Our group decided to split into two yesterday, and our half of the group chose to go to this beautiful park, which had amusement rides, little street markets, an animal water show, a bird atrium, and our favorite, another pagoda. This pagoda, however, was much taller than the one we had hiked to on walking street and you could climb up inside of this one!
We climbed up what seemed to be hundreds of stairs to the top of the pagoda. I was real sweaty by the time we reached the top, but that's common here. It's quite warm and always humid, so my face being shiny with sweat is pretty typical. I also had been talking to sir Carmelo all week, via email, and I invited him to come along with us. He is only in Zhongshan on weekends, because he goes to school in Macao the rest of the week, so it was nice to have him around again.
The view the top of the pagoda rendered was phenomenal. I had an entire 360 degree view of the city and all the buildings, apartments, gardens, etc. It was like I was seeing a whole new side of China. Seeing things from this angle reminded me of when I was looking over the top of the Empire State Building in New York City years ago.
Our little group went on with walking around the park for hours, actually to the point where the pain in our feet grew deep into our shins. We had gotten lost in conversation with Carmelo and the others that we didn't realize how long we had been walking. We left the park and Carmelo took us to his old high school, which he claimed to be the largest and most beautiful in all of Asia.
As soon as we pulled up to the school, we immediately knew his statement was true. The grounds were beautiful, and they contained numerous large, red brick buildings, several ponds and statues, three basketball courts (each containing about ten full sized courts), a pool, a tennis court, living quarters for all of the students, as well as for the teachers, etc. And on top of this all, the school is like a gated community, with high fences surrounding it and guards at all of the entrances at all hours of the day. I then asked Carmelo if schools were strict in China, and all he did to respond was look directly at me, raise his brows, and shake his head rapidly up and down. I feel silly for ever thinking I was under harsh or strict rule while growing up, I had it pretty easy. Sorry Mom and Dad.
After we had our tour, Carmelo took us back to Kaiyin and Lexi, Jenna, and I went to our favorite little hole in the wall restaurant and ordered peanut butter noodles and dumplings. They were only four yuan, which is about sixty cents in USD, and they're pretty good sized portions. It's ridiculously cheap here, I'm going to have a hard time adjusting back to prices when I get home.
We went to bed pretty early that night, because we were to catch the bus at seven am to Guangzhou for the Church's district conference. The branch president had invited all of the foreigners from our program, member or non-member, to attend the meeting with other American's living in China, and then they would treat us to lunch afterwards. So, a group of about fifty of us took a charter bus, for about an hour and a half, to Guangzhou and attended their Stake conference today.
The meeting was held in a Ramada hotel and there were Americans, everywhere. It was honestly a really weird experience, there were white babies crawling around and crying through the meeting, many people from different countries (Philippines, Malaysia, Ecuador, etc.), people from all over the states who looked like the typical LDS family you see at church every week, etc. It was such a diverse group of individuals, yet there was the most familiar feeling in that meeting. The spirit was still there, the words spoken were true, and it just felt like home.
It was an incredible experience to meet these people, and to hear their stories on how they ended up in China. A lady actually told me that she did ILP in Russia about seven years ago, then served her mission in Russia, met her husband there, got married after her mission, and is now living in China because of ILP. She said that her choice to teach English in a foreign country changed her thinking, dreams, and completely changed her life for the better. It makes me really grateful to be part of such a program, I mean, who knows where it will take me.
After the meeting, we went to lunch at one of the members of the Bishopric's home and were served the most delicious, American meal. I hadn't realized that I missed food from home, until I had partaken of so much of it today. They had cornbread, hot chili, homemade wheat bread with homemade strawberry jam, fresh RAW vegetables without oil (everything here is steamed or cooked in oil, always), chocolate cake, etc. I was so excited and ate so much, but left feeling a bit ill. I think my body has adjusted to Chinese life and I hit it hard with American unexpectedly, I was just so excited.
The members of the ward are incredible and so generous here. I felt as if I was in my own home with people I had known forever; I have never felt so welcome in a house of complete strangers. It was just a beautiful Sunday, and I am so grateful for those that are in, or have been in, my life and have influenced me somehow to being the person I am today. It's these people I can thank for leading me to choose the things I am involved in today, and providing me with the necessary knowledge and values I live by. I've definitely had my ups and downs, but the love and support from the people in my life has changed my attitude and perspective of my life as I know it.
Pictures:
1: We dance, everywhere we go.
2: Stairs to the Pagoda
3: Failed attempt at jumping, but you get the idea
4: Park with Carmelo
5: Crazy architecture here, I look so tiny compared to that building.
6: Cute little kids singing, with sign language, in their St. Patty's Day gear at Church
7: The view from the apartment we at lunch at, on the 35th floor of the building, no big deal
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