Tuesday, November 10, 2015

On the home stretch!

We are on the home stretch now!  We leave early Thursday morning to begin the long journey back to Texas. There are so many things I miss about home: my family, my bed, Mexican food, guacamole, chips and queso.....  Oh wait, I digress!  But, mark my words.  We WILL be stopping on the way home from the airport at El Fenix so this Tex Mex gal can satisfy her craving!

There are many things I love about China too.  This is my fifth trip to Asia, but each time I visit, I discover something new and interesting that you rarely see in the US.   So just for fun, here are five things I've seen only in China:

1.  Weird flavors of American snacks.
Raspberry Oreos?  Yes please!    Seaweed Pringles? Ummm....I think I'll pass.





2.  Duck transport truck.  


If you travel I-30 in East Texas, you'll see trucks packed with tiny cages transporting chickens to the 
Pilgrims Pride plant in Dallas.  But in China, you are more likely to see a duck truck like the one I saw on the way to the orphanage this week.  A few of the little fellas had already given up the good fight.  :(  They knew they were destined to become Peking Duck for some family like the one in the movie The Christmas Story.  (If you miss this reference, shame on you!)



3.  A wine vending machine...in a government building nonetheless.  Not much to say on this one.  Just a bit strange.  


4.  An entire country of ONLY CHILDREN, as in no siblings.  In China, you never see a young mother juggling a toddler while also pushing an infant in a stroller.  Everywhere you go, it's families of three.    Father, mother, child.  China has recently relaxed its One Child Policy significantly, and I will be interested to see if families go against the status quo by having two children.  But, a Chinese Duggar family?  Not likely.  


5.  People everywhere, young and old, exercising and enjoying nature. The parks in China are spacious with beautifully landscaped lawns, fish ponds, and walking trails. There are huge play areas with  amusement rides designed especially for young children. But, what I love the most is watching a group of older adults unashamedly practicing Tai Chi or ballroom dancing on the park promenade.  Makes my heart happy! 



We are T-minus 2 days until our flight!  There are so many things I will miss about China, but one taste of those enchiladas, and I'll know I'm home! 



  











3 comments:

  1. so looking forward to seeing ya'll. I think I've been holding my breath the whole time ya'll have been gone..things just aren't the same when my pastor and his family are not here. please let me know when y'all are in the states , so I can breathe :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. How have you survived without Tex-Mex?? And seriously? A wine vending machine? In a government office? That is quite odd, but it did make me chuckle. Praying for a safe return! Excited to meet Ezekiel!

    ReplyDelete
  3. How have you survived without Tex-Mex?? And seriously? A wine vending machine? In a government office? That is quite odd, but it did make me chuckle. Praying for a safe return! Excited to meet Ezekiel!

    ReplyDelete