Lessons from Living and Working in China

I have been challenged to come up with a list of things that I have learned since moving to China, so I figured that I might as well share them with any and all who care to read. I have split them into several categories: Teaching, China, Myself, Living in Community, and The Father.

Teaching:

• Students MUST see a reason for every single half a point that you take away.
• Students will argue with you over that half a point if you let them. Sometimes you just have to walk away.
• There is a giant leap from 7^th Grade to 9^th Grade.
• You have to begin the school year tough. (I definitely was not tough enough at first).
• When I finished my student teaching, I was fairly confident in who I was as a teacher, but my first semester proved to me that I had no idea what I was doing. However, I would say that things are looking up.

China and Living Overseas:

• Holidays and special events (which always include things that make lots of noise, such as fireworks and drums) will come at the most inopportune times, such as the one Sunday that you decide to stay home from Fellowship because you have an upper-respiratory infection. (Yes, this happened today).
• Kids will pee anywhere and everywhere (including in the middle of a coffee shop).
• I’ve learned to take a city bus. That was one of those things that my dad said that every person should be able to do, but I never did it in the states, but I have taken multiple forms of public transportation in several Asian countries.
• I’ve learned to push my way through a crowd. (Maybe I should say that I am still in the process of learning this one.)
• It is really easy to live in the expat bubble.
• The Chinese language was invented to keep me humble. (Apparently being a first year teacher was not enough.)
• Some of the best foods in the world are hard to find in the US (or at least in Akron, Ohio). They include: Milk Tea (specifically Tommy Boy), Red Date Yogurt, Muslim Noodles, Indian food, Korean BBQ, and Hot Pot.
• Some of the best foods in the world are hard to find in China (or they are very expensive). They include: All things pre-packaged, canned, and frozen (at least western things), Cereal, Mexican Food, Reese’s, and chocolate chips.

Myself:

• It is ok to ask for help.
• I can be really needy when I want to be.
• I really need to be more confident.
• I am an INFJ.
• I am a Blue/Gold, but some days I am a Gold/Blue.

Living in Community:

• Living in Community, even if all the members are like-minded, is complicated. Relationships are complicated.
• There is so much hurt in a Christian community, and when one person hurts the whole community suffers. Even though there is much pain, there is, hopefully, also healing.
• There are many people who are willing to support me.

The Father:

• I do not understand how His will or how His sovereignty works.
• I must trust Him because He has always proved faithful.