Settling Down

This is my home for the next 5 months!

I have arrived safe and sound in East Asia and finally got myself some consistent internet. This week I moved into my apartment on campus. It may be hard to tell from the photo but the university campus is silent and desolate. As is the rest of the city. 

The campus, the city, and actually the whole country is on national holiday right now, which will continue for the next couple weeks. This means that most stores and restaurants are closed. Streets that are typically teeming with people (or at least so I hear) are quiet.

It is a strange time to come and settle in this place because I have a feeling it will look and feel completely different in a couple of weeks. For now I fill my time with preparation logistically, but also of my mind and heart. In these next few weeks as I anticipate the coming of the students this quote by George Mueller gives me some direction in preparation, “Be assured if you walk with Him and look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you.”So to begin well and to continue well throughout my  my priority is to walk with, look to and expect help from Him who is able.

To fill you in on the time from my arrival till now and how you can be specially lifting me up, can be summed up with two things: 1).thorn bushes and 2).ting bu dong.

First: The Thorn Bush (*disclaimer: this is not a story for the faint or easily nauseated)

On my first full day in the city I was getting acquainted with the house and agricultural business of my supervisors. They live on a huge farm so their son and his friend gave me two options: either we could tour the property via the longer, more scenic hike route or we could just walk on the paved road. Obviously, I chose the unpaved scenic hike. On this lovely tour I felt a pinch in my ankle to find that a thorn bush had not just punctured my skin with a thorn, but decided to impale my ankle with the whole twig along with a thorn. It didn’t hurt much so I insisted we press on. But, after the insistence of the two boys we returned to have my ankle looked at. I tried pulling the twig out, but it wouldn’t budge from either side. As three people proceeded to try to remove the twig gently, I finally convinced them to cut it out with a pair of scissors. Finally, without a tear or a wince they got it out. The friend of my supervisor’s son who came along for the hike was a local and when they finally bandaged my ankle he exclaimed, “Wow! American women are more courageous that the men here!” That made us all laugh! Please be lifting up my ankle as it is still healing, but doing well!

Second: Ting bu dong

is a phrase that means, “I hear you, but I don’t understand you.” It was one of the first phrases I learned when I came here the first time; and it my most commonly used phrase. It basically sums up my time thus far. People often try to speak to me in the local language and even if I did know the language well, they speak so fast they could be making up words or just humming and I wouldn’t know the difference! I wouldn’t be surprised if they nicknamed me Ting bu dong, it seems to be the only thing I can communicate well to them. Learning a new language and a new culture means admitting that you don’t know alot of things. And it means getting laughed at ALOT! But, its a wonderful lesson in humility and presses me to work hard to know the language and culture. In the mean time, I just laugh with them because I do sound funny and I probably look funny too!

I hope to update y’all more consistently as my internet is consistent! Thank you for your continual thoughts and support! It is much needed and deeply appreciated!