Plugging along

I find myself drained emotionally recently. It is amazing when you find things going well something always seems to come up. Yet I have been really encouraged recently by how my readings and teachings have always seemed to directly speak to resting in Him and realizing worry can be my lack of attention to Him. As I try to figure out a game plan to fix all the world's problems I realize I am not the One in control. There is a lot of comfort in that.

Class time has been going really well as well as my building relationships with my co-teachers and other colleagues. It seems there is always an occasion to hang out. And being that their English level is a bit higher then many in the city the conversations always seem to take a turn to the more meaningful. Perspective is an interesting beast. And there always seems to be another perspective out there.

Last weekend was the first time we have been really allowed out of the city, so we took the opportunity to do a bit of hiking and rock climbing. It was a blast but I was exhausted afterward. But an exhausted I was happy to be.

I hope He is enriching your lives and growth and wisdom, despite the pain that usually comes with the process. It is usually worth it, whether we realize it at that moment or not.

Camping

Now, space is a sacred thing in the west. We value our space. Don't get in it, keep the bubble, this is my land, this land ain't your land... I could go on. However this is not true in Tibet. When camping in the US our usual goal is to find a spot far away from everyone else. This isn't necessarily the case. I guess while our thinking is the farther away from someone the better, perhaps their thinking is "this must be a good spot, other people are here. We don't want to miss out, lets join them." The good news is all of us have been in asia before. Most of us 5+ years. So having a family picnicking right next to our camp site and starring at us doesn't even phase us anymore. I wonder if this is how famous people live? You just get used to the stares.

Anywho, the camping trip was a lot of fun. We got to know each other a lot better and hopefully prepped ourselves for another semester on the rooftop. Tomorrow, my first class with the new freshman class. Here we go on another semester... Hope those students are ready for me.

another hard week

So this week I taught a total of one class. I know, I know, I am working too hard. But somehow I will get through it. Teacher's Day is Tomorrow so we have Thursday and Friday off. However my posh schedule is about to come to a halt, come Monday the freshmen will start classes. So although today was a very uneventful (I had office hours today... no one came.) I think this week of peace and relaxation will come to an end soon. In the meantime I have been looking up some of my favorite rock albums, catching up on some reading (Currently reading China Road), running, and doing a little Chinese and Tibetan language study. Tomorrow will be a traditional Tibetan picnic with the other teachers of my school. It should be a lot of fun. And who knows this weekend might include a little camping and rock climbing if the weather stays nice.

Hope you are all doing well.

Rooftop Out.

first week down.

First week of teaching, done. Well, it isn't as much of an accomplishment... Most of my classes are freshman classes and they won't start until the 13th. So I have a little bit of a half-holiday until then.

One thing i have been grateful for is my co-teaching class. This is where I actually get to teach side by side with a local teacher. It has been such an insightful process. The student-teacher relationship is very different from the US and also different from other parts of China. So to be able to not only watch but participate with that process with a local teacher helps me in relating to all my students. I hope these teaching relationships can be a great way to share about the important things of our lives.

Coming back to this city is always different. Things still seem tense but moving along. As I walk and bike the streets life is bustling right along. Riding my bike down the main road is just as death-defying as ever if not more! But it is nice to be back amongst it all.

Back on the rooftop

Well another action packed summer is over.

I find myself at the newly opened cafe looking over two of the main streets in Lhasa. I have been back for a week now and am trying to get more organized and pumped for the new semester and year of teaching and living.

The summer seemed to fly... as usual. There were definitely some people I didn't get a chance to really spend much time with or see at all. But I am grateful for the time with the people I did see.

I am blessed to be able to be here for one more year. For all those who have given so much support in numerous ways I am thankful. I keep wondering how my life has ended up being what it is today and it seems I had little to do with it. I am just thankful His plans a bigger then my own.

I hope you all have a blessed year. If you do want to get in contact me, facebook is blocked for the time being so emails are probably your best bet.

Oregon

It is coming up on a month since I have been back in Oregon. I find myself in the airport on my way to Southern California to catch up with some old friends and help my cousin move to Seattle. So far this summer I have been re-introduced to America through a couple rodeos, a couple concerts in the park, riding the tractors and seeing old friends and family at church. It has been a good month so far and it is good to be home.



My mom did have to take an emergency trip to the hospital due to some problems with her gall bladder. Apparently it has been a problem for a while but my mom just dismissed it as stomach problems and moved on. When they finally got an ultrasound the technician said she has only seen it this bad in text books. So we went quickly to the hospital and started the process of surgery that ended up taking almost 6 days start to finish. She is back home and is moving around more and more and getting back into her garden.

I am very thankful for His timing. Some family friends were over for breakfast and Mom's was having some pain. She described the pain to our friends and Tom, who had recently had his gall bladder removed, suggested that my mom's pain sounded very similar to what he experienced. So later that day she went to see the family doctor and before we knew it she was getting a surgery the next morning. Everything worked out, but we are grateful for His timing.

Monmouth, Oregon

Now I live in an amazing beautiful place all year long... but I am still how amazed the beauty of home.

As I woke up early this morning to a brisk morning temp of 53 I found myself surprisingly cold on my morning run, yet as the sun rose I found the flowers, fields and trees to be just stunning. I should be used to it, but I never am. It is always a pleasant shock. After spending my morning hanging out on the farm, checking out the new combines (John Deere this year) I grabbed a couple donuts and headed back home to walk around the old property and find what had changed in the last year.

As I walked the back yard my parents new dog Teddy followed slowly. Still not sure if he trusts me he was still willing to accompany me on the walk. After seeing the new projects around the property. A couple ponds are being built to hopefully encourage an endangered tree frog to live around here. Also the creek (stream... crick... whatever form of small flowing water you want to call it) is being modified so more local wildlife and plants won't be overtaken by some of the import beasts, such as nutria.

Its good to be home. Nothing like it in the world.

I hope things are going well this summer for everyone. I have enjoyed the first day back.