Today (Monday) marks my first month living in China. It has really flew right past me. I was counting up the weeks to make sure that it really has been a month! My days have been filled up with teaching Calvert lessons to Bryce and Shane, taking them to music classes three times a week, and getting to know the guests that are staying at the center. The unique aspect of the Linden Centre is that guests and travelers who never knew each other before are sharing stories over glasses of wine in the bar before dinner. There is a feeling within the center that is extremely welcoming and relaxed. The Savory Spoon culinary tour just left the center yesterday, and it was a riot to have them all here! The center was buzzing with Door County excitement and smelling of great food. I had known some of the women on the trip before they came to China, but only through my parents. It was great to be able to sit with them on the rooftop terrace after a day of touring and just share stories with them. We plan to meet up for coffee at Drink Coffee once I come back in May to catch up. So ladies, if you're reading this, let's set a coffee date in early May and visit Rachel at Drink Coffee! I was lucky enough to go on some parts of the tour with them which included a wonderful tofu-vegetarian restaurant in Dali, the tea plantation in the mountains, visiting a local fishing village and watch them catch fish with their trained cormorans, and picked rose petals to make a local jam.

I hate the thought of having to retire my Birkenstocks for close-toed shoes and Smartwool socks, but the climate is slowly changing and telling me otherwise. There has only been one rain shower since I have arrived here, but the gusts of wind that blow through the town are bone-chililng. I'm still stubborn enough to not put on my coat and just wear warm pashminas. So I'm thinking good thoughts and hoping tomorrow will blow in warmer weather! Even though it does get cold, I enjoy braving the cold at night to go to the rooftop terrace to just look at the stars. There is barely a noise that is heard from the town except for the howling and barking of dogs. I just sit up there and take in the beauty of the bright stars and even catch a few shooting stars, if I'm lucky enough.

"Not all who wander are lost." I have realized that I have been traveling, wandering, exploring, and experiencing on a daily basis here in Xizhou or in Door County. I wander, not because I am lost, but I wander because I am in awe of my new life and the world that surrounds it. You don't have to seek out adventures because if you allow it to, every day can be an adventure. That's what I have turned my days into here in Xizhou. Even though I have a regular schedule with the boys from Monday through Friday, I still find myself experiencing a new aspect of the culture and taking in as much as I can. Yesterday, what I thought was going to be an ordinary day at English Corner turned out to be inspiring and exhilarating. The simple task of the students choosing their own American names turned from a task to a fun game. They chose names like Tommy, Peter, Christina, Coco, and Mia. One little boy in particular chose his name that matches his personality. He is the chubby side-kick friend of Tommy, who wears his thick round glasses and giggles whenever he says his American name, which is...Bruno! Pictures are a must and they will be taken at the next lesson. I felt as though I was channeling all of my Sjolunden co-workers and our Swedish activities as the kids made their name tags and decorated them with their favorite designs. When we got back from English Corner, my mind was racing with more lesson plans and activities to do with the kids!

The traffic in China is an experience in itself. My heart beats faster and faster as the cars begin to speed up and pass each other. The other day, our taxi coming back from Dali decided to pass a large dump truck, who was passing a van, who was passing a small tuk-tuk all at the same time. Why go to Great America and ride the rollercoasters when you can experience the same adrenaline rush from just riding in a taxi on a Chinese highway?! Sometimes, to keep my sanity, I just close my eyes until I think the craziness is over. I also decided that "blind merging" into traffic is the only way that taxis think they can get onto the highway. One day Bryce and I were trying to cross the street to get to music class. The traffic was horrible so we were standing there for awhile. While we were waiting I saw taxi drivers not look both directions, they were actually looking at me to see if we needed a ride as they weasled their way into traffic. That, my friends, is "blind merging."

Sidenote: It's not that I dont like writing my blog and telling you all about my adventures in China, but the only problem is that I get pulled away from my computer while I'm writing my current events. To take a little break from writing my blog, I ran downstairs to grab a banana from the kitchen, but Adrian stopped me to ask if I wanted to go and visit a local temple. The greatest diversion a girl could as for! So currently, I am sipping on Yunnan red wine and reflecting on that temple that Adrian, Mark and I just visited. It is called The Eight Mothers Temple. Among the green pastures and further away from the grayish-blue mountain peaks is a Buddist temple along the lake. Throughout the temple, there are corners where there are different gods and goddesses to pray to.Incense burns while fruits and other offerings are left in front of the statues. The grand statue is of the eight mothers and a depiction of the Buddist heaven. Beautifully carved sculptors cover the walls from floor to ceiling. Bright colors of every shade and every hue are used to represent these gods. Guanyin, the goddess of compassion and mercy, took my breath away. A mural halo of colors surrounds her, which makes her look like the Virgin Mary. Another statue of her was carved out of white marble from the mountains and she was overlooking the lake on a small bridge. The temple is also like a town meeting place. There were women eating and asked us to join them. A man who was fixing a wooden door walked around the corner, and I swear it was the Chinese twin of Thor. The height, the smile, and the eyes. Thor, come to Xizhou and I'll introduce you to maybe a lost long twin at the temple! As we left the temple, the sun was shining through the clouds, shining light on houses and the fields around us. Someone told me that those rays are sometimes called "God's Rays," and I took a picture of it because who knows when I will see that scene again after leaving a temple. For those of you who might be visiting me, I'll definiately take you to this place.
My many stories and adventures that I had with the culinary group will be posted today!
I hope all is well!
Peace, love and sweet travels,
Martha