As I write this post, I admit that I have not been all that busy over the last few weeks, and I've made almost nothing of my downtime. In Ivy's words, I've spent the last two weeks or so "full-time dating." On the bright side, I've gotten to know her a lot better, but there's not a whole lot that is worthy of a blog post.
Last Monday I performed for the other teachers in my school. To celebrate Chinese New Year, there were several different skits and many teachers from the whole school attended. I had a solo for the song "You Raise Me Up," and I was joined in the chorus by Ivy and a number of my female co-workers (most of whom I had not met before we started rehearsing). My timing was off for the performance, but I have done worse. Mostly the teachers were just impressed with the English, which is really what it was all about. Ivy took pictures, but unfortunately she lost her camera, so I will not be able to put them on this post.
And now the moment you've all been waiting for: my itinerary for my upcoming vacation. I will spend the next three weeks in Thailand, Hong Kong, Guilin (a city in China), and traveling between them. I'm excited and hope to take lots of pictures. I have a total of almost two months off for Chinese New Year, and I'm taking full advantage of them.
Trip Part 1-Northern Thailand!
January 30th: Take a train to HK after school. Overnight train.
January 31st. Arrive in Hong Kong in the morning. Flight to Phuket (Thailand) at 8:25PM. Arrive at 10:55PM, overnight in Phuket at the Canal Resort.
February 1st: Catch flight from Phuket to Chiang Mai at 10:35AM, arrive at 12:30PM and travel to Cave Lodge
February 2nd: Full Day Adventure Caving or Easier cave tour
February 3rd: Full day Hill Tribe Trek
February 4th: One Day Khong River Trip to Susa Waterfalls kayaking.
February 5th: Travel back to Chiang Mai in morning. Afternoon with WELS M*ssion family? Catch 9:45PM flight back to Phuket! Arrive in Phuket 11:50PM. Overnight in the Canal Resort (343 Baht).
Trip Part 2-Southern Thailand!
February 6th: Sleep in, travel to Phuket town, catch short boat ride to Koh Phi Phi Don. Relax on
beach.
February 7th: Beach, sea kayaking?
February 8th: Beachhhhhh oh yeaaaaaahhh!
February 9th: Travel to Koh Lanta via short boat ride. Stay at Kantiang Bay! Elephant Trek? Relax on
Beach.
February 10th: Beach, massage, relaxation, beer. Rent motorbike to explore island?
February 11th: Beach, massage, relaxation, beer, relaxation, more beer, snorkeling?
February 12th: Travel to Phuket from Lanta via boat-3 hours. Go to airport, catch 3:40PM flight to
HK. Arrive in HK in the evening at 7:55pm.
Trip Part 3-FOC Retreat Hong Kong, Guilin!
February 13th: FOC Retreat in Hong Kong
February 14th: FOC Retreat in Hong Kong
February 15th: FOC Retreat in Hong Kong
February 16th: FOC Retreat in Hong Kong
February 17th: Travel by train to Guilin, explore, overnight in hostel!
February 18th: 1 Day cruise on the Li River to Yangshuo. Stay overnight at En Attendant Godot Youth Hostel in Yangshuo.
February 19th: Explore Yangshuo, bike ride through the countryside along the mountains? David's birthday!
February 20th: Back to Guilin, catch train to Wuhan!
Those are my plans for the next few weeks! Now I will shamelessly add a plug for why you should come to visit me in Wuhan. I've prepared a top 11 list:
1. Try authentic Chinese food! I'm not talking about the American stuff in the restaurants, either.
2. Practice your chopstick skills.
3. See beautiful Chinese scenery, like East Lake or giant piles of rubble.
4. Throw your trash away...off the roof! This is one of David's favorite activities, and I thoroughly enjoy it as well.
5. Meet the friendly Chinese people! They make Americans feel like superstars here.
6. Experience a new culture. Chinese culture is a little different from American culture, obviously.
7. Play Frogger in real life! Crossing the street here in China is just like playing the game, except you only ever have one life. I apologize to all of you who do not understand this reference. Ask your children!
8. Lose weight! In the past five months, I've lost over 50 pounds. I really think that I should be a poster boy for FoC! (I've lost weight, found a girlfriend, sowed the seed, etc.)
9. Breathe the clean Wuhan air. We don't have any pollution in Wuhan...ever...maybe...I wish...
11. See the work we do here in China. We are making friends for eternity. The people here are coming to know the one thing needful, and that makes all the differences.
And there you have it. Come visit me!
I will be traveling for a while, so I likely won't post here again until I return from my trip. I would like to give a shout out now to those February birthdays coming up. But first, my grandmother turns 87 this week, so happy birthday, Grandma! Birthday wishes also to Corey, Elijah, and Cara. I wish you all His blessings over the next year.
Your pr@yers are appreciated. Continue to pray for me and my work. Pr@y also for the Chinese chrch, that He would continue to raise up Chinese people who are willing and able to lead their own chrches, and that the Word would continue to spread and grow in the heart of China.
Greetings to all. I love you all and miss you much. I'm half-way through my stay in China now. I hope to see those of you in America in 5 months or so!
The grace of our L0rd J*s-s Chr+st, the love of G0d our Father, and the fellowship of the H0ly Sp+r+t be with you all.
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