Obsess Much?

Well, the take-off time for China is rapidly approaching. This week, as necessary and crucial as it is, has felt like some type of purgatory. We are not in China yet; we are not completely with our teams yet; we have not met our students nor seen our school. We are living at a hotel, attending sessions every morning and afternoon, and meeting people with a similar passion for China. And yet, while it's new and exciting in some ways, in other ways, it's lonely. Hotel rooms are like caves: they are sterile and dull. And I can't help but wonder what is happening in the lives of my friends and families. The detachment still feels pretty raw.

This week has humbled me in several ways. I always thought that maybe I had a gift of conversing with people. Well, this week, I have realized how much I often try to control the conversation by asking questions (and usually not very insightful questions.) I think I need to re-evaluate how I want to relate to people and sacrifice my need for "control."

I am one of the lucky few whom have gotten a ride to the nearby Target store. It's wonderful to have friends with wheels. But, as I roam the Target aisles, I start to panic: what am I forgetting to pack that I will not be able to get in China? I grab dried fruit, laundry soap, a tank top--silly things that are not going to drastically affect my life. Then, by the time I check out of the Target line, I have accumulated about 2 more pounds of luggage--which is a big deal when you only have two suitcases (at 50 pounds each) to deal with.

We fly out for China on Monday at 8:00 AM> But, our bus to the airport leaves that morning at 3:00--which will make an interesting night. Please keep us in mind--the bus driver on the way to the air-port, the pilot, and all the other connections we need to make.