Chip's Chewable: "Learn Chinese?"

How does the number of native English speakers compare with the number of native Chinese speakers in the world today? How many English speakers are studying Chinese? And how many Chinese speakers are studying English? See for yourself.

Our Changchun Home

Chip and I have lived in three apartments over our three year marriage, and we have never chosen our own home. Our circumstances have chosen for us. As a Resident Director at Spring Arbor University, we lived in the RD apartment in the dormitory. As foreign teachers in Qufu, we lived in the foreign teacher building. And when we arrived in Changchun, we were dropped off with our suitcases at our new home arranged in advance for us. On the whole, we have been blessed with some great homes. Our Changchun apartment far exceeded my expectations. Let's go up to the sixth floor and take a look around!

The Living Room

All the walls are blue and the flooring is nice and smooth throughout the apartment. We have mostly decorated with things we shipped from our Qufu home. All the rooms in the apartment have great large windows.





The Dining Area

Yep, that's a pillow case on the wall. Resources are limited and my creativity is waning. If you have a better idea, I'm open.



The Kitchen

Great shelving (to replace the less than functional cabinets that have huge pipes running through them), good counter space, a little narrow but enough space for two, & we purchased a toaster oven & whole wheat flour, so I'm feeling pretty set.



The Study Nook

The Americans (and as it turns out, Texans) who lived here before us had this great dry erase board calendar on the wall. The desk has already become Chip's favorite spot to perch with his netbook.



The Master Bedroom

This room is good sized & has lots of storage. My favorite part of this room is the Thai wall hanging above the bed that we bought last year during our travels. (The photo doesn't do it justice).





The Spare Bedroom

That's right. There's a spare room. That means we have room for visitors! We will be in this apartment a couple of years, so go ahead and make your travel plans.



The Bathroom

The bathroom scores big points over Qufu where we always had puddles of water on the floor. If you look closely, there are jets in the shower so you can sit down and get your backed cleaned. (Actually, it sounds cooler than it is. The water pressure is super low). Did you notice the washing machine?! Yep, a washing machine in our apartment--pretty convenient compared to carrying laundry down four flights of stairs last year. What you don't see, I mean smell, here is human waste, but if you were actually standing in our bathroom, I would recommend holding your breath when you flush.



The Porch

Great for drying laundry but not really a "hang out" spot.



We are feeling settled and "at home." We have finished our week of orientation and will start Chinese language foundations next week.

And. . .we're back!

We made it back to China! Our trip was smooth--three flights with no delays and good connections. And our boxes (above) shipped from Qufu made it to Changchun. Then we carried them up six flights of stairs (no elevator) to our new apartment.

Above: Chip opening the door to our new home.

The apartment is nice--a little bigger than our Qufu home. We will spend the next few days organizing and decorating our new place, then our Language School orientation starts on Monday.

We met our classmates for a picnic today. There were so many great people (including a couple who stocked our fridge and had homemade cinnamon rolls waiting in our apartment when we arrived). We are excited about being in a larger city, larger community of foreigners, and in larger fellowship with believers.

Chip's Chewable: "CHINESE PROFESSOR WRITES OPEN LETTER TO COMMUNIST GOV’T FOLLOWING CHURCH CRACKDOWN"

Chew on this:  "Professor He Guanghu of Beijing‘s People’s University is a well-known professor of religious studies who has a deep interest in the inner workings of faith..."  (Please click on the title to read the entire story)

XiShuaShua Music Video

I made this video of all six of my classes as a memory of a great year in Qufu.

NOTE: My classes were usually more serious than this.

Stateside

After a fast 2-hr bullet train ride from Qufu to Beijing, getting lost finding our hostel, then finding our hostel and despite making a reservation, there was no room available, then finding another hostel while dragging around 150lbs of suitcase, then flying from Beijing to Chicago, then Chicago to Lexington, WE ARE FINALLY HOME!

Thanks to Joe and Stefanie for making us this cool welcome home sign that greeted us at the airport. (Chip's eyes are closed, I know, but it is the only photo we have of the occasion).

It is so good to be back in the states eating foods we've missed, feeling clean, and most of all enjoying time with friends and family.

Here's our summer schedule. Let us know if you would like to get together.

Lexington, Kentucky: July 4-10, July 25-August 1 (except July 27-30 at Lake Cumberland), August 5-18

Pine Bluff or Heber Springs, Arkansas: July 11-24

Spring Arbor, Michigan: August 2-5th

We fly back to China on August 18th.

Wrapping Things Up

Sophomore schedule of remaining exams

The semester is quickly wrapping up. We will take a train to Beijing on Saturday and fly to Lexington on Sunday. We are excited to get home and a little tired from all of the year-end activities. Here are some shots of what has kept us busy in our final weeks in Qufu.

Dinner at a local student's home. . .13 dishes for four people, oh my.


Lots and lots and lots of exam grading


Cleaning out the library


Last dinners out with students


Getting my shoes fixed (for only 5 mao, basically pennies)


Hanging out with students from the local fellowship


Dinner with our Foreign Affairs Officers and their families


Foot massages with teacher friends


Goodbyes and grades at the office


Shipping winter clothes, kitchen stuff, bedding,
and books to Changchun for next year


Wading through the madhouse post office when we went to ship


Red Song Patriotic Singing Contest to celebrate the
90th anniversary of the Communist Party


Going away party for the foreign teachers


And because they make everyone smile, some student quotes from goodbye notes:

"I still remember the first time you came to our class. It was beyond my imagination. Because in my mind the culture teacher might be very serious and wear a pair of glasses, but you look very beautiful and sweet. We like to listen to your class and play with you."

"Your apartment is very beautiful and has many nice decorations. I really want to have such a softly fragrant home."

"Mallary and Chip are the most sweetie couple I have ever seen."

"You are always like the sunshine. I do like your smiling because it's so warm. I really want to know what kind of magic do you have that keep you be happy everyday."

"You are like a bubble full of candies, never depressed."

"You are the very special star in my Milky Way."

"You know what, I am always having a dream about you--that is to invite you to my home and my middle school because I have shown my parents and schoolmates your picture and told them how interesting you are and that you cooked delicious food for us. They are hoping to see you someday. I hope I still have a chance to achieve my dream."

"My first impression of you is that you are lovely just like a little girl. You always wear some decorations on your head. It's so cute."

"I never feel bored in your class even if the contents is a little dull in some degree."

"Chip, you are quiet, humorous, patient, kindhearted, and the most important thing may be that you can cook a lot of delicious food."

"I remembered the time you stayed in our dormitory in Lynn's bed. At first, we were afraid that you might be disliking our conditions. But when you came, I think you really enjoyed it. Did we snore? Or did you hear strange words? The next morning, we looked at your bed, but you had gone early. I believe that will be a good memory for both of us."

"I still remember when a freshman boy suicided himself, you told us that we can call on you if we have some life problems which we can hardly handle. To be honest, at these words I am almost moved to tears. (Believe me, I am not that sentimental). It's because no teacher in my life care about my psychological problems like you. It's because you always let me feel that you are my elder sister who can back me up when I am depressed."

And a few of these. . .

"I hope one day I can meet you in America, and I think at that time I can see the cute baby of you and Chip. Chip is a handsome, nice, and gentle guy."

"We are waiting for the birth of your cute baby."

"I do hope you can send us the photos of you and Chip's future baby."