The Longest Day

But one of the best I've ever had in China. It reminds me of what they say, "Give someone his flowers when he is alive." People have been super sweet to me, and although they are usually, I think because I'm leaving, I feel kindness on a more deeper level than I would when I caught up in the hustle and grind of this existence. My soul is coming to a rest, and with the weekend no longer "next weekend," a peace with this place and my time here has overcome me. While there is QUITE A BIT left for me to do, I feel like I can take it all in stride since it's only a small price to pay when it's all said and done.

Today, Phebe and I had the chance to hang out with our class one last time. For the majority of the semester, we along with Grace, Megan, Luke, Jon, Claire, Brittany, and Paul have taken turns teaching a class at the 厦门海洋职业技术学院 (Xiamen Institute of Oceanography) on "Intermediate Business English." Since I've taken a course called "Intermediate Business Chinese," the idea wasn't such a strange concept. In teaching about every Monday, I've had the joy of meeting a group of over 40 kind-hearted, sweet, intelligent, eager, and talented 18-19 years olds who have never ceased to amaze me in their dedication to English and their willingness to assume us foreigners as not only teachers but friends. While grading papers is a pain in the hindquarters, and dealing with the bureaucracy at the school is not the best things, I've reaffirmed my belief that teaching, in its many varieties and forms, is something that I really enjoy, not just here but also with my experience in BOLD. Of course, in a class so large, some students stand out more than others (Clion, Christina, Daniel, Max, Patrick, Kenny, Summer), I felt a deep heart connection to them since they symbolize me, essentially, and what I see in them I can see in myself. I believe in them, and I wish them well. Today, the class got together and treated us not only to karaoke (which can even turn into a small disco if you know the right buttons to push), but also presented us with gifts. Knowing how much money these students have in comparison to me, it's humbling to know they care about us so much. I'll miss them, but now that I finally have QQ (the Chinese IM), I'm sure we'll not be so disconnected from each other.

And then the love kept pouring out. After KTV, I was invited to dinner at Alex and Tobias' place. Alex prepared sumptuous Indian fare, and I had an opportunity to hang out with them along with several new Chinese men I didn't have the pleasure of meeting until now. Sitting with them, smoking and sipping wine and enjoying each other's company, was a great experience. I hope that in the future, I'll have a chance to come to Xiamen again and relieve such a moment, but as the future is not promised to us, I'll cherish the memories I have for today. Once again, sharing those hugs and confronting the end of something had me displaying my Grandmother's trait of being a "crybaby." But, anything that's like my Grandma I'm proud to be.

With all that's happened this semester, my eyes have faced the future for the majority of my time here, yet moments like these, when I get a chance to connect with humanity and not take it for granted, having experienced the lonliness of a communication gap in a very real way, allow me a glimpse into the point of this existence. Why did I meet all of these people, and what can I learn from them, and how can I be a more mature and developed individual from these encounters. Moments like force me to accept that all the pain I've been through this semester because of my Grandma's passing are part of a greater scheme where I don't need to understand in order to derive all the lessons and meanings God wants me to see. I've been really low here, and I've been really high, and the fact that I can realize and appreciate all these emotions is a testimony I'll be happy to share with anyone who needs one. God has been so good to me because HE brought me over (the ocean), and HE brought me through (the darkness) (this is a quote from a song--name that tune!). I'm amazed that the words coming out of me, in this moment, are happy and hopeful, especially when there was a time when I believed that such an emotion would never come again.

So...yes. I'll see you soon. I'm thinking of printing and editing this blog so I can let some more sensitive members of my family see what I've been up to while I've been here. I think I might be making some people proud.