"Wo yao yi tong shui." ("I need water.")

Well, this week has been fairly quiet.  I continue to spend as much time as possible with Yi Feng.  I'm reminded of something that C.S. Lewis wrote.  He said that if a man loves a woman, he wants to stay with her and never leave her side, but normally the necessities of life (like earning money) keep tearing him away.  But, if he is somehow able to arrange his life so that he has no outside responsibilities, and spends all his time with her, then the fascination grows stale.  I hope I never get to that point.

In other news, I accepted the job offer from Hy-Lite English.  I will continue on my current status until September.  Then, I will sign a full-time contract for one year.  My schedule will also change.  I'll be working mostly nights and weekends, unfortunately.  I'm pretty sure I can get Sundays off, or at least Sunday morning for church.  That's life when you're working with schoolkids in a private education business.

The main thing I wanted to write about was the water.  That is, my drinking water.  For reference, here's my water dispenser:

Water Dispenser

In China, as in Korea, the normal tap water is not considered safe to drink without purification, although we use it for everything else (except brushing teeth).  Most people have water dispensers in their homes, like the one pictured above.  This works fine for me, until the water runs out and the jug needs to be replaced.

I have asked around, and no one seems to know of any place where you can go to purchase these water jugs.  When it runs out, you need to call the phone number on the barrel, tell the person on the other end that you need water, and what your address is.  Then, they send a delivery guy with the water.  Same-day service, apparently.  That works fine for most people here, I guess, but for me (since I don't speak Chinese), not so much.

When I was spending all day at Wuxi International School, I just filled my small bottles from their dispensers, and I managed not to use mine very much.  (I did the same in Korea, only with larger bottles and filter machines.)  Thus it was that this week was only the second time that my dispenser ran empty and needed a refill.  The first time, I took the empty jug down to the guard shack and showed it to the guard.  After some protesting in Chinese, he showed me the phone number.  Then, when I asked, "Do they speak English?" and after some more Chinese, he got out his phone and made the call for me.  (I wrote down my apartment number for him.)  Fortunately, I had nowhere I really needed to go that day.  So, I went up to my apartment to wait, and later, the water guy came.  It cost 14 RMB (if memory serves) to replace the water.  More than the 10 RMB I had been quoted earlier, but quite reasonable.

This last week, my water was running low again.  So, instead of having to bother the guard, I asked Yi Feng to teach me how to call for water myself.  She wrote down in my book what I would need to say, and drilled me on pronunciation until I had it right.  On Friday, the water ran out.  Saturday, I planned to leave by 10 a.m. to catch a bus and meet someone.  So, I made a call at 8 a.m., figuring a local delivery shouldn't take two hours if I called early in the day.

The call didn't work out quite the way I planned.  After an hour or so, I got a call back from them.  Someone spoke a little English.  I tried to tell them my address, but it ended up that they said I should find a Chinese friend.  So, I called Yi Feng.  She said she would help.  She said she enjoyed doing something for me.

It turned out that, since I was using the area code on the jug, I was getting the water place in another city, where (I guess) their main office is.  Yi Feng said she made the correct call, and that I just had to wait.  Well, I waited until 10 a.m., but then I had to leave.  However, I had a plan that I thought would work.

I took a rubber band, and a 20 RMB bill, and attached the bill to the neck of the empty jug.  I then placed the jug outside my apartment door before I left.  I figured that if no one stole the money, and if the delivery guy was intelligent, he would take the empty, leave a full jug, take the 20 RMB bill, and maybe even leave my change on the full jug.  That would require both honesty and intelligence on the part of everyone involved; two things that are not always guaranteed in China, apparently.

Well, something went wrong.  Either he didn't show up, or he wasn't sufficiently intelligent or observant to notice the bill on the jug and figure out what he was expected to do with it.  The jug was exactly the way I had left it.  No one stole my 20 RMB, but I didn't get my water refill, either.  (I have a small reserve, so I'm not going thirsty just yet.)

What I really want is a way to buy one additional water jug.  I want to keep a full one next to the water dispenser.  That way, when one runs out, I can replace it immediately, without waiting for a delivery.  Then I would have plenty of time to figure out how to get water delivered at a time when I am present to receive it.  I think I just figured out how (based on my scanty understanding of Standard Chinese), but I'll check with Yi Feng first.

What I'll probably have to do this time is get help.  Yi Feng texted me this afternoon (as I was riding home on the 766 bus) that she is free all day tomorrow.  She has some places that she wants to take me to.  Well, I'll take any excuse to spend time with her, doing anything.  Lord willing, I'll meet her at 8 a.m. tomorrow.  That afternoon, I may have to take her to my place, where I can call for water, with her present to help if something goes amiss.  Then we can sit and wait for the delivery, and I can take her out to dinner after the water arrives.  That's the plan, anyway.  There's plenty we can talk about while we wait.

Prayer Requests
These past few weeks have been a little surreal for me.  Spending hours almost every day with a beautiful young woman, going out for meals with her, holding hands, sharing dessert, etc. never happened to me in the U.S.  Yi Feng actually wants to spend time with me, and even welcomes physical contact.  How could this happen to me?  It feels like I'm living someone else's life.  As one of my colleagues said to me, "It looks like you've got a girlfriend."  Well, she denies it (in both English and Chinese), but I don't really care how she defines our relationship, as long as she continues seeing me, and letting me express my affection for her.

So, thank God for bringing Wu Yi Feng into my life!  For the first time in my life, I have real hope that I'm not destined to live like a monk.

In addition, I just heard back from Jane, the vice-principal at WIS.  She says I don't have to move out right away.  She'll tell me how to pay the rent on my current apartment.  It's about 1400 RMB/month, which, considering the location and quality, seems quite reasonable when compared to others that I've seen.  So, praise God for at least a short-term solution to the housing issue.

The only thing that's really bothering me right now is my lip.  On Wednesday, I took Yi Feng out to dinner (as usual), at a restaurant that was new to both of us.  The meal involved a boiling pot on a hot plate right at my seat.  Taking something out of the pot, I misjudged the temperature of some mushrooms and burned one spot on my lower lip rather badly.  It's got a scab now that's quite noticeable.  (Yi Feng was very cute about it, wanting to touch it last night, when it started bleeding from trauma.  She doesn't mind how it looks.)  So, please pray for infection-free healing.

Also, Amelie's mother had an accident on her bicycle last week.  (Of course, she wasn't wearing a helmet.  Hardly any Chinese people wear proper helmets unless they're on something motorized, and even then not always.)  She seems to have suffered a rather bad concussion.  (Worse than the one I had when I was 10 y.o.)  She's been in and out of the hospital, and Amelie has been busy helping her.  Please pray for healing for Amelie's mother.

Well, I've got to get to bed now if I'm going to be well rested when I meet Yi Feng.  ("Go to bed early," she would say.  Apparently, in Chinese, it's like our "Sweet dreams," or something similar.)  So, thank you for reading, and thanks for praying, especially for Amelie's mother.  God bless you all.

Meeting Wu Yi Feng (吴衣丰)

I'm not quite sure how to describe this past week.  God has been good to me, that's for sure.  If you are praying for me, thank you!  If you're not praying for me, I forgive you.  God has been blessing me anyway.  That much is abundantly clear.

How to describe God's blessings is somewhat less clear.  But, I will give it a shot.  On Sunday I went to church, and sat in the front pew, as usual.  Unusually, Amelie was not at that service.  Also unusually, Wu Yi Feng (吴衣丰, a.k.a. Vivian) was.  (She was given the English name Vivian, but she prefers to be called by her Chinese name, Yi Feng.)  Yi Feng usually goes to church on Saturdays, but this week she came on Sunday as well.  I presume it was to meet me, which she did after the service, for she had prepared a Chinese lesson for me.

(Yi Feng insists that I should learn Chinese if I am to live in China.  While I can't argue with that, I am reluctant to pay for lessons.  I am, however, perfectly willing to let her teach me, which she seems happy to do.)

We sat in the church and talked about the Chinese lesson she had prepared, and then we walked outside, and down a side alley to a cultural square & park area.  We saw statues,

Hero of Wuxi

and we listened to traditional Chinese music being performed.  I had my shoes shined for 5 RMB, which is half the price of a mocha coffee.  But mostly, we talked about various things.  She told me the significance of some of the sights in the park.  We talked about fun stuff, and serious stuff, and I got to know her better.

I wanted to take her to dinner, but I had told her that I was going to a birthday party at 7 p.m.  She told me that I should not eat; rather, I should go to the party hungry and ready to eat there.  So, when it approached 6:30, she needed to head home, and I walked with her and held my umbrella when it rained.  We walked for several blocks down a side alley, and then a larger street, not taking any sharp turns.  Finally, we saw her aunt on an e-bike, and, after appropriate greetings, we said goodbye.

Now Yi Feng, as you may remember, takes classes at Hy-Lite, which was how we met.  So, it was only normal that I should see her at school this week.  What was not normal was when I would see her, and choose to spend my entire break with her, which I did at every opportunity.  Sometimes we had lunch together.  After school, we would meet again, and have dinner together.  On Wednesday I texted her, and she didn't have classes, but she came to meet me anyways.  On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (if I recall correctly), we had dinner together, and walked, and talked.

Tuesday was particularly memorable.  Here is what dinner looked like:

Hot and sour soup, with sprinklings of beef and green onions

That's the only photo I have of Tuesday, because it was raining pretty hard.  I spent most of the evening walking with her, in the rain, with one arm around her and the other arm holding my umbrella over us both.  She took me to the Wuxi public library, which seemed to be her favorite place in the world, from the way her eyes lit up at the sight of books.  She took me to a park, and showed me the museum (which was closed in the evening), and then took me to a bus stop where I could catch a bus home.  Yes, it was raining pretty hard.  But then again, it wasn't cold, and I had my arm around a beautiful girl.  Can't complain.

On Wednesday, after dinner, Yi Feng came with me to the evening Bible study.  Again, Amelie was not there.  On Thursday, I was quite busy, so I was not able to connect with Yi Feng.  But after school, I was able to text her, and we made plans to go back to the park on Friday, when the weather would be fine.  Unfortunately, it turned out that her mother had plans for a visit with her grandmother in the evening, and an earlier commitment to me was not considered binding, since it conflicted with these plans.  (This I learned from a text late Thursday night.)  So, she promised me one thing that I liked as compensation.  And, she said she could meet me earlier.

Of course, I took her up on her offer.  We had lunch together, where I requested a favor.  And, during my break from classes at 2 p.m., I collected on the promised favor.  Accordingly, I am pleased to present to you the new woman in my life, Wu Yi Feng:

Wu Yi Feng (吴衣丰), a.k.a. Vivian

When she looked at the preview on the camera, she said she looked fat.  I said she looked beautiful, and I meant it.  She may not be as slim as many young Chinese women, but I think she's beautiful.

If you're inclined to judge her based on her choice of dress, have a little compassion instead.  Understand that the heat index (with humidity) was over 100° F today, or over 40° C, and, like many in Wuxi, she has no car.  She has to walk from her home to the school.  Her clothing was appropriate for the weather.

Here we are together:

Me and Wu Yi Feng

I used the timer feature on my camera.  I think it worked well, once I allowed for my extra height in framing the picture.

So, that's how my week went in the personal area.  Of course, I'm leaving out a lot of details.  Some I can't remember, and much of what I can remember is none of your business.  :-)

On the job front, there was a very positive development.  I overheard some of my colleagues discussing a new full-time position.  When I inquired if I might be able to fill that position, I was given a ten-minute interview slot later in the day.  At that time, I was basically told that the two people who counted were quite happy with how I was turning out.  Compensation was discussed, which compares quite favorably with what I was getting at WIS.  Some of the work could be more interesting than what I'm currently doing, and more rewarding as well.

I was basically offered the job, and given time to consider it.  I asked for a week, which was granted, on the understanding that if I decide to turn it down, they will need some time if they bring someone from overseas.  They do not provide housing, but they do provide a tax-free housing allowance, which should allow me to get a place as least as good as where I am now.  (Furnishing will probably come out of my summer wages, which are generous.)

The only problem I foresee is, I would have to find my own apartment.  I spoke with Yi Feng about this, and after initially protesting that she didn't know how, she agreed to help.  Later, right after my last class, I got a call from her.  Apparently she thought my situation was urgent.  She had already spoken with her mother about it, and her mother, desiring to help, had already found a place that I could look at, with a very reasonable rent.  After I made it clear that my housing need was not immediate, she asked if I still wanted to look at it, and we agreed to go on Sunday, after church, which is really the only time I would have.

So clearly, with this kind of help from the Wu family, finding housing shouldn't be a problem.  :-)  I just need to decide what to do about my position at WIS, and clear up the details of the contract with Mark (the colleague who interviewed me today), and I'm prepared to accept.

Prayer Requests
So many great things happened this week, I don't know where to begin.  I was given some more clarity about the two Chinese women that I'm closest to, which one to keep as a friend, and which one to pursue romantically.  I was also offered a new job, with better pay and improved prospects.  In other words, after realizing that my cheese was running out, I found a new, bigger, better cheese.  Praise God for his marvelous goodness to me!

Of course, all is not peaches and cream in China.  I need wisdom about this new job offer.  And I need wisdom about this new relationship that I'm pursuing.  Please pray that God would grant me wisdom in both these areas.  Thank you.

First Week at Hy-Lite

Well, it's been a fairly quiet week here in Wuxi.  I started my summer job in earnest on Monday.  I had 19 hours this week; some days had three hours, some had five.  Each day has about the same content.  It goes something like this:

I take the bus and arrive sometime around 9 a.m.  Sometimes, especially if I have extra time, I go to a local café and get a drink, and perhaps a pastry.  I'm starting to like mochas, but a hot drink just doesn't make sense most days, and an iced mocha is mostly ice.  I'm also getting into the red bean mochi smoothie.

My schedule is on a little desk in the shared office.  My first class always starts at 10:00 a.m.  I need to look at the schedule, get the lesson plan binders for the classes I will be teaching, and make sure I have everything I need.  The class sizes vary from 1-8, and the content varies, but basically my job is to have a conversation with them in English for 55 minutes.  Occasionally, I run out of discussion questions, and  then it's really a trick to make stuff up to fill the remaining time.

For lunch, I just go out to a local restaurant.  (With what they're paying me, I can afford it.)  The trick is to find one where I don't need to be able to read or speak Chinese.  Picture menus work well.  So does cafeteria-style service, which I've seen at two places downtown so far.  On Friday, I found that I didn't have enough cash because I had taken a taxi home the previous night.  (Only way to get home from that location.)  So, I had to go to the Bank of China (main Wuxi branch) to get more.  (The bank building is very impressive.  I'll post a picture sometime.)  When the ATM ate my card after giving me the cash, that took some time to resolve with the bank staff.  (Key:  Find someone that speaks English.)  After that, I didn't have a whole lot of time left for an adventure in Chinese dining.  So, I headed straight back to the school.  On the way, I saw this:

Citibank sign with Chinese characters

Clearly, Citibank has (or will soon have) a branch in Wuxi.  Well, I'm told Bank of China has five branches in California, including one in San Francisco.  (Can anyone confirm this with pictures or an address?  Google's not helping me today.)  I know Chase has a branch in Seoul, South Korea.  But I have no experience with any of these locations.

Because of my limited time, I decided to just get something quick, easy, and relatively cheap.  Accordingly,

Fries, a Big Mac, and a Coke

this was my lunch.  I know, not very healthy, but it was quick, easy, portable, and familiar.  I can also report that they all tasted just like they do in the U.S., although perhaps the Big Mac had slightly less sauce.  I was surprised that there were no shakes or pies on the menu.  Oh, well, that's China, I guess.

Prayer Requests
I have a praise report, but it's private.  If you're on my private distribution list, or you know someone who is, then please include that praise in your prayers for me.

I got an e-mail from Jane on Friday.  She told me that they might not have enough math classes for me next semester, because several students are leaving the school for family reasons, or for studying abroad.  She thinks it might be a good idea if I found another job, maybe a full-time job at Hy-Lite.  Well, that won't happen.  I told her as much, and politely expressed that I would be willing to teach English classes if there was not enough work teaching math, but that I expected to be paid my full contract salary for the remainder of the contract term.  Jane replied back that she would find me some oral English lessons to do at the adjoining public school, but that it would be OK if I chose to find a better job elsewhere.  She would, of course, write a good letter of recommendation for me.

Well, all that is to say that, although I don't believe I'm in immediate danger of unemployment, I may not have the option to renew my contract at the end of this year.  Now, this school is not the best place I've ever worked, but it does have the virtue of being here in Wuxi, where I've made some friends, and have a potential romantic interest.  I'd hate to have to start over again in a new city.  Please pray for me, that God would show me His will in this area, and do it soon.

Now I've mentioned romance, something that you're all probably dying to hear about.  Unfortunately, this is a public blog, so I'm not sure how much I can say without risking hurting anyone.  I've mentioned two different Chinese women in this space, both of whom are in contention for Sean's Favorite Woman in Wuxi.  One, the newcomer, is definitely playing to win.  Subtlety is not her strong suit, but reading subtlety is not mine, so that works well.  She's also very beautiful.  The other I have had more time with, and she has done me some nice favors, but I'm not sure where she stands on our relationship.  She has offered to invite me to her family's new apartment after they move in.  I'm not sure how long that will take.

Then there's the job issue mentioned above, which means that I'm not sure how long I'll be able to stay in Wuxi.  And the fact that I have almost zero experience with dating or romance of any kind.  I had a question about having a girlfriend today, and I had to say, quite truthfully, "It's complicated."  That's putting it mildly.  So, please pray that I would handle the situation wisely.

It's late, and I have church tomorrow.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  God bless.

An Unexpected Gift

Last post saw me rushing off to catch a bus.  Amelie texted me the name of Meiyuan Bus Station in Enlish and Chinese.  I caught the 766 bus, showed the driver, and he nodded.  I texted Amelie that I was on the bus, and she texted me back that it would take about an hour.  Less than an hour later, the driver said something and motioned to me.  I asked if this was Meiyuan Bus Station, and he seemed to indicate in the affirmative.  So, I got off, and looked around.  This is what I saw:

Meiyuan Bus Station

Not exactly my idea of a bus station, but that's what the sign said.

I texted Amelie that I was there, and she replied that she was coming.  Soon, she arrived.  When I got to her car, she kindly inquired about my lunch.  Since I left my apartment before 11, all I had time for was an apple and some peanuts at the bus stop, which I admitted.  She said nothing more about it at that time, but we drove to the church and talked about other things.  The church is in Hudai Town where Amelie grew up, and close to where she still lives with her parents, on the outskirts of Wuxi.  (This was why she had me take a bus to meet her.  Otherwise, it would have taken her far out of her way to pick me up.)  Soon enough, we got to the church.  Since the most direct route was inexplicably blocked,

Closed for construction.  But, the road was in perfect order, so they just haven't removed the roadblock yet.

we took a side road, a one-lane farm road actually, which Amelie knew.

When we arrived at the church,

Jingshi Church
(Apparently, it's a Seventh Day Adventist church, but licensed by the TSPM.)

Amelie offered me lunch.  They were just finishing a communal meal after their service, which seems to be their common practice.  The meal was vegetarian, including tofu, but quite filling.

After the meal, we went into the pastor's office and conducted the English lesson.  Basically, all the kids had laptops (or shared), I read from a theological passage one sentence at a time, the students repeated after me, and at the end of each paragraph, we discussed any terms that they had trouble with.  I don't know how helpful it was, but Amelie said that the students really liked me and wanted me back.  If she asks me to return, and arranges transportation, I will go.

After the lesson, Amelie took me to the church bus which would take several of the sisters to downtown Wuxi.  The driver had instructions to let me off at a particular public bus stop, and I had instructions to take a particular bus which would take me in 5 stops to my apartment.  That worked well, after we got past the aforementioned roadblock.  So, that was my Saturday.  Spent some time with Amelie, got to see another church, met some interesting people.

On Sunday, the translated church service is now in the afternoon at 1:30, to make it possible for more older Chinese parishioners to attend all-Chinese morning services before the day gets too hot.  Since I'm starting work in earnest on Monday, and Andis will be off that day, he asked me to come in on Sunday to get my schedule and clarify the paperwork I need to do for each class.  Accordingly, I arrived at Hy-Lite shortly after 10 a.m.

Hy-Lite English, floor 1 of 4.  (It's a hike up to the 4th floor where I do most of my work.)

When I got there, one of the girls at the front desk politely called me over.  Apparently, a student had left something for me.  What she handed me was this:

Chinese-English Bible

The English translation is ESV, my preferred translation for personal study.  The cover is real leather.  There was a magnifier-bookmark inside, as well as a little note:

To Sean:  God Bless U.  (Chinese writing, smiley)

This was very pleasant and highly unexpected, to say the least.  Clearly, I made a very positive impression on someone.

I waited for Andis to finish his class, met him briefly, and we arranged to meet at noon when he had some free time.  Then, I walked back to the church, intending to use the restroom before looking for someplace to eat lunch.

Well, who should I run into but Victor, an older Chinese gentleman who wants very much to be my good friend, so he can practice speaking English with me.  He was with his wife, and he insisted on taking me out to lunch at a well-known restaurant (one of a chain) kitty-corner from the church.  He insisted on buying me a double portion (the meal was delicious), we discussed the meanings of a few Chinese characters, and he taught me one sentence in Chinese.  Then, I had to go meet with Andis.

When I returned to Hy-Lite, I encountered the student who had given me the Bible, and talked with her briefly before Andis appeared.  I told her honestly how much I appreciated it.  She had noticed the cross on my class ring from SPU while I was observing (and helping) her class, and had asked about it, which was how she knew I was a Christian.  Later, I mentioned the incident to Andis, and asked about her age.  She's apparently a college graduate, therefore in her early to mid 20's.  Definitely eligible.

After meeting with Andis, I went to church, sat in the front pew, and worked on my helmetliner (which is almost finished) until church started.  After church, I spoke with Amelie, who had to go help her mother with something, but would meet me in about an hour.  I told her to call me.  Then, I went to Hy-Lite, intending to get some water to refill my empty bottle.  When I got there, I asked about my schedule, and put my first two days into the calendar on my phone.  I then sat down to knit and wait for Amelie's call.  Well, who should show up, but Vivian, the young woman who gave me the Bible.  She was impressed by my knitting.  She herself had knit at one time, but very little.  We talked about that, and about the church services that she attends on Saturdays.  (There's a Seventh-Day Adventist church, licensed by TSPM, that meets in the same building I go to on Sundays.)

When I got Amelie's call, I told Vivian that I had to leave, and we said goodbye.  (I'm sure I'll see her again at Hy-Lite.)  Then, I went and met with Amelie, and she took me somewhere to buy a bus discount card.  (I tried to find the place on my own and failed.  It's really a hole in the wall at the end of a maze.  I'll need her help to find it again when I need to reload my card.)  Then, we went to find somewhere with cold drinks and a cool place to sit.  The first was my idea, the latter hers, and she found a place that had both.  We sat and talked for over an hour.  Very good talk.  I'm not worried about the dating show anymore.  It's just a game to her, and not her idea.

After that, I went to buy some apples, tried (and failed) to find the bus card place, and caught a bus (using my bus card for the 1st time) to my apartment, where I just tossed some rice in the cooker and sat down to write this all up while it was still fresh.  Today was definitely a full day, and a good one.

Prayer Requests
Apparently, God has been saving up a big heap of blessings to shower me with today.  Praise God for His many blessings!  I won't complain about the timing, either.  God knows best.

I also have a few things I need prayer for.  I'm teaching three classes tomorrow and five on Tuesday.  Please pray that I will do well in these classes, and not mess anything up like paperwork.

I also had pleasant conversations today with two different Chinese girls, both attractive, single, Christian, and apparently very willing to spend time with me.  So far, no commitments have been made by anyone, but I'm reminded of the country song about burning a candle at both ends.  This is a completely novel situation for me.  Please pray that I will handle it wisely.

Well, that's all I have time for now.  It's late, and tomorrow's a big day.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  God bless you.

Saturday in Hudai Town

Update to yesterday's entry:  Amelie was able to contact her pastor, and he welcomes my participation.  I just have to take the 766 bus from my apartment to meet her.  She will send me the rendezvous point as a text message to my phone in Chinese, and I will show that message to the bus driver.  Hopefully, he will then direct me to get off at the proper stop.

Prayer Requests
Firstly, praise God for this answer to prayer!  I will get to spend time with Amelie, and I will also have a chance to participate in a church ministry.

Also, please pray for me, that God would keep me safe and help me make it to my destination without incident.  I hope the bus driver is helpful, and understands what I need, and cooperates with Amelie's plan.  Also, I hope the bus is not too crowded (as they can be in China), as a crowded bus will make it harder to implement this plan.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying!  I appreciate it.  God bless you!

Thursday at Auchan

Since my friend A. started her new job in the New District (where I live), we've had a little informal standing arrangement on Thursday evenings.  She and I meet around 6 o'clock, we usually have something to eat, and then I ride with her to worship team practice, which is at one of three different homes in Wuxi.  It's been like this for a few weeks now.

This Wednesday, she told me that she had some special shopping to do for her new apartment and her family the next evening, and wouldn't be able to meet me.  So, I e-mailed another friend who works in the New District, at whose house we were going to meet, and asked if he could help me, as he had before.  Not having heard from him by Thursday afternoon, I texted him with the same request.

Then, just as I was starting my workday at Hy-Lite (downtown) at 2 p.m., I got a text from A., telling me that she didn't need to go to the market that day, and inquiring how I would get to the fellowship that evening.  (Her English was a little rough, but I understood.)  When I got a break shortly before 3 p.m., I texted her back, asking her to meet me.  She replied immediately that she would pick me up at my place before 7 p.m.  I replied shortly in the affirmative, because I was about to start observing another class.  Then, when I was in a VIP class for training, I got a text at 3:09 p.m. (which I thought was from A.) offering to pick me up at about 6 p.m.  It didn't quite make sense to me, but I replied shortly in the affirmative because I was busy.

When my last training class ended at 5 p.m., I hurried out of there, pausing only to visit a street vendor to buy some tomatoes to include with my dinner, because I was low on vegetables in my apartment.  I got on my bike as quickly as I could, not even changing out of my work clothes, but just strapping the cuffs to keep them from getting soiled.  I arrived at my apartment at about 5:30 p.m., quite literally dripping with sweat, and set about immediately cleaning the lunch dishes (which I had left soaking in water), tidying up my apartment (good thing it's small), and preparing to start dinner.  I knew that if we drove straight to our destination, we wouldn't have to leave until 7 p.m., and I expected A. to come to my apartment around 6 p.m., as she usually does.

At 3 minutes before 6 I got a text from A., suggesting an immediate departure and a rendezvous at her usual parking location between her workplace and my apartment complex (on the same road).  Something was different this time, but I grabbed some fruit and some peanuts, and left.  I arrived at the hotel parking lot about the same time she did.

It turned out that she needed to visit Auchan on the way to our destination.  Auchan is a hypermart, kind of like Carrefour.

(This is on my route downtown, and not the one we visited this time, but they look quite similar.)  She still had some shopping to do for her family.  She kindly inquired about my dinner, and I told her truthfully that I hadn't had any yet.  She had eaten at her factory canteen, but suggested that I get something to eat at Auchan, which was quite agreeable to me.  The Auchan store that we went to this time was closer to our destination on the other side of Wuxi.

However, before we got there, I got a phone call at about 6:25 p.m. from the other friend I had requested a ride from.  It turned out that the text I got at 3:09 p.m., offering a 6 p.m. pickup, was actually from him, and not from A., and I had replied to him.  He was on his way from his office to my apartment to pick me up.  I told him about the confusion, that I was already on my way there with A.  So, we cleared up that issue.  Then I told A. about it, and we approached the Auchan near our destination.

This time, she needed to get some milk, which she purchased in two case-boxes containing small sealed bags.  (I've never seen milk sold that way before, but okay.  It apparently doesn't need refrigeration immediately.)  She also needed to get some fruit.  In the produce section, I saw something that I'd never seen before, even after two months in China:

U.F.O.'s (Unidentified Fruitlike Objects)

Anybody know what this is?  It looked like alien fruit to me.  A. only knew the Chinese name, which I forgot.  Later she looked it up on her electronic dictionary, and said it was called fire dragon fruit.  Sounds appropriate.  Anybody have any experience with this fruit?

Anyway, she didn't get any fire dragon fruit.  She was interested in another Chinese fruit which I've had once or twice, a smaller fruit called "li jiu" in Chinese.  (Don't know if it even has an English name.)  There is an old story about these fruit, concerning an Emperor's wife, which A. told me about.  Anyway, I had plenty of time to take this picture, because it was right next to the bin of li jiu:

And A. took some time selecting her li jiu fruits.  She was so absorbed that I don't think she noticed where the camera was pointed when I snapped this last picture:

This isn't a great picture, but it's the only one I have right now.  I will try to get a better one later.  Her English name is Amelie, and you can pray for her, too.

After getting fruit, she suggested that I get something to eat while she got milk.  I looked around, but I didn't really see anything appropriate, and I didn't know where to look, or how to ask, or how to find something that I could eat in the car without utensils or a big mess.  So, I found Amelie, who was just finishing getting her milk with the assistance of a store employee.  I explained my problem and asked for her help (I seem to be doing that a lot), and she said that she didn't know what I liked.  I said I'd try just about anything.  She suggested a sandwich or something.  I thought, "They have sandwiches here?  I haven't seen any," but I said okay.  It turned out that we found a few things of the steamed bun and dumpling variety, which together made a quite passable finger-food meal, and very inexpensive as well.

When we got to our destination, before we got started with our worship practice, Amelie made an announcement about which I had mixed feelings.  She said that her cousin had been nagging her about finding a boyfriend.  (They do that in China.  Big pressure on girls to get a boyfriend, and make progress toward marriage.)  Because of this, and because of some connections of said cousin, she has an interview a week from Saturday in Nanjing with a blind-date reality TV show.  When she said the name of the show, all the Chinese girls in the room screamed.  From the description, it seems more like a meat market than a blind date show.

So, here's why I have mixed emotions about this.  On one hand, it confirms that she doesn't have a boyfriend.  One source said she did, but I hadn't seen any evidence of one, and this proves that his information was false.  That's a good thing.  On the other hand, I don't really know what the expectations are for this show.  But whatever they are, I know I won't like them.  Is this jealousy?  O.K., then, I'm jealous.  Can you blame me?

I did talk to Amelie after the worship practice, before we left.  I told her that I wanted to spend some time with her, to get to know her better, and I asked when she had time.  Saturday she's going to a church in another town to teach English, but we could get together after church on Sunday.  That seemed O.K.

Then, when I got home, I had an idea that must have been late in coming because I was tired.  Why didn't I go with Amelie to teach English?  They'd probably appreciate the help of a native English speaker.  When I e-mailed Amelie about it, she was very appreciative.  She said she'd check with the pastor.  A few e-mails later, she hasn't been able to contact the pastor, and she doesn't feel right going ahead without permission.  (I won't second-guess this one.  Anything like unauthorized religious activity here is dangerous, and she knows the rules much better than I.)  Hopefully, I will be able to help her at a later time.  For now, we have a date on Sunday afternoon.

Prayer Requests
Obviously, I need prayer.  I prefer to start off this section with a praise request, so you can praise God for my continued good health and safety, and all the things I'm learning, and pray for more of the same.

Based on the above, I probably don't have to ask, but please pray for me and my relationship with Amelie.  Since I'm new in this country, and I don't have much experience with girls of any nationality, I was just going to take it slow, be friends first, get to know her with some friendly, low-pressure (and inexpensive) activities, and see where that led.

However, I don't like this news about the blind-date reality TV show, whatever it's called.  I don't know what she expects from a date, or, for that matter, from a boyfriend.  Dinner?  We've had that, in my apartment.  Conversation?  We've had that too, in English, which she is pretty good at.  A movie?  Haven't done that yet, but it can be arranged.  A car?  Well, I can't provide that, but I hope it's not necessary.  She has one, after all.  Why would I need one?

I'm afraid I'll have to openly declare my intentions this Sunday, when we get together.  I haven't met her parents yet, which I would prefer to do, but transportation and language barriers make that difficult.  I'm planning to tell her that I'm interested in developing a serious relationship with her, that I was planning on taking it slowly, but she forced my hand with this news of the reality TV show.  Can anybody tell me if that's a terrible idea?  She does have a good sense of humor.

As well, please pray for Amelie.  I don't know her very well yet.  She is personable and considerate, she has a good sense of humor, she speaks English pretty well, I think she also speaks the Wuxi dialect in addition to Standard Chinese, she's a good cook, and very helpful.  She is only two or three years old in the faith, very recently baptized.  Her mother, from what she's told me, attends a Christian church regularly; her father, "not so much."  I'm concerned that she doesn't understand how important it is to be equally yoked.  I don't think I would be the right person to bring that up.

Also, please pray for my work at Hy-Lite.  I've worked two hours so far, and I haven't gotten paid for them, which doesn't worry me yet, but no one has explained how, where, or when I will get paid, only that I will be paid 150 RMB per hour worked, which is a very good hourly wage.  I'll be meeting with my supervisor, Andis, on Sunday, because he's off on Monday, and I'll be in the neighborhood for church.  I'll just go in the morning, meet with him, and then get some lunch before church.  I should be able to ask him about payday at that time.

Well, that's a long entry, but I wanted to tell the whole story to go with my pictures.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  God bless.

Get a Job (Sha, na na na, na-na-na-na-na)

Well, I started my summer job today at Hy-Lite Language School in downtown Wuxi.  They are right next to Wuxi Protestant Church on Zhongshan Road.  First, I sat in on one VIP class (one person), one salon class (about 8 people), and a private class (up to four people; this one had only one) which was unpaid training.  Then, after dinner, I administered a practice oral IELTS test, for which I will be paid.  Tomorrow I will be doing a Speaker's Corner, which (as my first time) will be mainly introductions.

The work is pretty straightforward.  The lesson plans are already written (in outline form), and all I have to do is get the students to talk about the subject by using guiding questions.  That's something I already know how to do.  Looks like they will have a fair bit of work for me, which will be good.  It'll get me out of the apartment, and keep me out of the poorhouse.  Summers are always their busiest time.  I may even be able to take Chinese classes from them.

By the way, I learned something from the student's answer to a practice test question, to amend the information in the last post.  July 1 is the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.  That's the specific date and event that the display pictured in the last post was erected to commemorate.  Also, this student (who is from a very well-off family) does not agree with the government spending a lot of money on national celebrations such as this, because the money is taken from the people in taxes, and the people have no say on how it is spent.  That seems to be a fairly enlightened view, and something that I didn't expect from a Chinese student.

Prayer Requests
Things seem to be going pretty well right now, for which you can praise God.  A. is in the process of decorating her new apartment in the new district, so she's busy right now, but when she finally moves in, she'll be closer to where I live, and hopefully I'll get to see her more.  I really want to get to know her better, but that takes time.  Please pray that I would be able to spend some quality time with her, to get better acquainted.

That's about all for now.  I'll be posting a lot of photos on Facebook, many never seen before anywhere on the Internet.  So, if you're my friend on Facebook (and all of my readers should be), go on over and check them out.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.  God bless you.

An American Patriot in Communist China

U.S. Flag, Bald Eagle, and the Declaration of Independence.

Today, I find myself trying to celebrate the 4th of July while living by myself in Communist China.  Today is just a normal day for most Chinese.  I wish I could be surrounded by images like the above.  Instead, this is what I see at the nearest major intersection:

Southeast Corner of Changjiang Lu & Wangzhuang Lu

It's been up there for a week or so.  As you can imagine, this makes me feel a little homesick.  Clearly, they are celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Communist Party.  I have that on good authority.  I don't know what the exact date of the anniversary is, or what historical event they are dating it from.

I do, however, know what I am celebrating today.  On July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, which outlined the reasons why they were separating the colonies from Great Britain.

To celebrate, I put an American flag on my desktop and screensaver, since I'm sure I can't find a cloth flag to buy here.  I read the Declaration of Independence aloud, from my Kindle.  I'm also reading Common Sense by Tomas Paine, as much as I have time for, and I have The Federalist Papers in reserve in case I need more reading material.  I also have a DVD that I bought, "Special Ops" with A.J. Draven and Steven Bauer, which claims to be "a story about a true American patriot."  I was looking for "Independence Day" or "Born on the 4th of July", but this was the closest I could find at the Korean DVD store.

I also sent an e-mail to A., explaining briefly the significance of this date.  I attached the text of the Declaration of Independence.  I invited her out to celebrate with me, I don't know if she'll be able to go.

I would be listening to patriotic music, but my mp3 collection is unaccountably scanty in that area.  I did find a music video on YouTube, and, after waiting a while for it to buffer, I was able to watch and listen to it.  I include it here for your benefit.  God bless the U.S.A.!

Job Interview

Yesterday, I had a job interview at Hy-Lite Language School.  They were looking for native English speakers to teach small conversation classes, and some larger "Speaker's Corner" classes, during the summer when their business picks up.  Andis, the head trainer there at Hy-Lite, showed me around, and introduced me to how the school works, and then took me to his office and asked me a few questions.  A little about my background, and a little about what I would do in certain circumstances.  Apparently I passed, because he offered me 10-15 hours per week, on weekdays, at 150 RMB/hour, starting in about mid-July.  Training is not paid, but it's not too long.  So, that's an answer to prayer.

After the interview, I went to the church restroom to change back into bike clothes, and then I went for a short exploratory ride downtown, looking for a fruit vendor to buy some bananas from.  That trip was successful, so then I went back to the church grounds, and had a little picnic of peanuts (thanks Mom!), bananas, steamed bread rolls (from Carrefour) and water.  Then, I went down to the church basement and refilled my Camelbak, which was empty.  (It was that hot out, I was perspiring freely, just sitting still.  90°F + in the shade.)  Then, I waited a friend and one of his colleagues to show up after 6pm, and we went on a little bike ride around Wuxi, my friend leading the way.  That was fun, interesting, and a little challenging to dodge the pedestrians, bikes, e-bikes, etc. while keeping up.  I did see a Wall-Mart on the trip.  I'm going to have to ask my friend how to get back there.  That Wall-Mart should be worth checking out.

Prayer Requests
Firstly, praise God for the offer of a summer job!  I was not looking forward to trying to stretch my last paycheck to last all summer.  This will bring me that much closer to paying off my debts.  It will also give me some more experience in a different environment.  It may also give me additional options in the future, should my circumstances change.

Along those lines, please pray for me in my new job.  I'll be responsible for getting Chinese teenagers and adults to use their limited English skills, not always an easy task.  This is a business, very similar to a Korean hagwon (학원), if you know what that is.  If not, let's just say that if the students (or their parents) aren't happy, they can stop coming, and the school loses money.  That has an affect on how I teach.

Well, I've got to get ready to go to church now.  Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.