words-- maybe too many

Words. When I first arrived in China I was very attuned to everything around me. I began to notice very soon after my arrival that many of the foreigners in the country had many negative things to say about just about anything. Some of the gripes could be the 2nd rate foreign foods, constant English lessons elicited, the stares, the unconventional health care system, the whole process of leaving your apartment and having to rely upon public transportation, the lack of central and universal heating and cooling, etc. I am guilty of at some point talking about one or all of these things, but I don't want to. I realize that the words that I speak about a place/person/thing soon become my reality of that thing. If I think that the food in China is greasy and how it doesn't taste good, then I can talk about that all day long and when it comes time for me to go to bed, Chinese food is and will always be bad. It is true that most dishes are prepared in a type of bean or vegetable oil, but I am finding some of the foods to be very good. Last night I had a mystery dish at my favorite Xinjiang (the province furthest west) restaurant with potatoes and beef cooked in a brown sauce over a bed of white rice. It was great, and was only 8RMB. It takes a long time to get anywhere in the city, but it does provide for a good time to thumb through a book I am reading, look at the city streets bursting with life, or work on my goofy-footed snowboarding balance as the bus swerves back and forth through the traffic. I love looking back at the gawkers and doing something so rediculous that it even makes the sternest Chinese smile just a bit. I consider it one of my hobbies to make random people smile at my stupidity in actions. It is true that nobody has heating or cooling, but it saves so much energy and money**. I hope that for my remaining time in China, that I can be humble enough to dole out hundreds of free English lessons to those brave enough to talk to me on the train, and to change the way I talk and think about this great country. I love China.


**I think that churches should turn off their AC and heaters, and instead buy coats, warm clothes, and food for the poor with that money. Instead of building multi-million dollar buildings with the latest technology stocked with $800 microphones and $3000 Taylor guitars, lets borrow from the OT Body and build large tents. I think that by doing this people in the community would really start asking questions about what the Church is all about. Plus, by doing this the church won't have to worry about the rising energy costs or have a substantial mortgage. I am simply speaking from my experience.