Am sitting in an internet cafe somewhere in Dali, China. Can you believe it? What am I doing here? Having a blast, suffering not a lot from jet lag. Missing my brothers. Missing real food [finding chicken feet in my soup is not my idea of real food - but no one ever said that living as a bondservant was always fun. . .exciting though.]. Missing normalacy, but am finding my first real overseas experience more than I could ask for. Will tell more when I get home.
My reflections are so many and I wish I could share all of them. I have written so many things down to tell and think about when i get home, since time here is precious and most of the extra is spent sleeping. I hope I can clearly communicate them when I get home.
I realize the severity of commercialism in America more than ever being here. They see Americans as such consumers and users and try to imitate the western culture in such a way that to see it is baffling and disconcerting to me. I think, "Does my culture really look like this?" It does. And it makes me long even more for a simple life.
Tonight after traveling all day to Dali we took a few hours and shopped [bargined] in the market. I am so delighted with all the finds I will bring home to my friends and family and I think for the first time I actually enjoyed shopping. Here they ask a certain price and you can begin bargining at one third the price so get it to where you want it. Danica and I were blessed to have Jacob, a chinese brother, who speaks no english but can bargin like you wouldn't believe. I am so excited about the minority made items we will bring home. I hope they will serve as reminders of what a great cost living is to the Chinese.
As I walked down the street in front of a buddist temple yesterday in Kunming the street was lined with beggers, blind, crippled, emaciated real people who need to eat too, and my heart constricted and remained so until we passed through. I do not realize the comfort my life holds. I pray that this would not be a temporary state but that I would continually learn the heart of my Father.
Miss you all.
My reflections are so many and I wish I could share all of them. I have written so many things down to tell and think about when i get home, since time here is precious and most of the extra is spent sleeping. I hope I can clearly communicate them when I get home.
I realize the severity of commercialism in America more than ever being here. They see Americans as such consumers and users and try to imitate the western culture in such a way that to see it is baffling and disconcerting to me. I think, "Does my culture really look like this?" It does. And it makes me long even more for a simple life.
Tonight after traveling all day to Dali we took a few hours and shopped [bargined] in the market. I am so delighted with all the finds I will bring home to my friends and family and I think for the first time I actually enjoyed shopping. Here they ask a certain price and you can begin bargining at one third the price so get it to where you want it. Danica and I were blessed to have Jacob, a chinese brother, who speaks no english but can bargin like you wouldn't believe. I am so excited about the minority made items we will bring home. I hope they will serve as reminders of what a great cost living is to the Chinese.
As I walked down the street in front of a buddist temple yesterday in Kunming the street was lined with beggers, blind, crippled, emaciated real people who need to eat too, and my heart constricted and remained so until we passed through. I do not realize the comfort my life holds. I pray that this would not be a temporary state but that I would continually learn the heart of my Father.
Miss you all.
posted by Lore at 6.11.02
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