Gratitude.

There are numerous studies that conclude with gratitude as being one notch in the key to happiness. I am so grateful for this past year and everyone that I had the honor of forming/continuing friendships with. Naturally, being in China and all, I am taking lots of pictures. Whenever my camera makes that annoying beep and the screen turns black with illuminated red writing reading, “Memory Card Full,” there are a few pictures/videos that I skip over before deleting others.

I’ve saved the pictures onto my computer and external hard drive. I know this. I’ve checked and double checked several times. My irrational, sentimental side kicks in and I am debilitated. For two seconds, my thumbs inexplicably lose the ability to press the delete button. Yes, I’m blaming my thumbs.

What are these pictures, you ask? Well, péngyǒu, take a peek:

Each of these has more than meets the eye, as pictures normally do. They remind me of so much more than is in the picture. If you want, you can ask me someday and I’ll be happy to share the stories with you.

This Thanksgiving, I sure have a lot to be thankful for. The hospitality and kindness that has been shown to me in China is incredible. I’ll tell you about my Thanksgiving and you’ll see why.

About two weeks ago, my friends from the speech club I attend on Wednesdays asked me my plans for Thanksgiving. After telling them that I had none, they asked if they would like a little cultural exchange and they could cook for me and I could cook for them. Needless to say, I was stoked. I was pretty darn excited for Thanksgiving.

I even bought silverware.

On Thanksgiving, before we got to the store, my friends told me that they had a surprise for me. They took me to a music store. I'll tell you more about what happened at the music store in my Christmas post.

After my wonderful surprise, we left for the supermarket. We bumped into another foreign teacher named John. He invited us to a restaurant for Thanksgiving with some of his friends. My friends were so excited to meet another foreigner that we unanimously agreed to join John.

A little Thanksgiving hot pot.

Unexpected kindness and friendships have been a big part of my life this past year. Welcome to the season of gratitude and unconditional kindness, my friends.

I also wanted to include a picture of what I did in class this week. For most of class we did an exercise in gratitude. We wrote thank you letters to people in our lives who we don't normally thank. In addition to making more women cry at one time than The Notebook, we drew Turkey Hands with what we are thankful for. Here are some of my favorites:

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Naturally, this time of year we reflect on the past year. I found out that I would be moving to China about this time last year. So, it has been an exciting year!

I have now been in China for 6 months. I can already tell that time is going to fly by. I’m settled in my city. Here is a video of a tour of my apartment. It’s like MTV’s cribs. Except I don’t live in a mansion. And I forgot to show you what’s in my refrigerator. It’s mostly a bunch of vegetables and some precious butter that I got the last time I made the trek into the big city. I live in a very small community, relatively speaking, so you can watch the video and see how “small” you think it is.

It has been a long time since I have sent any updates of my adventures in China. I've only done two exciting things since my last blog update so I’ll fill you in on those. 

Megan might be as tall as his fingers.

A friend from another province came to celebrate my birthday with me. We visited an ancient village with the 2^nd biggest Buddha in China. I was just proud that we used public transportation and were able to successfully navigate rural China with our level of Chinese.

 

The temple in the village

We also explored the neighboring villages.

Are those tomatoes on my cake?
Why yes, they are.

The other big change in my life has been that I have started to learn the Guzheng. This was my Thanksgiving surprise from my friends and it has been the best and most unexpected gift to my life here. The guzheng a Chinese harp. Not only has it been a way to learn traditional Chinese folk tunes, but I feel like I’m learning even more about Chinese culture. Maybe someday I’ll record a song and send it out so you all can hear.

There are also 2 golden retrievers who live at this music shop.
Added bonus.

Of course, I don’t have Christmas off. It’s alright because this is my last week of classes before the long winter holiday. During the upcoming holiday I will be visiting the Chinese equivalent to Hawaii, Sanya. I will also be visiting my host family in Chengdu for the Chinese New Year. Who knows, maybe I’ll even venture into another province. I’ve had my eye on Yunnan for quite some time. I might even have time to slip some work in.

I hope you’re finding time to relax and enjoy this season. I’m thinking of all of you. I hope you’re safe, and happy, and healthy. I wish you a fantastic holiday and an adventure-filled new year! 

Don't be too jealous.

 I almost forgot to show you my Christmas present to myself! For months I have seen people walking around with different colors of cloth on their sleeves and I finally asked a student what it’s for. Since there’s not indoor heating, people wear their jackets at all times. So, the sleeves of jackets tend to get very dirty. Since it takes so long to dry things, it’s impossible to wash jackets, so people protect their sleeves and wash the sleeve covers instead. When in Rome…

Learn. It's good for you.

I went to Jinyun Mountain this weekend. My friend Libby, who teaches less than 1 hour away from me, had mentioned that she may be interested in visiting. After a stormy night, I woke up to sunshine, crisp air, and blue skies. It was a hiking day.

Libby

We walked up the side of the mountain. We had to ask for directions constantly because the trail goes, what seemed like, right through people’s gardens. We were so close to their houses, we could have enjoyed a little afternoon television with them.

It also goes over many streams. I mentioned, off the cuff to Libby, that people frequently get their water from the mountain because they believe that it is less polluted.

Over the stream and through the farms...

At the top is a pagoda and we climbed to the top of that too. From the top, Libby pointed out the blue tin roofs on many of the houses. She said in one city, all the roofs are red. There was an NPR report on why, but she couldn’t remember the details. We could not spot any red roofs in Beibei.

All the way to the top of the pagoda

This is at the base of the pagoda.

On the way down the mountain, Libby pointed to people carrying water. “It’s good they don’t have to climb up the mountain with those filled,” she remarked. Then I realized something. Without mentioning the water on our climb, would Libby have recognized those bottles? I definitely wouldn’t have questioned the blue tin roofs.

How much of this world do I leave unquestioned and unnoticed? I’ve heard it said that the more you learn, the more you realize you don’t know. Although this may be true and overwhelming, I would rather feel like I know nothing and see parts of the world more clearly than let my life pass by in a blur.

I’m going to share a piece of China with you today, and hopefully I can share a bit in my future posts, so you too can see the world a bit more clearly.

A few weeks ago I went to a performance of the School of Minority Studies.

On the picture of China are drawings of a sample of minority groups.

There are 55 recognized ethnic minorities in China. Combined, less than 10% of the total population is from a minority group.

Students sang and danced to traditional music.
The diversity was incredible.

When I first arrived in China, I had a single story of China. I thought I was more knowledgeable than the average American. I had learned about Chinese government. I had read Wild Swans. That's good, right? It should have occurred to me that such a vast country would have great diversity, but it didn't. I'm slowly learning more about this country and I'm slowly learning how little I'm seeing.

On a side note: I also went to the School of Agriculture’s performance. It was mostly students singing or dancing, although at one point an older man got on stage to sing a song. While he was singing, my friend next to me nudged me and told me, “That is my professor. His major is rice.”

This is a major.

Peppermint Lattes

Yes, I’m in the Peace Corps. I frequently have to remind myself. As I sit here, enjoying my gingerbread spice latte, I chastise myself. Don’t get me wrong. I’m constantly grateful for all of the conveniences that I have. I have internet in my apartment. I have running water. There is a Starbucks less than 1 hour away from where I live. Yet, when I arrived at Starbucks today in hopes of a peppermint latte, I was all too quick to roll my eyes and sigh when I had to “settle” on gingerbread flavor instead. It’s moments like this that I need to remind myself of the luxuries that I have that other volunteers might not get to enjoy.

Luxury.

But, as my students say, “There are two sides to every coin.” I thought that coming to Starbucks today would fix my America cravings. After seeing countless pictures of Halloween, hearing about the impending graduation of many of my fellow MIIS students, and Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the bend I felt like I needed this trip. I thought that this Starbucks run would fix me. I thought that I would taste of bit of home and I’d be alright for a while. But, like any addict who falls off the wagon knows, we usually take some time to play in the mud before climbing back into the wagon. Maybe I’ll find a store to buy butter at today. Maybe I’ll go crazy and buy some cheese. Although it may taste good, I have a feeling that butter will not make me feel any closer to my friends and family.

All of this got me to thinking. Would I have been able to survive had I been placed in Africa or some remote island in the Pacific? Yes. Would my “problems” be the same? No. The fact of the matter is I’m not at home. Are the things that I experience more similar to home than someone living in hut? Probably. But no matter how close I get, the focus on the gap will arise. I will hone in on the differences.

Meimei
Real sister, maybe not. But I'm pretty darn grateful for her.

Olga and Marty
These people keep me sane.

You know what they say, “You always want what you can’t have.” People want happiness. Living in other countries really shows that that is a universal human goal. We all have different ideas of how to achieve it. The nouveau-riche of China strive to live lives of luxury. We’ve seen how well that works in the U.S., yet still some people have not learned the lesson. Some strive for security. Some people strive for simplicity. Others even look for happiness in love and relationships. Sooner or later we’re all left staring at the bottom of what used to be a gingerbread latte, still craving that peppermint. 

Every person can choose for herself where to go from there. I choose gratefulness.  

Ni Hao!

A few people have been asking if I’ve started a blog yet. I’m settled. A VPN was purchased a long time ago. I’m fresh out of excuses, so here goes…

My newest chapter began in June, 2013. This chapter of my life was met with more anticipation and resistance than any other. I began my Peace Corps application in 2011. I received my placement around New Years of 2013. I avoided learning any Chinese before leaving. I only talked about China if someone else brought it up. Chinese food was unappetizing. I still can’t explain my aversion. Maybe I was trying to fully experience my last days in the U.S. Maybe I was afraid. Whatever the reason, it did not stop me. I left Seattle on June 27^th with the final destination of Chengdu, China.

Ni hao, Mao.

I was placed with the most incredible host family in China, I’m 98.8% sure. They taught me about Chinese culture, they were patient when I was trying to learn Chinese, they took me many places around Chengdu, and they taught me how to play Mahjong.

My host cousin bought me this crown of flowers.
My host dad braved the humidity and rain so that I could get to hike.
Sister embraces the shenanigans.
Family love.

I'm going to teach everyone I know this magical game.

I also had the best training group in the world. We learned Chinese together, taught English together, and commiserated frequently. I miss them.

Yep. Miss 'em a lot.

After pre-service training (PST), I was sworn-in as an official volunteer. The same day, I left for my new home. I will be living in Beibei, Chongqing for the next two years. I have a very terrible recording of me riding the shuttle through campus if you'd like to see what my school might look like if someone happened to film the campus, while drunk, during an earthquake, with their cell phone camera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbKpJoArSow

Swearing-in with Mr. Ambassador Locke

New city, new Mao

My school is a top-tier school. I am having a very different experience than most Peace Corps volunteers. My students are very advanced. I have a computer with internet and a projector in each room. Students are enthusiastic and come to class ready to participate, well at least most of them. I already have some stories, but if I tell them all now, I'm afraid that I'll have nothing to write about in the future. So, stay tuned.

I'm Going to China.

Adventures are daily occurances. Just today I visited a 7, 000 year old volcano and hiked to the fire tower on top of it. From the Verizon store to the doctor's office, I can find an adventure. I usually love to share all about them.

Said fire tower atop said volcano

 

Yet every time I sit down to write about my upcoming adventure I draw a blank. The Peace Corps has always been something I accepted as part of my future, like owning cats and menopause. It's not a matter of whether or not to join but when.

Many-a-friend have suggested that I will own many cats one day.
I'm only slightly offended because I secretly hope it happens.

I will leave for China in a few short days. I will start this new, 27 month chapter in my life. I don't know what to expect and I like it that way. I hope that people don't view my reluctance to talk about China, think about China, or even eat Chinese food as an indication of my thoughts about China. I really am excited to go, I just want to soak up as much of America as I can.

America.

Of course, I will miss friends and family. China will be a new world. I've been warned that it is also a Facebook-free world, unless I can find a way over The Great Firewall of China. Never fear, I accept both e-mails and regular mail willingly and it will most likely make my day. No pressure. As addional incentive, I have been known to return a letter or two. I write good letters. Just sayin'. As facebook is a non-, or highly limited, option, I will make an honest effort to post blogs more frequently.

I have no idea what the check mark icon is

At this precise moment in time, I am choosing to naively believe that I am prepared for this next chapter in going big or going home, when going home is not an option.

 

k-a.moore@hotmail.com

keriannm@miis.edu

(Just in case)