Hey folks,
I am not gonna lie, I miss home a lot! I miss my pastors at GT and I miss my sister in Omaha. I miss my parents and friends in NY and Omaha, respectively. I can't wait to start the semester at Cadre. I am super stoked for my internship over the summer. One thing I can wait for is leaving. I have made so many friends here, especially at the coffee shop. One person I will miss is Kenny, who is awesome. He is getting married shortly, and is returning to the states to meet his fiance who I am sure he misses tons.
So this is a bitter sweet ending, I know I still have over one week left, and I am excited to go back home, but at the same time, I wish that it wouldn't ever end. I have grown so much in this time here, Father has taught me a lot about life and about what His plans are for me. I really want to go home and see my family and parents, especially. I really have not seen them since August, as I do not count the short time in NY as seeing them. It was like one week? Rediculous.
I still have so much to do! I cannot wait to see the little children in the south of the Yunnan province. Unfortunately mosquitoes are abundant there and here in Kunming I have already had 41 mosquito bites just on my left arm. Picture that on my legs, neck, and other arm. Unfortunately again, the mosquitoes in the south of the province are known to carry a strain of malaria that is untreatable by medicine. So please talk iwth Dad about keeping the mosquitoes away from our team!
I have taken well over 2,000 pictures this trip, and I am so excited to have them be put onto facebook! Anyway, I can't wait for you guys to see them all!
Ziajian!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
KIA this week
KIA was pretty awesome! I have never been in such an amzing high school! I love going through the halls and listening to perfect American English, and then having the students switch right away to Madarin or Korean to talk to a friend. This environment is quite amazing.
Studied mostly under a teacher named Mr. Johnson, he basically rocks my socks off. He is so wise and hilarious, but his pedagogy in the classroom reaches farther into the kids minds than most teachers can do. He affects them in a great way!
I played "Kill the Land Lord" this week. It is a card game traditional for Chinese people, lots of fun! Can't wait to play with the rest of the coffee shop staff this week. Also, youth group was tons of fun, nothing better then people from school getting together and hangin out.
Thus far on my list of weird foods: chicken eye, chicken brain, pigs brian, crickets, maggots, larvae, chicken heart, pig intestine...I think I might be missing one...all well. Anyway this is going so well! I am definitely getting tired and can't wait to see my family though! Miss everyone from back home so much! Love you mom and dad! Love you brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews!
Studied mostly under a teacher named Mr. Johnson, he basically rocks my socks off. He is so wise and hilarious, but his pedagogy in the classroom reaches farther into the kids minds than most teachers can do. He affects them in a great way!
I played "Kill the Land Lord" this week. It is a card game traditional for Chinese people, lots of fun! Can't wait to play with the rest of the coffee shop staff this week. Also, youth group was tons of fun, nothing better then people from school getting together and hangin out.
Thus far on my list of weird foods: chicken eye, chicken brain, pigs brian, crickets, maggots, larvae, chicken heart, pig intestine...I think I might be missing one...all well. Anyway this is going so well! I am definitely getting tired and can't wait to see my family though! Miss everyone from back home so much! Love you mom and dad! Love you brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews!
Monday, May 24, 2010
Kunming May 24th
Hey guys!
Today was pretty simple, got my first look at the school which I will be observing (KIA) and the school is beautiful, as is the humongo mountain in the back of the school. It is safe to say that the students are lucky to have such a cool area in which to go to school.
Unfortunately, the students are not lucky-- many stabbings have been going on at schools all across China. Now there is at least one policeman/policewoman at every school across the country, they post in the morning and also when school gets out. I know that it is kind of dangerous here, especially for the students. What typically happens is one person goes onto the school grounds as school gets out, stabs many students, then commits suicide. This frame has come from one disgruntled parent about a law-suit in custody, who went in to hurt many students and then they killed themselves. Definitely a dark thing.
On the bring side of things, this school is amazing. I am posted in all high school classes for my observation, ranging from ELL to choir to chinese and Biology. For this next week that is my schedule, 7:00 to 4:00 all day every day!
Better news, listened to Pastor Jesse's word that he gave at Glad Tidings on Sunday...it was needed. Got to love it, man. Great thought, "You shouldn't have to try to live out Jesus, if you love Jesus you just do." Or somthing similar to that... quotation marks are used to separate it. I can't wait to start Cadre this coming year, that is if I am accepted into the college.
Zaijian!
Ricky Darling (Rui qi)
Today was pretty simple, got my first look at the school which I will be observing (KIA) and the school is beautiful, as is the humongo mountain in the back of the school. It is safe to say that the students are lucky to have such a cool area in which to go to school.
Unfortunately, the students are not lucky-- many stabbings have been going on at schools all across China. Now there is at least one policeman/policewoman at every school across the country, they post in the morning and also when school gets out. I know that it is kind of dangerous here, especially for the students. What typically happens is one person goes onto the school grounds as school gets out, stabs many students, then commits suicide. This frame has come from one disgruntled parent about a law-suit in custody, who went in to hurt many students and then they killed themselves. Definitely a dark thing.
On the bring side of things, this school is amazing. I am posted in all high school classes for my observation, ranging from ELL to choir to chinese and Biology. For this next week that is my schedule, 7:00 to 4:00 all day every day!
Better news, listened to Pastor Jesse's word that he gave at Glad Tidings on Sunday...it was needed. Got to love it, man. Great thought, "You shouldn't have to try to live out Jesus, if you love Jesus you just do." Or somthing similar to that... quotation marks are used to separate it. I can't wait to start Cadre this coming year, that is if I am accepted into the college.
Zaijian!
Ricky Darling (Rui qi)
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Kunming Thus Far
Went to fellowship today, at a hotel, sang songs I have not heard in 10 years at least. Then had dinner at a Dai Chinese restaurant, the Dai people are a minority group in China and have amazing food because of their unique spices and fruits that aren't grown many other places in China.
I am learning so much more how I love China, the culture, the food, the people, the language it is amazing. They just miss one Person in their lives, everywhere there are many lost people not knowing what direction to go. I have many pictures in Beijing of Buddhist gods, which are all Buddas but the gods are supposed to do different things and all look different. The saddest part of this is that each of the statues I had taken pictures of are at points which overlook all of the city. Many people offer their money as they bow, pray and or sing a song to that statue. I must not lie when I say that I am in conversation with my Father about this lost area.
Getting along with my American friends here is seeming to be very nice. We all seem to get along really well even though we live, breath, eat together. My aunt and uncle are truly amazing, their staff is also great, I can't wait to talk with them more about everything that is different in my life and what is or can be different in theirs.
Hanging out with my the crew watching a movie now...everything truly starts tomorrow (Monday) with school and working at the shop. I have already learned to make a few things, can't wait to work on some more!
Talk to you guys later! Keep on talking with my Father.
Ricky Darling (Rui Qi)
Friday, May 21, 2010
Ni Hao!
My lessons in Chinese with my aunt started today! Yes, I have been learning Chinese for the past five months or so, but this doesn't do anything for China--especially in Kunming where many people speak in their own dialect from their village. I also learned how to make some coffee at the coffee shop where we will be consulting for business in the coffee business in China.
After our lessons in Chinese and some coffee making, we went to Walmart which is much different then American Walmarts. After Walmart we headed to our apartment and then to the Coffee shop to eat pizza with the English Corner friends.
Vivian, Pong and Rein then headed out with us to Karaoke or what they call KTV. Tons of fun, beyond belief fun of 1980s, 1990s, and early early 2000 songs from America and then songs from China as well. Exhausted. Oh and I met a guy named Kenny who is a head of an international program for youth fellowshipping. Pretty amazing day.
Tomorrow starts at 10 o'clock with breakfast and meeting the rest of the staff, and then more Chinese lessons.
Zaijian!
And as always, Please Remember All Your (promises) for the team.
Ricky Darling
My lessons in Chinese with my aunt started today! Yes, I have been learning Chinese for the past five months or so, but this doesn't do anything for China--especially in Kunming where many people speak in their own dialect from their village. I also learned how to make some coffee at the coffee shop where we will be consulting for business in the coffee business in China.
After our lessons in Chinese and some coffee making, we went to Walmart which is much different then American Walmarts. After Walmart we headed to our apartment and then to the Coffee shop to eat pizza with the English Corner friends.
Vivian, Pong and Rein then headed out with us to Karaoke or what they call KTV. Tons of fun, beyond belief fun of 1980s, 1990s, and early early 2000 songs from America and then songs from China as well. Exhausted. Oh and I met a guy named Kenny who is a head of an international program for youth fellowshipping. Pretty amazing day.
Tomorrow starts at 10 o'clock with breakfast and meeting the rest of the staff, and then more Chinese lessons.
Zaijian!
And as always, Please Remember All Your (promises) for the team.
Ricky Darling
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Beijing and Kunming
Hey everyone!
It is currently around 21:15 here in Kunming, China. Love it here it is amazing. There are many good points and low points of today but that is because I am working on 5 hours of sleep and 20 hours of being awake or so. I love this culture and the food, really it is all amazing.
We started out at 4:30 am with our bus leaving at 5:30 am and the plane at 8 somthing. It was definitely a long morning with a long flight, or so it seemed. We then met our uncle in the airport and he took us to a KFC which was fun. We then met our aunt and their kids who are precious. 2 and a few months old. They are just great! I love the coffee shop and their apartment is amazing as well.
Kunming is definitely smaller than Beijing, but it is nicer in the same way. In Beijing, the good thing is they speak Mandarin...here however not everyone speaks Mandarin, they speak Chinese from their villages typically. So we ended up getting lost at a corner from the cab ride and I was trying to get around in my very very very very very broken Chinese which is Mandarin which they do not understand. So just think about that, it is rather interesting.
My favorite part of today- aside from meeting aunt and uncle and my cousins and the amazing Chinese food that we had for dinner- was learning about all of our very close friends we have here that own shops and what not, they are those who know about my Father and Brother and Friend. It is really amazing.
I would love to tell more. Right now I am exausted but I will be uploading pictures to facebook for all to see!
Zaijian!
It is currently around 21:15 here in Kunming, China. Love it here it is amazing. There are many good points and low points of today but that is because I am working on 5 hours of sleep and 20 hours of being awake or so. I love this culture and the food, really it is all amazing.
We started out at 4:30 am with our bus leaving at 5:30 am and the plane at 8 somthing. It was definitely a long morning with a long flight, or so it seemed. We then met our uncle in the airport and he took us to a KFC which was fun. We then met our aunt and their kids who are precious. 2 and a few months old. They are just great! I love the coffee shop and their apartment is amazing as well.
Kunming is definitely smaller than Beijing, but it is nicer in the same way. In Beijing, the good thing is they speak Mandarin...here however not everyone speaks Mandarin, they speak Chinese from their villages typically. So we ended up getting lost at a corner from the cab ride and I was trying to get around in my very very very very very broken Chinese which is Mandarin which they do not understand. So just think about that, it is rather interesting.
My favorite part of today- aside from meeting aunt and uncle and my cousins and the amazing Chinese food that we had for dinner- was learning about all of our very close friends we have here that own shops and what not, they are those who know about my Father and Brother and Friend. It is really amazing.
I would love to tell more. Right now I am exausted but I will be uploading pictures to facebook for all to see!
Zaijian!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Beijing
Hey everyone!
My first day here in China! So far, I love this place. We entered the country before sun-up... got to our hotel, showered, ate breakfast and then headed out to the Great Wall of China. Beautiful, I would post pictures but because of certain things, I cannot do such things. I will post pictures later in Yunnan province if all goes well! I traveled from one side to the other of the open part of the Great Wall and it was awesome! (This stretch really isn't that long, it took about two hours starting in the middle going to the left side, and then backtracking across the wall ot the right side and then to our meeting place in the middle again. ) I got lots of sun, which is starting to hurt me. :-( Our team is starting to grow together, but still there are many things which need to be overcome.
What I find interesting about Beijing is that in the contrast of everything you have rich business buildings, middle class stores and poor beyond belief housing (we are talking dirt roads and shaqs) and it is depressing. There are some pretty awful places around here, they really need my Brother. Unfortunately my stay here is just for two more days and then I am off into the Yunnan province. I asked our leader if we can walk into the impovershed areas before leaving the city, and he agreed. Hopefully we can do this tomorrow!
There are many things I did say which I should not have...and many things I should not say now...but maybe later! IT is still hitting me, the fact that I am in China. It is amazing and I must say how awesome I love this country. Though I cannot wait to get out into Yunnan our mission for this place...teaching them English. ;-) IT will be nice to be infront of a classroom again.
Be aware that becasue of certain restrictions I am not allowed to access this site or fb or twitter all the time, so please bare with me!
Please Remember Again Your promises for me,
Ricky Darling
My first day here in China! So far, I love this place. We entered the country before sun-up... got to our hotel, showered, ate breakfast and then headed out to the Great Wall of China. Beautiful, I would post pictures but because of certain things, I cannot do such things. I will post pictures later in Yunnan province if all goes well! I traveled from one side to the other of the open part of the Great Wall and it was awesome! (This stretch really isn't that long, it took about two hours starting in the middle going to the left side, and then backtracking across the wall ot the right side and then to our meeting place in the middle again. ) I got lots of sun, which is starting to hurt me. :-( Our team is starting to grow together, but still there are many things which need to be overcome.
What I find interesting about Beijing is that in the contrast of everything you have rich business buildings, middle class stores and poor beyond belief housing (we are talking dirt roads and shaqs) and it is depressing. There are some pretty awful places around here, they really need my Brother. Unfortunately my stay here is just for two more days and then I am off into the Yunnan province. I asked our leader if we can walk into the impovershed areas before leaving the city, and he agreed. Hopefully we can do this tomorrow!
There are many things I did say which I should not have...and many things I should not say now...but maybe later! IT is still hitting me, the fact that I am in China. It is amazing and I must say how awesome I love this country. Though I cannot wait to get out into Yunnan our mission for this place...teaching them English. ;-) IT will be nice to be infront of a classroom again.
Be aware that becasue of certain restrictions I am not allowed to access this site or fb or twitter all the time, so please bare with me!
Please Remember Again Your promises for me,
Ricky Darling
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