China Saga- Chapter 4

Hi everyone, thank you SO much for the comments on the last post! I'm glad y'all are enjoying this second hand trip to China.

I'd like to apologize for my lack of posting last week. I really have no excuse, other than being stuck in a good book, but maybe also because, I'm getting bored of editing and frustrated with the slowness of the process(because of the amount and Lightroom being pretty slow these days). So here is "Chapter 4".

To answer Don's question from the last post, I'm not sure if I will be posting like that.. What I may do is go and caption a few of them in Fotki. Whatever I do, I'll be sure to let you know.

I've also been a busy photographer the past few days.. many shots have been taken! ;) Tonight I'll see what I can get of a Lunar eclipse

07.31.07
Today has been interesting. From the hotel to Tiananmen Square to the Forbidden City, to lunch, to Baihi (spelling?) park, to Lang Fang, such a busy day. There were so many complaints, about everything, but still I had a lot of fun, I'm getting to know Liz better and I'm learning to hold my tongue and handle with care those who annoy me.

The American mentality to be spoiled and picky has really been on my mind. It drives me up a tree. There is so much pride in it. Why can't we just humble ourselves and be open to new things? There is nothing wrong with change, we need to change. Pastor Jordan preached that on Sunday. We need to change, the American race needs to lose it's prideful, "better than you", attitude. Our eyes need to be opened to see how horrid our actions are portrayed.~~~

I'm not remembering what had happened that day, but obviously I was a bit annoyed. People who haven't been out of the United States are hard to travel with, especially in a third world country. I'm sure these Americans were really appreciating their home when they got back.

This chapter's shots are *here*

China Saga- Chapter 3

07.30.07

On the bus, on the way to dinner from the Great Wall. Climbing today was fun, but hard with the humidity. As I was taking video, I couldn't help but recall watching the videos from when I was like two, climbing the wall with my short, little legs. Now, I'm grown and videoing the girls' short, little legs climb faster than me!


I took plenty of shots up on the cable car and through out the walk/climb. Liz and I challenged ourselves, walked quite a ways, but still not as far as those girlies. We had a lot of fun.

Sweaty and exhausted. Now, I'm falling asleep while sitting here waiting to get to the restaurant.

Click Here for shots from this chapter.

China Saga- Chapter 2

07.29(28).07

Okay, I'm freaking out. Pitta Plus- a pita place in China! Houkah in China! I'm like in Heaven. There's baklava too, my Lord SO loves me.
I know I promised myself I wouldn't talk about food, but I felt this deserved it. Everything tasted so great.

Temple of Heaven was beautiful as always but a bit eerie because of the smog from the pollution. I took pictures as well as video there.
Hong Qiao Pearl Market followed. There I took pictures to send to Beata(brother's girlfriend), Susan's(our pearl lady) selection is much wider and I think I decided that I want a blue sand ring this time- it's quite a pretty stone.

Click here for this Chapter's shots.

Something that I hadn't written in this entry was that at River of Grace church that morning I met a girl named Laurel from Arkansas. She was there interning for the summer at our friend's foster homes. Later on in the trip saga there will be many encounters with shots of Laurel. She is beautiful and very photogenic so it was really easy to take shots of her candidly(my favorite way). I became pretty good friends with her and hopefully we'll be able to keep in touch.

Another thing is that because of the lack of religious freedom in China we go to River of Grace, which is a church strictly for foreigners. The only actual Chinese you see there are adopted children.

The Start of My China Saga

Are you ready for a journey through my eighteenth trip to China? Ok, well, here goes!

07.27(28).07 Journal Entry

On the plane from Detroit to Tokyo- Everything has gone really well so far. We (all 24 of us) managed to get on the same flight with all(50 pieces) our luggage and the wheelchairs safely below us. God has been good (as always)- there was Starbucks at both the O'hare and Detroit gates and the flights attendants have been very helpful with the ice for my knee. The girls have been really good but, at the moment, are overtired. So I'm making them sleep- right now I've got my legs spread in a "v" formation, Charity is laying between- hers spread in the same "v" and Faith laying between, with pink washcloths over their faces to block the light from all the readers around us. I've taken a few pictures, my artistic eye is alert, but I'm hoping my journalistic eye kicks in too sometime soon. Anyway, that's it for now, I just wanted to say that I'm enjoying myself and that it seems this may end up being more fun than I thought.
07.28.07

Here in China, finally. It's hot and humid, just like I remember, but I'm not complaining. I learned how to cope with that (well heat at least) in preparation for Morocco. There has already been some complaints which I'm trying to ignore(Lord God, please give me patience). I'm also a bit emotional, still not used to mom not being here, in China, with us. She always knew exactly what to do/say to make things right. Okay, enough of that, I can't wait to sleep and then get to see Ting tomorrow.

Lord, I thank you for patience, and unconditional love. Help us get through tonight's check in, and of course, the rest of the trip. In Jesus' name, Amen.

CLICK HERE to view the first shots of my trip.

Happy Birthday Yassine!

So, since I can't be with you to celebrate- this is for you, Yassine.

I'd could write out the lyrics to all our songs, explain our radio station, write all about all the times you've made me smile, or all the times you've made me blush; about our quirky little moments, about how you totally rock and I inevitably rule ;) or even tell about how I tried to set you up with one of my friends as to not waste a good guy, but you were there, so you know. You know how much I enjoy "us", how comfortable I am with you, and I hope you know that I will continue to be there for you as I know you will for me. We've had a great start. Here's to years more, I love you. Happy 22nd Birthday, baby!

P.S. You're sharing cakes with Hope, but I'm sure she won't mind ;)

I'm baaaack..

Hello Everyone!

I'm back from China. The trip was absolutely wonderful, but I did miss my family, my friends, and my bed. So I'm back now going through pictures day after day(all 1500 of them), deleting the blurs and processing the overexposed, so bear with me. I will try to have up at least one album by tomorrow.

Until then...

Sunday - Beijing

I swear, I freaked out when I found out there was a Mediterranean resturant in Beijing(Pitta Plus)- and then I freaked out more because I found out we were eating there. Well, actually, it was technicallly Israeli, but there was Chicken Sharwma and mint tea and baklava annnnnnd HOUKAH! not that I smoked it there, but I was in heaven. It totally catered to my Mediterranean obsession, okay, okay, my Moroccan obsession. Anyway, it makes China all the more my second home and it just proves that there is a Mediterranean trend going around the world. Here are a couple shots I took to prove my being there.

Ah and before I forget, we also went to Temple of Heaven on Sunday. Here are some of those shots as well.

I'm here, I'm here!!

And happy to be back "home".. my second home anyway. We've obviously been here for a while, but this is the first time I'm able to get onto blogger. This is probably the weirdest post ever for me..all the buttons and controls are in Chinese, so I'm glad I know my way around Blogger. I've been writing journal entries telling what is going on everyday and of course taking pleanty of pictures(600 was the last count), but I am not sure that I'll be posting those while I'm here-the internet/computers are slower here than in the states.

Everything is going very well, so far. The feeling of aprehension is gone and I'm just really glad that I'm here, enjoying myself.

Well, time to get ready for another, hot and humid, day of (hopefully) photo journalism work. Ben's here, and therefore his camera is as well. Yay!

Oh yes and before I forget, this is my 100th post! It's too bad I don't have a picture uploaded and ready to post right now, darn.