So I Ate a Hamburger

I like Chinese food.  I always have.  Things like Orange Chicken, Fried Rice, and Chow Mein have always tasted delicious to me. They don't have those things in China--or if they do I haven't seen them.  The food here does resemble the Chinese buffets that occupy small town USA in a few small ways: rice, noodles, and meat.  Otherwise the food is very different and sometimes strange.  Also, I like Panda Express once a week, but spicy peppers and chicken pieces kinda get old three times a day.  So I went to Burger King.  Hey its been 3 weeks!  You can't blame me!  It was a long trip!  It took 2 hours!


The guy at the counter even spoke some English.  He thought he was hot stuff speaking to the American in English.  He said in english, "yes.  That is all twenty-nine point five Yuan."   I smiled and picked my hamburger wondering what strange things I say in Chinese.  

So I ate the whopper and enjoyed it...kinda.  I was worried coming to china that I would get sick from the food: new food, strange things--like scorpions--but I have been in tip top shape since day one.  When I started with the fries I was disappointed.  They were made correctly, but tasted soooo salty.  Worse, the whopper gave me the first food stomach ache that I have had in a month.  I'm going to say that it may be another month before I eat another hamburger.


There are some interesting facts about China.  You would think that with communism and all that many things would be free.  They are not.  I was talking to the Chinese lady downstairs who owns a little mini-mart shop directly below our Hostel.  She has a little boy that runs around on the street and plays with broken glass bottles with his friends in the street.  Sometimes the cars come screaming through--Beijing drivers mind you--and the little boys yell, "车！”  I have anxiety about it.  He is 4.  His mother told me that there is no free school in GaoBei Dian, that it costs over 2,000 yuan a month for a normal school, and that it would be impossible to have more than one child in China because it is just too expensive.  Everyone is amazed that I have 3 children.  They think I'm crazy.  


Sometimes I think we are at war...really. They have crazy fireworks episodes during the day--like right now.  It literally sounds like guns are going off all over the city for about 20 minutes.  The first time it happened I almost run up to tell the professor.  I thought we'd be packing up and heading to the embassy.  After a while though, I decided it was fireworks.  The next day it happened again...and most everyday after that too.  Who has that kind of money!  ahhh China.


The pictures today are kind of random.  I don't have a lot of stories for them.  They are a snap shot of different places and things I've seen but haven't posted yet.  I miss you all--except all those strange Nickle folks.  "Missing" isn't strong enough.

Beijing Building

Bikes

Growing China

McDonalds and Kaiwen (my roommate)

Packed Subway

Packed Subway 2

Progress in Beijing

Where it All Begins

The Hobbit Door

Today I received a one minute video of my beautiful daughter Genevieve, now a month and half old, smiling and cooing and being as perfect a human being as I've ever seen in my life.  I can't say I've ever missed anyone as much as I miss my little family.   They are my beginning.

There are beginnings here in China.  For instance I am beginning to order food with at least a reasonable expectation that what I thought I ordered I will receive.  There have been a few things, chicken hearts, the hottest peppers I've ever had, and soup that tastes like horse...poop...that were not exactly what we thought we had ordered.  Chicken hearts aren't bad.  They are just chewy..and kinda squishy.  I think Mom would love them!

I am also beginning (strong emphasis on BEGINNING) to understand the language.  Its a tough language.  I remember in Mexico being able to understand folks even if I only spoke a little Spanish.  It was kinda like English and you could make guesses about what they said.  Chinese is not like that...at all.  Sometimes I just stare at their faces and nod because they are not speaking my Chinese.  Some Chinese people sound like this when you ask directions:  "chengsaidanifuiecmiansdlkasdfs."  And then I say, "什么？” which means, "a What?"  and they say it a little slower and it sounds like, "cheng--sai---naaak---fuiee--mianndiiik---dsfeep----ajejjshih."  So I say, "oohhhhhhhh" and keep nodding my head like I understand.  Sometimes it works.  Sometimes it just gets more awkward and I walk away quickly acting like I have an appointment on the other side of the sidewalk.  The goal is not to look back and run faster if they follow.

 Every experience helps me learn though, even the hard ones. Sometimes the hard ones help you the most and open a new doorway into a part of the language you didn't initially know existed.  Then there is quiet reflection and a determination to go out and try again--this time armed with knowledge that "Cheng" means "city," or "often, or "transfer," or "clarify".....phhhewww.

Mountain

Stairway to Heaven

Paradise

On Saturday we went to the Mountain of the Red Snail, which is also a Buddhist temple.  They told us it was a little hike.  They didn't tell me it was mountain of stairs.  If there is a stairway to heaven, its at the Buddhist temple of the Red Snail.  The pictures don't give it any kind of justice.  I'm going to guess that its about 5 miles of stairs to the top.  No one made it...not even me.  A few of us would have had we had more time, but the hours got the best of us and we headed back to beginning--where I found paradise.  I looks like a movie doesn't it?  It felt like one.

Finally, I went to church in Beijing.  Its on the 4th floor of this building and smells like...a Mormon church.  There are actually two small branches: one for the Embassy and one for the rest of Beijing. How would you like THAT job. Of course it doesn't really count since at the beginning of each meeting they remind members that we respect China's laws and that it is illegal to speak with native Chinese about the church unless they have a foreign passport.  Still 16 million people on your mind and one branch?  It is a beginning.

The Branch President of Beijing 

The building the church is in

Oh, and one more thing for Dad and Jared.  Here is a Beijing dumpster.  I don't know how they unload it or why they have little doors on it...all I know is that trash smells the same even on the other side of the world.

Love to All.

The Golden Image

Summer Palace

Summer Palace 

More Summer Palace

Pretty right? 

Spring is quickly turning to summer here in Beijing and temperatures are starting to rise.  The nuclear fallout has abated and by Friday it will be in the 90's and getting hotter.  The humidity is thick here and the pollution even thicker.  The light rain give some respite for a day, but the brown skies quickly returned.  On the bad days it is not the horizon that is brown, but the entire sky.  So, to celebrate the clear day and the on coming summer, we visited the Summer Palace just north and west of Beijing...well it used to north-west of Beijing.  Beijing swallowed it whole some years ago and now it's just a park in the city.   I won't bore you with the history because it doesn't relate well with what we understand about the world.  Its weird that there is a whole world here, the other side of the world, where even the days and nights are backwards.

The Summer Palace was beautiful!  They have a funny saying in Chinese when describing a place.  They say 有山有水 which is funny way of saying, "This place is beautiful."  I actually means, "it has mountains and water."  I know a few places like that!  They have another saying that is, “人山人海，” that describes how crowded places are in China.  It literally means there are crowds of people so big that it seems like mountains and oceans.  Both of those phrases applied to the Summer Palace--the latter one is better than the first.


It was a journey to get to the tower.  We passed through a maze of squares and small palaces that had large thrones and heavy gates.  Statues of angry lions and Chinese dragons were on every corner.  Along the side of the lake there was a walkway nearly a half mile long with over 8,000 beams supporting the length of it.  Every beam had a unique picture painted on the side depicting Chinese stories and history.  All these were painted in the 1700's at the whim of the Emperor.

Hallway

Hallway Again

Then came the hike up to the temple. I don't know how many stairs there were, but if the Emperor was fat, he never would have made it to the top.  His temple attendance probably suffered.  His recommend probably expired.  I'm not fat, and my legs were burning.  When I entered the temple I was struck with a feeling of terror.  There in front of me was a golden image, fashioned much in the same way that Nebuchadnezzar had formed his so long ago in Babylon.  There were many hands, heads, and faces looming high above me, looking out over all of Beijing's 16 million people.  I thought of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.  "We know our God can save us," they said, "But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."  Well, you might notice in one picture the "no photography sign."  I felt ok about it because there were like 150 Chinese taking pictures too.  Sometimes the Chinese crowds are helpful after all.

  When I kneel tonight, I will be grateful for a God that loves me, and hears my prayers even when I am underneath a brown China sky on the other side of the world.

-Keep the Faith-

Beijing, Mother's Day, and Scorpions

I was going to start this blog with a story about eating scorpions--and I will, soon.  First, however, There is the man named "shi."  The story is short and it made a serious impression on me that I will never forget. I went to a park in down town Beijing by myself.  My friends went to see Avengers in 3D with Chinese sub-titles.  It was 120 yuan (about $20) and I couldn't justify the expense when I buy breakfast every morning for 3-5 yuan (about 75 cents).  So I went to the park.  There was a big crowd of people dancing...just dancing like a line dance in the middle of the afternoon.  Now, mind you, that these were not a bunch of teenagers or professional dancers; these people were young, old, good dancers, bad dancers, and everyone in between.  I wanted to dance too, but I didn't want to be the center of attention just yet.  I'm already the talk of the subway.  Some people point.  Most just stare.  No need to make matters worse.  So I watched.

After the dance I climbed the hill in the park that had little stone pathways leading to many different parts of the hill.  At the top I found "Shi”。 He was sitting on a bench on the top of the hill.  When he saw me he said, "请坐，请坐。” while tapping the empty seat on the bench next to him.  Now, those of you who know Chinese culture know that personal space is not understood in the same way as it is in the US.  We talked in Chinese for some time.  He had some sort of disability that made his movements a little slow, but it wasn't serious...and he wasn't homeless.  You could tell he was brilliant in his own way, and he told me about his kids. He drew out his last name for me on the bench with his finger: "Shi".  He grabbed my arm and felt my elbow and fingers...then put his hand on mine to measure the size and color of his to mine.  He was patient with my Chinese and asked me many questions.  I understood only some.  When I got up to leave, he showed me the way down the hill and walked me some distance to the entrance of the subway--making sure I could find my way.  When I said good bye he lifted his hand to wave and looked me straight in the eye.  As we made eye contact we communicated more in a moment then I had with all the Chinese I've ever met.  We understood each other more in that moment than I even understand my American friends.  The only other person in the world that I have understood in this way is Alfredo...an old family friend from Argentina who cannot be explained with words.  My family will know what I mean.  With no spoken words this Chinese man said to me, "Thank you friend.  I understand you.  I know you.  I will remember you.  Thank you..."  and I hope he understood me as well.  Someday we will meet again, "shi".  Someday.

Now for scorpions.  Yes I ate three scorpions.  They were wiggling on a stick, alive and well, until the "Shifu" dipped them in oil and handed them to me to eat.  I hope you like the pictures.  I was ok with the taste although I felt a little queezy afterwards.  It wasn't the taste as much as the feel of the tail, stinger, claws, and legs of the little guys in my mouth.  They had a little crunch to them and were heavily flavoured with salt. I was grateful for the salt!  I also had some dumplings filled with some meat I was unfamiliar with.  Someone told me it was sea horse.  I think they were right.  I drew the line when I saw the tarantulas.  I can't do large hairy spider.  I'm sorry.  I am not brave.

Down town Beijing is beautiful.  Its not like GaoBeiDian where we live.  Its clean and nice with huge buildings and even bigger shopping centers.  I have never in my life been around so many people.  Its a sea of black hair that is endless.  It is hard to comprehend 1.3 billion people till you come here--then you get it.  Its hard to explain...there are just so many people.

As I was leaving the shopping center I saw this sign.  It is in Chinese and I am posting it for my Mom who I love very much and to whom I literally owe my life.  This sign, the big characters, says, "妈妈，我爱你。"  It means, Momma, I love you.

And Momma, I really do.

If you want, Mom, for Mother's Day I'll send you a fried scorpion on a stick from Beijing. Guessing that you don't.  I hope you enjoy this pictures instead.

Love to all.

China

I'm finally here!  After years of writing Chinese characters and fawning over a particularly exciting line in my patriarchal blessing--I'm here!  I think the Chinese know it too because I stand out like a sore thumb; I have yet to meet a blond Chinese.  I made sure to write down my first impressions of China when I arrived, so here they are.  Remember i am in Beijing.  These impressions may not apply to the rest of the country:

1) All the trees are in rows.  There are no random tree lines or groves, every tree has its place in line just like the rest of the country.

2) Our neighborhood reminds me a lot of parts of Mexico. While there are notable differences, the general dirtiness is the same.

3) Drivers: crazy.
    Bikers: even more crazy.
    Guys on the three wheelers with metal box tops and crooked rims: absolutely nuts.

Oh China, oh China.  You intrigue me so often.  I thought I knew Chinese: I don't.  Or maybe I did--but these people don't speak that language.  Ugh.  Abe said once when he first got to Brazil that the dogs didn't even understand him.  The language here is so different that I don't even understand the dogs!  The little cute Chinese kids just look at me speaking Chinese as if I was from mars.  I might as well be.  Thats where blond people come from.  One kid pulled out his toy gun and said, "bao, bao."  I was an easy kill and I made him laugh.  I am happy for small successes.  Asking for the bathroom and being shown to the right room is always a plus.  Finding the toilet paper in said bathroom is much more difficult.  It appears the Chinese don't always believe in toilet paper.  When they do it is on a roll in the main lobby of the bathroom next to the sink.  You have to find it before you hit the stalls or...well...you get the idea.

It's time for pictures.

This picture is taken on the a bridge directly outside our hostel. There are about 50 apartment buildings to the right that are completely empty.  They are not under construction. Also, I'm not sure you can see it but there is a white substance constantly falling from the sky like from a cottonwood tree. We call it nuclear waste--lol--but it is a little strange.

    The other picture is of the front of our hostel. The wood ramp is the entrance. There is no door :P

So you think you like Chinese food.  I thought so too.  Panda Express is not Chinese food.  This is a Chinese breakfast: Cucumbers, boiled nuts, tasteless rolls and warm milk.  OH!  and some very delicious tofu noodles in some kind of oil with cilantro.  I actually loved that.  The eggs were boiled and tasted like...eggs.

I'm including this weight-age photo for my dad and brother: sorry guys, 16 ton trunks my not pass over this bridge.  It is downtown Beijing.  I don't think anyone cares about the sign.  Also for Dad, this wood scaffolding is about 5 stories tall--all made of wood and tied together with bailing wire--loosely.  I didn't get a picture but there were about 30 workers near here, male and female who were all taking a nap next to the 8 lane highway.  There were planting trees and I think it must have been break time.  So they all layed down and went to sleep.  hehe.  It made me giggle.

Lastly our brave three wheeled soldiers.  This picture doesn't give them justice because it doesn't show the other traffic.  They weave in and out of traffic that has no laws and even go up three lane, one way streets backwards.  Buses pass within inches doing 30mph or better and they guys don't flinch. I asked a bus driver if he gets nervous.  He said: “不紧张。”  It literally means "not nervous."  When we almost ran over a biciclist and all of us were gasping in the back he said, "什么了？”  It means, "Whats going on?"  Yes, brave souls all.

Finally, I know the Lord is preparing the people in China.  There is a whole nation of people, many humble, who have never had any experience with the truth.  It will be a glorious work indeed.  The field is white, and so big that the thought makes me tired. 

To all those at home, especially my family, I love you.  Keep the faith and learn Chinese.  We're gonna need you someday.