Starting School

Jaime and I started school on Monday. Mandarin classes in Mandarin with very little English. We are at different levels, but the same style of teaching is employed. First we listen to the teacher read all the new words twice as we recite them. She adds more words for us to know and use, while she tells stories using an almost pantomiming body language to illustrate and explain everything. They constantly ask, "Ming bai ma?" which means, "Do you understand?" If you don't get it... they do it again a little differently.

These teachers have great attitudes! Jaime and I are the only Americans in our classes, the others are all Korean. We live in Little Korea or Korea Town or whatever the Chinese would call it.

We signed up for a year of language classes, so tomorrow we'll go get our physicals for the visa in the Haidian area - about an hour from us. The exams will take about 2 hours, starting maybe at 8:30am, we'll get done around 10:30 and need to hurry back for our 11am class.

Today, our landlord had the painter come to fix a set of cabinets in the kitchen. He mixed up something very foul smelling to smooth out the cracks, then painted a base coat. That foul smelling compound was rank, I really wish I could share it with you, like a glass of sour milk - "Hey taste this, isn't it awful?"

We are truly thankful here - so many opportunities. We met up with our friend Yulin from Buffalo - she lives here in Wangjing, just a few bus stops away. We invited her to our Sunday meeting and she accepted.

We are working on connecting with our other friends from Buffalo, Shiyan, and everywhere to see about getting a group together for learning more about our Wonderful King.

Let us here from you! We are so thankful for your petitions on our behalf, support, and general relational encouragement.

Of course I am going to plug our favorite way to visit us: www.LST.org - Let's Start Talking uses conversational English to share the Good News with people all over the world. Are you interested in visiting us and sharing the Good News? Check out www.LST.org!