Starbucks Marathon

How many cups of coffee can you drink in one day? My friend Faye and I decided to treat ourselves to Starbucks while we were in Chengdu (Jan 2011) and since we counted 9 of them on the map we decided to try and go to all of them. Did we make our goal?? Count them and see!!

Cups One at 9am!!

Cups Two at 11:30am.

Cups Three at Noonish!!

Cups Four at 1pm!!

Cups Five at 2pm!

Cups Six not pictured because the Starbucks Store was closed.

Mumbo Jumbo

I am back at attempting to organize my addresses after a year and a half of neglect. Mostly this has become a bit of a focus because I am getting ready to come back to the States in December. I will be home for about three months and intend to visit many of you who have been so faithful to Think of me and to write to me and provide for me. However, I have found that the addresses I have for many many people in my database are not current. It is a huge headache. Also in this day and age I also know that via snail mail is not the only way to keep in touch with people. However, I am a little lost to know the best way to communicate with all those who want to be in communication with me and how not to annoy those who don't want to be in communication with me. There seems to be a break down in all our well intentioned systems. If you used to receive my newsletters by mail and all of a sudden stop getting them and still want to get them in the mail please contact either my self or the company.

So in light of this I sent my first snail mail letter from China and I am excited to see how long it will take to reach it's destination. I am going to try and be more diligent with communication these next few months. Therefore, if you would like a letter from China please just let me know and I will try really hard to get one out to you.

So the big news here in Kunming is that I will be sent to Colorado in May for a conference. Some of you know the Water Project I went on last Oct, while on that adventure I discovered that I have a brain that leans toward the never ending questions. It is one of the many reasons I have a hard time learning this language because I always want to know Why something is said or done the way they are and language and culture usually has lost the answers to those why questions.


But in light of my future in China and wanting to be able to help the Chinese people in a way that they view as being helpful, Research is very important and apparently I have a brain for it. China being a very dynamic and diverse country there are lots of people who live in remote areas where much research about what kinds of health problems or issues they suffer from are unknown. These kinds of questions as well as more sensitive questions can help the people as they attempt to become more relevant to the rest of the world as well as helping the already established workers accomplish their goals.




So, I am returning to Colorado in May for ten days to learn how to be a Researcher. I am very excited about it and look forward to seeing how the information that I learn can be used here. This is an unscheduled return to the States and an un-budgeted expense. So, if you could please Ask for my finances to be secure so that this can occur I would be very grateful.

I will stay in Colorado during this time and spend five of those days in meetings. I also intend to sit down with the benefits department and learn more in-depth about 401ks and 401bs and other things like that. I will be able to pick up my mail while I am there in Colorado so if anyone wants to mail me any notes I will be able to receive them at that time. At this time I do not think any visitors should come to see me in Colorado because of the short and intense nature of my time there.

For a future reference, for those who need to plan in advance, I will be returning to the States again in December. I will be available to speak at events, have lunch or dinner, as well as just sit and talk with individuals and groups who would like to learn more about my last year and a half (two years by that time). I do not know what my schedule will look like but I wanted to tell people a head of time.


Feel free to email me with your desires for my presence but at this time I cannot guarantee anything.

(Pictures posted on this blog post were not taken by me. I have permission to post them. I was given a photo file to use as I needed.)

Leprosy Clinic!

Today, the 22 of Feb, I traveled with some of my teammates to the Leprosy Clinic. It was the first time I have been back out there since my vision trip in 2007. It was really great. I was asked not to take any pictures but the time was really precious. We were able to sit and spend some time with the patients who were there for dressing changes. Then we traipsed up to the farm (future training farm for leprosy affected men) to measure for additional buildings and check on the walnut trees. After that we went to one of the doctor's home for tea and to hear the Miao choir. The Miao choir is a famous choir in China comprised of the singers of the Miao people group. 70% of the Miao people are believers in Father's only Son. The choir does a beautiful rendition of Handel's Messiah. The trip was really encouraging to me. I listened to people speaking Chinese all day and on my own understood some of it and was reminded that there is so much more to learn. So my brain got exercise and I was spurred on to study more diligently.

School Begins Again!!

Please Please Please ask Father for a good strong beginning at a new semester of Language learning!! For me to be self controlled and disciplined. Thank you all for your continual support and love. :)

Picnic on the Great Wall.

While I was in Beijing the first week of Feb I was able to go to a secluded part of the Great Wall. I went with Teammates of mine. One family and one other single woman. We had a blast. The best part was that due to the time of year and the place we only saw 5 other people the whole time we were on the wall. So fabulous!!! We ate lunch in the middle of the Great Wall. Wow!

The small hostel/hotel at the base of the Great Wall. We paid the owners 2 kuai ( 40cents) per adult to traipse through their back yard to get to the Wall.

The small river and dam below the Wall.

The view from the hike up to get on the Wall.



Right next to the Wall.

Self taken photos are so tricky.

These are our Senior Pictures on the Great Wall!!

Goodbye Wall!! So good to see you again!!

2011 Year of the Rabbit!

This Feb 3 began the Year of the Rabbit. The year of the rabbit includes people born in these years: 1905, 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, and 1999. "People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and being conscientious, never back out of a contract. They would make good gamblers for they have the uncanny gift of choosing the right thing. However, they seldom gamble, as they are conservative and wise. They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog."

The new thing that I have recently learned about having a year that belongs to you is that when it is your animal year the custom is to wear red every day of the year. Sometimes this custom is only associated with certain age groups depending on what part of China you live in. This custom could be very difficult for some people. Although most people may not have enough red articles of clothing to wear something red everyday of the year, I know that for Nebraskans it shouldn't be hard at all!!! For those of you who are not from or live in Nebraska the Chinese have come up with the perfect solution. RED UNDERWEAR!!

In December and January the streets and shops were filled with them. To an extreme level that I asked someone about it and discovered that they sell so many red underwears (both men and women) so that those who are supposed to wear red everyday can. My favorite part of this story is that the packages of the red underwear actually had pictures of bunnies on them just to make everyone aware that it was for the year of the rabbit!!!

One of the things I find most interesting about the Chinese Zodiac Calendar is that when someone asks me what animal I am and I tell them I am a monkey, they just know that I will get along with someone who is a dragon or a rat. For example: My friend asked me what year I was and I told her monkey and her arms flew up into the air in surprise and excitement as she exclaimed "That is why we get along so well!! I am a Rat!!" I on the other hand still have no idea who goes with who or even what my personality is supposed to be like according to the Monkey. Sigh. Somethings are just over our heads.





Sources: http://www.c-c-c.org/chineseculture/zodiac/Rabbit.html, http://gochina.about.com/od/chinesenewyear/qt/RedUnderwear.htm