"Ni Zai Wo De Xin"

Sunday, June 24th

    Unforgettable. That's the kind of weekend Sophia promised to give me...she took me to visit her home town, a rural and "backward" place (in her words), very different from Wuhan. Well, I had a good time with her, and shall blog more about it later, but this weekend truly was unforgettable for another reason. In fact, it turned out to be one of my most meaningful ones during my two years in China.

Sharon and I. Too bad 'bout the cross growing outta my head, but you know, it happens.

    So, a bit of background from previous blogs: I made a friend, Sharon, who was struggling with the "decision" of whether to come to f@ith. The way we met was unconventional...I took an unregistered taxi ride, and met a nice man who introduced me to his daughter, Sharon. The whole thing was random and a big chain of coincidences one after the other (If you want more background, check out my earlier blog: http://itriumphstill.blogspot.com/2011/11/only-can-you-save-me.html). We had the chance to talk on QQ (Chinese instant-messaging) a few times about Chr*stianity, and I had the chance to encourage her, sharing that it's not a choice to b*lieve in HIM, but a gift. We talked randomly in the months following, and over time, she revealed to me that she had become a Chr*stian, and that she was going to be b@ptized. Then, in the beginning of June, she sent me this text: 

"Yes! Actually, I wanna invite you to attend my b@ptism, because I think you played one of the key roles that helped me to be a Chr*stian :) "

    Walking through the grocery store, going up an escalator, I had to keep from crying right there in the middle of all those people, I was so touched at reading her text, and grateful to HIM for giving me a role in this girl coming to f@ith, a girl I hadn't even met. So of course I attended her "washing," immediately after coming back from Sophia's hometown. It was so great to finally meet Sharon, a sweet and friendly girl a little older than me, and to visit her ch*rch. Her group was bigger than ours, but similar in terms of security, how the group is run, etc. EXCEPT--the service was run entirely in Chinese, so I listened, picked up what I could (surprisingly a lot at times, and next to nothing at other times, depending on the context), and watched as Sharon and others became part of HIS family, covered with HIS love and forgiveness. It's common in this type of c*ngregations for members to share their "testimony" or story of how they came to f@ith, and after a bit of coaxing, Sharon stood up and began to speak. Of course, I didn't get all of it, but here's what I did pick up:

..."I didn't have f@ith...a friend of mine first dragged me to ch*rch many years ago, but I didn't understand it"

..."G*d surrounded me with Chr*stians who encouraged me little by little, including my best friend Hannah (another Chinese lady) who never gave up on me and constantly shared HIS Word with me..."

"...my dad met Julie, a foreigner, and she and I talked on the phone and added each other to QQ. One day, I was feeling really low, and I looked at Julie's QQ status, and saw that she had written something about her f@ith, in Chinese. I was really confused: 'A foreigner can write Chinese? This girl is Chr*stian?' So, I started talking to her about my struggle to come to f@ith, to accept HIM, and she shared a lot of the B*ble with me, and told me that if I already am wondering whether to "accept" J*sus, then HE already is in my heart, and I already am a Chr*stian..."

As she went on in her story, I again fought to hold back tears, that HE would use me in such a way...

Group of newly-w@shed at Sharon's ch*rch.

     After ch*rch, Sharon and I were picked up by...her dad!!! It was fun to see him, months after our introduction...so excited by Sharon's b@ptism and a reunion, I said yes to her dad's insistence that he treat me to dinner. Sitting outside, talking with Sharon by a DQ, and waiting for a couple friends to join us, she shared more about her journey to f@ith, showing me she already had gotten to know His Word quite well, and demonstrating a great love of our S@vior. Sharon's best friend and "Sister," Hannah, had told her that she was stubborn, and HE needed to put lots of people in her life for HIS Message to take root. She asked me "do you remember the conversation we had that day, online?" Of course I did. She shared her belief that HE sent me to China to encourage her when she really needed it, saying that she always remembered my telling her "maybe you already are a Chr*stian." We discussed the Parable of the Seed and the Sower, and she sweetly shared that she thinks G*d used me to pour the last bit of "water" on her f@ith. Touched, I told her that the complete, Real reason I came to China was for opportunities like that. She answered, "I am your fruit. You are the farmer." I told her that HE is the farmer, but we are blessed to play small roles along the way, and now she can pass the message on to others.

Sharon's washing--the first time I ever saw an immersion.

     The rest of the night was a blast--Sharon's dad took us to a delicious upscale restaurant, and we were joined by Lily and Esther, two friends I'd agreed to meet up with that night. The night of "coincidences" (HIS work and blessings) continued, as it turns out Esther and Sharon attend the same ch*rch! We had a great time talking, laughing, joking with her father, and eating a massive feast. Sharon's dad was really generous and we caught up as best as we could--Sharon often had to translate :) Lots of talk turned to sp*ritual life, with Sharon expressing her hopes to convince her best friend to turn to J*sus, and the importance of having HIM at the center of your life.

With my "black taxi buddy," a.k.a. my "Chinese dad" (his chosen nickname, hehe). Such a blessing to meet him and his daughter, at the very beginning and very end of my 2nd year in Wuhan!

As her dad drove us to my apartment, Sharon agreed to come to our final B*ble study the following night, and I insisted that she take a picture of her dad and I together. Afterward, he turned to me and said something I could understand: "Ni zai wo de xin." (你在我的心 = you are in my heart).Holding back tears once again, I told him he was also in my heart. I will never forget him, or his daughter, that G*d graciously put in my life. I will never forget the sequence of "coincidences" that HE put together to allow Sharon and I to meet, for me to encourage her in her f@ith, and for her to encourage me as I pr@yed to share the G*spel and its importance with others. When I first thought of coming to China, the thought terrified me, and I wondered whether I would even make a difference. Thanks to HIM and through HIM alone, I know I have been used in this way. Sharon is in my heart. Her father is in my heart. Most importantly, HE is in my heart. Thanks be to HIM, today and always!

The Taco Bell of China!

Whenever talk among our American friends here delves into the topic of most-missed Western foods, it's only a matter of time before one or many in our group utters the two magical words: Taco Bell. Our longing for Taco Bell while in the Chalupa-deprived land of China has become, admittedly, a bit obsessive. We all take turns fantasizing about our favorite items there, what we will order first, and how delightful it is to drive-through for a late-night "fourth meal" of cheesy, fake-Mexican goodness. Thankfully, I've found something here in Wuhan that I believe rivals Taco Bell in convenience and deliciousness: shao kao (Chinese barbeque).

Here our favorite bbq lady slathers oil and spices onto our bread and veggies, roasting over the barbeque coals.

It's hard to beat the convenience of Taco Bell...a quick stop at the Drive-Thru on your way home, a short drive away for a college study-break...5 minutes and your snack is served! Quite similar to our experience with Chinese bbq. The pictures in this post are all from our local shao kao stand, right outside our apartment complex. The lady sets up shop after dark each night, and passerby can sit on stools or order their meal "da bao" (to go), pick out which meats and veggies they want, and wait a few short minutes until it's grilled to perfection and ready to eat.

Mantou (bread) and niurou (beef). Two of my faves.

My go-to items at Taco Bell are the chicken quesadilla and the cheesy double-beef burrito. At Chinese bbq? Mantou, beef, jing jeng gu (mushrooms), jiu cai (a long, grasslike vegetable), and potato. All are roasted on skewers for about five minutes, juicy, seasoned with some amazing & slightly spicy Chinese concoction that I really wish I could replicate. While Taco Bell offers additional items such as soft shell tacos and cheesy potatoes, Chinese bbq offers whole fish, questionable-looking sausage, and chicken feet.

Cucumber, lotus, and mushrooms.

As far as the overall experience, China definitely wins over America in this category. At Taco Bell you drive through and are usually half-heartedly handed a bag full of food, but at our local bbq place, our sweet lady is all smiles, very helpful as we fumble through our Chinese, and lets us walk back behind the grill, to survey all our dining options and point at which delicacies we want to try. If we're wanting a night out, our group can gather around the small tables and stools set up outside and maybe sip on a cheap beer...or we can take everything "to go" and enjoy the wonder of air-conditioning :)

Sarah Sternaman, Sarah Zietlow, Kelsey, Nicole, and Brian getting excited for shao kao.

Health-wise, again, China takes the cake on this one. We all know Taco Bell won't be winning many prizes for its organic, 100% natural food anytime soon...and while Chinese bbq does douse on quite a bit of oil, the majority of food we eat here is vegetables--potatoes, mushrooms, eggplant, lotus, greens, cucumbers, etc.

Fam enjoying the night out.

As a college student on a budget (or at least, trying not to spend all her limited money), I appreciated the cheap price of Taco Bell. But, shao kao rivals this as well. A couple nights back, Kelsey and I split some beef, mushrooms, potatoes, bread, and greens. Total price? 10 RMB (about $1.50).

Grilling up one of my favorite Chinese foods--jing jeng gu...long, skinny, squeaky mushrooms that soak in tons of flavor.

 Many nights in Wuhan, after a long day of teaching or trying to figure out local culture, I wish I could just sit back and bite into a Taco Bell quesadilla, but I'm sure once I'm back in America, I will also yearn for the equally scrumptious and cheap Chinese treat--shao kao! Maybe I'll try to start one up in Wisconsin ;)

The feast, ready to be enjoyed back at our apartment.

Purely to Show How Cute My Students Are :)

I was recently talking to my sister about China, and the difficulties I had with my school, and how I honestly didn't miss it very much. But, after working on this blog, I certainly DO miss my precious little students <3 While it was so much fun laughing and talking with my middle-schoolers, and hugging and goofing around with these kindergarteners, I get frustrated sometimes because I can't fully express to anyone else how much fun I had with them, and what a delight it was to be part of their lives. I hope these pictures can at least capture part of that!

Sadly not the best picture of her, but this cutie in the green looked like a little doll to me...huge sparkly brown eyes, tiny nose, little stature, and pure innocence. When my friend Jess visited the school, I asked her if she could guess which student I thought looked like a doll, and she immediately pointed this girl out as well.

This picture was taken a few seconds too late to capture the full effect, but kiddies from this and a couple other classes would RUN up to me and "attack" with hugs and kisses after we said goodbye each week. Adorable? Yes, beyond words :)

Doin' my teaching thang with the "Strawberry" class. They were quite into volunteering for this lesson.

Cherry's birthday party--they always busted out huge cakes and cut into classtime to sing and eat. Oh, and the birthday girl's the one with the frosting-painted face :)

Tina, a sweet and friendly little cutie.

This, my "middle class," was full of "active" (aka naughty, but cute) boys. They were usually quite attentive and would fight over who got to do the in-class examples.

The guy on the way right in the tan coat? Absolute darling. Teensy little eyes that all but disappeared when he smiled, clever and comparatively well-behaved, and would tell me he missed me after my longer periods of absence :)

It's a shame he isn't flashing his token smile in the pic, but the boy on the front, way-left is one of the things that got me through my first month or so at school, when I hated it and got nervous every morning. His smile and bright "Good morning Julie!" put me at ease each time. Just goes to show, you never know the impact you could truly have on another person's life!

More students from my "biggest" class.

Missy, the girl in red, had some of the best English of any of my students--she must've had an outside tutor, or English-speaking parents. And the cutie on the left is flashing another of those signature smiles...he was one of the sweetest, most adoring and lovable kids I ever got to teach!

Fascinated by the camera.

Chinese parents really enjoy dressing their identical twins up in identical clothes--it's cute, but I feel sorry for all the teachers who have to keep them straight ;)

I think they were about to grab the camera out of my hand in this one :)

Don't know why they're screaming--well, I guess I get why the GIRLS are screaming...I would too if I was in such a tiny majority of girls, surrounded by naughty boys!

I loved the "Winnie the Pooh" classroom!

Saying goodbye to some of the "Strawberry" students.

Handing out candy for the last day...they were greedy!

Girls from the Cherry Class!

My last day was a bittersweet one, of course, but I'm thankful for the time I got to spend with these little angels/devils! It was super-cute too...as I left on my final day, a bunch of students shouted at me, "Julie, ni shi zhong guo ren!" (Julie, you are Chinese)! So, maybe that was their way of honoring me and sending me off...making me an official Chinese-person ;)

Royalty, Squid on a Stick, and Beer in a Bag!

This is the tale of four Americans traveling to the faraway land of Qingdao, China. Quite differently from the good old U.S.A., China celebrates its Labor Day in the beginning of May. A bit strange to adjust to, but it meant a 5-day weekend for all of us, so we came terms to the idea pretty quickly :)

Jess and I enjoying the city's famous beer! In case you didn't know, Qing Dao Beer (or Tsing Tao, as it's usually written) can be found in America also...one of China's most profitable exports. I just made that up...I have no idea if that's even remotely true. But anyway, you should try it sometime :)

When Jess and Nicole (two of my favorite traveling buddies from last year) pitched the idea of heading to Qingdao with Aaron (another fave travel companion), I was super excited about it, but first had to make sure it would work with the schedule of my good friend Taylor, who was planning to visit Wuhan over the break. Once that was all settled, I was quite stoked for one final trip with these three awesome individuals before heading back to America. The vacation was short, but honestly one of the most fun trips I've ever taken!

Jess, myself, Nicole, and random passerby.

Even from the taxi ride to the airport, I knew it would be a fun trip--Jess, Nicole, and I talked about our individual quirks, and those we inherit from our parents, and we gave Aaron his official fake Chinese name (Nicole is Kou Lit, I am Plu Ki, and Jess is Du Qi). Aaron is now "Sof Ti." What a good group :)

Lamb kabobs...spicy, a little fatty, and absolutely delicious!

Our flight to Qingdao was uneventful, and we settled into our wonderful hostel (helpful staff, a free beer each night, and located in an old ch*rch). Walking around that night, we discovered one of my fave parts of the city--a scrumptious "shao kao" (Chinese barbecue) place a short walk from our hostel. We feasted there every night, on pork & lamb kabobs, tasty fried bread, and tons of veggies. Our first night, we began our tradition of making toasts in circles (one word, per person, at a time) and bedtime stories. Nicole wrote hilarious summaries of each day we had in Qingdao, changing things ever-so-slightly so that all our adventures fit in the story of three princesses and a prince seeing a new kingdom and battling an evil sorcerer. Check out her blog (http://colielehman.blogspot.com/) if you want to really soak in the humor. Aaron read her tales to us each evening...a fun way to end the day!

Best buddies?

Our first full day in Qingdao was cloudy and overcast. As Jess would say: "bummer!" ;) But we made the most of it, making the walk to the seaside, discovering that foreigners are also seen as fascinating and good photo ops in Qingdao, and trying starfish. Yup, it was being sold at small food vendors all over the place, next to more standard fare.

The "before" shot. We had to rip the sucker apart, and eat the "meat," which was in little pellets  inside.

It was VERY fishy. And icky. One bite was enough for everyone, if I remember correctly.

After our little snack, we walked along the shoreline, waded in and out through crowds of fellow tourists, and climbed some rocks.

Since the yucky weather foiled a lot of outdoor plans, we were pretty excited to see signs that the aquarium was nearby! We toured the "underwater world" for a couple hours, and were treated to sights of penguins, giant turtles, jellyfish (oddly, one of my fave parts of the place, so pretty!), sharks, and more. It was pretty fun, though we (mostly Nicole and I, methinks) were bummed that there were no dolphins as the advertising sign seemed to indicate. And, several of the rooms contained not tanks full of real animals and water, but merely replicas of fishies. A bit "China-ish" and amusing in its disappointment, at least :) And most likely the work of the evil sorcerer!!!

Pink and purple jellyfish! Who knew?

Transparent, snowflake-esque jellyfish.

Pretty sure this was just a synthetic swordfish. Also pretty sure that we got hounded by others wanting pics with us right before this was taken.

After the aquarium, we walked to a nearby restaurant, where we got our first taste of Qingdao's famous seafood (prettymuch everyone I'd asked about Qingdao said it's beautiful and famous for its beer and seafood). We feasted on oysters, shrimp, dumplings (with mackerel inside, I think), and one land-lover's dish, a fave of ours from Wuhan. Twas delicious! And afterward, we stopped by another restaurant to try our first "Beer in a Bag." Other Americans in our group had visited Qingdao before, and mentioned their beer in a bag to us, but I'd always assumed it just came packaged that way in the store, maybe like Capri Sun, or Kwik Trip's milk in a bag ;) But nope, you just go up to the worker standing by a keg, tell them you'd like 4 beers in a bag, and they pour Tsing Tao beer into a (hopefully sanitary) bag, stick or poke a straw into it, and bam...there you have your portable, local delight.

This Minnie was not as kind-hearted as the REAL Disney Minnie...she made us pay her after the photos, saying "money! money!" and holding out her oversized paw :p

Oyster-things, a pork and bamboo dish, and garlic prawns. Things that, a couple years back, I never imagined I'd love to eat. Especially since the shrimp were still sporting their eyes and legs!

"You want beer in a bag, right?" I think she was probably asking whether we wanted one or two cups' equivalent per bag. We just got one apiece ;)

The Capri Sun of China!

Due to the inclement weather, we were pretty short on sightseeing options, and decided to taxi to the most famous part of the city, the Tsing Tao Brewery and Beer Museum. I was a bit bummed to see the so-called highlight on the first day, but it worked out quite well, since the weather was great the rest of the week, and we still had lots of cool stuff to see. Lots of our tour was pretty reminiscent of breweries I've visited in the U.S., but it was fun to see anyway, and I especially enjoyed pictures of their beer being drank/served all over the world, and a display of bottles from several different countries. Milwaukee was even featured in a picture! 

The Chinese characters say: "Qing Dao Pi Jiu" =Tsing Tao Beer, which is pretty cool to be able to read. I wouldn't do so well with the sign below it, however :)

Before our free samples (and peanuts)!

Oh Chinglish...I will miss thee!

After the brewery, we took a taxi back to the hostel. Well, kind of. Our hostel's on one side of a hill, but he dropped us off on the other side, saying we were close and directing us which way to go. We walked back and forth, up and down hills for quite awhile, asking several Chinese people along the way how to get back! Once we finally arrived, we feasted on American food (hamburgers and pizza), played some evenly-matched foosball games (right Jess? Aaron?), walked around and talked for a bit, but called it an early night. More adventures awaited! The next morning Jess, our master planner, had figured out bus routes that could take us to a famous beach, and "shi lao ren" (stone old man), a well-known landmark. The weather was gorgeous, sunny, and warm, so even though we ended up getting off the bus far too early, it worked out fine and we had a nice walk!

We'd bought some snacks and baozi (bread stuffed with meat and veggies) at a store along the way, planning to eventually picnic at the beach...but ate most of it on our voyage, haha. Once we arrived at the beach, we settled down for some nice sunbathing, splashed around in the sea a bit, and Nicole and I presented Aaron and Jess with a secret gift we'd purchased that morning: matching pajama shirts! Our team wore them the rest of the day...oh yeah...we looked goooood ;)

Pajama shirts to treasure for a lifetime! One of many fashion statements that I'm much more confident to make in China than in America--and probably my favorite one ever!

We goofily took pics in our sweet outfits, laughing as a lady passing by took pictures for us, and then started making suggestions on how to pose (standing staggered, arms in the air, etc.). A couple hours talking, resting, and just enjoying the breeze and sound of the sea made for a very enjoyable afternoon.

Eventually we took the bus back into town (we were a couple hours out), and made our way to May 4th Square, I guess another "must-see" for the city, though all I knew about it beforehand was that it's where the "big red thing" is. I guess the area and "May Wind" sculpture are a monument to a rebellion and beginning of a cultural revolution in 1919. But I must confess, most of what I know about this place is still that it's a fun location in which to pose wearing goofy matching shirts, and to scurry about as quickly as possible, to evade throngs of tourists who want their pictures with you. Thankfully, compared to tall Aaron & Nicole, and golden-haired Jess, I almost blended in by comparison ;)

So, do you think this picture was posed?

Nicole and I were so tickled to find bonnets that matched our outfits perfectly! We didn't buy, but had to pose...we've become a bit obsessed with bonnets after a trip we took together last year, and composing a pretty wicked song in tribute to them.

We walked along the seaside for awhile, eventually beginning our search for a good dinner place, which ended up taking quite a bit of walking around, pointing at the map, and guess work. Finally we found a delish seafood place pretty close to the water. Lots of restaurants in Qingdao have tanks full of water/seafood options near to the entrance, so while Aaron and Jess would read the menu, Nicole and I would handle the equally difficult task of going up to the tanks and pointing at which food we wanted to eat, haha. We had more oysters, and my favorite little spicy clams--you can get 'em in Wuhan too, but they had a different taste in Qingdao.

Lovely skyline, lovely city.

There was a lot of slurping involved in this delicacy :)

We made our way back to the hostel, enjoyed some complimentary drinks, explored the old ch*rch a bit (there wasn't too much to see, which makes me wonder if they're hiding something...), and played more foosball. Then we headed to the streets close by our place, for another round of amazing bbq "shaokao" (lots of meat, mushrooms, bread, greens, potatoes, and eggplant), grabbed some beer in bags and just walked around, talking and hanging out late into the night :)

In Wuhan dialect these things are called "hua jia," which I think means "flower house." So good!

The next day, the princesses and prince of Nicole's bedtime stories decided to get dressed up and tour town like the royalty they were ;) After a yummy American-style breakfast at the hostel (eggs, bacon & sausage, hash browns and toast), we ventured out and took the bus to a local scenic area.

Outside our hostel, the Old Ch*rch Bar.

The lovely weather and cherry tree-dotted streets basically begged for us to eat ice cream. Mine turned out to be an especially melty treat.

You know, sometimes you just can't resist...

There were lots of tourists milling out and enjoying the weather, walking through parks, enjoying the blue sky, flowers, and GREEN surroundings. Quite different from Wuhan!

There were literally dozens of couples dotting the seaside, taking traditional wedding photos. 

We walked around several parks, made our way to the coast, and decided to tour an old castle-ish house in the area. Though it was crowded, we got a pretty sweet view of Qingdao, the sea, and lots of people out enjoying the weather :) We eventually took a taxi to another part of the city, which involved Nicole and I making fools of ourselves, singing and dancing while waiting (to the delight of onlookers), and the taxi driver getting VERY upset, looking back in anger when I first tried rolling down my window, and later started humming a Chinese song. I guess that was offensive somehow? It was funny...and unsettling.

These lovely hearts, just outside the castle, were a popular photo-op spot, so we had to dash in there in order to get a picture with just the four of us. Well, six of us? Seven? Close enough.

We decided to spend the first half of the evening at Beer Street, a restaurant-lined place that is, well, exactly what it sounds like. But we got distracted by a typical Chinese outdoor market, selling tons of food, goods, clothes, and souvenirs, and did a fair amount of exploring and shopping around there first.

Hei si pi jiu zai pi jiu jie = Dark Beer at Beer Street.

The four of us wandered around, checking out prices and types of beer different restaurants had to offer. I'm sure we ended up paying more touristy prices, but it was fun to sample a few different local flavors, hang out on the patio, laughing, exchanging college and childhood stories, and savoring vacation!

We decided to have our favorite local bbq place for dinner that night, thinking it would be our last time there...it's hard to describe how delicious the food was, how cool it was to be able to order it by ourselves, and how relaxing it was sitting outside in the cool evening. It's also hard to describe how entertaining it was watching Jess have a little crush on our "fu wu yuan" (waiter). He was a peppy (or "jippity," as Jess liked to say) guy who got excited to serve us every night we came. Nicole, Aaron and I headed back to Beer Street later on, just splitting one pitcher and having a nice late-night chat.

Mmmmmm...that is all.

I woke up sad on our last morning in Qingdao, not wanting to leave and face the realities of teaching and responsibility just yet. But, after check-out time we still had several hours to walk around, so we headed back to the section of the seaside that we checked out our first, dreary day in the city. We also went sunglasses shopping with Aaron, which turned out to be funny--one saleslady insisted that EVERY pair he tried on was "好看" (hao kan = good-looking), even huge blue frames, women's glasses, or Harry Potter-style shades.

Oh yeah! And Nicole and I realized we hadn't tried something we'd seen filling up local vendors' stands: SQUID on a stick! Today was the day...

They cook and season the squid right in the same place as chicken kabobs and other less-threatening foods, so it can't be that bad, right? Plus, I love Olive Garden's calamari...

The verdict: you could definitely tell very clearly that it was squid, primarily in appearance, but also in taste. Much much more fishy than anything squid-ish I'd tasted in the past. But, it was better than the starfish :D

In the late morning we checked out an old ch*rch, built centuries ago, forced to shut down by the gov't during the Cultural Revolution, but re-opened a couple decades back. While the ch*rch probably doesn't teach HIS Word in complete truth and purity (gov't-run), it's always encouraging to see groups gathering together, professing to be Chr*stians. We got to see some of that, the ch*ch had BOOKS inside, and a big picture of J*sus upstairs by the bell tower (which we visited, and were nearly scared silly by, when it rang while we were in very close proximity to it). An uplifting visit, and once again we were entertained by many couples taking wedding photos outside of it when we left.

Our time in the mystical land of Qingdao ended on a pretty mellow note--we walked to our hostel, stopping for ice cream on the way, and decided that as delicious as Qingdao's seafood was, we really wanted one last meal from our bbq fave. Along with the usual kabobs and veggies, we also ordered a dish of chicken, veggies, and clams, in a delicious, creamy sauce...one of my fave things I've eaten this year, probably. 

I believe we walked up this hill only to come back down a few minutes later. This shall happen when you're a foreigner trying to navigate your way around a strange city :)

On the plane ride back to Wuhan, I kept replaying the fun of the trip, thinking about how blessed I am that HE gave me such wonderful friends during my time here (Chinese and American), and honestly, second-guessing my decision NOT to return here next year. But, no matter what the future holds, I know it's in HIS hands, and I'm so grateful for my princess sisters and prince brother for letting me travel together with them one last time! It was a jippity, joppity, unforgettable trip! Love you all :)