China Through Their Eyes

 Here's one last post about mom and dad's time with us in China, but this time, from their perspective.  Purple text means mom said it, green text is dad, and black text is me. 

What most surprised me about China?

How long it took to do everything (transportation, ticket-purchasing, shopping, climbing six flights of stairs to our apartment)

What I most liked about China?  Seeing my daughter, of course.  I also liked getting my hair washed, blow dried, and straightened for a few bucks.

Mom getting her hair washed, blow dried, and straightened for about $2.50USD at the hair salon around the corner from our apartment where I have gotten all of my haircuts over the past year.The guys here are super nice, and while they look young, they have a lot of experience.

How is China different than America?

China has so many more people, a lack of courtesy for waiting your turn (due to there being so many people--you have to push or cut in line to get a chance), US efficiency/organization of processes and tourism, cleaner in the US, cleaner air in the US, housing is all high-rise apartments in the city.

Squatty-potty (and really a pretty clean one)

Most difficult in China?

No toilet paper and dirty public bathrooms in China--Pollution--So many people--Crowded--The food--Transportation/travel--Not clean--Trashy streets--Visa card not accepted many places--Government-controlled-Internet--Being stared at because we were foreigners

A Chinese Wal-mart:  The name is familiar but nothing inside is!

Seeing Mallary and Chip with the people in China was amazing.  YOU DO AN OUTSTANDING JOB RELATING TO THE PEOPLE!  Tom and I loved being with you and seeing what your life is like in China.  Thank you for sharing China with us and helping us see the real China.  --Mom

I was pretty impressed by mom and dad's chopstick skills.

Tom’s Reflections:  This was mine and Lou Ann's third trip to China together. It has been the most challenging physically (we are older) AND the most rewarding mentally and spiritually. Mallary and Chip provided us with a real cultural experience – we had many – as she immersed us in the culture of NE China and their lives there. All of our time was spent in Jilin Province. We learned Chinese characters and tones and pinyin. We ate Chinese food in small restaurants and from street vendors…most were people Mallary knew…some were new adventures!  LA liked a chicken dish which contained small pieces of white chicken, carrots, and peanuts in a fairly sweet sauce. I liked the Three Treasures dish （地三鲜 di san xian) that is one of Mallary’s favorites – potatoes, onions, green peppers.  Chip ordered some meat dishes for us to try – no dog meat (狗肉 gou rou) – primarily pork in this province.  Despite the heat and humidity in the summer, the restaurants served a pot of hot water to drink.  (We wanted cold，bottled water!) People were friendly and stared at us foreigners (美国人 mei guo ren, American ) a lot! 

If they can stare at us, we figure we can take their pictures.  (We did ask this young girl for a photo and she agreed.)

“It’s a small world.”  In 24 hours you can take four plane flights and be on the other side of the world in a city of 7-8 million people… a place I had never heard of until one year before when our daughter Mallary and her husband Chip moved there to study Chinese. (I do excel in world geography and place names!)

It is a BIG world as well!  There are so many people, so many places, and so many things to do! In just one province of China, there is exploration enough for a lifetime. Building relationships with people – which grow out of our relationship with the Father – is a fulfilling, messy, and essential part of our lives. We met many people on this trip because Mallary meets people so easily, naturally, and lovingingly! (Who can resist that beautiful smile?!) We do not remember their Chinese names but their English names – Maria, Stella, Elizabeth, Stephen and faces stay with us.  And there were American friends – Gabe, Marty, Lauren, Shaunda, Jess, Mark, Dave, Jason, Stephen… Even the Elmores from Pine Bluff, AR! These people are good friends of Mallary and Chip in China with their organization. They scatter all over China both before and after language school.

 

1.    Surprises—China’s explosive growth and economy
2.    Like most—The Chinese people
3.    Different – The eastern mindset differs from the West—longer history and traditions
4.    Difficult—I like the old saying, “There are no foreign places – only the traveler is foreign.”  What appears difficult – food, language, customs – can be a great opportunity.  I like the challenge… 

Cute Chinese kiddos with split pants for easy bathroom stops

Dad (in orange below) practicing TaiChi with the old folks in our apartment complex.  Dad said they were happy he joined. Mom and I watched from the window and were very impressed with his skills. (I hope he won't be embarrassed that I posted these!)

A few more shots and thoughts from our week together. . .

These green beans were RIDICULOUSLY hot.  We all tried a bite and then drank water and ate rice and still couldn't get the heat off of our tongues.  Chip insisted on eating them, so as not to waste, until his face was red and his mouth was on fire and then he just gave up.

Mom and dad were really troopers when it came to the food.  While we have grown to enjoy many dishes, it was new and strange to them but they still gave everything a try.

拔丝地瓜 Candied sweet potatoes

Dad and mom with Chairman Mao

We attended a packed three self church (Chang Ping) where the worship and singing was vibrant, the teaching was sound, and the people were hungry and thirsty for truth.  This love and energy is impacting and reaching people in China. I sensed a real need for hope and joy and peace. We enjoyed this social interaction with their friends and acquaintances in China. 
We will think of them often and hold them in our thoughts.

Why we love China

 

Chip and I love living in China because we love spending time with Chinese people, especially young college-aged students.   So my two favorite things we did with my parents this trip were 1) going to church where they met our church friends and 2) having some of our tutors from the year over to meet our parents.  We wish mom and dad could have visited last year and met our eager and loving Qufu students, but our tutors this year fulfill much of the same role as far as being fun to chat with, learn from, and share hope with.  So we made some American desserts and invited all of our tutors from the year over to meet mom and dad.  Many tutors had already gone home for the summer, but the group that came was talkative and gave my parents a glimpse into why we love China so much.

 

This is Chip's first tutor ever--the one who can't speak any English.  Last week she practiced some English phrases with her current student.  Things like, "How was your trip?  and "I need to go."  I encouraged her to talk to my parents and try out her English phrases, but she was far too shy and embarrassed.  Instead, she sat and talked in Chinese with Chip & Marty.

At the end of the night, this tutor said, "Your parents are very cool."

Mom and dad learning about the hopes and dreams of a Chinese college student.

These tutors all have great English.  One is even studying abroad in the states this fall.

Only one of these students knows and loves our Father.  Keep asking for their hearts.

Chang Bai Shan 长白山

 

Beautiful, right? That's what we went to see--the Heavenly Lake （天池） in the crater of ChangBai Mountain，a volcano on the border of China and North Korea.  Sadly it was raining, foggy, and cold and all we saw was this measly view.

But let's take this story from the beginning.  We took a long-distance bus from Changchun （长春） to ErDaoBaiHe (二道白河）.  It took about 6.5 hours each way but we got to see good views of the countryside and villages as we rode along.

Waiting at the long-distance bus station

Bathroom stop (only one stop on the way there and no running water)

Our Hostel for a couple of nights

Hanging on the hostel front door

Hostel coffee bar

 

Shoilet: shower and toilet in one (no separate shower stall) and the string my parents pulled to flush their toilet.  Needless to say, not four star conditions but really not too bad.

The Gate into the ChangBai Shan Park

 

Riding up to the top of the volcano across beautiful green countryside

Hoping for the clouds to clear so we can see the lake

Mom took this photo of a photo on the wall of the lodge where she sat inside to stay warm and really she didn't miss anything because the view was no better out in the cold where we were.

After waiting and hoping for the rain to clear, we decided to go down the mountain and do some hiking at a lower, warmer altitude.

       

We hiked to a small lake, not heavenly, but much clearer and still lovely

And we hiked to a magnificent waterfall. . .

After our hike, we bathed in the hot springs that come from underground near the volcano.  We were split guys and girls because everyone bathes nude (thus why there are no photos).  Mom and I chose to wear our swimsuits as we slipped into the springs.  I could hear the nude Chinese women around us talking about how foreigners are too embarrassed not to wear clothes.  Then  we chatted with the women for a bit.  It felt great to soak in the warm water with the cool breeze above the surface, and later my parents both laughed and laughed about this unique cultural experience.

 

Posing by photos of ChangBai Shan in different seasons

 Our best attempt of a group photo with the Heavenly Lake