Buses, Coffee, and Zhang Yi

Yesterday afternoon was one of the best I've had here in Kunming! I went to Dairy Queen downtown (sorry I don't have proof--they had a sign that said no pictures), and went shopping with Grace, one of my roommates from California. Then, I caught a bus back to where I needed to catch another one, so that I could hang out with Jenny (Zhang (family name) Yi (given name, which means happy)).

I walked to a bus stop around the corner, and not knowing which one to get on (out of about 6 buses that stopped there), I just picked one and hopped on. Well, it went up to the next intersection and turned right. I needed to just go straight down Xi Yuan Lu, but...it wasn't looking too goo. So, I called some of my Chinese friends to ask them which bus to take. Too bad I was meeting at a place where I only knew the English name...they had no clue! So, I walked back to Xi Yuan Lu, and got on the next bus that came. Guess what?! It did the same exact thing! I ended up way past Xi Yuan Lu though, because the next stop was way down the road (Renmin Xi Lu). I know these roads, and usually I ride my bike down them. So, I got off the bus and walked back. Only this time, I was really far east from Xi Yuan Lu. I ended up walking toward the Think UK apartment buildings, which I could kind of see in the distance. Overall, it was about an hour commute from downtown to Chicago Coffee...one that should have been half that. It was quite an adventure! I'm still not sure I could figure it out on the buses!

Anyway, I met up with Jenny at 4pm (I was only a few minutes late...) for Coffee at Chicago Coffee (owned by Americans) to learn Chinese. I was not expecting to meet up with her this week, based upon the way she left it open last week, and considering that I had not really talked with her much during the week about it. We stayed at Chicago Coffee for about 2 and a half hours! I learned a lot, and our friendship blossomed. :-) I asked her if she would like to go get dinner. She said sure, so I took her to a little squatty restaurant that I like around the corner. After conversing with a 12 year-old boy at the squtty and finishing our noodle, chicken and veggie soup, we took a few different buses back home. We plan on meeting again this Wednesday after school for more Chinese. This time, she'll come over to my apartment. I'm really excited, because she seems to be very open and happy to hang out with me and she has a lot of patience with me. She's a great teacher!

When we were saying goodbye, she said, "I'm so glad that you asked me to teach you Chinese. I have had such a great time, and I am so happy to meet you." I expressed my gratefulness to her; for all the time that she is sacrificing to teach on a weekend to a foreigner. I told her that I'm excited about our friendship, and that I would see her at school tomorrow.

I walked around the corner to the little store I frequently visit to buy a drink before heading home. The owner told me that I was "kai xin," which means happy. He thought real hard about the English word for kai xin, and he finally told me happy ('cause I had no clue what he was saying). I asked him if he was saying 'I am happy'..."wo shi kai xin?" He said "dui, dui," which means correct. It was a fun little exchange after meeting with Jenny for hours (it was about 9pm at the store...).

I walked back home, beaming. It's so neat to hear people compliment you, or notice things about you that you know have nothing to do with you...but all about Him, and what He's done in and through you. Praise the Father! May these two come to know you, Dad. You alone are the only One who can make one truly joyful and full of life! May they see you in me and want to get to know you more!