Sorry I haven't been frequent in my posts yet. I arrived safely in the Mainland around 3 pm on Thursday. I finally ended up in Wuhan close to 11 pm. I had been awake for almost 30 hours with minor bouts of sleep. The first day we went exploring the area. Shopping and walking and riding on buses. The mercury rises during the days here. Temperatures are usually in the high 80s. It's hard to stay comfortable. We got to babysit David, Adam and Sherry's little boy. He's our shepherd here. Topping off day one was mingling with John Wayne and eating supper with him. John is one of our friends here. I bet you can't say you've met and had dinner with John Wayne.
Peter and I have noticed all the murses traveling around on the buses and in the streets. The men here are confident, carrying around their personal items with something we foreigners consider close to a purse. We are throwing ourselves into the culture and considering a murse, essential for efficient travel around the city. At the end of the second day we had a ginormous meal at a friend's house. 20 different dishes from which to partake. A traditional meal here with loads of friends and loads of food. Mmmmm good. Our second day finished with a massage. We enjoyed the digging, the pulling, the slapping, the stretching, the yanking, and the pushing. No pain, no gain.
The past few days were just one thing to the next. The old teachers are helping us get our bearings and show us around. I haven't heard anything about the start of school yet, but soon enough the work will begin here. Right now, I'm just spending time with friends and hoping that Mandarin comes a little easier as the days go on. One day at a time is the best way to go. He will be there always. I hope this is a little more frequent, but things always change here. Maybe I will have a murse the next time you read this!
