it's real.

After a year of mostly grey skies, I now appreciate the beauty of things like this much more.


The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ~Psalm 19:1

what have I been doing since I came home?

buying produce at Kroger and not off the street...


making jiaozi with my Dad... mmm


and brownies of course... in an American oven! glorious


hanging out with the dog while I apply for jobs...


Holly came to visit : )


taking goofy pictures (as always) with Brittany...


Highlights have also included (in no particular order but I love them all) hanging out with more of my wonnnderfullll ladies at home, dinner at the Norris', running (I know I posted on this, but it is SO much better to run in America), missing good Asian food and trying to replicate it, speaking English and being understood, sandwiches, hanging out with my grandmother in the hospital, going to the library, Chick-fil-A, applying for jobs, going to the dentist, driving, and soft mattresses. There is much to embrace.
However, I miss EA and it feels so far away. It is amazing how much of a "bubble" I feel in while in America. There are so many places I want to see and return to now. :)

homecoming

How could I really describe my re-entry into the United States? Although it had been only 10.5 months since I had set foot on American soil, it seems long, especially coming from a place so different and being fairly immersed in it.

I'll start with the day I left... We had an awesome (and extremely hot) morning. We all got dan bing from "Debbie." What a sweetheart. I told Rob NOT to tell her it was my last day or I'd end up with 25 wafers (she's a generous gal), but he did anyways and I only ended up with two.



We ate it in the park. I left my bottle of water in my bike basket and it was stolen (surprise).

After that, Peter helped me close my suitcase while he helped Lisa move out.

Tebie (aka Georgia) and Rob took me to the aiport. Thanks guys!!

I found out at the airport that Tebie had stolen the suitcase picture, so I beat her up a little with my neck pillow. Yeah, she definitely deserved all those doorbell rings this past year. ;-)

The flight was interesting. I saw the most beautiful sunset over what I *think* was Japan.

After that we had two hours of turbulence and we all had to remain seated with the lights off but we couldn't sleep or do anything for that matter. Winds over the Pacific ocean, I suppose.
I slept 2 hours (not consecutive) out of the total 15.5 hours of plane time to get to Richmond, but that was good because I was able to wreck my sleep schedule. I read for about two hours, ate whenever they fed us, and did nothing else except listen to music and think for the rest of the time.
I was greeted by amazing family & friends at the Richmond airport with flowers, USA things, and my sister drove two hours just to see me!!!

My bags didn't make it. Somehow, our family doesn't seem to often fly into Richmond on the same plane as our bags. But, the Richmond airport has delivered many of our suitcases and they came the next morning. It was probably easier than us lugging them out to the car anyways. :)

I got home around midnight and ate a turkey sandwich and fresh blueberries. I was looking pretty rough by this point, so I won't post that picture.

So now I'm in America re-adjusting, waking up early from jetlag, and enjoying the conveniences of this country. EA is so far away now, and that is also very weird and sometimes sad. I miss it.

More to come...

My new favorite video... awesome.

Kroger of the East

wontons

Here is my tribute to wontons post. Wonton soup is my favorite meal here.
If you have never had a real Asian wonton, you are missing out. They are (if you order right) awesome.
I like to believe that I kept our local shop in business this year... they did in fact know my order every time I came in.
mmmmmm.
Asia wontons, I will miss you.

oh biker, where art thou?

Although I didn't capture the moment in its entirety because I had to find my camera when I was waiting to cross the road this past weekend, I thought I would post this picture.

Everything truly is transported by bicycle here.

I promise there IS a person behind all those boxes. : )

things that would never fly in America . . .

Here is my own personal view of things that would never fly in America... I wish I had more things captured on camera, like the entire families that ride on one motorcycle (baby in front, of course), or the bamboo scaffolding that goes up entire buildings... but these pictures will have to do.


We'll start small. Who would like to eat this meal for lunch?! yikes.

Next we have the national park scene...Nice ledge.

Sometimes transportation is carts behind motorcycles.


Transportation is a big deal here. Note amount of motorcycles, children, and helmets.

Note "driver." Note people on top. Ridiculous.

Fifty bucks says there would not be enough life vests if this boat sank. If you took a picture of the boat I was on at the time, it would basically be a mirror image of this boat, but without so much railing on top.

Apparently you get good luck for kissing the boa constrictor. I don't necessarily agree, but I did it anyways because I know I wouldn't be able to in the states. (Do they even have "snake shows" in the states?!)

Oh Asia! I have two more weeks to get more of these ridiculous pictures.

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day to the BEST father in the entire world!I love you, Dad!

Language Blunder #42,746

Tonight I messed up the words for "mushroom" and "Satan."
[in this language, they sound quite similar]
Needless to say, the girl who I was talking to was extremely confused.

Do not make this mistake.