Migrant Hearts

 

Its hard for me to be still.  Ever.  If I sit, I wiggle.  If I'm in one town too long, that means it is time for a road trip.  I have a travel bug, or maybe a 'need for something new and changing' bug.  Sometimes it is like the whole world could be home.  But even when I'm in a new home, I find a fond remembrance and sometimes a longing for one of my past homes.

These were the kids I had the honor to substitute teach English to a few times.  The craziness of this picture accurately captures how much fun these kids were...ESPECIALLY when the camera came out.  THIS is what I miss.

  Recently, I have begun to really miss my China home.  It was sometimes hard to miss...because in America I have my fiancé, my family, a comfortable house, a car to drive and a life where grocery store trips take merely 30 minutes instead of 2 hours.  American life is good.  It is what I've always known, and I am blessed to have been born into this country.  The reasons I am realizing that I miss about my China home are not conveniences, but perhaps that every single day was a day to learn so much new, make a new friend, learn something new about an old one, and to establish some lifelong friendships.  Those days were days you learn to see the good in people, and the ability to love a culture that is not within understanding as an outsider.  

  I often have fun telling people about my life in China.  It is fun to tell them how my apartment bathroom was so old fashioned and ghetto that I had to explain to Chinese friends how to use it.  Its fun to explain how in many ways I miss some of the things other Americans find backward and below quality of life, for example squatty potties.  Most people just cannot imagine using one, and would prefer to hold it until they can walk to the next Five Star hotel.  I sometimes wish America had them.  Or how I took the bus or walked everywhere.  Or how there was a guard outside my apartment complex, and that I could only get in the gate between certain times of the day.  The differences that are often the hardest to get used to can turn into memories you love.

This is one of the gate guards outside my apartment.  I first thought he was mean and hated us, but on Christmas eve, my roommate and I bought him a hot coffee since it was so cold, and realized that he just sounded rough, and that really he had a good heart.  Or maybe scrooge's heart grew three-times-bigger.  Its funny how you don't talk to these people a whole lot, but once you get used to seeing them EVERY single time you leave your apartment and come back, they are people who stick in your mind and appreciate.

  This woman is someone I think of every day.  She actively seeks the Lord in everything she does, and every opportunity to her is a moment to share Christ.  She is an amazing sister in Him, and I pray I will meet her again one day.  She is very inspiring, I hope I may have the braveness, dedication and wisdom that she has one day.

 These two are also a blessing to call friends.  The guy on the right is my classmate from Korea, and the girl on the left is his girlfriend.  They were so much fun, and always so much help.  We enjoyed holding dinner parties with each other, going on walks through Kunming together, and meeting for coffee.  When my roommate was gone, they made sure to check in on me to make sure I was safe on several occasions, and had me over for dinner when I was going to be alone for my birthday.  They are such a sweet couple...I severely need to practice Chinese so I do not forget how to communicate with them!

  All in all, to my heart, PEOPLE are home to this migrant heart.  There are so many people in which my heart holds dear throughout this small world...if only it were a little smaller.  While I know right now Oklahoma is my home, its hard not to feel a little homesick when you leave or send little bits of your heart with people all over the world.  This is me hoping for many opportunities to travel again in my future and make some 'heart' visits.  

That's my thoughts for tonight, dear Coffee Readers...until next time.

Coffee pic of today is.... me with a cup of GoMax Coffee...if you ever visit Kunming, China and you're a big coffee drinker, GoMax has pretty awesome (and cheap) coffee.  (Thanks to my Korean classmates for introducing me to this place!)

Also, if you visit Yunnan, go to a restaurant and order the Yunnan Coffee 云南咖啡...it is AMAZING.  Wonderful coffee.  Get it.