So I’ve been in China now for almost a week! In this time, I’ve reunited with Bethany, explored Beijing, rode in a Chinese train, subway, bus, and taxi on multiple occasions, and spoken in several classes! I’ve seen several of the JiNing marketplaces, eaten at many of the restaurants, and even tried a couple bakeries! Sometimes I think to myself, “What have we gotten ourselves into!” But in the end, I can do nothing but smile, knowing that this is where God has placed us.
Out of all the differences between China and America, the one that stands out to me the most is the roadways. In China, the drivers are very aggressive. Swerving in and out of lanes is simply part of driving. If you aren’t honking your horn for people, bikes and other cars to get out of your way, then you are part of the problem and need to get out of someone else’s way! The traffic lights are strictly observed, but the painted lines on the road are optional at best. Traffic police are there to simply make sure traffic keeps flowing, so you can forget about enforcing anything.
Obviously, this kind of driving would cause many accidents in America. Yet, somehow, it works very well in China! I have yet to see a single accident in my time in the country! To be honest, it is very impressive!
As I’ve attended classes with Bethany, I’ve learned how grateful the University is to have native English speakers around. I’ve spoken in all of Bethany’s classes this week, made plans to speak in another teacher’s class, and also dropped into a third teacher’s classroom today and tomorrow! Not only does this give me quite a bit of exposure to the students, but also to the teachers as well. I personally think this is going to be crucial in developing relationships with the people here.
Assisting Bethany in class this week has been fun. I taken on my traditional role as the ridiculous, silly “Měiguó de” (American). As Bethany is teaching about different aspects of Halloween this week, I’ve been her sound box, making all the necessary sound effects as we come across the appropriate vocabulary words – howling, shrieking, cackling…. It’s been a lot of fun. We even played charades with the Halloween vocabulary. I went first with my werewolf impression to start the game off. If it can make me seem more lighthearted and approachable, it will be well worth it.
Living here certainly will have it’s challenges. Right now, we are limited to restaurants with pictures on their menus. Bethany discovered what bus will take us to the market, not by reading the Chinese bus schedule, but by walking there and seeing what buses pass by. Holding up fingers to represent quantities is crucial. Adapting to the Chinese standard of appliances and comfort is certainly shaping me. Learning the language is slow at best – if not stagnant at times. But all of these can be overcome. It’s just a matter of time.
So the goal right now is to get settled in and into a rhythm – a much needed part of my personality. This rhythm will help with building relationships, allow us to plan things out, and give me mental consistency. As for now, as I seek out the basic patterns for the needed rhythm, I’m simply enjoying the ride, even if that ride might be swerving through traffic.