Well, we've started classes and our 8-4 language pledge now. Lots of laughter, gesturing, and pointing involved with that, but I can already tell my Chinese is improving. If I am ever anything close to fluent it will truly be the greatest accomplishment of my life. We have a pretty heavy academic load here, which I hadn't really been preparing myself for. Oh well. I guess they call it study abroad for a reason.
This weekend I went and checked out the Summer Palace (which is beautiful!) and Hou Hai, an area along water with shops, bars that are playing all sorts of music, and random street food stands. The lake is frozen over and people were ice skating on it. There were Christmas lights and red lanterns everywhere. It was a great end to a first two days of classes to just walk around with some of the girls from my program and eat dinner. I feel comfortable with the subway here now and I"m starting to feel like I have a lay of the city. Beijing is so huge. I literally cannot comprehend the size of this city. 22 million people. It takes over an hour to get across on the subway. Tomorrow we hit up Tiananmen Square and I'm checking out the international church as well. (finally!)
Prayer would be appreciated for productivity and focus, and my stress level. There's a lot of things I want to do, but I would rather do a few things well than many things not so well. I'm missing the Hope community more than words can say, yet I know I'm here for a reason and that I will grow so much from it. I also move in with my host family on Tuesday! Email is the best way of contacting me right now as well, the internet is finnicky at best, and encouraging words and God stories are always greatly appreciated. Love and prayers to you all!
Karen, praying and missing you, too. It'll take time to get adjusted: know that in the meantime we're here for you and loving on you from afar. I'm so enjoying hearing your stories and your adventures! Pictures, please.
ReplyDeleteI know God has such a plan for your time abroad, and I am confident in His plan and His power. Lean into Him when you're feeling weak (I know I am: I'm getting over a virus/cold that is kicking my butt like nobody's business, and I've been leaning into him because I am hella feeling weak). Anyways, rooting for you!
Karen! Encouragement encouragement encouragement (I didn't mean that you have to "insert encouraging phrases here, I just wanted you to know I was sending encouragement to you and needed some way to verbalize it). So...if you haven't noticed I'm kind of reading through your blog backwards...but!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like things are settling down a bit and I just want you to know that I really do pray for you all the time and I just know that God's hand is all over your trip there, and even if you don't see it now, when you look back on this time in your life it will be clearer than the skies there by like a million...ok, that was a pretty bad metaphor...but anyways! The point is, even if it's not what you wanted it to look like doesn't mean that God is not doing it.
I love you Karen!
Peace and Blessings,
Kiki