And so it begins....
Yesterday as I contemplated starting our China Training, I got a little anxious. To think of leaving my family and going to a foreign country for a year made me feel sick! I was sad and nervous and felt very incapable. We are going off to a country where most people do not speak our language. The writing on signs isn't even in my alphabet. It is completely and totally new and foreign. I can't think of any other words to describe it. But today we had our first day of training at BYU. We learned a bit about the Chinese history and their government. We learned a little about their religious beliefs. We even learned a little about how to teach English! 😄 We also met the people who will also be living in Xi'an and teaching at either Xi'an International Studies University like us and 3 others that will be at another University. I came away feeling so much better about what we are getting into. I think we might be able to do this. 😉 I also came away thinking that the Chinese people have a total different perspective on life. So interesting to think that they see things so differently than we do. Their culture and beliefs vary so much from us. Maybe through the year, I'll be able to put this idea better into words to help you all understand what I'm talking about. Until then....here we go.
Rhonda-you are certainly capable. I don't have any doubt about that. I arrived in Japan a week or so before Christmas. That in itself was difficult. My second or third week there, my companion and I were walking up a hill on a narrow dirt trail on the outskirts of Shimonoseki. I had been feeling a bit blue all day but had been trying to remain positive. Now the sun was setting, there were no street lights, and it was getting colder and starting to snow. Ahead of me on the trail, my companion turned around and asked if I was feeling discouraged. I remember answering that I was OK but continued and said I can't eat anything (strange food and chopsticks), everything smells different, I can't read anything, I can't understand anything anybody is saying to me, I am unable to say anything intelligible back and taking a bath and using the toilet is bizarre; other than that I'm doing just great. I'm sure you didn't know that I can be sarcastic sometimes. Anyway, I was discouraged. But in a few weeks I started to fall in love with the Japanese and their beautiful country. Of course I was there for two years, but when the time came for me to come home, I asked for an extension because I really wanted to stay. There will be a learning curve when you get there, but both of you will be great and I imagine you will come to love China and her people. I love you like you were my own sister. Hollis
ReplyDeleteWho knows, maybe we really are related! 😉 Thanks for sharing. Life is always interesting and always throws curve balls at us. I can't believe we are doing this. How did I get here?
DeleteI'm excited to follow on through here and see how it's going. You guys are going to do great!!
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