Rolling, rolling, rolling.....

That's what I can think of when it comes to a description of my life so far. I barrelled through the last week in U.S. trying to get the needed documentation to come overseas, got on the jet plane and now am rolling through my first week here in CN. It's been an eventful week already. Where do I begin?? I will see if I can account them all.

1st day: Arrived at 11pm and was dazzled by the brand new penthouse apt. (sorry no pics yet, will eventually take some & post them).

2nd day: Welcome to new life: criteria #1- everyone walk @ least 20 min. to a chosen destination, criteria #2- it generally takes 1-2 hrs. to accomplish a task. This quickly sums up to my perception of life here. For today's tasks: registering my stay here, and window-shopping items to set up my apartment. (Got my first taste of bus & cab riding). Since I am Chinesey looking and my Putonghua (mandarin) is so below acceptable standard, I often get mistaken as Japanese or Korean. And when my friends tell the local people that I am American, they let out a 'total' shock and said, 'bu shi' (no way!). Here's to cultural challenge #1 I get from the local folks, and cultural challenge #2 is receiving the total opposite response from my team. Since I am the newest member who's by far have the most Chinese language base in me over many of the rest of the newbies, they expect expediency in my adjustment...("well, you can get by pretty well since you can read and talk some!!"; "oh, you'll be 100% in no time"). Eeeeek!! too much pressure!! I can't and I just want to be comfortable in my good ol' American self-English only please!! Mmmm, I am only on day # 2, people!! By the end of this evening, I think the stress was finally getting to me; ended up with an upset stomach that nite that turned my nite topsy curvy, but I survived and recovered the next day.

3rd day: Awwwwhhh! the joy of trying to get communication and banking established.
Cell phone shopping- well, apparently over here, you purchase cell phones at one place and your plan at another. And just because the store looks grand and beautiful, that's deceptive. Well, Thank God that the agency partnered me up with a local staff and her friend, Mr. savvy who knew what they were doing, got me through the ordeal for now.
Banking-with the officer at the bank: "aren't you Chinese? you can't open the account with a passport and have your money secured with us, we can't guarantee it." WHAT???!!! mmmmmm, dude! I AM NOT CHINESE. (that's certainly was weird to say since I am, but in this scenario I am not, especially in the context that he was using). That certainly got his attention and finally he responded, 'were you not born here?'; 'NO!!'; I said. 'Mmmmmm', then you can go ahead and open the account.

4th day: More shopping...for appliances that is! Wow, things are expensive, especially under my miserly set up allowance. Currently, I am still free-loading on friends for almost all things...food, laundry, internet services, etc...(20 min. walk one way is all worth it when you are in need). Well, once I have my budget set up and have a better sense on the cost of living and currency sense, I trust that my 'freak out' mode will bypass as well.

5th day: visited our company's brand new international school!! can't wait to share the pics and videos with you all (once i get the time downloading the stuff). That was such a joy to see. The school is one of the fruits of my agency in serving here in this region. Lots of our guests and visitors came out from the West to join us in our celebration-15th years service. I guess I came just in the nick of time to see this eventful day. In the afternoon, I had the joy to take some down time in the comfort of my own place. One more eventful ordeal to top my week off....electricity went off. Mmmmm, what to do??!! called the local housing managament and muttered through in broken mandarin that I have no electricity. He kindly turned it back on. Tomorrow's goal: go talk to the management office and see if I have to charge up my electricity meter and how?? In CN, we buy electricity by storing up credit in a credit card. If you don't, your electricity gets shut off.

In summary: Despite my funny (or not!) accounts of challenges and sharing here, honestly, I feel very blessed to be here. I've been surrounded by very supportive teammates, the local people are helpful (once they realize I am a foreigner!). Otherwise, they think I am a retard who's slow in speaking or can't speak properly. They are kinda harsh in their manner but oh well!?! Whatever!! (We are that way too in the west when we see someone we considered strange or lame. We laugh at them). Life has been humbling and I know I truly cannot live here if I didn't feel the calling to be here. Nevertheless, life is life...I get the hang of stuff. As it says in James 1:2-4: Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.And let endurance have its perfect result, that you maybe perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. This has been my meditation for my first week here and probably the remainder of my time of being here in a foreign land.

Well, this concludes my 1st 5 days' account of my new life here. Again, thanks for reading and listening to me. Hope to be able to share many joys and eventful happenings in the near future. Hope you all are doing well!! Miss you all!!