonder in the world, they are extremely rare and unique.

You can't tell me that doesn't look like a dragon egg. My 15 year old self is reliving her hopes of becoming a Dragon Rider someday, haha

KATIKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE

After enjoying some touristy time in the Moeraki Boulders Gift Shop, Abi struck up a conversation with the store’s cashier. Abi expressed that she had two big goals for this NZ trip the first was to go shark cage diving [HERE] and the second was to see some wild seals and penguins. The cashier told us about the nearby Katiki Point Lighthouse. She said it was less frequented by tourists than another nearby penguin/seal viewing location called Shag Point (the location we had planned to visit next). I am so thankful for that cashier because we had an amazing time at the Katiki Point Lighthouse.

We got up close and personal with New Zealand Fur Seals! At one point, Abi even was investigated by a curious little pup who got so extremely close it was unbelievable. He was totally fearless. There were also many Spotted Shag (Maori word: Parekareka) birds scattered across the beach where the seals lay dozing in the warm sun. What I remember most from this day was how water was such a striking color blue with the grass complimenting it in a rich green of gorgeousness. I found myself once again thinking, “The only way I’m going to be able to describe this place to anyone is if I tell them it looks fake.”

Other than all the seal time, we also were able to spot some type of large sea mammal splashing in the ocean way in the distance. Even with my strongest zoom lens on the fancy camera, I couldn’t make out what kind of animal it was. Whatever it was, I can tell you it seemed to be having a lot of fun!

We were a little disappointed to learn that the penguins usually did not come into shore until late afternoon (it was still early morning and we had to get back on the road). BUT, we didn’t leave totally empty handed when it came to seeing penguins. A young couple hiking along the same cliffs as us spotted ONE lonely little Yellow-eyed Penguin sitting on a cliffside nearby. They pointed him out to us and we were so excited! This breed, the Yellow-eyed Penguin, can only be found in NZ and is the largest of the NZ breeds. I can now officially say I’ve seen my first wild penguin (from a loooooooong distance away, haha)!

After getting back on the road for a while, we stopped at a fish and chips shop where I tried Elephant Fish for the first time. The waitress recommended it to me as her favorite type of fish (though explained that it is actually more closely related to a breed of shark), so I thought “Why not?” I will now recommend it to all of you. If you get a chance to try Elephant Fish, do it! It’s delicious.

BLUFF

A few hours later we arrived at the 'almost literal' bottom of the world. It is the town of Bluff, New Zealand. A striking contrast to cities like Auckland and Wellington, Bluff boasts a resident population of under 2,000 people. It is the southernmost town (excluding the island town of Oban) on the South Island (and practically the world).

Bluff boasts three main attractions to the rest of the world. First, it is one of the final jumping off points for many expeditions heading to Antarctica. Second, it is renowned for having the tastiest oysters around. Lastly, it is famous for being one of only three locations in the world to have a “certified” shark cage diving experience (“certified” meaning legal & safe for both the humans and sharks, haha).

Antarctica was not on my Bucket List this time around, but I tried the oysters and they were indeed delicious! The shark cage diving, well that was the #1 thing on Abi’s list when coming to NZ. And after a good night’s rest, that’s where we were headed.

You can read about Abi and my Shark Cage Diving Experience in Bluff, NZ
in a separate blog post HERE.

Driving from Bluff to Greendale (356 miles)

After a deep sleep — that can only come after you’ve come face to face with a Great White Shark and lived to tell the tale — we packed up our bags and were headed back north on Route 1. We stopped at a lovely little coffee shop in a nearby town and ate a delicious proper breakfast (we’re talking omelets, bacon, home fries, etc.)! Then, we were on the road again headed back up the coast.

I have to repeat how thankful I am for the beautiful landscapes we were able to enjoy all around us as we drove. NZ is the most breathtaking country I have ever travelled to and I can’t think of a better place to “Oooo and Ahhh” out the window while enjoying singing show-tunes with a great friend like Abi.

OAMARU

One of my favorite spur of the moment pitstops was a little town called Oamaru, NZ. We had passed through it on the way to Bluff and I noticed the stunning antique buildings, statues, and reminiscent aura of the streets that reminded me of a town straight out of World War I film. It was the historic precinct of the city and we had a blast as we perused little shops, drank tea, ate biscuits, and even scouted for penguins along the coast (no luck), before ending up in a little antique book store in town.

The shop was called “Slightly Foxed Secondhand Books” and we spent far longer in there than anyone could imagine (well, maybe you can imagine how long two English teachers spent in a bookshop full of old books…) I was beyond delighted to discover a FIRST EDITION HARDBACK COPY of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” published in 1961. FIRST EDITION PEOPLE! It was on sale for 80 NZD (which is equivalent to about $50 USD). Did I need it? Probably not, but imagine finding a first edition a novel that means so much to you whilst you are in NEW ZEALAND (the country where portions of the movie adaptations were filmed)!!! I bought it. I also bought a first edition of “Peter Pan” by J.M. Barrie for about $25 USD (because I love British Literature and “Peter Pan” was one of the first books/plays that I fell in love with in the third grade).
I know those books will remain be my favorite ‘souvenirs’ to bring back from the trip.

WALNUT TREE COTTAGE

As the sun was setting, we arrived in the farm town of Greendale to stay at our final AirBnB of the trip. It was a little cottage that the owners called Walnut Tree Cottage. It was a quaint little one room cabin in the family’s backyard. And, as the name properly name suggests, it sits right under a lovely walnut tree. This very quickly became my absolute favorite place to stay during the trip.

Photo by Abi Roy

First of all, the family was absolutely lovely. They were having a family reunion with relatives who lived in Australia and Dubai and were home for a visit. As soon as we arrived, the wife made us some delicious tea, she offered to let us do some wash, and she was just was so interested in talking to us about our trip and our lives living abroad. It was really kind for her to be so interested in investing in her guests as individual. The family was so enjoyable to talk to and I enjoyed being able to share a bit of my testimony with them when discussing my decision/motivation in moving to China.
In the morning, after a good night's sleep, we were served a delicious English breakfast (we paid about 25 NZD extra for it, but it was worth every penny) before heading out on our last day in NZ.

To end well we were hitting up some natural sites and another one of my personal top wish list locations!

Greendale to Devil’s Punch Bowl (75 miles)

ARTHUR'S PASS

We drove from Greendale to the outskirts of Canterbury, NZ before entering Arthur’s Pass National Park. The park was actually the first established on the South Island in 1929, and is named after famed land surveyor and cartographer Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson. It is the home of some of the most awe-inspiring natural sites I have seen in my lifetime. Crystal blue rivers lines with pearl-colored pebbles. Domineering mountains sporting every shade of green mixing in with the new fall colors that were beginning to arrive. All the while draped beneath treacherous rock faces and cliff-sides. Miles open canary-yellow grass fields envelop mysterious forests of pine and juniper firs. Just driving into the park alone was captivating, gripping me with awestruck bewilderment.

Photo by Abi Roy

CASTLE HILL

(in Maori 'Castle Hill' is known as Kura Tāwhiti
meaning “the treasure from a distant land”)

Our first location was an area known as Castle Hill. The official tour site describes Castle Hill in this way, “The hill was so named because of the imposing array of limestone boulders in the area reminiscent of an old, run-down stone castle. The front of ChristChurch Cathedral in Christchurch was made from Castle Hill limestone” (SOURCE).

I heard about Castle Hill because the 2005 film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe” filmed here. In fact, any avid film fan would recognize these unique rock structures as the location where Aslan and his newly freed Narnia reinforcements arrive to help the Narnians led by Peter and Edmund in their final battle against The White Witch.

NOTE: Film clip contains SPOILERS for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe"

I wandered around the battle field for what felt like ages, trying to distinguish exactly where which character had stood and fought. It just made me really happy to (again) stand in a place that I knew to be a physical form of Narnia. The sun came and went from between stormy clouds giving the entire site a whimsical, almost other-worldly feeling. It was stunning and dangerous all at the same time. This natural formation presents a striking display with its rolling hills littered with jagged, fearsome rocks. I found myself pondering life deeply as I climbed over and slid between different rock faces... dreaming, imagining, and being filled with humble joy.

DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL

Our hosts in Greendale suggested we drive a little further after Castle Hill in order to hike up to Devil’s Punchbowl, a landmark considered the most impressive waterfall in Arthur’s Pass National Park. After a semi-strenuous hike up to the lookout area, it was wonderful to feel a cool spray falling on heated skin and weary muscles.
This area of the forest is also known to be home to the NZ native bird the kiwi!

One interesting fact I learned about the kiwi bird is that as a bird it lays the biggest egg in comparison to its body size. Kiwis are nocturnal though, so we sadly did not get to see any in the wild. Another thing we discovered during our time here is that the people of NZ do not like to be called “New Zealanders”, but instead, “Kiwis”, like their iconic bird.

After hiking back down from Devil’s Punchbowl, we hit the road to Christchurch, NZ to make our evening flight back to China.

Devil’s Punchbowl to ChristChurch (88 miles)

We finally dropped off our rental car exactly nine days after we picked it up in the city of ChristChurch. From ChristChurch Airport - after a delay - we flew to Auckland, Guangzhou, and finally about 16 hours later we arrived back in Qingdao. Immediately the next day we were back to school wondering if it was all a dream!

Photo by Abi Roy

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

How can I express what this trip meant to me? I regret to find that I do not wield the best skills in writing and language to paint a worthy picture of NZ and the impact this trip has had on me. The colors, the people, the moments of terror and bliss, exhaustion and exhilaration, laughter and surprise... I cannot find the words to give color and life to this enchanting place. It was magic and adventure, and honestly the best trip I’ve experienced (to date)! My favorite part of this journey was how in CONSTANT awe I was at my Father’s creation. This world is so big. The more I see of it, the more I realize how much I haven't seen. I do not know if I will ever have the opportunity to return to NZ again in my lifetime (I sure hope I do!). Still, I pr-y that I am forever enraptured by the faithfulness and wonder that comes from being in a relationship with the Almighty. To know Him is to see the world in the most fulfilling way. I could see and feel His glory and majesty throughout our travels in NZ.

New Zealand, you were the best. Thank you for reminding me that…
If ever I stumble through an enchanted wardrobe…
or if I find an aged grey wizard standing outside my door asking if I want to go on an adventure…
or if I have a new friend ask, “Do you want go on a trip with me? I’m buying the tickets today!”

No matter my lack of confidence, fear, or uncertainty… if the Spirit gives me assurance that it is okay, I must say “Yes” without hesitation. I obey His call. I follow where He leads. I know I am never alone. He walks with me, guides me, teaches me, and is continually revealing Himself to me when I step outside of my comfort zone. To see the world, is to see the glory of G-d and be moved by the story He is writing in every breath of it.

I will choose to never be one who “listens to fears” and I will walk confidently in the knowledge that “not all those who wander are lost” when they walk in the footsteps of the Master.

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I Got an F in Homesickness

7/4/2018

9 Comments

"SO, DO YOU FEEL HOMESICK?"

This is a question that people ask me a lot and not to be rude, but I think it is a horrible question. Of course, I get homesick! Everyone does! It is a normal and expected part of life, especially when you've moved to another country. Asking someone “If” they are homesick is a not question because it's almost like setting them up to be judged. If they say "No," then you think they're heartless. If they say "Yes," people assume they must be adjusting to their new life poorly.

Something else that frustrates me about the question is that I do not get "homesick" in the way I think most people expect.

Below are two better versions of what you may think are the same question, but actually lead to more honest and thorough answers.

When do you feel homesick?
What makes you homesick?

Before I share my answers to these questions, I have to explain something.

When people ask me if I’m homesick the first thing I say is, “I feel homesick, but not for a specific place or America or anything like that. I feel homesick about people and relationships.”

Let’s look at my answers to these questions and flesh these thoughts out a bit.

WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED

When I first moved to China, there were two times of day when I felt the most homesick. They were when I left school to go home and when I went to bed. The reason I felt most homesick at these times is because this is when I missed my dog Benji the most. I hadn't started to miss my family yet because I was still able to talk to them often via technology. The physical loss I felt from not having my dog was painful. I hated going home to an empty house where I lived with a stranger (my roommate is nice, but when we first moved in together we really were complete strangers from totally different backgrounds, thrown into living together). I hated that my apartment did not feel like a home because my beloved dog was not waiting on the other end of my work day with a wagging tail and happy spirit to greet me. To go along with that, I hated going to bed because I missed the warm presence sleeping at my feet, protecting, comforting, and just giving me that feeling of comfort that creates a home.

You see, one of the first things I did after graduating college, other than renting my first house and starting my first job, was getting Benji. Sure, I didn’t go to a pet store and necessarily pick him out (read about how Benji became my family HERE), but the decision to keep him and the three years where we did EVERYTHING together was life-changing for me. We travelled across the east coast and south together. We moved to different homes, went hiking together almost every weekend, and really he was my one constant … in a way my first constant in a life full of change and transition. Now, I am in China… full of new-ness and change without my constant beside me.

I know that I have a Heavenly Constant that is worth far more than my furry four-legged friend, but still… those were the times when I felt greatest level of homesickness.

A few pictures my family has sent me of Benji since I left.

ALMOST ONE YEAR IN

At this point I have been in China almost a year (UNBELIEVABLE) and though it would be nice to tell you the homesickness for Benji has lessened, that would be a lie. I’ve just gotten better at living with it.

Meanwhile, in the past two months, I have discovered something else that causes me great amounts of homesickness. Through May and June, I have felt a homesickness for missing out on important events in lives of people I love and care about deeply.

In May (actually at the same time as “The Jungle Book” was premiering), my sister graduated from her undergrad studies. Then in June, my baby brother graduated from high school. The daughter of a close friend was married in a wedding in which I’d overheard and sat in on many a conversations about. My family attended the annual Memorial Day reunion picnic. One of my best friends from youth and his wife are expecting their first child (today actually)... and so much more!

I find myself sitting in China realizing that I am missing all these things… and it hurts.

My brother Timmy captioned this photo in this way: "Congratulations Nick! I'm so proud of Nick and the life decision he's made. Nick has decided in his future to help people and become a traffic cone, so that people drive safely on the road. He's a real servant to the people. #trafficconeuniversity #classof2022"

My family and grandmother celebrate Kelly graduating from Wingate University with a Bachelor's Degree in Biology! She even was chosen to formally pray for her fellow graduates as a part of the ceremony.

Every Memorial Day Sunday the Mannings have a family reunion and holiday picnic! This is the first year in many that I have not been able to attend. I was able to Skype in at one point to say hello at one point.

It's also not about the events themselves even, but about being present with these people whom I love to celebrate these milestones by their side.

Social Media is such a wonderful tool to stay connected with friends and family, especially when you live on the other side of the world. I am grateful that I don’t have to wait months or years before hearing from/seeing those I love who are far away. Yet, I think social media and seeing all these important events I am missing being present for is one of the biggest causes of my homesick. Knowing I am not there. I will never have a picture with my brother or sister on their graduation day. I won't get the phone call from my friends when their baby is born. Little things like that have become much more painful in these past few months.

A SIDE EFFECT OF BEING A TCK

I know I share about being a TCK (Third Culture Kid) a lot, but it’s because living abroad has revealed to me so much I knew about myself, but could not always comprehend in a way that I could explain to others. Every month I am in China, sharing these pieces of myself gets easier... and harder at the same time.

When someone asks me questions like, “Where are you from?” or “Where is home?”, I have hesitated my whole life. In my heart I want to say Senegal, I felt a longing and homesickness for that country ever since we left when I was a teenager. Still, as much as I long for Senegal to be my home, even when I was there I was a foreigner, an alien. I lived in America on and off from birth to last year for about 18 years of my life, but it never felt like home. I have lived in over fifteen towns and cities, five countries, and 3 continents throughout my 27 years of life.

Home to me has never been a house, a neighborhood, a state, or even a country. Home is where the people I love are… and because of the life I’ve lived, the people I love, those people are all over the world.

I have come to understand that no matter where I live I will ALWAYS be homesick.
It is a blessing and a curse.
It is the fate of the TCK.

AND YET...

As a believer in J-s-s Ch--st, I believe that my true home was never meant to be on this earth.

No country, no people, no nation will ever be where I belong.

I have come to know what it is to be a wanderer without a home.

A nomad without a place on the globe to return to with the knowledge that it is MY PLACE.

My true home is NOT on this earth. It never was and never will be.

My true home is being prepared for me by the Son of Man, the Son of G-d, who took my death, my guilt, my failures upon Himself so that He could give me a FOREVER home.

If I ever feel sad that my homesickness does not look the way people often expect it to, I remember this truth.

I was not MEANT to find a home here, therefore, I will long all the more for my true home… an eternal home with the K-ng of K-ngs.

Philippians 3:20-21
"But our citizenship is in heaven,
and we eagerly await a Savior from there,
the L-rd J-s-s Ch--st,
who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself,
will transform our lowly bodies
to be like His glorious body."

Qingdao Harbor, China (Photo by CETtrip)

9 Comments

Navigating NEW ZEALAND: Shark Cage Diving in Bluff

7/1/2018

4 Comments

Image by Abi Roy

Let’s be honest, this what you have all been waiting for… the sharks.
And a story of how I survived being near them… kind of.

Flashback to my spring break trip and April 4, 2018. My travel buddy Abi and I have driven from the city of Auckland in the North Island all the way to the bottom of New Zealand's South Island (in about four days). After arriving at our AirBnB (in one of the most southern towns in the world), Abi and I chased after a good night’s sleep before facing southern waters and the Dustbin of the Deep the next day.

Our adventure began at 5:00 AM when we met with the crew and shark team at the Shark Experience in Bluff, NZ. The crew was really cool and nice. The team was made up of a father-daughter duo and a professional diver name Tittles (can’t forget a name like that, but he is awesome). There were about six guests headed out on the boat with us. Two of them were professional divers, while the rest newbies and landlubbers like Abi and I.

We loaded up the boat and headed out about an hour south to the shore of Stewart Island (Rakiura) along the Foveaux Strait.

Our Skipper Mike warned us that the seas were a bit “choppy” today. I’ll be honest guys, I had about twenty minutes of enjoying the gorgeous aurora sunrise behind us as we headed out to sea… before spending the rest of the voyage heaving my breakfast over the side of the boat. Yeah… I’d love to say I was cool, but it was rough seas for this girl.

When we arrived, we were each given a thick wetsuit. I don’t think I’ve mentioned yet that it was much colder in Bluff than anywhere we’d been so far on the trip. We watched the fall colors get brighter and more vibrant the further south we drove. New Zealand was heading into fall and considering that Bluff is practically the bottom of the world... it makes sense that not only was the air colder, but the ocean was more than a little chilly. Still, we headed out as the boat was tossed around, rocking constantly as wind and waves pushed against it.

Then, we arrived and dropped anchor along the coast of Stewart Island. The crew took a little bit of time to explain some of the basics and rules. Keep your hands, cameras, and really - ALL other body parts - inside the cage at all times. Climb out of the cage if you feel at risk or something goes wrong with your equipment. Don't stay in the water for more than 30 minutes (because you could get hypothermia). And lastly, don't be stupid and die.

Those of us who hadn’t ever been scuba diving before would be getting a lesson and a practice run in the cage with the equipment prior to going in officially for an extended viewing period. Our first task, putting on our wetsuits. As hard to get on as you probably can imagine, the suits were super thick and not very flexible. To put them on, you have to basically roll the suit on backwards. Then we got gloves, boots, masks, and head covers.

This cage cage is not like the ones you see in films. Instead, the cage is completely connected to the back of the boat (no hanging from a cable that breaks off into the depths). Also, the cage has a railing and tight wiring all around to prevent any overly excited sharks from flipping into the cage accidentally. Meanwhile, Tittles – a professional scuba diver and trainer – went in with each of the newbies on our first go. Before going in we were required to have heavy weights strapped onto our torso. The purpose of these weights is to help keep you grounded in the cage as the water rushing in and out (plus the rocking of the boat) prevents you from having any sort of secure footing when inside.

The first time we went in the cage we had to display two skills before we could be in by ourselves. The first skill was to be able to “clear your mask”. It’s probable, because of the rushing currents, that at some point your mask will end up with a lot of water in it. By lifting your head, holding the mask down and blowing air through your nose, you are able to clear your mask of this excess water. The second skill is in case your mouthpiece comes out at some point during your time in the cage. You must calmly take a deep breath, remove the oxygen mouthpiece from your mouth, hold your breath for a few seconds, then put the mouthpiece back in and begin to breathe again. Sounds simple, right? Think again.

I had no idea what to expect as I climbed into the cage slowly. They had already begun baiting the sharks by sending a half of a giant tuna fish through a grinder before stirring it up into the rolling waves. Once in the cage, I was totally overwhelmed. Having never used scuba gear before it was easy to forget that I could actually breathe. I found myself holding my breath as I turned away from the ladder to face where Tittles stood motioning for me to begin my mask clear.

I felt panic rising, I couldn’t breathe!
Colorful fish darted around the cage eating the pieces of churned up bait floating around us.
The water was rushing in and out of the cage around me and it was all I could do to keep holding on to the ladder and not slam into the walls with the raging currents.
My mask was filling up with water at my nose and I could see Tittles motioning to me, but all I could feel was an overwhelming sense of panic.
I couldn't breathe!

I began to p—y… and suddenly I felt calmer. I could breathe, I just had to concentrate. It felt strange. To be surrounded by water, but breathing normally through the mouthpiece I held tightly between my teeth. It was then that I realized I hadn’t put my feet into the ropes at the bottom of the cage and that was part of the reason I was getting tossed around so easily. I focused on getting my feet in the ropes. Then, I looked at Tittles.

He gave me the hand signal to ask if I was okay. I gave a thumbs up in return. He again motioned for me to clear my mask. I felt the panic returning. I looked up and sloppily held my mask while pushing air out of my nose. It wasn’t a great clear, but I had gotten most of the water out. Now was the real test. Taking the mouthpiece out. It honestly was so terrifying. I took a deep breath, then removed the mouth piece. Staring at Tittles waiting for him to give me the okay to put it back in. He did. I put the mouthpiece back in and immediately breathed out in a rush. After clearing the tube, I began to breathe normally again. I had done it! It struck me that I was okay and I could do this. I just had to not psych myself out within my own head. As I processed my relief, Tittles grabbed my arm and pointed.

There he was. A Great White Shark swimming just a few feet outside the cage.

It passed slowly, I gripped the hand rails, amazed and surprised at how unhurried the shark swam by the cage. This animal appeared nothing like the raging Hollywood version I knew.

My test was over. Tittles motioned for me to climb back out so someone else could come down and have their test. I started to climb out the wrong ladder exit, but Tittles fixed me and I climbed out correctly. Mike helped me pull myself up (with a wetsuit and giant weights strapped to your chest it’s a lot harder than you may think). Mike asked, “Did you see the shark?”

“I sure did!” I said after breathlessly removing my mouthpiece. I climbed out before watching others, including Abi climb in for their practice. On the boat we got a few more glimpses of the dark grey body gliding by in the dark water. Once everyone had passed their “test”, it was all systems go to spend an extended period of time in the cage.

Image by Abi Roy

I must admit to you that when I envisioned shark cage diving, I imagined peaceful seas with the sun beating down overhead. I also imagined an angry Great White thrashing outside the cage trying to capture the bait dangling overhead.

So, you can imagine my surprise in discovering the most peaceful thing about shark cage diving was in fact the sharks themselves. They swam by the cage at a snail’s pace, just observing before disappearing into the murky distance. Then, they would be back around again, just to look, curious about the four divers in the cage. They were so calm, graceful, and unhurried.

I have now come to the opinion that humanity does these creatures a great injustice when we choose to portray them only as man-eating, revenge seeking monsters of Davy Jones Locker. Don’t get me wrong, I’m under no disillusion that the rows of razor sharp, icicle-like teeth aren’t used to inflict major damage, but that’s only a part of their need to survive. At one point I looked the shark, I swear he looked me in the eye, and I saw those teeth and had this “WHOA” moment of terror followed by simple awe at the strength and enchanting nature of this beast.

While the sharks were peaceful, the most horrific and violent portion of the trip was the cage itself. I can only describe the sensation of being in the cage as feeling like you are inside a washing machine.

As I explained earlier, the sea was particularly rough that day. Our skipper Mike told us on a scale of 1-10 – 10 being they don’t take the boat out – our day was a 7. He told us that the waves crashing into the boat were up to about 30 feet in height (over 9 meters). I’m not exaggerating. The waves were constantly rushing in and out of the cage as it rocked harshly from side to side. You, meanwhile, are in all this gear, wearing weights to keep you grounded with your feet tucked into a rope beneath you just being slammed over and over into the sides of the cage or the divers beside you.

After about twenty minutes in the cage, your mouth and throat begin to get extremely dry because you cannot swallow only continue breathing in dry oxygen. All of the pain and discomfort is worth it though, when a 11 foot (3.4 meter) Great White Shark swims by you over six times, getting so close you feel as though you could reach out and touch him (no one did, ha). After about twenty minutes of awesome shark interaction a pair of us still in the water were hit by a giant wave that lifted the cage up out of the water before slamming it down again. It knocked the air out of my chest, jostled every bone in my body, and it was at that moment I decided I was finished. I'd seen the shark more than enough times to be satisfied with the experience and I was in a lot of pain. I climbed out of the cage, removed the weights and mouthpiece from my body and then, I am not kidding, I immeidatley proceeded to be sick over the side of the boat… again. I probably should mention that wasn’t the only guest who was sick through the course of the trip, which I suppose is a small conciliation to my pride, but still... it was not fun.

The shark I had one-on-one time with would move on before an even larger 13 foot (4 meter) female would come by toward the end of our outing. Strangely, while we were out there a Discover Channel boat (filming a documentary) also came out and began baiting only a short distance away from us. I was able to see three more sharks from above water before our team packed it up and moved our boat to another location near Stewart Island. At this spot, we could see a bunch of seals napping on nearby rocks.

The crew prepared a lunch at the sea for us, but I chose not to eat (because if the boat ride out was any indication of what the boat ride back be like for me, it wasn’t worth the effort). Abi and I struck up a conversation with a nice Minnesotan couple who was road-tripping through the South Island in a rented camper van. It was fun to swap stories of the things we’d seen and loved about NZ throughout both our journeys so far.

When we finally made it back to Bluff, a trip that went over as well with my stomach as I imagined it would (READ: not well at all) we were gifted certificates of introductory scuba course, as well as, a “Congratulations for surviving a shark cage dive” certificate. I shall show both of them off with pride!

Once on solid ground, Abi and I showered, scarfed food (I was so unbelievably hungry, and we ironically got some take-out Chinese from a little restaurant right below our AirBnB, haha). After discussing all our thoughts and processing through what we had actually seen and done we went to bed WAY early, haha. I remember I was so tired that the coldness of Bluff almost! didn’t bother me that night.

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet, is that Abi bought a waterproof GoPro just to take into the cage with her and video her shark cage experience.

This means that below I have some actual footage Abi recorded during the time we were both in the cage together. The fool you see waving like a crazy person is, of course, me... and the shark is the 11 foot Great White I first mentioned.

This is the moment when, I could swear to you that, I made eye contact with the shark. Maybe it’s in my head, but it was a cool moment to watch him going after the tuna bait the crew was dragging through the water above the cage. You can hear the currents rushing forcefully in and out and see how intensely the cage rocks around us.

Despite the date error in the top left hand corner, this is underwater film is actual footage Abi took during our time shark cage diving in New Zealand! This shark was estimated by the crew to be about 11 feet (3.4 meters) in length.

I am really glad that Abi dragged me along to go shark cage diving with her. I mean, I definitely have learned that all my dreams of becoming a pirate and living a life at sea are not really plausible anymore, but nonetheless it was an incredible adventure.

I also love that, after this experience, I will never think about sharks in the same way. They’re beautiful. They are also fierce and threatening. Though this combination of attributes makes me think that they are not unlike their Creator in capacity for both wrath and stillness. I'm hearing the faint whispers of a line about Him not being tame as I reflect on the majesty of these masterful deep-sea predators. I feel grateful to live on an earth with such a awe-inspiring G-d and to see pieces of His character and passions in all of His creation.

Image by Abi Roy

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Where did you go?

Where did you go?

Where did you go?

2018-2019 Highlights(that have happened since we last "talked" properly)

SEPTEMBER 2018

OCTOBER 2018

NOVEMBER 2018

DECEMBER 2018

JANUARY 2019

FEBRUARY 2019

PR-Y-R REQUESTS

Struggles and Pr-y-r Requests

Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival

Chang'E & The Jade Rabbit

Wu Gang

Mr. Mooncake

Thoughts on Discovering Culture & Tradition

A Weekend Getaway

Yantaishan

The Museum of the Chinese Qipao

(Chinese) Holiday Season

Call Me the Chaperone Queen (upcoming travels)

365 DAYS. COME. GONE. HERE.

BLACK

GREY

BROWN

CRÈME

WHITE

PINK

PURPLE

BLUE

GREEN

YELLOW

ORANGE

RED

AND SO MANY MORE

WHEN I SEE THE RAINBOW...

TEACHING ENGLISH CAMP

STUDYING CHINESE

WHAT'S NEXT?

SUMMER 2018​PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

Driving from Picton to Waianakarua (337 miles)

WAIANKARUA FARM

Driving from Wainakarua to Bluff (198 miles)

MOERAKI BOULDERS

KATIKI POINT LIGHTHOUSE

BLUFF

Driving from Bluff to Greendale (356 miles)

OAMARU

WALNUT TREE COTTAGE

Greendale to Devil’s Punch Bowl (75 miles)

ARTHUR'S PASS

CASTLE HILL

DEVIL'S PUNCHBOWL

Devil’s Punchbowl to ChristChurch (88 miles)

MY FINAL THOUGHTS

"SO, DO YOU FEEL HOMESICK?"

WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED

ALMOST ONE YEAR IN

A SIDE EFFECT OF BEING A TCK

​AND YET...

Archives

Categories

2018-2019 Highlights
(that have happened since we last "talked" properly)

SUMMER 2018
PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS

AND YET...