I was going to write a post all about our crazy summer. But that was four weeks ago and summer is long since over. So now I'm just going to reflect on all that four more months in (and out of) China has taught me.
Here's what I wrote a few weeks ago: It's been three months. Just twelve weeks. Yet I feel liked I've lived a whole life. This summer—as summers usually are—has been non-stop. Trips, events, outings, and planning for the future all have culminated into what I can easily call the best summer of my life. It's drawing to an end, but I feel obligated to record the journey while it's fresh.
Starting in March—when I turned eighteen and my visa was changed— I have to leave mainland China every ninety days. So time flies by.
Here's a little run down of what has happened:
June
- Reese and I finish online school and I graduate!!
- I go to learn healing meditation in a remote village in Wuyuan
- Aunt Stephanie and Delanie come to visit; we travel to Xi'an China
- Dad goes to Taiwan for a temple trip
- We go to Thailand
- Audrey leaves on her 10 day class trip
July
- Reese moves back to the U.S.
- Mom just about dies again from an allergic reaction to cookie dough (or something)
- Mom & Dad's birthdays!!
- I go to Chengdu to volunteer at a summer camp
August
- Audrey and Paige teach summer English classes to neighborhood friends
- We establish and strengthen relationships with the great people in our community
- Things wind down
- Mom and Dad celebrate their 20th anniversary
September
- Mid-Autumn Festival
- I go to Taiwan for a visa run/temple trip
Lots of stories and insight to share. But I'll try to keep things brief. I learned many life changing lessons when I was studying meditation from a man named Leo. He was once a successful lawyer but left his career behind when he was stricken with cancer. He healed himself naturally through meditation and traditional medicine and now his life's pursuit is to share his knowledge and wisdom with anyone who is interested. I was introduced to the beautiful philosophies of Buddhism and Taoism. And I got a tantalizing taste of Chinese culture which is so vast and impossible to fully understand without first understanding the language. Language truly is the key to culture. I love Eastern philosophy! These beliefs edify and beautify the richness of life's experience. I'd been dreaming about going somewhere like Wuyuan for years. A place where everything looks like a picture and the people are precious and kind. No matter the time of day they always ask, "你吃了吗, Have you eaten?" Their life is simple, they work each day in the rice paddies and gather at the village square every evening. But they know joy and they have community. It was beautiful to be apart of, even if just for a few short days.
Our travels with Delanie and Aunt Stephanie were exciting and a great break for Mom who hadn't had a break—let a lone vacation—for months. It was a sort of Asian tour for Reese who would soon be moving back to the U.S. We saw the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an and hiked 华山 (Hua Shan) one of the five sacred mountains of China. Sadly we weren't able to do the legendary plank walk due to the sudden torrential rain that started pouring just as we got in line. But the twenty minute gondala ride to the top was thrilling enough. Thailand begs to be visited again. This time Audrey and Paige demand to come too.
The girls stayed at home. Audrey would be leaving on a trip with her 6th grade class to western China for ten days. This was a big deal for her, and for Mom and Dad who in the past haven't even allowed sleep overs. But Audrey and Paige's school is special. Our parents felt completely comfortable letting their twelve year old travel in a foreign place with fifteen other tweenagers through the desert, past countryside, up mountains, and to the sea. She's fluent in Chinese now. And thanks to the trip she has become much more accustomed to Chinese food.
Back in January Aunt Suzanne out of the blue offered to let Reese come and live with her family and their six kids in Nibley Utah. China hasn't been an easy experience for him seeing as the opportunities to reach his goals here are quite limited. Seeing Reese off was hard but everyone knew it was the best for him. It's been part of The plan all along. We are so excited for him to have an American high school experience in Lincoln and start slam-dunking his way up in the world.
It has been incredible to watch him grow these last ten months in China. Literally, he grew at least four inches. But more importantly he has grown as a person in so many ways and our relationship as a family is forever strengthened thanks to 10 months of China trials and experiences.
Here are some things he accomplished while in China:
- Safely maneuvered an electric scooter 10km every day through the hazardous scooter lanes with his two sisters on board. To school and back home. Every day. In the freezing cold.
- Taught english to five rowdy 3-4 year olds. (and their moms)
- Went to the gym every day. Got the gains. Played basketball with the locals and smoked them every time.
- Ate chicken feet.
- Broke the record for "most consecutive days to eat (at least) one PB&J sandwich." Our peanut butter supply is doing much better now that he's back in the mother land.
- Learned how to throw peanuts with chopsticks. He's still working on juggling them. But he can juggle basketballs and it looks so funny.
- Got used to people staring at him all the time.
- Grew up.
- Became my best friend and a great example to everyone that has the honor of knowing him. LOVE YOU BROTHER!!!
We retook that baozi picture from 10 months ago on our way to the airport to see Reese off. Notice how the innocence is gone from our eyes. The superficial sheen replaced with the glow of real life. We were so naive back then. Back when baozi was exotic. Ha. Now it's like comfort food. Oh how we've changed.
See you soon Reese! At Christmas. Don't grow too much taller than dad! We can't wait to hear about the new adventures in store for you. You embrace every moment of your journey. And we'll keep doing the same.
While Audrey was on her trip, Dad was in Taiwan, and the rest of us were in Thailand Paige was left alone at home. With a babysitter friend from the Branch but Paige still felt a little gypped. As the youngest she doesn't have a whole lot of say in things but her special spirit finds joy in whatever plans she is required to follow.
Audrey and Paige had a few weeks of exhaustingly empty down time. So mom encouraged them to start an "English games" class for young children in our complex. They made a flyer and instead of putting one on everyone's door they just sent it to the community WeChat group. They had several students show up every Thursday to play games and learn English. It kept them occupied along with outings with friends and lots of Barbie movies in Chinese. That's the new "I want to watch a movie but I know I shouldn't" rationale. "But mom, I'll be 'learning' Chinese!" Even though I already understand everything. And all the songs are still in English. And the Barbie vocabulary isn't the most academic. Mom and Dad don't understand anything. So it will help them learn Chinese. Maybe.
So while the girls were busy finding ways to occupy their time I had the opportunity to go to Chengdu. The best city in the world. That I've been to so far. It was a volunteer gig that brought me there. I would be teaching youth ages 6-17 leadership and character building skills. And, turned out, teaching parents about parenting! It was insanity in the best of ways. I won't go into two weeks worth of crazy details but let's just say I know how to create a week worth of summer camp curriculum —that's thirty hours of lessons, games, power points, lectures, worksheets, and homework— in three days. I was just a small part of LCKCE2k19 (Literally the Coolest Kids Camp Ever 2k19) and if it weren't for an amazing team of very driven and flexible people it never would have turned out as amazingly as it did. Chengdu was a blast. I was able to open people's mind to a broader way of seeing the world. I may never know the impact of my simple thoughts and example but those people changed me in so many ways and I am forever grateful for that opportunity to teach and learn.
Things keep happening. But most days are just normal. We've put down some roots and we're really starting to thrive. The girls love their school and are so lucky to be having such amazing experiences. While the summer was filled with the typical busy schedule, we've certainly never had a summer quite like this one. Now the seasons are changing. The splendid Hangzhou autumn is rolling in and we're thrilled to live whatever lies ahead.
