October Holiday

I feel sorry for the college students who are walking through the door of this little coffee shop on their campus right now. We are in China, at a place called Maya Cafe, and it's overrun with a group of Americans. Cultural overload, man. 

We're here because the internet is out again. This used to annoy me, but you find that after you live in China for a while, things that used to be annoying are pretty standard and that what used to be essential to your survival....isn't. Like toilet seats, central heating, predictable water in the shower, reliable transportation, and soft cookies. 

Anyways, it's now been two days since the end of China's week-long holiday and they question on everyone's mind is WHAT AWESOME THING DID YOU DO?? I'll tell you what I did. I was so lazy I couldn't even handle it. 

It was beautiful. 

Sunday was the Mid-Autumn Festival, so Bethany, Natalie, Susie, and I took some time to dance in the moonlight, sing to the moon, and find new uses for moon cakes. 

A video may come soon.

 Gross.

I don't think I even left my apartment on Monday or Tuesday. 

During that time Alex and Jenessa, two of my teammates, took a 24-hour train to another city to visit some of our friends, but I was not ready to spend a full 48 hours of my life on a Chinese train for only two days worth of visiting. 

On Wednesday, Susie and I headed out to Zhong Bei (remember that blog about hiking? Yeah, that place) to spend the night with our friends out there. We watched Anne of Green Gables and ate cinnamon rolls and I crocheted a scarf. I also took a good look at my choices and realized my interests are similar to those of an 80-year-old woman. 

On Thursday, we celebrated Alex's birthday by going out for pizza, eating carrot cake, and watching Anne of Avonlea. We are all actually 80-year-old women. 

On Friday we met up with the university student volunteers from Taiyuan Teen and went out to the mountains where Taiyuan Teen holds summer and winter camps. The campground was empty, so we had plenty of room to make Chinese food, play ultimate frisbee, practice our archery and biking skills, and share life stories. Many of them are Brothers and Sisters, so it was beautiful to get to share life with them outside of the Taiyuan Teen English corner that meets twice a month. 

(This is where I was going to put pictures, but the internet suddenly won't let me. Oh, China.)

On Saturday we went shopping so that on Sunday we could have a Pinterest day. Yeah, we made pumkins out of books and toilet paper, ate an entire apple crisp, and made apple scones. I have never celebrated Fall so hardcore and I'm pretty sure it's because I'm overcompensating. 

I was a little sad that on this break I couldn't just jump in my car, drive home, and spend the week in the Smokies with my family, drinking my dad's good coffee and making ridiculous music videos with my sister. But the Father is good and He provides exactly the rest that I need in the exact circumstances where I need it for this exact time. 

Now, getting back into the swing of being Mees Love is different matter...