Getting Ready to Travel

No matter how short or long, traveling takes at least some prep. We fly out of Beijing at 6:30 p.m. tonight. We have to leave our house at 2 p.m. Normally we would drag our suitcases through the metro to get to the airport. It takes about an hour, and involves a couple changes, but really is not too bad and costs about $5 apiece. However, this time we are going to take a taxi.   I have had to come off all my   herbal supplements which are blood-thinners in preparation for my hip replacement on January 3 in Pennsylvania. I am in quite a bit of pain with no recourse to relieve it and walking is very hard, even with a cane and/or walker. I just could not face the metro ride. Instead it will cost about $30 in a taxi, and the amount of time is a bit more questionable because we are at the mercy of traffic rather than the very well scheduled metro. When we get to the airport, I will request a wheelchair and use it the rest of the trip. We arrive in LA at 3:30 p.m. It will stil...

Christmas around the World: Presents

I was touched when one of the students in our Friday night study group turned to another one of the members and said, “This is the first time anyone has given me a Christmas present.” That is incomprehensible to us in the West, but would be very true within this culture. It was a felt Santa head filled with fruity gummy candy thingeys. She brought one for each of us, which was really thoughtful of her. Rick had 3 English study Books which he was very anxious to give away. He had brought them with the thought of sharing them here. (I think he was also wanting to have an excuse to buy some more to bring back after break.) Last week he had brought them and given them to the 3 students. They were thrilled. We also had 3 Christmas story Chinese/English books to give….but forgot them at the apartment. We will give them in February. I am reminded how different cultures handle presents. Within Zambian culture, if someone admired a piece of clothing or jewelry, etc., as long as it was not...

Christmas around the World: Santa Claus

The countries we have lived in, Christian, Muslim, and atheist, all do have an awareness of Christmas. However, the pervading presence is not Baby Jesus, but rather Santa Claus.   Even the Christian churches in Taiwan more often had a mural of Santa and his reindeers splashed across the front of the platform, rather than a nativity scene. Christmas parades always included more Santas than anything else. Here, there are few decorations, but in our apartment complex which is mainly for foreigners, Santa’s face is taped to all of our entry ways. The ones in English state, “Christmas” with “Merry” written in small letters underneath. There is a very nicely decorated tree in the reception area, which is appreciated. Probably the place that the use of Santa was the most jarring was in Senegal. This is a Muslim country, but one of the tribes is Catholic, and Christianity is tolerated. (We got all the Muslim holidays, and also all the Christian holidays. What’s not to like?) Near...

Active, But Not Christmas Activities

This is our second Christmas in Beijing. It is definitely much, much colder than last year. Has not been much over freezing for quite a few weeks. Uncomfortable to bike. It is also shaping up to be busier than last year.   Living in a country that does not celebrate Christmas has some down sides, like not the fun of decorations, etc. but one of the plusses, is that usually it is not hectic with Christmas activities. However, the last week has been an exception. 1.       1.   A few days ago we were invited to a Chinese opera presentation at an opera house downtown. It is Monday, and I cannot go because I monitor a new Celebrate Recovery meeting then, but Rick will go. Chinese opera is always very interesting. Look up some opportunities to listen to it, if you don’t know what I mean. 2.       2.  Last week all the English foreign teachers were called to an emergency lunch meeting the next day. The university is doing a trial writ...

Christmas in Beijing

There are a few decorations up and around in the city. However, most of the time it is hard to tell if it is for Christmas, or, more likely, coming Chinese New Year.   The reception for our housing complex has lots of Santa faces and a very pretty Christmas tree. We decorate in our apartments with things accrued over many other people leaving things behind: some of it beautiful, and much of it a little questionable, but it is what we have. We will teach on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. There is no official recognition of the Day. We will explain the secular and religious aspects to our students under the heading: “Wester Culture”.   There are no real Christmas parties or gift exchanges, although we do deliver small presents to our direct supervisors at the college….just cause.   We will call our family and be homesick, but there is little that can be done. Presents will wait until we fly home early January. We probably will get together with ERRC team members...

New Friends in Beijing

In our Friday night group studying Luke, we just finished Luke 2: “And it came to pass”.   One of the study questions was who was the “angel” who first shared Jesus with you? For our three students, one was her mother and the other two were their grandparents. One student just wandered in to our study from a general English corner announcement. The only one to come. He is a Ph.D. student in computer programming. The second one is a student of Rick’s who for some reason he felt led to invite. She is a Ph.D. student in Chemistry. The newest arrival is the young lady who stopped and offered to help me buy my Kindle last week. She works; I don’t know doing what yet. The main impetus for them to devote an hour on Friday night is to improve their English, but they very eagerly share their spiritual hunger.   Next Friday rather than doing a study, we are going to the State approved Three Self Chinese church for a bilingual Christmas program. It is always very tastefully done and a ...