~Jeremy and Rachel VanStrien
Simply a pilgrim, looking for that city whose builder and maker is God, who enjoys bringing others along on the journey.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
"Grocery" List Update - Nov
Dear friends and family,
The last few weeks have been anything but boring, and the past couple of days are no exception. Rachel and I continue to rack up new experiences together, some good and some not so good. We trust that the bad things are molding and shaping us into the people we need to be. As for the good things, we just sit back and enjoy them.
This section is just for those that want to know the basics of how we are doing and get on with other things. So, without delay: Rachel and I have experienced everything from eating Chinese take-out for a date, to being taken out for Chinese with company owners and everything between. We are constantly surprised at how many things a person can experience in the matter of two weeks. We are doing better even with Rachel taking her turn at being sick and losing her voice. Next week is inspection, that really shapes what the next few months look like for us.
Now for those that want the details. Rachel and I are doing well and adapting to our "schedule" as best as we can given the nature of it. We have a good idea what to expect each week, and are getting more comfortable with doing things outside of just class. The past weekend we decided to take advantage of an evening off and get some Chinese for dinner instead of making it ourselves. It was surprisingly easy, but the whole idea just made us laugh. Americans ordering Chinese takeout... in China. I hope you appreciate the humor as much as we did. Maybe the next time we go out we can order some American take-out. They have something that looks like a mix between KFC and Burger King. Still not sure what I think of it.
On the subject of food. Surprisingly, that is something we have adapted to quite well. Even an ever-changing teaching schedule is something we got used to pretty quickly, but the changes taking place in the states are the ones getting to us. We hear about people graduating from colleges, starting new jobs, or celebrating birthdays. Those are the kinds of things that I cannot get used to hearing while being a world away. Those are the things that just get harder each time. Missing thanksgiving at my house with the family, not making a Christmas tree with Rachel's family. Those are the real sacrifices. I personally can live on rice just fine, and being cold is bearable, but being away from family and friends is the hard part. Especially during the holidays, keep us in mind.
It isn't all sacrifice though, that much is for sure. Especially when you are one of the only Americans in the city - It comes with some perks. Pretty much everyone wants to be your friend, take you out to dinner or invite you to your home so they can practice their English. We are now friends with a Chinese millionaire, the chief of police, the owner of a beauty salon, and a few other people. I don't have a clue what their names are, but they say "We be friends" so that is good enough for me.
Now, you might be wondering, "How did they get in contact with the chief of police?" So I'll tell you the short version of a long story.
Because we are foreign teachers in a private training school, there is a lot of paper work involved on a multitude of different levels. This is especially true when our competing schools complain about how we operate. One that we have dealt with a few different times is registering with the local police station. And since the chief's daughter wants to learn English, guess who he wants to befriend? Us.
And that is the short story of how we know the chief of police.
Now, on to the business side of this email. People have been asking about how they can help and what ways we need support. As much as we encourage them to support other ministries, they continue to ask. So, to follow the advice of a man with whom I am very close, I am making a wish list of all the things we need or could use. Most items on the list do not need to be bought, only funded. With shipping and exchange rates, the best thing is for us to buy from companies within China. There are only a few American items that will need to be brought or shipped over. If there is anything you would be willing to help with, shoot me an email.
For the school.
The last few weeks have been anything but boring, and the past couple of days are no exception. Rachel and I continue to rack up new experiences together, some good and some not so good. We trust that the bad things are molding and shaping us into the people we need to be. As for the good things, we just sit back and enjoy them.
This section is just for those that want to know the basics of how we are doing and get on with other things. So, without delay: Rachel and I have experienced everything from eating Chinese take-out for a date, to being taken out for Chinese with company owners and everything between. We are constantly surprised at how many things a person can experience in the matter of two weeks. We are doing better even with Rachel taking her turn at being sick and losing her voice. Next week is inspection, that really shapes what the next few months look like for us.
Now for those that want the details. Rachel and I are doing well and adapting to our "schedule" as best as we can given the nature of it. We have a good idea what to expect each week, and are getting more comfortable with doing things outside of just class. The past weekend we decided to take advantage of an evening off and get some Chinese for dinner instead of making it ourselves. It was surprisingly easy, but the whole idea just made us laugh. Americans ordering Chinese takeout... in China. I hope you appreciate the humor as much as we did. Maybe the next time we go out we can order some American take-out. They have something that looks like a mix between KFC and Burger King. Still not sure what I think of it.
On the subject of food. Surprisingly, that is something we have adapted to quite well. Even an ever-changing teaching schedule is something we got used to pretty quickly, but the changes taking place in the states are the ones getting to us. We hear about people graduating from colleges, starting new jobs, or celebrating birthdays. Those are the kinds of things that I cannot get used to hearing while being a world away. Those are the things that just get harder each time. Missing thanksgiving at my house with the family, not making a Christmas tree with Rachel's family. Those are the real sacrifices. I personally can live on rice just fine, and being cold is bearable, but being away from family and friends is the hard part. Especially during the holidays, keep us in mind.
It isn't all sacrifice though, that much is for sure. Especially when you are one of the only Americans in the city - It comes with some perks. Pretty much everyone wants to be your friend, take you out to dinner or invite you to your home so they can practice their English. We are now friends with a Chinese millionaire, the chief of police, the owner of a beauty salon, and a few other people. I don't have a clue what their names are, but they say "We be friends" so that is good enough for me.
Now, you might be wondering, "How did they get in contact with the chief of police?" So I'll tell you the short version of a long story.
Because we are foreign teachers in a private training school, there is a lot of paper work involved on a multitude of different levels. This is especially true when our competing schools complain about how we operate. One that we have dealt with a few different times is registering with the local police station. And since the chief's daughter wants to learn English, guess who he wants to befriend? Us.
And that is the short story of how we know the chief of police.
Now, on to the business side of this email. People have been asking about how they can help and what ways we need support. As much as we encourage them to support other ministries, they continue to ask. So, to follow the advice of a man with whom I am very close, I am making a wish list of all the things we need or could use. Most items on the list do not need to be bought, only funded. With shipping and exchange rates, the best thing is for us to buy from companies within China. There are only a few American items that will need to be brought or shipped over. If there is anything you would be willing to help with, shoot me an email.
For the school.
- Foreign Teacher(s) - Granted, this cannot be bought at the store, but it is a financial need. Having another foreign teacher will allow the school to expand and give the current teachers a lighter load all around. To hire another teacher, the school needs to raise roughly $800/Month.
- Photo copier - ours only works 50% of them time.
- School Supplies - Pencils, colored pencils, colored markers, glue sticks, and cheap paper plates for crafts.
- Give away prizes for students: Hot wheel cars, American candy and anything small that is clearly made in America.
- Games - Bananagrams, Jenga, Boggle, letter/spelling/grammar games.
- iPad - I know, I am being ridiculous, it is definitely a wishlist item. But when I am looking at the options for replacing my computer, it is the most logical. It can function in a class room or at home, and there are thousands of free apps for learning and for organizing.
- Dishes - We want to be hospitable to our Chinese friends; however, we currently have two small bowls... which makes it difficult to host people. We need a few plates and bowls for the people we invite over for dinner. Dinner items for 6 people would cost about $25 with enough left over for food to feed them.
- Recipes - This is an easy one and it's free: Good and easy recipes for classic American food. Rachel and I cook for our study group Monday mornings and our Chinese friends want to learn to cook different American dishes. Soups, stews, and different ways to cook meat are things they really want to know.
- American spices - China has red pepper, white pepper, black pepper and chili pepper. Oh, and ginger. We could use some more.
With much love and appreciation from some spice-less pilgrims,
Jeremy and Rachel
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