I still can’t belive this. Everything has been amazing. From the rice fields to the dancing with the villagers, I couldn’t be happier.

Let’s talk about the home stays. The Miao village was….something else. I struggled through not showering for three days. I tried to my hardest to embrace my clothes drenched in sweat and the layer of dirt that constantly collected on my face. Fortunately, I didn’t give in to the shower. That just made my experience even better. The first night in my room I broke into a crazy sweat staring at the ceiling with my lights on and wishing that those three cockroaches would back away. But they didn’t. So I closed my eyes, turned off the lights, kept sweating, and fell asleep. Yet, for some weird reason, the second night in the Miao village was not the same. I was used to the feeling and the smells and was really culturally immersed. I guess it just took me some time. Nevertheless, it was ALL worth it. Not many students can say that they did farm work in rural China and picked potatoes for an hour on top of a mountain.

And now, my fellow co-teachers. Each one of them is so unique, and so amazing. I hope I’m not annoying them too much. Every day, I learn something new about some of them. Each personality helps to build the group and make every minute here much more enjoyable. I appreciate my time alone, especially with nature. But this week, I felt something different when I stood over the Dong village with Nick and looked out into the mountains, or when I walked by the edge of the river with the rest of the group. It’s nice to share these moments with others. China is helping me learn about myself. It’s like when a tough rock is tossed and turned by the waves of the ocean until it is smoothed out. The rough edges are beginning to fade.

I think that’s all I want to say right now. There is so much more I can write, the other posts will help give a glimpse into our life.

=]

-Christian