武汉

In only two short weeks it already feels like I'm leaving home to go to Wuhan. The noise of kids playing basketball outside of my apartment all day and night has become as normal as the Oklahoma wind was two weeks ago. I will miss the wrinkly and toothless folks who spread hopeful blankets of fruits and vegetables out every morning for us city folks to peruse. I hardly feel like I've been here long enough to appreciate the American jewels that cheese and coffee will be. I've noticed their absence only vaguely in the insignificant number of days since Yichang became...home.

I'll be in Wuhan until Monday, and then on Tuesday I'm heading to Enshi to visit Nate and Jess and Dave!! I'm overjoyed to see those great friends, and I'm sure they are equally joyous to receive the pasta, cheese, and movies I'm bringing them.

Today a girl helped me find some sunglasses in a store, and then told me that she wants to be friends with me, and gave me her phone number. I haven't even started teaching yet, and the number of Chinese friends I have is growing steadily. I've never met such friendly and helpful people in my life. I was playing the "ungame" with some of Zack and Elizabeth's students, when the question I drew asked, "What is your purpose in life?" What a great opportunity! I wonder if someone powerful had a hand in that.


"Everybody has to leave, everybody has to leave their home and come back so they can love it again for all new reasons."
-Donald Miller Through Painted Deserts