Just Know You're Not Alone, We're Gonna Make this Place Your Home

So, I'm moved into my homestay now!  I live with Julius, an elderly man, and he has a live in housekeeper who is here as well.  His daughter Irene is 24 and works in Beijing, so I got to meet her at dinner last night, (and yes, they've asked me to call them by their English names, but they call me Kai Lan).  I didn't know anything about them until Wednesday night when I walked into the room with all the other homestay students and was handed a piece of paper with some basic information.  I had been super nervous all day... I'm moving into these people's house for three and a half months!  Julius is the sweetest old man you will ever meet, and I'm not the first IES student to have stayed here.  He does some translation work, so his English is really good too!  I can't wait to hear the wisdom and stories of a man who has seen all the recent history of China.  I live on the sixth floor (no elevator) in an apartment (its Beijing, everyone lives in apartments) with a view of more apartments that are even taller than this building.  The food is to die for, and in China you have to tell someone that no you don't want anymore and yes you really are full a few times before its accepted.  Not that they don't believe you, its just polite to offer more times.  I have my own room and I love it.  I haven't had my own room for more than three weeks at any given time for the past 2.5 years, and I'm hoping this will help me focus on God time and get my work done.  Too bad my computer is also in here.  Hmm.  I take the bus to get to school, and its easy (now that I've done it a few times).  The first morning, the bus I got on was super full, and I was surprised that the door didn't crush my backpack.  I stayed squeezed into the very front corner of the bus for the 15 minute ride.  Not exactly what I would call comfy, but hey.  I was super nervous the whole time because my transit card was empty, and there was no visible cash slot of any kind, but the bus was so full that no one noticed that I didn't pay.  The city of Beijing will be getting plenty of my money this semester anyways.  

It looks like I'm going to be taking a language class level lower than I was placed in or hoped to be in.  The teacher noticed I was struggling and was incredibly kind in talking through my options and questions with me.  I really am in between the two levels.  It sounds like I will be able to learn some extra things in this level and solidify my foundation and work on pronunciation.  Since I want to be in China long term, both of these things are very important.  Its not an easy thing to do, but I think its what is best for me, and I don't have to be stressed out by Chinese class everyday this semester.  My Chinese will be improving no matter what, I'm living in China my goodness!  I knew before I even came to China that language would probably be the biggest mountain I would be climbing here, but that God would get me up it and I would learn new things about His provision in that.  I feel like by moving down I might be interrupting that or something, yet who am I to limit His power or to doubt the practical knowledge of a group of people who make a living teaching Americans how to speak Chinese?  Please pray for this, that I can be content in the class I am in and that my language skills would grow supernaturally this semester!

Praise God the air was clear today.  The sky was actually blue.  What is that?  When I crossed over the road after getting off the bus I could see all the way down the road to the hills outside of Beijing.  Imagine, something natural amidst the cloud of smog we've been living in!  I've had a cold thats not even a cold for the past week, and its gone now after one.  I'm hoping to get out of the city soon.  Though I'm still pretty content I know my Pacific Northwest never lived in a city heart is going to need some fulfillment soon.  There's also a park near my homestay that I want to check out soon.  

The title of this post is from "Home" by Phil Phillips.  It was stuck in my head all day on move in day, and is full of truth and comfort.  And if you haven't checked out Rend Collective's new album yet you totally should!  

From our Summer Palace Expedition last weekend.

This was he view out my window today.  THATS RIGHT FOLKS, THE SKY IS BLUE!