This is a dragon fruit.
I have no clue where the name came from or the history behind this fruit. Oddly... I don't even know how it grows. But I see my learning partners eating it in the treehouse quite often and they use it as a cake topping.... so I thought I needed to try it.
So for about 6 RMB.... or a little less than 1$ I picked one up at the market. The outside is kind of soft and an interesting purplish pink. It is easy to cut into and sweet to the taste.
I like it! You should try it!
Yes... I realize that it is Monday in the US at the moment but it is the end of my official work week..so it is my friday. ( I work Thursday through Monday... and my weekend is Tuesday and Wednesday.)
I have made some decisions today after a couple of frustrating and taxing weeks at work....
1. I am going to count my blessings and look on the bright side even when things get a bit crazy...
2. Along those lines I am not going to listen to the negativity and I am going to encourage those around me to speak positive encouraging words ...
3.I am here to invest in these children and I am going to spend my time and energy loving on them and building relationships with them and their families (because people are the only thing that have eternal value!)...
4. We are not promised tomorrow... so I am going to take every opportunity to enjoy where I currently am.
I know I am very limited to what I can say here but I want to thank those like minded friends that post encouraging messages on fb feeds or send uplifting quotes or stand in the gap for me. You will never truly onow how much I appreciate your lovingkindness and even though you are a half a world away.... I am encouraged to have you in my life!
On a side note... my tickets to Shanghai are booked for next week and I am so looking forward to a weekend getaway and checking a couple more items off my birthday bucket list.
Before moving to Chengdu I saw this amazing picture on Pinterest of this bamboo lined pathway in China. Of course I pinned it thinking... that would be fun to see and walk through.
Imagine my surprise when in some of my random wanderings lately... I discovered it just a couple of kilometers from my apartment. Still surreal that these place do exist and they are so close to where I live!
More adventures to come soon!
Life is much better... down where its wetter... under the sea!
About a hour and a half bus ride from my apartment is a little area known as Polar Ocean World where you can spend some time with the fishies and other water loving creatures!
Braving over cast... rainy weather,.. Helen and I boarded city bus 801 to explore. We got there just in time to see the dolphin and beluga whale show. The excitement in the dolphin pool before they were about to go on was hilarious to watch!
We then walked around to all the other areas watching the animals play or take naps. These creatures are magnificient and to see them up close is amazing! I think I could sit and watch sea life... especially the turtles... swim through the water all day. Reminds me of Hawaii!
Working for Disney... there are definitely perks!
One is events in local shopping center where we partner with other parts of the company for the "greater good". Today all staff were asked to go to Raffles to celebrate Children's day with Marvel and the other Disney English center... which means for a couple of hours we invite children to particpate in learning activites and songs on stage. We also get to hang out with other foreign and local staff that work for Disney!
Another perk is providing us with attire to match the recent movies. China only allows so many foreign movies to come in each year so when a movie is allowed in ... it is definitely marketed well! So instead of our normal uniforms... we were able to wear jeans, tennis shoes, and our new black Avenger shirt featuring Iron Man today to the event as well as to classes this evening. We also have a white Avengers shirt featuring Captain America.
The third perk of the day is a movie ticket to see the featured movie. We were given a ticket to see Avengers a week or so ago so after work today a couple of our local staff graciously assisted us in finding an English showing and a nearby theatre. (Oh the joys of living in a foreign land!) Six of us hailed cabs and went to a 10pm showing. Enjoyed the movie but I don't think it translated into Chinese very well. During certain funny parts... like the reproducing Catholic rabbits comment... the only people in the whole theater laughing were the 4 foreigners...which made it even more comical!
Now it is 1am and I am officially done ...and curled up in bed posting picts of the days adventures of trying to live intentionally in Middle Kingdom! Tomorrow... my day off... so stay tuned for more great adventures...
What shall I do to celebrate #36?
For several years, I have tried to set up adventures to celebrate each passing year. Whether it has been rock climbing.... hiking to a waterfall... going swimming with turtles...or exploring the world's largest open air shopping mall... I have tried to live intentionally with friends!
This year I have to work on my birthday and the weekend that follows so an idea hit me that sounded like fun...
Starting June 1st (that is today) until the end of July (the 24th is the actual big day! ) the goal is to have at least 36 amazingly awesome adventures! Now honestly I have been to some incredible places as of late but the goal is to be intentional... use my time wisely... have some fun... try something new... and spend some time with the people in my life.
Here is the birthday bucket list... may slightly change!
1. Polar ocean world
2. Spend time outside the classroom with some of my learners and their families
3. Visit wide and narrow pedestrian street
4. Buy a white pair of shoes and doodle on them (original bucket list item)
5. Star Wars Movie marathon
6. Learn 5 more new Mandarin words
7. Try a new tea
8. Explore a new street market
9. Visit the Magical Forest
10. Play at the water park
11. Go ice skating
12. Try a new food
13. Sunbathe on the tropical beaches of Hainan
14. Sanya
15.HK Disneyland
16. Walk the Ave of the Stars
17. View the skyline of HK
18. Lantau Island
19. Hong Kong
20. Get my nails done
21. Have a massage
22. Random act of kindness
23. Walk through Bamboo path
24. Eat dumplings at Old Town Shanghai Dumplings
25. Shop at the worlds largest Disney store (Shanghai)
26. Eat a dragon fruit
27. Volunteer at an orphanage
28. Play twister
29. Aqua lake (Victoria Harbor)
30. Read a new book
31. Qingcheng mountain
32. Celebrate Dragon boat festival
33. Learn to order water in Chinese
34. See Avengers
35. Try a new drink
36. go to KTV
Additional ideas... visit Lindsay in Nanjing... while there see the Youth olympic center...swim with dolphins...do something kind for my coworkers... bake a sweet treat to share...post 3 new blogs... complete 2 chapters in the book I am writing... bungy jump off Macau Tower? Ok maybe not!
Stay tuned as the adventure begins and feel free to join me on the adventure if you are able or suggest more ideas! Here is to 35 going our with a bang and bring 36 in with a myriad of great adventures!
And I am not referring to the book by the same title!
A day or two ago one of our learning partners (LP) stopped by my classroom to get some assistance on grammar. Not sure what she was working on but the two sentences/questions were...
Are you Swedish? Or Are you a Swedish?
After having a two minute grammar lesson and correcting the second sentence to Are you a Swede?... the LP walked out and left me with the realization that a year ago... almost to the day... I was in Sweden visiting some pretty awesome Swedes!
This realization snowballed with the fact that ... that was ONLY a year ago! So much has happened in my life in the past year that it boggles my mind. Then when I take a step back and think that this year is only a mere wrinkle in my life already spent on this earth ... I am blown away at how much I have been allowed to experience in my time thus far on this planet called earth.
In the past year I have lived on three different continents in 3 different countries.... I have been to numerous other countries... states... cities... and provinces. I have picked up bits and bobs of more languages that I never really know what is going to come out of my mouth when I speak. I have shared my story and built relationships with many ethnic and people groups in the midst of my journey. I have been blessed by friends and family that have stayed by my side and supported my decisions and endeavors even when there were a lot of unknowns... they have been there to rejoice when I completed my master's... they have been there to comfort when I spent another Christmas by myself... they have been there to call me out when I needed to be put back in line.
Friends are what makes this journey through life enjoyable. People are the only things that have eternal value. How are you investing your time, talent, and treasure in those around you today? Relationships matter and even though sometimes they are painful ... people are worth your investment!
