Last semester was a long, tiring, yet extremely satisfying semester. I just learned so much! From how to get a China Visa, how to get myself around this crazy city confidently, my progression in Chinese language and practicing in daily life, singing karaoke with locals, eating Chinese dessert in Kowloon City, hiking Lion's Peak, seeing luxurious casino's in Macau, speaking Mandarin and eating traditional Chinese style dinners in Shenzhen, or even trekking the villages of remote areas surrounding Guilin. My first semester has been so full of wonderful memories and I am so thankful for the experiences because they've helped me achieve a better sense of independence and traveling internationally. Gosh I just can't begin to type all that I've learned you will just have to sit down and have a conversation with me sometime!
My outlook on life is much different here. I know how it feels to be secluded and not fit in. Cantonese is a difficult language and I've been embarrassed quite a few times trying to speak with locals and them giving me funny faces and saying things about me that can bring me down. I've had some tough days when I wake up and realize that I have a roommate whom I'm not friends with and no mom or dad to give me a hug or take care of me. Yes, the truth is I'm still only 19. So besides the fact that I am having the time of my life, the time I'm at in my life is that of tough transition to adulthood. Thanks be to God for his omnipresence and great faithfulness! That's right, through the good and the bad - happy and sad - my Father God has been pouring out his love, showing me his grace, leading me in the right direction, enlightening me with his wisdom, and teaching me through his Son Jesus.
My encouragement definitely mostly came from KIBC and Andy Rose. I just want to make sure and mention them in this reflection because there's no denying the role they played in my life this past semester. So I really was too addicted to studying Chinese in my room! If it wasn't for Andy and his great friendship to me, I probably wouldn't be as social as I have been now. Chinese really takes up a lot of my time, and although I'm convinced I need to be hitting the books and progressing in the difficult language, I am reminded of how important it is for me to build upon relationships started here with the exchange students. Thanks Andy, you're a true brother and I will look forward to the day we cross paths again.
It has really been a revival for me the past week. On December 29th, right after a somber first Christmas without family, my wonderful Mom came to Hong Kong. It was so good to see her! It was her first time to come overseas and what an exciting experience for us both in the 10 days we had together here. Just giving her a hug and telling her face to face about my experiences and sharing with her how I've changed was incredibly necessary. No offense to Skype because it really is awesome, but it just doesn't match up with sitting down in Pacific Coffee shop for however long with nowhere to be and just having an endless open heart conversation with her. Her encouragement and love has helped reignite me for the next few months.
Though it was a somber goodbye on January 8th after a full nights stay in the 1 star hotel named Hong Kong International Airport, I really didn't want to do what I wanted to do and cry. I truly felt that at that moment when she was walking away to fly back to the other side of the world leaving me alone, that I was no longer a goofy kid like I thought I was. Scary as it may still sound, I'm kind of an adult. Wow, that's difficult to type let alone say! But with that being said, I did everything in my power to hold the tears and not forget about why I'm here. The hour bus ride back to Kowloon Tong was unforgettable. My mind was racing with just my life's direction, my purpose, and just all kinds of related questions I wanted to know.
I'm at peace. Big questions can really stir us up when we look at our past and wake up to the present. Sure, God has shown me numerous times how divine he is and how he remarkably works things out for the good of those who love him. This truth that I have found and my trust in God for direction has without a doubt made me stop, close my eyes and pray a prayer of deep love and adoration for him blessing me with the opportunity to have life and his great love compels me to live it to the fullest by giving him ALL the glory. Thank you mom, for helping prepare me for this next semester. You helped me more than you realize.
Living is simple. How we, as humans, choose to live is what makes things complicated. As for me, I'm choosing each day to get up thankful and take hold of the precious gift of live. So in order to take hold of life, I feel that the best way is to help encourage others to do the same. Therefore, I felt God calling me to intentionally reach out to the new exchange students coming here this semester. Boy has it been a blessing! I've tried earnestly to help them with all of their questions about living here seeing as they are clueless as I was when I arrived in August. It has been so fun! I've made some great new friends and being able to just share Christ's love with them through acts of kindness has really helped me start off this semester strong.
And I have much to look forward to. Craig from Memphis, Tennessee; Jason from Los Angeles, California; Vanessa from Louisville, Kentucky; Alan Cheung from New York City, NY; Katie Sanders from Baylor University. These are just a few of the new friends that I've made. Yes, I know they are all American! Well I didn't have really any American friends last semester but for some reason there is a larger ratio of Americans in the program and we've all connected. I've taken them out to Kowloon City for 糖水 (sugar water!) also known as Chinese traditional dessert. I've been giving them a unique cultural experience in local areas because of my ability to speak some Cantonese. It always gets the locals' attention when they see a gwai lo (foreigner) speak Chinese. Especially when it's Cantonese, because it's so local and unique. Although I'm very limited, I really have enjoyed progressing and knowing enough to get a 10% discount for all of them! Jason, a handsome African-American, got his dessert for free because the waitress thought he was Tiger Woods! hahaha.
Jason and Craig have been my closest friends so far. Craig is half Korean and they both know the Lord so I'm excited about hanging out with them and just enjoying freedom in Christ with them as brothers. And we are definitely going to get to know each other very well! They both have decided to join me on my hiking trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡). Yes, we will be having the adventure of a lifetime together in our 10-day hiking endeavor to Lijiang, Yunnan. This is without a doubt the most beautiful hiking trail in all of China. I'm so pumped! My dad is considering coming as well and I pray earnestly that he can make it happen, but it may not work out understandably so.
We will arrive in Kunming 昆明 on February 11 and then take an overnight bus to Dali. There in Dali 大理 we will be celebrating the Chinese New Year with the Chinese minority groups residing there. With my recent studies in the 56 民族 (ethnic minorities) living in China, 26 being in Yunnan, I have really been looking forward to doing some research and experiencing their lifestyles. I find the Naxi 纳西 music and the Miao 苗 dialect and other special characteristics of these groups extremely interesting. If I could begin researching them at age 19 then I feel like by the time I'm 30 I could have a book written about them hopefully. After Dali, we will head to the even more remote city known as Lijiang 丽江 which is home of the wondrous Tiger Leaping Gorge. This hike will take 3-4 days. I don't intend on rushing through it either. According to hikers' reviews, this is not a hike that you want to rush through hastily because the beauty leaves you stopping in awe as you gaze at the glorious peaks and sparking Yangzi River. Don't believe me? Check out this link: http://chinabackpacker.info/dest/d35.html
Holy Bible and Southwest China Lonely Planet Hiker's Manual in hand, the three of us will be anxiously venturing to one goal: Tiger Leaping Gorge. I'm sick to my stomach thinking about how beautiful it will be to see in person. Oh yea, and Craig's a photographer and has an awesome camera so be looking forward to wonderful pics that I will post on here. Once again, sorry it's been a while and hope that everyone reading this knows how thankful I am to know that you care about what's going on in my life. Please leave me a comment so that I can know who to thank in response.
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