{Reflections on an Adventure}

Tonight as I make dinner and clean the kitchen, I looked out over Suzhou, and from our apartment the view is awesome.   And with our time coming to an end here in China, it’s made me think of the adventure we have had, the things we have seen, the people we have met, the food we have tried and what an experience  this has been.

I am so glad I have been able to spend this last year in China and to have shared it with Ashley.  I never thought I would get to see much of the world, so I tried to see as much of the states as I could.  I do have to say that there is nothing like going somewhere, where you are so odd that people on bikes hit cars while staring at you, or drivers of cars stare so hard that they hit the car in front of them causing pileups.  Or for that matter, I never imagined sitting at a bus stop and having people come up to me to talk to me in a foreign language, and even though I tell them I don’t understand  they still speak a mile a minute. Old ladies love to walk up to me and pet the hair on my arms and legs, and make fun of me because I’m in shorts outside in weather below 90 degrees. 

On the flip side of that coin, the people here can be great, and are so willing to help you as much as they can.  Like the sweet lady at the vegetable stand who has tried to teach me how to say the different foods in Chinese.  The neighbor that helps when the guy selling fruit is trying to take avenge of us. The guy who I met on facebook named Tommy who has taken so much of his time to help find Jack a new home, and has helped me with anything I needed help with (If you want to add him on facebook his name is “Tommy LVL” and I know he would love to talk to anyone that would take the time, it helps his English, and he is a great guy. So fill his friend list).

And when you talk about the people here you have to talk about the people we have met at church. The warmth and caring that the people have here is awesome.  They take you in and make you family, and are always willing to help you make your time in China easier.

Being a fat guy I seem to gravitate to the subject of food. We both love the food her and I have learned how to make some of it. I also have a cook book that is in Chinese and English, and there will be Chinese food night at the McLemore’s home in the future!  We have also learned how to cook with almost nothing and have made some of the most accomplished dishes here with limited resources.

All an all I am so glad we spent this time in China for the last year.  Ashley and I have gotten closer and know that we picked the right pain in the butt to spend our lives with.  

I am EXCITED to be coming home, but at the same time I will miss the friends and home we have made here.

 -Jeff