- I've had friends get married
- Seen volleyball season come to a close after the ACAMIS tournament
- Had Pneumonia for three weeks
- Had my first RED Winter coat made
- Celebrated my 23rd birthday
- Caught up with old friends back in the States
- Was told that I'm going to be sent to get my Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, and possibly my Wilderness EMT-B certification in December with China Climb! (possibly my FAVORITE of this list because it has been a LIFELONG dream of mine to be certified in these areas, but it is just too expensive in America and takes quite a while. After pr-ing about this for years, now the time has come where they are needing someone to fulfill this role at school and He has provided a way in which I will not have to pay ANYTHING! Yay for rock-climbing, backpacking, mountain-biking, rappelling, white water rafting, mountaineering, orienteering, and the WILDERNESS during the month of December! BRRRR!)
- Experienced 14 parent teacher conferences in 1.5 school days! WOO HOO! Complete with Korean/Chinese translators and all!
- Celebrated Halloween with first-timers here in Qingdao
- Celebrated the cool ocean breeze that the Fall rains have brought us! The weather has been BEAUTIFUL!
QMIS is nestled at the foot of that little hill, xiao shan, in this fishing village known as Shazikou.
The way we dry our greens over here!
View of the Qingdao coast looking West!
View of Qingdao looking East!
Our front yard fisherman friends!
Winter swimming is VERY popular here in Qingdao!
Sunset in our 'side yard'!
Side yard view again!
mmm.....yum yum!
More YUMMY (tails included!)
Birthday dinner with roommate, Karen! I had Lamb!
My friend Echo!
My best friend, Anderson (gege-big brother in Chinese) finally getting married! Also my FIRST wedding to EVER go to! WOO HOO!
As you can see, there is a lot going on here in the Fall! Lots of birthdays, celebrations, and what I love most-CHANGE! In other news, my health has been improving significantly in the last week. After three weeks with pneumonia, I almost started giving up and just coping with the idea of having a chronic lung infection the rest of my life. I still have a wicked cough but I'm gaining energy more and more each day. I think pollution really does take a toll on our poor lungs! Praise Him for clean air-SERIOUSLY! Well, its been over THREE months now since I moved to Qingdao. I can honestly say the best part about being here is my Chinese friends and the relationships I have with them. Praise Him that I work with most of them, allowing me to see them everyday! If it were otherwise, I would NEVER see them because being a teacher/coach/Athletic Director basically is your life (who forgot to tell me this!) I literally come home after practice each day, scarf down Chinese, and then sleep until 5AM which is when the next day begins! Honestly, sometimes this is a huge downer for me because I want my life to be intentional here, truly, and when I go, go, go all day and all evening it leaves no time for the other stuff like friendships/relationships (which is why I came in the first place). After seeking wise counsel MANY MANY times a week on this, I have found that if I verbally voice myself it really does help. I'm NOT used to expressing how I feel-especially to superiors-so it is DEFINITELY a growing time in my life. Father is teaching me patience, understanding, kindness, and gentleness right now. Sometimes I wonder, "why did I move halfway around the world to finally be able to audibly hear Your voice?" It's a mystery in itself, but such a blessing! YARP for my friendship with Echo, specifically, and for better health, and for clarity of mind in this next new month. November will be one of the stressful months because I'm in charge of organizing tournaments and all the fun that goes with it. Sometimes when I think of the holidays I get a bit homesick because my family really knows how to celebrate, so YARP that I will find the same fulfillment and satisfaction here in and with my new friends. Lots of traveling will be going on soon, Hong Kong, Yangshuo, Guilin, Thailand, and a possible visit to the States during Chinese new year (YARP for that as well that I will find the funds if it is His will).
I love you all more than you know! I'm so thankful at this time in my life for EACH of you and who you are in my life!
Kayla
